Apple has announced a new Mac mini powered by its all-new M6 and M5 Pro chips, promising a significant jump in artificial intelligence performance, faster graphics and improved connectivity, all within the same compact design the desktop is known for.
The company made the announcement on Monday, 25 August 2026, from its headquarters in Cupertino, California. Pre-orders opened the same day, with the machines set to reach customers and retail stores on 22 September.
The Mac mini with M6 delivers up to four times faster AI performance, two times faster storage and graphics, and 40 percent faster CPU performance compared to the previous M4 model. The chip features a 12-core CPU and a 12-core GPU, both adding two more cores than the previous generation. Neural Accelerators have been added to each GPU core for the first time on Mac mini, and a new dual 16-core Neural Engine further boosts AI workloads. 
Standard unified memory starts at 16GB, configurable up to 32GB, with memory bandwidth reaching up to 170GB per second.
In practical terms, Apple says the M6 Mac mini processes large language model prompts in LM Studio up to 13.5 times faster than the M1 model and up to 4.8 times faster than M4. Spreadsheet calculations in Microsoft Excel run up to 2.3 times faster than M1 and up to 1.5 times faster than M4. Gaming performance with ray tracing in Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition is up to two times faster than M4.
Users can do it all with the ultracompact Mac mini featuring the all-new M6 or powerful M5 Pro — from advanced productivity to running AI models on device, and more. 
Mac mini with M6 delivers even more performance for projects in Apple Creator Studio than before. 
Mac mini can run on-device AI tasks like applying style effects to photos, running local models, or creating AI agents that automate daily tasks. 
With a wide array of connectivity, the new Mac mini with M6 and M5 Pro now supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, as well as 2.5Gb Ethernet for faster wired connectivity, with 10Gb available to configure. 
Mac mini with M6 can power through creative projects in apps like Adobe Photoshop. 
Mac mini is more versatile than ever, whether it’s powering a home setup, driving professional studio workflows, or serving as a capable desktop solution for agentic AI workloads in the enterprise.
The higher-end Mac mini with M5 Pro targets professionals working in video production, app development, game development and scientific simulation. It carries up to an 18-core CPU and a 20-core GPU with third-generation ray tracing. Memory goes up to 64GB with 307GB per second of bandwidth, allowing users to run larger local AI models and handle more complex workflows. LLM prompt processing in LM Studio runs up to 8.5 times faster than the M2 Pro model and up to four times faster than M4 Pro.
Johny Srouji, Apple’s chief hardware officer, described the machine as “the little Mac that can do it all,” adding that M6 delivers “a whole new level of AI performance” and that M5 Pro is “an ultracompact powerhouse for complex pro workflows.”
Both models come with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and 2.5Gb Ethernet, with a 10Gb Ethernet option available. The front panel carries two USB-C ports with USB 3 support and a headphone jack. The rear panel on the M6 model includes three Thunderbolt 4 ports, while the M5 Pro model steps up to three Thunderbolt 5 ports, which also allow multiple Mac mini units to be clustered together to run large AI models entirely on device. Both models include HDMI and Ethernet ports at the rear.
The new machines ship with macOS 27, which brings Siri AI, described by Apple as a more capable and personal assistant that can draw on a user’s messages, emails and photos to answer questions and complete tasks across apps. Apple Intelligence features are included across everyday applications, with improvements to Safari, Shortcuts and the Photos app.
Mac mini with M6 starts at $899, or $799 for education customers. The M5 Pro model starts at $1,699, or $1,599 for education. Apple Trade In credit is available for existing machines.
