Technology

Apple has released the updated Mac mini equipped with its new M6 chip, maintaining the compact five-by-five-inch aluminum chassis introduced in 2024. The device features a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU built on a 2nm process, alongside Apple's custom N1 wireless chip supporting Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. Standard connectivity includes three C Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI, and a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port, with display support for up to three external monitors. The M6 silicon delivers substantial performance improvements over previous generations, including up to 4.8 times faster local AI processing capabilities due to a Neural Accelerator in each GPU core and a Dual 16-core Neural Engine. Unified memory bandwidth increases to 170GB/s, and storage speeds are doubled compared to the prior generation. The base model supports up to 32GB of RAM, while the higher-end M5 Pro configuration offers up to 64GB. Despite the technical advancements, the product launch is marked by a significant price increase, with the base M6 model starting at $899, a $300 hike from the original M4 Mac mini's launch price. Reviewers note that rising memory costs have forced Apple to adjust pricing structures, making the device less of a budget entry point than its predecessor, though it remains widely regarded as the most powerful compact desktop available