Apple launches new Mac mini and Mac Studio: Price, performance and everything else you need to know

Apple has unveiled its latest Mac mini and Mac Studio models in India, bringing its newest chips and a major focus on artificial intelligence to its desktop range.

The new Mac mini is powered by Apple's first 2nm processor, the M6, while Mac Studio gets the M5 Max and new M5 Ultra. Apple says the upgrades deliver faster AI processing, graphics and storage, while also bringing newer connectivity standards. For Indian buyers, the Mac mini with M6 starts at Rs 99,900, while the M5 Pro version starts at Rs 2,09,900. Mac Studio starts at Rs 2,79,900 with M5 Max and Rs 6,29,900 with M5 Ultra. Pre-orders are open now, with sales beginning on September 22.

Mac mini gets Apple’s first 2nm chip

The biggest change is inside the smaller Mac mini. The M6 has a 12-core CPU, 12-core GPU and a dual 16-core Neural Engine. Apple says the M6 model delivers up to four times faster AI performance and twice the graphics performance compared with the M4 Mac mini. It starts with 16GB of unified memory and can be configured with up to 32GB. Memory bandwidth reaches 170GB/s. Apple is also offering the Mac mini with M5 Pro. That version can reach an 18-core CPU, 20-core GPU and 64GB of unified memory, making it more suitable for video production, development, 3D work and running larger AI models. Connectivity gets a useful upgrade too. Both versions support Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and 2.5Gb Ethernet, with 10Gb Ethernet available as an option. The M5 Pro version also gets Thunderbolt 5.

Mac Studio pushes AI even further

The Mac Studio is aimed at professionals who need considerably more power. The M5 Max version can be configured with up to a 40-core GPU and 128GB of unified memory. The M5 Ultra goes much further, offering up to 512GB of unified memory and an 80-core GPU. Apple says the M5 Ultra can deliver up to 4.3 times faster AI performance than the previous generation. Storage has also been upgraded to a faster PCIe Gen 6 architecture. For video professionals, Apple has added genlock over USB-C, which helps synchronise cameras and displays precisely.

Apple’s new India prices

The new Mac mini with M6 starts at Rs 99,900, while Mac mini with M5 Pro starts at Rs 2,09,900. Mac Studio starts at Rs 2,79,900 with M5 Max and Rs 6,29,900 with M5 Ultra. Apple says the new Macs are available for pre-order from August 25, with deliveries and retail availability beginning September 22. A Mac Studio configuration with 512GB of unified memory is expected later in October. The bigger picture is clear: Apple is positioning its desktop Macs not just as traditional work machines, but as local AI computers capable of running increasingly demanding models and AI agents directly on the device.