Mac mini · New for 2026
M6 & M5 Pro vs M4 & M4 Pro
Full spec comparison, AI performance, AUD prices & what to buy.
On 25 August 2026 Apple announced a new Mac mini powered by the all‑new M6 and the M5 Pro — pre‑order now, shipping from 22 September 2026. They replace the 2024 M4 and M4 Pro. Here's a visual, side‑by‑side comparison of all four — including how they stack up for AI, and exactly which one to buy.
At a glance
CPU cores — more cores = faster multitasking & exports
Memory bandwidth — the quiet spec behind smooth video, 3D & AI
GPU cores — graphics, gaming & GPU-accelerated apps
Full spec sheet
| Specification |
M4 (2024)
|
M6 New
|
M4 Pro (2024)
|
M5 Pro New
|
| Tier & year |
Base · 2024 |
Base · 2026 |
Pro · 2024 |
Pro · 2026 |
| CPU |
10-core |
12-core |
up to 14-core |
up to 18-core
|
| GPU |
10-core |
12-core + Neural Accel. |
up to 20-core |
up to 20-core + Neural Accel. |
| Neural Engine |
16-core |
Dual 16-core |
16-core |
16-core |
| Unified memory |
16 – 32GB |
16 – 32GB |
24 – 64GB |
up to 64GB
|
| Memory bandwidth |
120 GB/s |
170 GB/s |
273 GB/s |
307 GB/s |
| Storage (SSD) |
256GB – 2TB |
from 256GB |
512GB – 8TB |
up to 8TB |
| Thunderbolt |
3× TB4 (40 Gb/s) |
3× TB4 (40 Gb/s) |
3× TB5 (120 Gb/s) |
3× TB5 (120 Gb/s) |
| Ethernet |
Gigabit (10GbE opt) |
2.5 GbE (10GbE opt) |
Gigabit (10GbE opt) |
2.5 GbE (10GbE opt) |
| Wireless |
Wi-Fi 6E · BT 5.3 |
Wi-Fi 7 · BT 6 |
Wi-Fi 6E · BT 5.3 |
Wi-Fi 7 · BT 6 |
| Ray tracing |
2nd-gen |
Yes (M6) |
2nd-gen |
3rd-gen |
| Starting price (AU RRP) |
A$1,299 |
A$1,449 |
A$2,199 |
A$2,699 |
New-model specs from Apple Newsroom (25 Aug 2026); 2024 specs from Apple & EveryMac. AU prices are Apple RRP; check Macfixit for current deals.
AI performance: the biggest 2026 upgrade
AI is where the new chips pull furthest ahead. The 2026 minis add Neural Accelerators inside every GPU core (introduced with Apple's M5 generation and absent on the M4/M4 Pro), and the M6 debuts Apple's first-ever dual Neural Engine. That translates into much faster Apple Intelligence, on-device large language models, image generation and machine-learning workflows.
4×M6 AI vs M4
(Apple)
4×M5 Pro vs M4 Pro
(Apple)
8.5×M5 Pro LLM prompt
vs M2 Pro (Apple)
Dual16-core Neural Engine
first-ever, on M6
AI feature
M4
M6
M4 Pro
M5 Pro
Neural Engine
16-core
Dual 16-core
16-core
16-core
GPU Neural Accelerators
No
Yes
No
Yes
Ray tracing
2nd-gen
Yes
2nd-gen
3rd-gen
Best for on-device AI/LLMs
Good
Great
Great
Best
AI figures are Apple's own stated comparisons versus the previous generation; real-world gains vary by app and model.
The value pick for AI today: M4 & M4 Pro
Faster isn't always the smarter buy. For a lot of AI work right now, the 2024 chips are the better value — and for on-device large language models they can even be the more capable choice. Three reasons:
Cheaper
Hundreds less
- M4 from A$1,299 vs M6 from A$1,449
- M4 Pro from A$2,199 vs M5 Pro from A$2,699
- Refurbished units at Macfixit drop the price further again
Available now
No waiting
- In stock today — the M6 / M5 Pro don't ship until 22 September
- Both run Apple Intelligence and popular on-device LLM tools very capably
- Fully supported for years of macOS updates
The spec that matters most for local AI: for running LLMs on-device, the size of unified memory often matters more than raw chip speed — a bigger model only runs if it fits in RAM. An M4 Pro with 48–64GB can load larger models than a base M6 or M5 Pro with less memory, usually for less money. If on-device AI is your goal, prioritise maximum unified memory — and the M4 / M4 Pro let you do exactly that, affordably and today.
