Apple unveiled its new Mac mini on the 25th. The base model carries Apple’s first 2-nanometer chip, the M6, while the higher-end model is equipped with the M5 Pro. Preorders have begun, and the launch is set for September 22.
The model drawing the most attention is the base version. The M6 is believed to be the first processor Apple has made using a 2-nanometer process. In semiconductors, the narrower the circuit width, the more circuits can be packed into the same space, improving performance and power efficiency. The 2-nanometer node is currently the most advanced process available for mass production. In other words, the latest-chip technology is arriving first not in a top-tier product, but in the more affordable Mac mini.
The M6 features a 12-core CPU and a 12-core GPU. The GPU includes a Neural Accelerator to assist with AI calculations. Apple says multithreaded performance is up to 1.2 times faster than the M5, and AI performance is about 30% better. Compared with the M4 from two generations ago, AI performance is up to four times higher. The higher-end M5 Pro model offers up to an 18-core CPU, a 20-core GPU, up to 64GB of memory, and three Thunderbolt 5 ports.
Connectivity standards have also been upgraded. Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 are included, and wired networking now starts at 2.5 gigabit Ethernet. A Genlock feature for synchronizing signals between video equipment is also supported via USB-C.
Price is drawing as much attention as performance. In South Korea, the official price is 1,499,000 won for the M6 model and starts at 2.99 million won for the M5 Pro model. The U.S. starting price is $899, up $100 from the previous generation, making it the highest starting price in Mac mini history. Domestic sales will begin on September 22 through the Apple Store and authorized resellers.
Chip supply constraints are being cited as the reason for the increase. As the race to build AI data centers has drawn in memory and storage capacity, component prices have climbed, and analysts say the pressure is being passed on to consumer devices.
That same situation likely helps explain why the M6 model’s base configuration is limited to 16GB of memory and 256GB of storage. Apple has also recently raised prices on Macs and iPads one after another.
Demand remains strong. The previous M4 Mac mini had a waiting period of up to two months shortly after launch. This generation, which promises a large performance jump, may also see fierce competition for initial stock. As the AI infrastructure boom continues to reshape pricing not only in data centers but also on desktop computers, consumers may need to decide in advance which specifications they need and carefully consider the timing of their purchase.
Apple unveiled its new Mac mini on the 25th. The base model carries Apple’s first 2-nanometer chip, the M6, while the higher-end model is equipped with the M5 Pro. Preorders have begun, and the launch is set for September 22.
Apple unveiled its new Mac mini on the 25th. The base model carries Apple’s first 2-nanometer chip, the M6, while the higher-end model is equipped with the M5 Pro. Preorders have begun, and the launch is set for September 22.