Apple's Mac Mini Redesign Prioritizes Minimalist Power

Apple has updated its Mac Mini for 2026, continuing a trend toward a minimal chassis that The Verge reports is small enough to be mounted under a desk or behind a monitor. The redesign has reduced the device to a 0.82L footprint, a size the outlet notes is nearly comparable to some gaming laptop charging bricks.

The new lineup introduces the M6 chip, featuring a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU. According to The Verge, the M6 utilizes three types of cores: two super, four performance, and six efficiency. For users seeking more power, Apple has introduced the M5 Pro model, which features six super cores and 12 performance cores. Multi-threaded CPU and GPU benchmarks show the M5 Pro delivering a 40 to 50 percent speed increase over the M6, as reported by The Verge.

Despite the hardware gains, the cost of entry has risen. The Verge notes that the M6 Mac Mini now starts at $899, representing a $300 increase over the previous M4 base model's $599 starting price. The outlet reports that Apple discontinued the $599 M4 model due to supply constraints, partly driven by bulk purchases for use with OpenClaw.

While the M5 Pro offers significant performance—beating an M1 Max in Adobe Premiere 4K export tests—The Verge suggests that high-end configurations, such as a $2,899 model, may be overkill for the Mini form factor and move the device into the price territory of the Mac Studio.