Bottom line: choose an M6 or M5 Pro if you want the fastest possible AI and can wait for delivery. But if you want strong on-device AI that's cheaper and available now, the M4 and M4 Pro remain the ideal option — especially a higher-memory M4 Pro.
What's new in the 2026 Mac mini
M6 (base): a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU (up from 10/10), plus Apple's first-ever dual Neural Engine and Neural Accelerators in every GPU core. Apple quotes up to 4× faster AI, 2× faster graphics and storage, and 40% faster CPU than the M4, with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet as standard.
M5 Pro: up to an 18-core CPU, up-to-20-core GPU with third-generation ray tracing, 307 GB/s bandwidth and up to 64GB memory — up to 4× faster than the M4 Pro, keeping three Thunderbolt 5 ports.
Which Mac mini should you buy?
M6 (or M4)
Best for most people
- Home & office, students, web & Office, coding
- Light photo/video editing, home servers, on-device AI
- Buy the M6 new; grab an M4 for the best value/refurb price
M5 Pro (or M4 Pro)
Best for pros & heavy workloads
- 4K/8K video, ProRes, colour grading, 3D & ray tracing
- Large code builds, many VMs, serious on-device AI/LLMs
- Buy the M5 Pro new; the M4 Pro is a bargain if discounted
Buy now or wait for 22 September? The M6 / M5 Pro are worth it for the newest chips and best AI — if you can wait for delivery. Need one today? The M4 / M4 Pro are fully supported, very fast, and now even better value, especially refurbished.
A note on upgrades
Across all four, unified memory (RAM) is fixed at purchase — choose enough up front. Storage is different: the 2024 Mac mini uses a removable Apple SSD module, and Macfixit stocks larger SSD upgrades for both the M4 and M4 Pro.
Get your Mac mini at Macfixit
Australian owned since 2005, with fast local support and free installation from our certified technicians:
Frequently asked questions
Which Mac mini is best for AI and on-device LLMs?
The M5 Pro leads, with up to an 18-core CPU, 307 GB/s bandwidth, GPU Neural Accelerators and Apple's figure of up to 8.5x faster LLM prompt processing than the M2 Pro. For most people the M6 is excellent too — its dual Neural Engine and GPU Neural Accelerators deliver up to 4x the AI performance of the M4. The M4/M4 Pro handle Apple Intelligence well but lack the newer GPU AI accelerators.
Are the M4 and M4 Pro still a good choice for AI?
Yes — and often the better value. Both run Apple Intelligence and popular on-device LLM tools capably, they're cheaper (M4 from A$1,299, M4 Pro from A$2,199) and available today, while the new chips don't ship until 22 September. For local LLMs, unified-memory size matters more than raw speed, so a high-memory M4 Pro (48–64GB) can run larger models than a base M6 or M5 Pro — usually for less money.
When is the new M6 / M5 Pro Mac mini available?
Announced 25 August 2026, pre-orders open now, deliveries and in-store availability from 22 September 2026. In Australia the M6 starts at A$1,449 and the M5 Pro at A$2,699.
Is the M6 a big upgrade over the M4?
Yes for AI and everyday speed: a 12-core CPU/GPU (up from 10/10), 170 GB/s bandwidth, and Apple's first dual Neural Engine give up to 4x faster AI and about 40% faster CPU than the M4, plus Wi-Fi 7 and 2.5GbE. For basic tasks both feel instant, so a discounted M4 stays great value.
Should I buy now or wait for 22 September?
If you want the newest chips and best AI and can wait for delivery, choose the M6 or M5 Pro. If you need a Mac mini today, the M4 / M4 Pro are fully supported, very fast, and now better value — especially refurbished at Macfixit.
Can I upgrade the RAM or storage later?
RAM (unified memory) is fixed at purchase on every model, so buy enough up front. Storage uses a removable Apple SSD module on the 2024 Mac mini, and Macfixit offers larger SSD upgrades for the M4 and M4 Pro.
