Thought Leadership
Apple has introduced a new Mac mini featuring the new M6 chip as well as the M5 Pro chip previously used in MacBook Pro models.
The starting price rises to $899, up from previously $799 and originally $599 for the 2024 model. The M6 chip is Apple’s first processor manufactured on a 2-nanometer process and features a 12-core CPU as well as a 12-core GPU, compared to 10 cores each on the M5. In addition, the M6 brings a dual Neural Engine with two 16-core units for the first time, compared to a single unit on earlier chips, as well as a memory bandwidth of up to 170 instead of previously 153 gigabytes per second.
According to Apple, the Mac mini with M6 chip delivers up to 40 percent more CPU performance, up to four times faster AI processing, twice the graphics performance, and twice as fast memory access compared to the predecessor model with M4 chip. For the first time, every single GPU core also features its own so-called Neural Accelerator, in both the M6 and M5 Pro models.
The M5 Pro chip is available in two variants with 15 or 18 CPU cores and 16 or 20 GPU cores, respectively, but continues to feature only a single 16-core Neural Engine instead of the new dual implementation of the M6. According to Apple, the chip is intended to offer “the world’s fastest single-core performance.” Both models will support Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet as standard in the future, with the M5 Pro model additionally supporting Thunderbolt 5 with up to 120 Gigabits per second.
Apple: Highest starting price in the history of the Mac mini
The base configuration with M6 chip, 16 gigabytes of memory, and 256 gigabytes of storage costs $899, while the M5 Pro model with 15 CPU cores, 16 GPU cores, 24 gigabytes of memory, and 512 gigabytes of storage starts at $1,699. Both models can be pre-ordered immediately in 30 countries, with shipping beginning on September 22. The original Mac mini was introduced in 2005 at a starting price of $499.
(Editorial Team)
