Apple solders the storage chip on the M6 and M5 Pro Mac mini, making third-party storage upgrades impossible. This is a regression from the M4 Mac mini, which shipped with a removable storage module.
So, if you plan to buy a Mac mini, configure it with enough storage from the start, as future upgrades — even from third-party vendors — will not be possible.
Apple’s latest Mac mini and Mac Studio computers don’t just come with faster M-series chips. They also pack certain underlying upgrades that make them even more capable and appealing than their predecessors.
That includes faster storage, better connectivity and boosted memory bandwidth. Here are five important Mac mini and Mac Studio upgrades you might have missed.
With the latest Mac mini, Apple launched its first 2nm chip: the M6. It stands out for several reasons, including enhanced single-core performance and dual Neural Engines for better AI performance.
But that does not automatically make it better than the M5 Pro, which trumps the M6 in some key areas.
Both are available in the new Mac mini, so it’s up to buyers to choose which is the better option for them. To help with the decision, here’s how the two stack up.
With the launch of the M5 Ultra in the new Mac Studio, Apple’s M5 chip lineup is finally complete. The M5 is the entry-level chip for most Mac users, while the M5 Pro, Max and Ultra progressively add more CPU and GPU cores and unified memory.
Wondering how each differs from one another, and which is the best option for you? Here’s a detailed comparison of the M5 chip family.
Apple just gave its smallest Mac an outsized performance upgrade. The company on Tuesday launched new Mac mini versions powered by either the all-new M6 chip or the more powerful M5 Pro, bringing substantially faster performance and a major focus on local AI workloads to the tiny desktop.
“Whether it’s being used as a home computer, powering a professional studio, or as an always-on agentic device, it’s the little Mac that can do it all,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s chief hardware officer. “Today, we’re taking this versatility even further.”
Apple’s latest M5 Pro and M5 Max chips will serve as the company’s flagship SoCs until the M5 Ultra lands on the Mac Studio in a few months.
Power-hungry Mac fans want to know: Compared to the M4 Pro and M4 Max, what improvements do the M5 Pro and its Max sibling bring? Our comparison shows exactly how these Apple processors stack up.
Apple’s affordable MacBook Neo, iPhone 17e, M5 Pro/Max-equipped MacBook Pros and the M4 iPad Air went on sale Wednesday. The M5-powered MacBook Air and new Studio Displays also hit retail stores today.
Apple began accepting preorders for these devices last week, shortly after unveiling them.
Apple’s just-announced MacBook Neo as well as the new M5 Pro/Max-equipped MacBook Pros, M4 iPad Air, M5 MacBook Air and iPhone 17e are now available for preorder. The new Studio Display and Studio Display XDR are also available to order starting Wednesday.
All devices will start shipping and hit retail stores starting March 11.
As of Tuesday, Apple has refreshed its entire MacBook lineup with M5 silicon. And while the new machines bring meaningful upgrades across the board, buyers should brace for higher prices than last year.
Whether you’re eyeing the new MacBook Air or the pro-grade MacBook Pro, here’s a breakdown of what to expect at every price point.
Using Apple’s all-new Fusion Architecture with “super cores,” the new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips that Apple unveiled Tuesday in new MacBook Pro models will bring more than enough power to handle Apple Intelligence and plenty of other complex computing tasks, the company said.
“M5 Pro and M5 Max are a monumental leap forward for Apple silicon, leveraging our new Fusion Architecture to scale the capabilities of Apple silicon while preserving its core tenets of performance, power efficiency and unified memory architecture,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware technologies, in a press release.
“Both chips underscore our relentless pace of innovation, integrating the world’s fastest CPU cores, a next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators, a faster Neural Engine and high-bandwidth, high-capacity memory — resulting in an unparalleled combination of performance, efficiency, and incredible on-device AI capabilities for MacBook Pro,” he added.
Apple’s long-rumored M5 Pro- and M5 Max-powered MacBook Pros are finally official. The new laptops look visually the same, but pack updated internals that promise a massive leap in performance.
“MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max redefines what’s possible on a pro laptop, now up to 4x faster than the previous generation,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, in a press release Tuesday.