Apple’s new Mac mini looks the same, but the M6 inside brings a major performance boost

Apple introduces the M6 chip, and it lands first in the new Mac mini It’s a bit more expensive than its predecessor, but offers improved performance, with a focus on AI tasks It can also be configured with the M5 Pro, while the latest Mac Studio gets the M5 Max or new M5 Ultra Apple reintroduced the Mac mini in its sportier, more compact design with M4 chips in October 2024, and now, just a few months shy of two years later, we’re getting the next generation.

Apple is sticking with the ultra-tiny build that doesn’t skimp on ports, and it's also using its new entry-level Mac desktop to usher in its next generation of silicon: the M6.

While this next-gen Mac mini sports an identical look to its predecessor, it’s built to pack a performance punch with either the M6, which is Apple’s first 2nm chip, or the M5 Pro for those who need an even more substantial setup.

This performance boost comes at the cost of a price increase over the M4-powered Mac mini.

The Mac mini with M6 starts at $899 / £899 / AU$1,449 for 256GB of storage and 16GB of RAM — that's a $100 increase in the US over the current price of the M4 model — while the M5 Pro starts at $1,699 / £1,699 / AU$TBC with 512GB of storage and 24GB of RAM.

You can, of course, pay more for more RAM and storage — we’re waiting to see full pricing.

The Mac mini with M6 will start at $899 — a $100 increase in the US over the $799 MSRP for the M4 model – with 256GB of storage and 16GB of RAM, while the mini with M5 Pro will start at $1,699 with 512GB of storage and 24GB of RAM.

Of course, you can pay more for more RAM and storage — we’re waiting to see pricing.

The M6 isn’t the only new chip arriving from Apple.

The next-gen Mac Studio , which keeps its now-iconic design, is sporting either the M5 Max or the M5 Ultra under the hood for extreme performance, be it creative or professional workflows, or the demands of AI processes.

Like the Mac mini, it’s a bit more costly, starting at $2,499 / £2,499 / AU$4,299 for the Mac Studio with M5 Max or $5,499 / £5,499 / AU$TBC for the M5 Ultra.

The reveal timing is a little out of line with the release cycle we’ve gotten used to for the Mac lineup, as it comes just weeks before Apple's rumored September event, at which Apple will likely debut its iPhone 18 lineup and other devices.

Let’s dive into what we know about the M6 and the new Mac mini, its first home, and the even speedier Mac Studio.

The Mac mini pushes forward with M6 (Image credit: Apple ) While the new Mac mini's design is unchanged — and we're just fine with that — the big change is under the hood.