Apple have just announced a design refresh which they say makes the Mac mini “fiercer and more versatile than ever”, and awards the Mac Studio with the title of "the most powerful Mac to date".
Mac mini
Apple’s ever-popular compact desktop machine can now be specified with either an M6 or M5 Pro processor. Opting for the M6 allows for up to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage, while the M5 Pro pushes the RAM limit up to 64GB and the maximum storage to 8TB; both can be specified with either 2.5 or 10 Gb Ethernet.
Choosing an M5 Pro does increase the cost significantly — selecting the 18-core CPU/20-core GPU option more than doubles the price of the base model — although while the performance improvements will be welcomed by those working with video or doing lots of AI-based processing, the M6 model will pack more than enough of a punch for most studio users.
Mac Studio
Apple's 2026 Mac Studio.
The Mac Studio has also been treated to an upgrade, and can now be ordered with either an M5 Max or M5 Ultra chip.
The M5 Max is available in two versions: an 18-core CPU/32-core GPU and an 18-core CPU/40-core GPU. The M5 Ultra, meanwhile, comes in 30-core CPU/64-core GPU and 36-core CPU/80-core GPU versions. Storage and RAM specs differ depending on which version of chip is selected, but a Mac Studio equipped with the flagship M5 Ultra can be specified with a whopping 16TB of storage and 256GB of RAM! Doing so brings the price into eye-watering territory but, again, there are unlikely to be many audio users that require quite such a system. And high though the price may be, it’s still significantly lower than the price commanded by a fully spec’ed Mac Pro for what Apple say is their most powerful machine so far.
Pricing & Availability
The new Mac mini and Mac Studio are available to pre-order now, with prices starting at £899 and £2499 respectively. They will be shipping from 22 September 2026.
