In case it slipped your mind, Apple is about to launch a pair of new Mac desktops. Speed-boosted versions of the Mac mini and Mac Studio were announced weeks ago, but they are just now about to reach customers.
That means Tuesday marks the real-world launch of two significantly upgraded macOS models, with the Mac mini getting Apple’s new M6 processor or the M5 Pro, while the Mac Studio moves to M5 Max or M5 Ultra chips.
Both machines put a particular emphasis on AI performance, reflecting Apple’s growing push to make its desktop Macs powerful platforms for running AI models locally.
Reminder: Mac desktop announcements in August
August is not a typical time to unveil new Macs, but apparently no one told that to Apple. The new Mac mini and Mac Studio were both announced on August 25. And they were unveiled by press release, not at a flashy event.
To continue the oddness, despite making the computers official at the end of summer, Apple held off on shipping them until Tuesday, September 22.
Obviously, they were waiting on macOS 27, but why the now-former CEO Tim Cook felt the need to announce these two a month before they would hit store shelves is unknown. Still, the wait is almost over.
Mac mini gets M6 or M5 Pro
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac
The 2026 Mac mini keeps the same tiny design introduced with 2024 version, but gets a substantial performance boost inside. It’s available with either Apple’s new M6 chip or the more powerful M5 Pro.
The M6 version features a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU and delivers up to 40% faster CPU performance than the previous-generation Mac mini, according to Apple. The company also claims up to four times faster AI performance, along with up to twice the graphics and storage performance.
The M5 Pro version can be configured with an 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU, with up to 64GB of unified memory. Apple promises that it handles complex data sets, heavy 8K video editing and massive software builds with ease.
The compact desktop also gets Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and 2.5Gb Ethernet as standard. The M6 model has Thunderbolt 4, while the M5 Pro version steps up to Thunderbolt 5.
The Mac mini with M6 starts at $899, while the M5 Pro model starts at $1,699. Both go on sale Tuesday, September 22, when they will also begin arriving at customers’ homes and appearing in Apple Stores and authorized resellers.
Mac Studio gets M5 Max and M5 Ultra
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac
For users who need considerably more horsepower, there’s the 2026 Mac Studio. Apple’s high-end desktop retains its compact enclosure but M5 Max or the new M5 Ultra processor are now options.
The M5 Max version has an 18-core CPU and up to a 40-core GPU, with up to 128GB of unified memory. Apple says it delivers up to 1.3x faster CPU performance, 1.8x faster graphics and 3.9x faster AI performance than the previous generation in the company’s testing.
The M5 Ultra takes things much further, with up to a 36-core CPU, 80-core GPU and a massive 512GB of unified memory. That makes the Mac Studio particularly interesting for demanding professional workloads and running enormous AI models entirely on the Mac.
Mac Studio with M5 Max starts at $2,499, while the M5 Ultra version starts at $5,499. Both begin arriving to customers Tuesday, September 22, although the configuration with 512GB of unified memory won’t arrive until late October.
- See also: 5 Mac mini and Mac Studio upgrades that deserve more attention
- See also: M6 Mac mini vs. M4 Mac mini: Everything that changed
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 26 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh SE/30 (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer.
That’s because he’s a “tablet first” type of guy. Rather than use a Macbook, he connects a keyboard case to the iPad. And instead of a desktop Mac, he connects his tablet to a 27-inch display and full-size keyboard. (So don’t try to tell him that everyone has to use a Mac to be productive.)
Before coming to Cult of Mac, Ed wrote for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
