Today Apple introduced a new lineup of the Mac Mini PCs centered on its freshly unveiled M6 chip, priced from $899. The new base model features 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, available for pre-order now with shipping beginning September 22. The machines will ship running macOS 27 along with integrated Siri-powered AI capabilities.
Faster Core, Upgraded Graphics and AI Performance
The M6 delivers a significant leap over its predecessor, the M4: AI-related tasks are now approximately 4× faster, while storage and graphics speeds about double. The chip sports 12 CPU cores and 12 GPU cores, up from M4’s 10-and-10 core configuration. It also offers improved connectivity, including Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and a 2.5Gbps Ethernet port, with an option to upgrade to 10Gbps.
A Pro Option & High-End Variants
Alongside the base Mac Mini, there’s a higher-end version powered by the M5 Pro. That model starts at $1,699 with 24GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The M5 Pro comes standard with a 15-core CPU and 16-core GPU, with options to move up to 18 CPU and 20 GPU cores. Both new minis support the same modern wireless tech and Ethernet flexibility.
Apple also expanded its station offerings with updates to the Mac Studio line, introducing models with the M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips. These begin at $2,499 and $5,499 respectively. The base Mac Studio with M5 Max includes 36GB of unified memory and 512GB of storage; the M5 Ultra configuration starts with 96GB of memory and 1TB of storage.
Apple removed the earlier base Mac Mini (which retailed at $599 with 256GB storage) from its lineup earlier this year. More recently, a 512GB model with the M4 chip had been offered at $799, but that has also been discontinued.
AI Use Cases & Market Pressure
Mac Minis have been a hotspot for enthusiasts experimenting with local AI agents like OpenClaw and Hermes. Demand surged to the point where Mac Minis were being resold at inflated prices on secondhand markets such as eBay.
These new Macs arrive equipped with macOS 27 and Siri AI tools out of the box, signaling Apple’s broader push into making AI-enhanced computing a standard. Shipping begins globally on September 22.
Apple’s new Mac Mini models—especially the M6 base version—represent a strategic pivot. They bring hardware performance more in line with today’s AI workloads, particularly on-device processing, without immediately resorting to cloud compute. This move could push competitors to accelerate local AI capabilities in their desktops and mini-PCs. Watch for how developers leverage macOS 27’s AI tools and whether users will find the pricing of the M6 Mini justifiable against higher-spec Mac Studio tiers or alternatives from other PC vendors.
