Apple released new versions of the Mac mini and Mac Studio models on Tuesday, August 25th. The timing is perfect as more and more consumers are choosing Apple computers to create and run AI smart bodies. These new products come with upgraded chips and AI enhancement features, providing powerful computing power and performance for professional studios.
The new Mac mini and Mac Studio were launched a few weeks before Apple released its new iPhone models. This indicates the significance of desktop computers for Apple, serving as both a stepping stone for Apple to enter the AI development field and as a platform to showcase its processor performance.
The new Mac mini and Mac Studio are available for pre-order starting Tuesday and will officially be released on September 22nd. The Mac mini with the M6 chip starts at $899 in the US market, the Mac mini with the M5 Pro chip starts at $1,699, the Mac Studio with the M5 Max chip starts at $2,499, and the Mac Studio with the M5 Ultra chip starts at $5,499.
According to Apple’s press release, the new Mac mini now comes with the all-new M6 or powerful M5 Pro chips, significantly boosting performance and functionality. Each aspect of the M6 and M5 Pro chips is designed specifically for AI. These chips feature more CPU cores for faster computing tasks. Additionally, there is a new generation of graphics processors supporting hardware-accelerated ray tracing, delivering enhanced graphics performance for activities ranging from gaming to 3D modeling.
This is the first Apple computer to feature the M6 chip, manufactured using TSMC’s 2-nanometer process. Apple claims that the Mac mini with the M5 Pro chip processes prompts for large language models up to 8.5 times faster than the previous Mac mini with the M2 Pro chip and up to 4 times faster than the version with the M4 Pro chip. The previous generation products offered configurations with M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips.
The new Mac mini is a significant upgrade for both existing and new Mac users.
“Mac mini has always been our most versatile Mac. Whether as a home computer, providing powerful computing power for professional studios, or as an always-connected smart body device, it is a compact Mac that can handle various tasks,” said Apple’s Chief Hardware Officer Johny Srouji. “Today, we have further enhanced its versatility. The Mac mini is equipped with a more powerful CPU and graphics processing power, a neural network accelerator in the GPU, and higher memory bandwidth. The Mac mini with the M6 chip takes AI performance to a new level. The Mac mini with the M5 Pro chip features up to an 18-core CPU and a 20-core GPU, making it a highly compact high-performance device capable of handling complex professional workflows.”
The new Mac Studio is powered by the M5 Max or M5 Ultra, becoming the ultimate professional-grade computer. It will deliver stunning graphics performance, faster memory and storage, and unprecedented AI capabilities.
“Mac Studio is the top computer for running AI on the device side and handling the most demanding professional workflows worldwide. Users trust it because it offers powerful performance and rich professional connectivity capabilities, all integrated into a quiet, compact body that can be placed directly on the desk. Today, we have further expanded its capabilities,” Srouji said. “With the powerful M5 Max and the exceptionally performing M5 Ultra, Mac Studio heralds a new era of desktop computing, providing a significant performance boost for professional workloads and running AI inference using cutting-edge models. By directly integrating the neural network accelerator into the GPU and offering massive high-bandwidth unified memory, the new Mac Studio has become the most powerful Mac we have ever created.”