Apple launches M6 Mac mini and M5 Ultra Mac Studio in major AI upgrade

Apple has given two of its desktop computers a major upgrade. The tiny Mac mini is getting a new M6 chip, while the more powerful Mac Studio gets the M5 Max and M5 Ultra. They may look much the same on the outside, but Apple says they are faster and better equipped to handle demanding tasks, including AI.

The launches introduce two important pieces of Apple silicon: M6, Apple's first 2-nanometre Mac processor, and M5 Ultra, which Apple describes as its most powerful chip yet.

The tiny Mac mini gets M6

The new Mac mini keeps the compact 12.7 cm by 12.7 cm enclosure introduced with the M4 generation, but there is considerably more power inside.

The base machine now uses Apple's M6, with a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU. Neural Accelerators are built into GPU architectures to accelerate AI workloads, including running models locally.

Apple is even pitching the Mac mini as an "always-on agentic device", reflecting the rise of AI agents capable of carrying out multi-step tasks with less direct input from users.

The M6 Mac mini can be configured with up to 32GB of unified memory. Buyers needing more power can choose the M5 Pro, which offers up to an 18-core CPU, a 20-core GPU, and 64GB of memory.

Faster storage and Wi-Fi 7

The processor isn't the only upgrade.

Apple says storage performance has doubled over the previous generation, while 2.5Gb Ethernet is now standard. The N1 networking chip also brings Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, while 10Gb Ethernet remains an option.

The design and port arrangement are largely unchanged. Instead, Apple has concentrated on improving performance inside the existing tiny enclosure.

The M6 Mac mini starts at Dh3,799 while the M5 Pro version begins at Dh7,299.

Pre-orders are open, with availability beginning September 22.

Mac Studio goes much further

At the other end of Apple's desktop lineup is the new Mac Studio, available with M5 Max or M5 Ultra.

M5 Max offers an 18-core CPU, up to a 40-core GPU, and up to 128GB of unified memory.

M5 Ultra takes that significantly further with up to a 36-core CPU, an 80-core GPU, and 512GB of unified memory, with memory bandwidth reaching 1.2TB/s, according to Apple.

That huge memory capacity is particularly important for AI. Large AI models require enormous amounts of fast memory, and Apple's unified memory architecture allows its CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine to access the same pool.

Apple says a 512GB Mac Studio can run extremely large language models entirely on the machine, potentially allowing developers to keep data and processing local rather than relying on cloud servers.

For professionals, that also translates into more power for 3D rendering, visual effects, software development and high-resolution video editing.

The M5 Max Mac Studio starts at Dh10,499, while the M5 Ultra version starts at Dh23,999. Both begin shipping September 22.

Why AI matters to these new Macs

The Mac mini and Mac Studio target very different users, but Apple's message around both is increasingly similar: more AI should happen directly on the computer.

For most Mac mini users, the immediate benefits will be simpler — faster apps, storage, graphics and networking.

Mac Studio targets a different audience. With an 80-core GPU and up to 512GB of memory, it is designed for professionals working on large video projects. These complex graphics and AI models would otherwise require specialised hardware or cloud computing.

The two machines ultimately tell the same story at very different scales: Apple expects increasingly demanding computing — and much more AI — to happen directly on the Mac.