Apple unveiled the new Mac mini on August 25, 2026. It comes with two chip options: the Mac mini M6 for 1,049 euros and the Mac mini M5 Pro for 1,999 euros. Both models offer significantly more processing power, a Neural Engine twice as large, and—for the first time on the M5 Pro—Thunderbolt 5, while the case remains just as compact as its predecessor’s.
TL;DR: The Mac mini M6 starts at 1,049 euros (12-core CPU, 12-core GPU, up to 32 GB of RAM), while the Mac mini M5 Pro starts at 1,999 euros (up to an 18-core CPU, 20-core GPU, up to 64 GB of RAM, and Thunderbolt 5). Pre-orders begin on August 25, 2026, and the device will be available in stores starting September 22, 2026, in 30 countries.
What’s new with the Mac mini M6 and M5 Pro?
The M6 directly replaces the M4 in the Mac mini, skipping the M5 generation, which was previously only found in the MacBook Pro and iPad Pro. Apple has equipped the chip with two additional CPU and GPU cores (now 12 and 12, respectively) and included a dedicated Neural Accelerator in each GPU core—a first for the Mac mini. The Neural Engine itself is now twice as large as that of the M4.
The M5 Pro takes it a step further: up to 18 CPU cores, up to 20 GPU cores, third-generation ray tracing, and Neural Accelerators in every GPU core as well. The difference is most noticeable in the ports: While the M6 sticks with three Thunderbolt 4 ports, the M5 Pro gets three Thunderbolt 5 ports, which, according to Apple, can also be used for Thunderbolt 5 clustering—that is, for linking multiple Mac mini systems.
The enclosure itself remains unchanged. Apple continues to specify Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and—newly—Genlock support via USB-C for both models, which is handy for anyone who wants to synchronize the Mac mini with cameras or displays. In terms of materials, Apple uses 100 percent recycled aluminum for the enclosure and 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in the magnets.
Technical Specifications at a Glance
| Specifications | Mac mini M6 | Mac mini M5 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| CPU Cores | 12 | up to 18 |
| GPU cores | 12 | up to 20 |
| Neural Engine | Dual 16-core | Dual 16-core with Neural Accelerators |
| RAM | 16 GB, expandable to 32 GB | up to 64 GB |
| Memory Bandwidth | up to 170 GB/s | 307 GB/s |
| Rear ports | 3× Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, Ethernet | 3× Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, Ethernet |
| Ethernet | 2.5 Gbit (10 Gbit optional) | 2.5 Gbit (10 Gbit optional) |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 7 / Bluetooth 6 | Wi-Fi 7 / Bluetooth 6 |
| Price (Standard) | €1,049 | €1,999 |
| Price (Education) | €929 | €1,879 |
On the front, both models offer two USB-C ports (USB 3) and a headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones.
Pricing and Availability
Pre-orders for the Mac mini M6 and M5 Pro will be available starting August 25, 2026, and the devices will be available in stores starting September 22, 2026, in 30 countries. Compared to the Mac mini M4, which started at 949 euros this spring, the starting price has thus risen by 100 euros. In the U.S., the increase is even more significant, according to 9to5mac: There, the M6 Mac mini will cost $899 at launch, while the M4 was priced at $599 when it debuted.
Performance: How much faster is the new Mac mini really?
Apple itself cites, among other things, up to 4x faster AI performance, double the graphics performance, and 40 percent faster CPU speed for the M6 compared to the M4. According to the manufacturer, here’s how those figures translate to real-world applications:
- LLM prompts in LM Studio: up to 4.8 times faster
- Excel spreadsheets: up to 1.5 times faster
- Cyberpunk 2077 with ray tracing: up to 2 times faster
The M5 Pro offers even more improvements over the M4 Pro: up to 4 times faster LLM prompts, 1.4 times faster rendering in Blender, and 1.5 times faster image editing in Affinity. Those still using an M2 Pro can look forward to significantly larger performance gains, such as LLM prompts that are about 8.5 times faster and rendering that’s 4.5 times faster.
One point of criticism from the coverage: While Apple cites relative improvements, it provides almost no absolute values, such as frames per second. Only independent benchmarks after the launch will show just how noticeable these improvements are in everyday use.
macOS 27 and Apple Intelligence
Both Mac mini models come pre-installed with macOS 27 and Apple Intelligence features. The larger Neural Engine in the M6 and the Neural Accelerators in the GPU cores are primarily designed to speed up on-device AI tasks, such as image generation or running smaller language models directly on the device rather than in the cloud. If you want an overview of Apple’s other announcements from this year—such as the iPhone 18 Pro—you can find the details in our article on the Apple Keynote 2026.
M6 or M5 Pro: Which model is right for you?
For most buyers, the M6 should suffice: office work, web browsing, video calls, and light photo and video editing—that’s what the more affordable chip is designed for. However, when it comes to larger video projects, 3D rendering, local AI models beyond small language models, or multiple high-resolution external displays, the extra cost for the M5 Pro is well worth it. The higher memory bandwidth of 307 GB/s is particularly noticeable when large amounts of data need to be processed simultaneously, such as during multi-track video editing or larger AI workloads.
Conclusion: Is the Upgrade Worth It?
At first glance, the jump from M4 directly to M6 seems like a skipped generation, but it’s mostly a marketing move: Apple is using the current chip numbering scheme to clearly distinguish the Mac mini from the M5 Pro variant. If you already own an M4 Mac mini and don’t need it for AI applications or rendering, you don’t necessarily need to upgrade. For an M2 or older model, however, the benchmarks clearly indicate that an upgrade is worthwhile.
The price increase compared to the previous model is real, even if it’s more moderate in Germany at 100 euros than in the U.S. If you’re price-sensitive, you should check for discounted M4 clearance stock in stores, if it’s still available.
Conclusion
With the Mac mini M6 and the Mac mini M5 Pro, Apple brings two clearly distinct performance classes into a single compact enclosure. The M6 is aimed at anyone who wants a fast, quiet everyday computer, while the M5 Pro is for those who need noticeably more memory bandwidth, Thunderbolt 5, and rendering power. Both models will be available in stores starting September 22, 2026, and the new Mac mini can be pre-ordered as early as August 25, 2026.
Sources: Apple Newsroom
