Apple on August 26, 2026, announced a new Mac mini featuring the new M6 and the powerful M5 Pro processors. It boasts a super-compact desktop design with dramatically improved performance and greater versatility. The new Mac mini is available for pre-order and will be available for purchase starting September 22nd.
With the M6, the Mac mini delivers up to four times faster AI performance, twice as fast storage, and 40 percent faster CPU performance. With the M6-powered Mac mini, everything from everyday productivity tasks to agent-based AI workflows becomes incredibly fast.
The Mac mini with the M5 Pro processor delivers even more professional-level performance, effortlessly handling demanding projects from video production to game development. This new level of performance allows you to streamline your business workflow, whether you’re using the Mac mini as your main desktop or keeping it running as a desktop-side agent computing solution.
Both Mac mini models feature Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and upgraded 2.5Gb Ethernet (upgradable to 10Gb). Combined with the power of macOS 27 and next-generation Apple Intelligence 3, including Siri AI 4, the new Mac mini is an upgrade for both seasoned Mac users and first-time Mac users.
Comments from Apple’s Chief Hardware Officer, Johny Srouji
“The Mac mini has always been our most versatile Mac. Whether you’re using it as a home computer, powering a professional studio, or as an always-on agent device, this little Mac does it all.
Today, we take this versatility a step further. With a more powerful CPU and graphics, a Neural Accelerator integrated into the GPU, and higher memory bandwidth, the Mac mini with the M6 processor delivers a new level of AI performance.”
“Furthermore, the Mac mini with the M5 Pro processor, featuring up to 18-core CPUs and a 20-core GPU, can handle complex professional workflows and is incredibly powerful despite its ultra-compact size. We can’t wait to see what amazing ways people will use it.”
Mac mini with the new M6 processor
A small, powerful device for AI
The Mac mini with the M6 processor powerfully handles everything from productivity tasks to creative projects and cutting-edge AI workflows. The M6 features a 12-core CPU—two more cores than its predecessor—delivering the world’s fastest single-thread performance, making everything feel lighter and more responsive.
Furthermore, the 12-core GPU now has two more cores than before, and for the first time in a Mac mini, each core is equipped with a Neural Accelerator, resulting in up to four times faster AI performance and twice as fast graphics compared to Mac minis with the M4 chip.
Additionally, the new dual 16-core Neural Engine delivers up to twice the performance of its predecessor, and combined with the advanced GPU, the Mac mini has become a powerful device capable of handling any AI-related task.1 Plus, 16GB of standard unified memory (expandable up to 32GB) and higher memory bandwidth of up to 170GB/s make multitasking faster than ever before.
Mac mini with M6 processor performance 2
- LLM prompt processing in LM Studio is up to 13.5 times faster compared to Mac mini with an M1 processor, and up to 4.8 times faster compared to Mac mini with an M4 processor.
- Microsoft Excel spreadsheet calculations are up to 2.3 times faster on a Mac mini with an M1 processor and up to 1.5 times faster on a Mac mini with an M4 processor.
- Game performance in Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition with ray tracing enabled is up to twice as fast compared to a Mac mini with an M4 processor.
Mac mini with M5 Pro
Incredible Pro performance
The Mac mini with the M5 Pro redefines what can be achieved on such a small desktop, enabling professional users to handle demanding workflows such as app development, video rendering, and scientific simulations.
The M5 Pro features a CPU with up to 18 cores for unparalleled multi-threaded performance and a GPU with up to 20 cores, enhanced shader cores, and third-generation ray tracing, making it ideal for complex tasks such as 3D design, VFX, and game development.
Furthermore, thanks to the Neural Accelerator integrated into each GPU core, the M5 Pro offers significantly improved AI computing capabilities compared to the previous generation Mac mini, enabling faster processing of more advanced AI workflows such as photo and video upscaling, and the execution of large-scale diffusion models. Mac minis with the M5 Pro support up to 64GB of unified memory and 307GB/s of memory bandwidth, allowing users to run larger local AI models, tackle complex 3D scenes, edit ProRes RAW files, and load massive custom datasets for research.
Furthermore, with its industry-leading performance per watt, the Mac mini with the M5 Pro is quiet, efficient, and ideal as an always-on desktop for AI agents and creative workflows.
Performance of Mac mini with M5 Pro
- LM Studio’s LLM prompt processing performance is up to 8.5 times faster compared to a Mac mini with an M2 Pro, and up to 4 times faster compared to a Mac mini with an M4 Pro.
- Rendering performance using ray tracing in Blender is up to 4.5 times faster compared to a Mac mini with an M2 Pro, and up to 1.4 times faster compared to a Mac mini with an M4 Pro.
- Image processing in Affinity is up to 2.1 times faster compared to a Mac mini with an M2 Pro, and up to 1.5 times faster compared to a Mac mini with an M4 Pro.
Best-in-class connectivity
The new Mac mini with M6 and M5 Pro processors now supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, as well as 2.5Gb Ethernet (upgradable to 10Gb Ethernet) for faster wired connectivity. The front panel features two USB 3-compatible USB-C ports and a headphone jack for high-impedance headphones, making access even more convenient.
On the back, the Mac mini with the M6 processor has three Thunderbolt 4 ports, while the Mac mini with the M5 Pro processor has three Thunderbolt 5 ports, plus HDMI and Ethernet ports. Thunderbolt 5 allows for clustering multiple Mac mini systems to run large-scale AI models entirely on the devices. Additionally, it now supports Genlock via USB-C, enabling precise synchronization between displays and cameras such as those on the iPhone 17 Pro.
macOS 27 Golden Gate: An Unparalleled Experience
The new Mac mini will truly shine with the upcoming release of macOS 27. This includes a far more capable personal assistant, Siri AI, Apple Intelligence features integrated into everyday apps, and a wide range of enhancements that make your Mac even more responsive and reliable.
Siri AI uses personal context to help users find what they need at that moment from messages, emails, and photos, answer questions on almost any topic, and perform tasks across multiple apps.
Siri AI is integrated into Spotlight and the system-wide context menu, and users can use dedicated keyboard shortcuts to ask Siri what’s on the screen using visual intelligence. Users can use Siri to compose and edit in almost any writing situation.
Furthermore, Apple Intelligence makes apps smarter and more convenient through new ways of using them, such as customizing and organizing browsing in Safari, easily creating automations in the Shortcuts app by simply describing them, and utilizing advanced photo editing features in the Photos app.
Features that users already rely on will be further enhanced with improved performance and search capabilities. Liquid Glass has been improved for better readability, and users can further personalize the appearance with a unified toolbar, an edge-to-edge sidebar, updated window shapes, and menu bar icons.
Mac mini and the Environment
The new Mac mini is designed with the environment in mind, continuing Apple’s ambitious plan to make its overall carbon footprint carbon neutral by 2030. It is made with 50 percent recycled materials, with 100 percent recycled aluminum in the casing and 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all of its magnets.
All the electricity used to manufacture the Mac mini is sourced from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power throughout the entire supply chain. Apple also invests in enough renewable energy worldwide to match the amount of electricity customers consume when using their Mac mini. Like all Apple products, the paper packaging is made from 100 percent fiber material and is easily recyclable at home.
