Apple Introduces AI-Enhanced Mac Mini Featuring Innovative M6 Chip, Priced from $899

Apple has unveiled its most potent Mac mini to date, introducing new models equipped with the revolutionary M6 and M5 Pro chips. This move firmly establishes the compact desktop as the preferred choice for the on-device AI era. The announcement, made on August 25, 2026, is anticipated to be the last significant product launch under CEO Tim Cook’s leadership before hardware veteran John Ternus takes over.

The base model Mac mini now operates on Apple’s groundbreaking 2-nanometer M6 chip. This chip is the first of its kind to incorporate a dual Neural Engine with two 16-core engines. It provides up to four times faster AI performance and twice the graphics and storage speeds compared to the previous M4-powered model. The high-end variant is driven by the M5 Pro chip, which boasts up to an 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU, catering to professionals in visual effects and creative production.

Standard features on both models include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and 2.5Gb Ethernet. The M6 Mac mini is priced from $899, and the M5 Pro model starts at $1,699. These prices reflect a $100 increase from the previous generation, indicative of the rising memory chip costs. Apple has promoted the Mac mini as the top desktop choice for “always-on, deskside agentic computing.” Pre-orders are currently open, with shipping scheduled to commence on September 22, 2026, in conjunction with the release of macOS 27 and Siri AI.

Source: CNBC – Apple announces new Mac Mini and Mac Studio models with AI upgrades