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.
★★★★★
The best wall chargers include a display so you don’t have to guess about how much power is flowing. The BMX GaNsta Pixel has one too… and it’s both cool-looking and really easy to read.
More than that, the charger goes up to 140 watts — plenty to power your MacBook. Plus, there are three USB-C charging ports and a USB-A one, too.
I put the Mac/iPhone accessory through real-world testing and came away impressed. And I love its large display.
August 27, 1999: Apple Computer swaps out the striped, multicolored logo the company had used since 1977 for a new single-color version. The evolution of the iconic Apple logo from rainbow to monochrome shocks many longtime fans.
However, it is part of a sustained, company-wide overhaul led by Apple CEO Steve Jobs. The makeover includes new products, the “Think Different” ad campaign and, eventually, the removal of the word “Computer” from the company’s name.
The Secure Software Lifetime Mac Bundle featuring CleanTwin packs six native apps for photo cleanup, storage monitoring, network diagnostics and more.
They provide a great way to clean up and fine-tune your Mac (and most of them work on your other Apple devices, too). Right now, you can grab a lifetime subscription to all six apps for just $29.99, down from $179.
Apple’s new support document explains how you can speed up Spotlight indexing on your device. It also goes into detail about how Spotlight indexing works.
Many iPhone, iPad and Mac users will face this indexing slowdown once Apple releases its next-generation operating systems next month.
Samsung just took its portable storage to a new speed tier with its latest external SSDs. On Wednesday, the company unveiled the P9 and P7, a new generation of portable solid-state drives equipped with USB4 connectivity.
The flagship P9 is aimed at professionals who need to move huge amounts of data quickly, while the P7 offers a more affordable option for everyday storage. Both are designed to work with a broad range of devices, including the latest Macs and high-end iPads.
Apple Maps ads finally started showing up for iPhone and iPad owners in the United States and Canada this week, and some users are angry — and even threatening to switch to Google Maps.
Sponsored listings now appear inside the Maps app’s search experience, front and center, tagged with a discreet label. But some iPhone owners feel disappointed and even betrayed, saying Apple is prioritizing ad dollars over a pristine user experience.
Apple pitches its new M5 Ultra Mac Studio as a way to end your AI subscription bill for good. But the math tells a different story.
“Mac Studio lets users run massive models entirely on device with complete privacy — without counting tokens or worrying about rising cloud costs,” Apple said in a press release announcing the computer’s surprise launch Tuesday.
While Apple’s marketing frames the Mac Studio as a way to run AI coding models locally instead of paying for an AI subscription every month, a pricing breakdown shows the payback stretching into years, not months.
August 26, 1991: In their first joint interview, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates trade barbs and debate “the future of the PC” in Fortune magazine.
The spirited discussion marks 10 years since the first IBM PC shipped. The piece also looks at what the future holds for both men — described as the former “boy wonders of computing, now thirtysomething.”
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.
Jailbreak developers have found a way to run macOS on the iPhone 14 Pro Max. But it works as a virtual machine, not a full swap of iOS. The trick piggybacks on an existing iPad project that was never built with phones in mind.
The update comes from Virtual Mac, an open-source tool that lets some iPads run full macOS. Version 1.2.1 of the project extends the package to the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. And, as expected, support is thin, and the trade-offs are real.
Apple launched the powerful new M6 processor in a fresh version of the Mac mini on Tuesday. It’s a significant boost over its predecessor, and is expected to soon become part of a range of products — MacBooks, iMacs and more.
But the M7 could already be closer than you realize.
Leaked photos purportedly showing Apple’s AI servers reveal a chassis packed tight with custom silicon.
The unverified photos were posted Sunday by X user @hsuchingpo, an account with a good track record of Apple hardware leaks. The leaker said the Apple servers “most likely” power Private Cloud Compute, Apple’s privacy-first answer to cloud AI.
August 25, 1995: Apple releases the PowerBook 5300, the Mac laptop that will save the world from alien invaders in the 1996 blockbuster movie Independence Day.
The computer will make many more big-screen appearances, too. See some of the laptop’s most high-profile Hollywood cameos below.
