Mac mini vs Mac Studio: Which desktop should you buy?
Apple refreshed both the Mac mini and Mac Studio this week with new chips, giving buyers a choice between a compact, affordable machine and a far more powerful, pricier workstation. Pre-orders are open now, with shipping starting next month.
This week Apple updated two of its desktop computers, the Mac mini and the Mac Studio, giving both new chips while keeping their overall look largely unchanged. Neither model will reach stores until next month, but pre-orders are already available.
Mac mini: built for most people
The Mac mini remains tiny at just two inches tall, making it ideal for tight spaces. It's powered by the new M6 chip, Apple's first built on 2-nanometer technology, which keeps power consumption and heat low. The base configuration includes a 12-core CPU, a 12-core GPU, 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, the latter worth upgrading given how quickly it can fill up. That setup handles everyday tasks and even basic video editing comfortably. For heavier workloads, an M5 Pro version is available — the same chip found in the latest MacBook Pro — configurable with up to 18 CPU cores, 16 GPU cores, 64GB of RAM and an 8TB SSD, enough for 3D graphics and coding work.
Mac Studio: for power users
The Mac Studio is a much larger machine, standing 3.7 inches tall and weighing over six pounds. Its base configuration pairs an M5 Max chip with 18 CPU cores and 32 GPU cores, suited to demanding tasks like AI model training. The top-tier version uses an M5 Ultra chip, essentially two M5 Max chips fused together, offering up to 36 CPU cores and 80 GPU cores, with configurations reaching 512GB of RAM and a 16TB SSD. The Mac Studio also offers more connectivity, including four Thunderbolt 5 ports, 10Gb Ethernet and two USB-A ports, features the Mac mini has in more limited form.
Ultimately, the choice comes down to workload. The new Mac mini, starting at $899, offers plenty of power for most users, while the Mac Studio, starting at $2,499, targets professionals who need uncompromising performance.
