Apple on Tuesday unveiled a more powerful Mac mini aimed at consumers looking to host AI agents remotely, marking what is likely the final product launch of Tim Cook’s tenure as CEO . The new mini, unveiled alongside a beefed-up Mac Studio, starts at $899 and comes with either Apple’s new M6 chip or the M5 Pro. It is $100 more expensive than its predecessor.
The unveiling is likely Apple’s last major launch before Tim Cook hands over the reins to hardware veteran John Ternus in one of its most closely watched leadership transitions. It also highlights mounting cost pressures as memory chip prices climb on strong demand from AI data centres, which prompted Apple to raise prices on some Mac and iPad models in June. One variant of the new mini is powered by Apple’s 2-nanometer M6 chip, which the company said delivers up to four times faster AI performance and double the graphics and storage speeds compared with the previous M4-powered model.
The higher-end variant, powered by its M5 Pro chip, offers up to an 18-core central processor and 20-core graphics processor, targeting professional users working on tasks such as visual effects.
