Apple has officially introduced four new additions to its Mac lineup and accessories today: refreshed Mac mini and Mac Studio models powered by Apple’s latest chips, along with a revamped Polishing Cloth and updated Magic Keyboards. Pre-orders for the new Macs begin today, with availability in stores and deliveries starting September 22. The accessories are available immediately.
Mac mini: M6 Joins Pro Tier, Big AI & Graphics Gains
The new Mac mini comes in two configurations: one with the all-new M6 chip, and the other with the M5 Pro. The M6’s 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU replace the previous 10-core setup. It’s Apple’s first chip to use a 2-nanometer process and includes dual 16-core Neural Engines, plus Neural Accelerators built into GPU cores. Memory bandwidth jumps to 170 GB/s. Apple claims up to 40% faster CPU performance, 4× improvements in AI workloads, and 2× gains in graphics and storage over the M4 model.
Starting prices: the M6 model kicks off at $899 in the U.S. (with education pricing at $799) for 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD. The M5 Pro version begins at $1,699 ($1,599 for education) and starts with 24GB RAM and 512GB storage. Higher-end options go up to 32GB RAM / 2TB SSD for the M6, and up to 64GB RAM / 8TB storage for the M5 Pro.
Hardware and I/O remain largely unchanged in design. The front panel still features two USB-C ports and a headphone jack. On the back are three Thunderbolt ports (version depends on chip), an HDMI, and Ethernet which now defaults to 2.5 Gigabit with a 10-Gigabit upgrade option. Wireless updates include Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.
Mac Studio: M5 Max and Ultra Push Boundaries
The refreshed Mac Studio models now use Apple’s M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips. The M5 Max variant sports up to 18 CPU cores (6 of Apple’s “super” cores) and 40-core GPU configurations. It boasts unified memory options beginning at 36GB and rising to 128GB. Memory bandwidth reaches 614 GB/s, up from the previous generation.
The standout model is the M5 Ultra Studio, featuring up to a 36-core CPU (12 super + 24 performance) and the most powerful Apple silicon GPU yet—an 80-core unit with built-in Neural Accelerators. Memory starts at 96GB with configurations up to 512GB, and bandwidth pushes up to 1.2TB/s. Video workflows also get a serious upgrade: the Media Engine now supports twice the encode/decode capacity of the M5 Max and can handle up to 33 simultaneous 8K ProRes video streams.
Pricing for the M5 Max Studio begins at $2,499 (or $2,299 for education); the M5 Ultra version starts at $5,499 ($5,099 for education). The Ultra model with 512GB unified memory won’t ship until late October.
Accessory Updates: Cloth & Keyboards Get Refresh
Apple has slashed the price of its Polishing Cloth, lowering it from $19 to $9 in the U.S. It’s still made of the same soft, non-abrasive material suitable for all Apple displays, even nano-textured ones. At this time, no size or material changes have been confirmed.
The company also quietly updated its Magic Keyboards for Macs. Details on the updates are sparse, but the refreshed keyboards are now being sold alongside the new Macs.
Why It Matters & What to Watch
These product launches mark Apple’s continued push into AI-optimized computing. The M6 chip’s 2nm architecture and boosted Neural Engine underscore how AI performance is becoming central to Apple’s chip strategy across desktops. For professionals and creators, the Mac Studio’s expanded bandwidth and video handling capabilities could make it a powerhouse in studio, broadcast, and production environments.
But these gains come with trade-offs. Base prices have increased, and entry configurations like 16GB/256GB on the Mac mini may feel modest at the new cost. For buyers, that means weighing how much raw performance vs. value matters today. Moving forward, it’s worth watching when Apple extends M6 into notebooks and whether the Ultra class pushes even farther with its next-gen chips.
