Yesterday, Apple announced its new desktop computers with the Mac mini and Mac Studio. These aren’t dramatic redesigns but a refresh with the company’s newest chip options: the new M6 and M5 Ultra processors. Yes, that means the power button on the Mac mini is still on the bottom.
The mini offers faster storage, 2.5 Gb Ethernet with 10 Gb upgrade options, Bluetooth 6 and Wi-Fi 7 powered by Apple’s N1 chip, two USB-C ports with USB 3 support, HDMI, three rear Thunderbolt 4 ports (M6), three Thunderbolt 5 ports (M5 Pro), and a front headphone jack.
The new M6 chip on the new Mac mini is equipped with 12 CPU cores, which can theoretically deliver 4x faster AI performance, 2x faster storage and graphics performance, and 40 percent faster CPU performance, according to Apple. The M5 Pro chip offers higher core and GPU options than a MacBook Pro with the same processor. The M5 Max for the Mac Studio mirrors the MacBook Pro variant but offers a higher-core GPU for more processing power. The M5 Ultra chip is equipped with a 30-core CPU and 64-core GPU with the option to upgrade to an 80-core GPU.
As for the new Mac Studio, it provides 2x faster storage, Bluetooth 6, and Wi-Fi 7 powered by Apple’s N1 chip; support for up to eight external displays or up to four Studio Display XDR at 5K 120 Hz refresh rate; four rear Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) ports; two USB3 ports; HDMI; headphone jack; 10 Gb Ethernet; two front-facing USB-C ports; and an SDXC card slot.
Pre-orders are already in effect, as both of Apple’s latest desktops will go on sale on September 22. Unfortunately, the new chips come with new, more expensive pricing. The Mac mini now starts at $900 for the M6 option with only 256 GB of storage, while the Mac Studio starts at $2,500 for the M5 Max option and $5,500 for the M5 Ultra option.
