Apple has unveiled an upgraded Mac mini and Mac Studio as it seeks to capitalise on growing demand for devices capable of running artificial intelligence applications.
The new Mac mini starts at $899, making it $100 more expensive than the previous model, and is available with Apple’s new M6 chip or M5 Pro processor. Both computers have gained popularity among users running AI agents locally, with strong demand reportedly causing shortages at some Apple stores.
Apple hardware chief Johny Srouji said the Mac mini could serve as a home computer, professional workstation or an always-on AI device.
The launch is expected to be Apple’s final major product release before CEO Tim Cook hands over the leadership to hardware executive John Ternus, marking one of the company’s most closely watched transitions.
The new Mac mini includes a 2-nanometre M6 chip that Apple says delivers up to four times faster AI performance and twice the graphics and storage speeds of the previous M4-based model.
The M5 Pro version features up to an 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU, targeting professionals involved in demanding workloads such as visual effects.
Apple has also refreshed its Mac Studio range with M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips. Designed for developers and other professional users, the systems can run large AI models locally and combine the computing power of multiple machines for more demanding tasks.
The M5 Max Mac Studio starts at $2,499, while the M5 Ultra model is priced from $5,499, compared with $1,999 for the previous-generation model.
