Apple has significantly upgraded its desktop range with new Mac mini and Mac Studio models. The Mac mini now features the company’s first 2nm M6 chip, while the Mac Studio is available with M5 Max and the new M5 Ultra processors. The latest models place a major emphasis on AI performance, along with improved connectivity and faster storage.
In India, the M6-powered Mac mini starts at Rs 99,900, while the M5 Pro variant begins at Rs 2,09,900. The Mac Studio starts at Rs 2,79,900 with the M5 Max and Rs 6,29,900 with the M5 Ultra. Education prices begin at Rs 88,990, Rs 1,97,900, Rs 2,56,900 and Rs 5,84,900, respectively.
Pre-orders for all four models are now available through Apple’s online store and Store app. The devices will go on sale at Apple Store locations and authorised retailers from September 22.
New Mac mini targets AI workloads
The major highlight of the new Mac mini is Apple’s M6 processor. Built using a 2nm process, it features a 12-core CPU, a 12-core GPU and two 16-core Neural Engines aimed at accelerating AI-related workloads.
Apple claims that the M6 Mac mini can offer up to twice the graphics performance and four times the AI performance of the M4 model. The base configuration includes 16GB of unified memory and 256GB of storage, while users can upgrade to as much as 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage.
For users requiring greater performance, Apple is also offering the Mac mini with an M5 Pro chip. This configuration features a 15-core CPU and 12-core GPU, with 24GB of memory and 512GB of storage in the base model. Memory can be expanded to 64GB and storage to 8TB.
Connectivity has also been improved. Both Mac mini variants support Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. The base Ethernet connection has been upgraded from 1Gb to 2.5Gb, while customers can opt for 10Gb Ethernet for faster wired networking.
Mac Studio gets Apple's most powerful processor
The Mac Studio is designed for professionals handling demanding workloads, including intensive AI and creative tasks. It is offered with M5 Max and M5 Ultra configurations.
The M5 Max model can be equipped with up to a 40-core GPU, 128GB of unified memory and 8TB of storage. The M5 Ultra is even more powerful, combining two M5 Max dies using Apple’s UltraFusion technology. Its highest configuration includes a 36-core CPU, an 80-core GPU and up to 512GB of unified memory, while storage can be expanded to 16TB.
Apple has also moved the Mac Studio to a PCIe Gen 6 SSD architecture, which it claims delivers twice the previous storage speed. The desktop also supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.
Another new feature is genlock support through USB-C on both the Mac mini and Mac Studio. This is particularly useful in professional video production, where precise synchronisation between cameras, displays and other equipment is essential.
In the US, the new Mac mini starts at $899, while the Mac Studio starts at $2,499. Apple has also said that a 512GB memory configuration for the M5 Ultra Mac Studio will be available later in October.
A useful comparison would be to see how the M6 Mac mini and M5 Ultra Mac Studio differ in real-world performance and value.
