Apple Mac Mini launched in M6 and M5 Pro models, starts at PHP 64,990

In addition to the Apple Mac Studio, the company also released the mini model in two versions.

The new Mac Mini (2026)

Powerful yet so small

Apple has updated its Mac mini desktop lineup, introducing two new chip options: the all-new M6, built on a 2-nanometer process, and the M5 Pro, which previously debuted in other Mac models. The company is positioning both as significant upgrades in speed and on-device AI capability.

Apple also highlighted sustainability changes, noting the new Mac mini's enclosure is made from 100% recycled aluminum, with recycled materials making up half of the device overall.

The new M6 chip

On the specs side, the M6 chip pairs a 12-core CPU with a 12-core GPU, and for the first time, every GPU core includes a Neural Accelerator. 

Memory tops out at 32GB, supported by 170GB/s of bandwidth. Apple's internal testing claims notable gains over the outgoing M4 chip: AI workloads run up to four times faster, and graphics performance doubles. 

The company also cited more specific figures—a 13.5x jump in LLM prompt processing speed relative to the original M1, 2.3x faster Excel calculations, and double the frame rate in ray-traced games.

M5 Pro

For users with heavier computing needs, the M5 Pro variant scales up to an 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU, with support for 64GB of memory and 307GB/s bandwidth. 

Apple pointed to an 8.5x improvement in LLM prompt handling over the M2 Pro, alongside faster Blender rendering (4.5x) and quicker image processing in Affinity apps (2.1x).

Great for multitasking

Connectivity is largely shared across both models—Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and 2.5Gb Ethernet as standard, with a 10Gb upgrade path available. 

The chips diverge on Thunderbolt: the M6 sticks with Thunderbolt 4, while the M5 Pro moves to Thunderbolt 5 and adds support for clustering multiple units together for AI tasks. Software-wise, both ship running macOS 27, which brings refreshed versions of Siri and Apple Intelligence.

Read also: Apple unveils 2nm M6 and Quad-Die M5 Ultra chips focused on on-device AI

Mac Mini 2026 key specs and features:

• Enclosure made of 100% recycled aluminum; 50% recycled materials overall
• M6 - 12-core CPU/GPU, up to 32GB memory, up to 4x faster AI performance and 2x faster graphics than the M4
• M5 Pro - up to 18-core CPU, 20-core GPU, up to 64GB memory, built for heavier workloads like rendering and image editing
• Both support Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and 2.5Gb Ethernet (10Gb optional)
• M6 uses Thunderbolt 4; M5 Pro uses Thunderbolt 5
• Both run macOS 27 with updated Siri and Apple Intelligence

Price and availability

Apple Mac Mini M6 256GB - starts at PHP 64,990

Apple Mac Mini M5 Pro 512 GB - starts at PHP 119,990

The Mac mini becomes available in the U.S. on September 22. Apple has not yet confirmed launch timing for other markets, including the Philippines.

What do you guys think?

Source: Apple