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.”
Update: As predicted, Apple released a Mac mini upgraded with M6 and M5 Pro chips on Tuesday, saying the tiny desktop computer “delivers up to 4x faster AI performance, up to 2x faster graphics and storage, along with enhanced connectivity.”
Apple’s next-gen Mac mini may debut in the coming days, possibly even ahead of Apple’s September iPhone event, according to an unconfirmed report published on Monday. The miniature desktop could debut with an Apple M5 or an M6 processor.
The new model should do well — Mac mini demand has exploded in recent months due to the AI boom.
Apple just gave its most powerful desktop Mac a major performance boost. The company on Tuesday introduced an upgraded Mac Studio powered by the M5 Max processor and the all-new M5 Ultra, promising substantially faster AI, graphics and CPU performance in the same compact design.
“Mac Studio is the ultimate desktop for on-device AI and the world’s most demanding pro workflows, relied on by users for its tremendous performance and extensive pro connectivity, all in a quiet, compact design that sits right on your desk — and today, we’re pushing the boundaries even further,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s chief hardware officer, in a press release.
Don’t let Apple’s recent price hikes get you down. Grab a refurbished 12.9-inch iPad Pro with an M1 chip, Liquid Retina XDR display, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for just $459.99.
These Grade B refurbs might not be cosmetically perfect, but their low price tags are a sight for sore eyes. They’re available in silver or space gray (and you can even bump up the storage for a little more dough).
Been waiting for a big fat discount to stock up on Apple’s second-gen AirTags? Your wait is over. This new deal drops the price of a four-pack of Apple’s upgraded Bluetooth trackers to its lowest price yet: just $79.99.
That’s a 19% discount off the regular price of $99 (and the lowest we’ve ever seen for the second-gen model). If you only want a single AirTag, you can still pick up one for just $24 (a sweet 17% discount).
These convenient accessories don’t go on sale very often, so don’t procrastinate. There’s no telling how long this deal will last.
Apple could be preparing an iPhone price increase for this fall. The move would follow Google and Samsung, both of which raised prices on their flagship phones this year.
The iPhone faces the same memory and chip shortages that pushed Apple to jack up Mac and iPad prices back in June. And while an iPhone price increase now looks all but certain, Apple appears to be trying to keep the hike modest.
August 24, 2011: With his health worsening, a cancer-stricken Steve Jobs resigns from his role leading Apple. Tim Cook assumes the role of Apple’s seventh CEO.
“I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know,” Jobs writes in his retirement letter to the Apple board. “Unfortunately that day has come.”
Apple is clearing shelf space for a new era of smart home gear. The company is reportedly preparing a significant overhaul of its retail stores this fall. The changes point to more than a routine refresh. And at the center of it all sits the rumored Apple home hub — its first smart display built for the home.
The retail work targets the “Avenues,” the perimeter walls in Apple’s newer stores. These walls showcase HomePod, Apple TV, AirPods, and Beats gear. Store-layout teams are reportedly rearranging these sections and adding new accessory bays. The scale of the project suggests Apple needs room for something significant.
The third-generation KeySmart SmartCard is an ultra-slim wallet tracker compatible with Apple’s Find My network and Google Find Hub. Just slide it into a credit card slot, and you’ve got a foolproof way to find your wallet anytime you misplace it.
For a limited time, the KeySmart SmartCard is on sale for just $31.99 (regularly $39.99).
Apple will reportedly give the iMac an M6 upgrade later this year. As part of this, it also plans to launch the all-in-one desktop in new color options.
Just be aware, besides a faster chip and new colors, Apple supposedly won’t make any other changes to the iMac.
August 23, 2011: United Airlines says it will hand out 11,000 iPads to its pilots as part of its “paperless flight deck” filled with essential data. It’s the largest rollout yet of Apple tablets as a replacement for the weighty flight bags traditionally carried by aircrews.
Going paperless saves around 16 million sheets of paper each year, the equivalent of 1,900 trees not cut down. Even better, the weight difference between the 1.5-pound iPad and the 40-pound flight bag saves an estimated 326,000 gallons of jet fuel per year!