Overview
- Apple on Tuesday, August 25 announced a Mac mini powered by the new M6 chip and introduced the M5 Ultra in a revamped Mac Studio, confirming prior reports that both M5- and M6-based Mac mini prototypes were tested.
- The M6 is built on a 2nm process with a 12-core CPU, 12-core GPU, dual 16-core neural engines and up to 170 GB/s unified memory bandwidth for consumer and developer AI tasks.
- The M5 Ultra targets professionals with up to a 36-core CPU, 80-core GPU and 1.2 TB/s unified memory bandwidth using a four-chip UltraFusion design to keep very large datasets in fast local memory.
- Apple’s launch comes as Mac mini demand has risen because more users run local AI, while global memory-chip shortages have limited inventory; Apple and Foxconn have also started assembling some Mac mini units in Houston to diversify supply.
- The product timing precedes a likely September product event and the company’s leadership handover on September 1, a sequence that analysts say frames these releases as a bridge between consumer and high-end AI workflows.