Apple Launches M6 Mac Mini and M5 Mac Studio

Apple Inc. released a new lineup of desktop computers on September 21, 2026, headlined by the Mac Mini and Mac Studio. The Mac Mini introduces the M6 chip, the company's first processor built on a 2-nanometer process node. Featuring a 12-core CPU and 46 billion transistors, the M6 delivers a 32 percent improvement in multi-core performance over the M4. The Mac Mini also offers an M5 Pro configuration with Thunderbolt 5 ports for AI workstations.

Both Mac Mini models retain the 5x5-inch chassis introduced in 2024, including the underside power button, and add Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and 2.5Gb Ethernet. However, the base M6 model's starting price has risen to $899, a $300 increase from the M4's original $599 price point. Tim Cook attributed this hike to a global memory price surge, which he described as a "100-year flood".

Simultaneously, Apple began shipping the 2026 Mac Studio featuring M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips. The M5 Ultra model, starting at $5,499, is approximately 30 percent faster than the M3 Ultra in CPU tests and shows a 63 percent increase in Cinebench GPU rendering. Fully configured M5 Ultra units reach $12,299. The Mac Studio maintains the hardware design used since 2022 and is positioned for AI developers and 3D visual effects professionals.