Key facts
- Apple has launched new Mac Studio and Mac mini models equipped with its M6 and M5 Ultra chips.
- The M5 Ultra chip is designed for intensive AI workloads, boasting up to 512GB of unified memory and 1.2TB/s bandwidth.
- The M6 chip features a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU, supporting up to 32GB of unified memory.
- New connectivity includes Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, with faster storage speeds.
- The Mac mini starts at $899 with the M6 chip, while the Mac Studio with M5 Ultra begins at $5,499.
Apple has unveiled updated versions of its Mac Studio and Mac mini desktop computers, featuring new M6 and M5 Ultra chips. The company is emphasizing the machines' capabilities for local AI inference, a use case that has grown in popularity among consumers and professionals. The M6 chip, Apple's first 2nm chip for Macs, offers a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU with up to 32GB of unified memory. The M5 Ultra chip, designed for more demanding AI workloads, features a significantly larger configuration with up to 512GB of memory and 1.2TB per second of unified memory bandwidth. These new desktops also include faster storage, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and improved Ethernet connectivity on the Mac mini. Pricing for the new models starts at $899 for the M6-equipped Mac mini and goes up to $5,499 for M5 Ultra configurations of the Mac Studio. The M5 Pro variant of the Mac mini starts at $1,699, and the Mac Studio with M5 Max begins at $2,499. Shipping for the new models begins September 22.