Apple has unveiled new Mac mini and Mac Studio computers powered by its latest M6 and M5 Ultra chips, placing artificial intelligence and high-performance local computing at the center of its latest desktop lineup.
The new Mac mini introduces Apple’s M6 chip, the company’s first 2-nanometer processor. It features a 12-core CPU, 12-core GPU with Neural Accelerators and a Dual 16-core Neural Engine. Apple says the new Mac mini can deliver up to four times faster AI performance, alongside major improvements in graphics, storage and CPU performance.
Apple is positioning the compact desktop as a machine capable of running AI models and agentic computing workloads directly on the device, reducing reliance on cloud-based processing.
For professional users, the new Mac Studio is available with M5 Max and M5 Ultra processors. The M5 Ultra uses a new quad-die architecture and offers up to a 36-core CPU, 80-core GPU and 1.2TB/s of unified memory bandwidth. It can also support up to 512GB of unified memory, making it particularly suited to demanding AI models and professional workloads.
Apple says the M5 Ultra delivers up to 4.3 times the peak AI compute performance of the previous M3 Ultra, while also providing significant graphics and processing improvements.
The new desktops are aimed at a growing market of developers, creators and professionals who want to run sophisticated AI applications locally.
The M6 Mac mini starts at $899, while Mac Studio models start at $2,499. The new computers are available for pre-order, with deliveries scheduled to begin September 22.