Apple has announced the official availability of its latest desktop lineup, the redesigned Mac mini and updated Mac Studio after they were introduced last month. Both machines are built around Apple’s latest generation of silicon, emphasizing improvements in compute density, local AI processing, and unified memory bandwidth.
The updated machines run macOS 27 and integrate next-generation GPU architectures featuring per-core Neural Accelerators alongside upgraded Neural Engines for local on-device machine learning workflows.
Mac mini: Specifications and Features
The new Mac mini targets mainstream consumers, developers, and creative professionals needing a compact desktop footprint. It arrives in two primary configurations powered by the M6 and M5 Pro chips.
Key Hardware Details
- Apple M6 Configuration:
- CPU: 12-core architecture.
- GPU: 12-core GPU with integrated Neural Accelerators on each core.
- AI & Compute: Dual 16-core Neural Engine offering up to 4x faster AI performance, alongside 40% faster CPU throughput and 2x faster graphics and internal storage compared to predecessor baselines.
- Memory: Starts at 16GB of unified memory (configurable up to 32GB) with memory bandwidth reaching up to 170GB/s.
- Apple M5 Pro Configuration:
- CPU & GPU: Configurable with up to an 18-core CPU and up to a 20-core GPU.
- Memory: Supports up to 64GB of unified memory with a memory bandwidth of 307GB/s.
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Connectivity: Both Mac mini tiers feature Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and a baseline 2.5Gb Ethernet port, with an optional 10Gb Ethernet upgrade available at configuration.
Mac Studio: Specifications and Features
The Mac Studio remains Apple’s workstation-class desktop, designed for heavy computational tasks such as 3D rendering, uncompressed 8K video pipelines, and local large language model (LLM) execution. It is configurable with either the M5 Max or the M5 Ultra.
Key Hardware Details
- Apple M5 Max Configuration:
- Architecture: 18-core CPU, up to a 40-core GPU with per-core Neural Accelerators.
- Memory: Configurable up to 128GB of unified memory.
- Apple M5 Ultra Configuration:
- Architecture: Up to a 36-core CPU and up to an 80-core GPU.
- Memory: Configurable up to 512GB of unified memory with a peak bandwidth of 1.2TB/s.
- AI Performance: Delivers up to 4.3x faster AI compute and up to 1.8x faster graphics performance over prior generations.
I/O & Multi-System Clustering:
- Thunderbolt 5: Up to 120Gb/s transfer speeds supporting high-bandwidth storage arrays and external PCIe expansion chassis.
- Clustering via RDMA: Thunderbolt 5 with Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) enables users to network multiple Mac Studio units, delivering up to 3x faster performance for distributed AI inference workflows compared to a single machine.
- Display Support: Drives up to eight independent displays, or up to four Studio Display XDR monitors at native 5K resolution at 120Hz.
Pricing and Availability
The new desktop models are available starting today across Apple Store retail locations, Apple Authorized Resellers, and the Apple India online store. The 512GB unified memory configuration of the Mac Studio with M5 Ultra will begin shipping in late October.
| Model | Chip Option | Standard Retail Price | Education Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mac mini | M6 | ₹99,900 | ₹88,900 |
| Mac mini | M5 Pro | ₹2,09,900 | ₹1,97,900 |
| Mac Studio | M5 Max | ₹2,79,900 | ₹2,56,900 |
| Mac Studio | M5 Ultra | ₹6,29,900 | ₹5,84,900 |