Apple Unveils M6 and M5 Processor Family to Power Updated Mac Mini and Mac Studio Desktops

Apple Inc. announced a broad hardware refresh for its desktop computing lineup today, introducing four new proprietary silicon chips designed to power upgraded editions of its compact Mac mini and high-end Mac Studio workstations.

The flagship launch centers on the M6 processor, which serves as the core of the new entry-level Mac mini. The component marks Apple's first chip manufactured using Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.'s advanced two-nanometer process node, as first reported by SiliconANGLE.

To address internal electrical spikes and power volatility during heavy workloads, the M6 integrates specialized SHPMIM capacitors that store and discharge energy dynamically. The hardware design helps prevent voltage drops that lead to calculation errors and absorbs extra energy to maintain hardware stability.

Architecturally, the M6 features a 12-core central processing unit comprising two high-performance cores, six energy-efficiency cores, and four mid-range cores, alongside a 12-core graphics engine. Supported by a dedicated 16-core Neural Engine, Apple claims the M6 processes local large language model prompts up to 4.8 times faster than its M4 predecessor.

Alongside the M6, Apple debuted the M5 Pro silicon for a higher-tier edition of the Mac mini. While manufactured on an earlier process node, the M5 Pro packs six additional CPU cores and eight extra GPU cores compared to the standard M6, alongside a 16-core Neural Engine capable of running artificial intelligence models four times faster than the M4 Pro.

Retail pricing for the refreshed Mac mini starts at $899 for the M6 configuration equipped with 16 gigabytes of unified memory and 256 gigabytes of flash storage. The M5 Pro edition begins at $1,699, offering 25 gigabytes of memory and a 512-gigabyte drive.

Targeting engineering and professional media workflows, Apple also updated its Mac Studio desktop with new M5 Max and M5 Ultra processors. The baseline Mac Studio configuration uses an M5 Max chip with an 18-core CPU, up to a 40-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine, starting at $2,499 with 128 gigabytes of memory and 512 gigabytes of storage.

The top-tier Mac Studio utilizes the M5 Ultra, which bridges two M5 Max dies together using a high-speed custom interconnect. Priced from $5,499, this build quadruples the RAM capacity of the M5 Max model to 512 gigabytes and doubles the flash storage capacity. Both workstation variants also introduce a proprietary N1 chip for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 connectivity, alongside specialized hardware circuits designed to accelerate video codec compression and decompression.