Mac mini gets pricey redesign

Apple's new M6 Mac mini starts at $899, up from $599 in 2024. The compact desktop is still powerful, but the price hike removes the fun factor that made earlier models so appealing.

“Now the Mac mini just seems a lot less fun.”

Why the price jumped so high

Mac minis flew off shelves after 2024, and storage and memory prices exploded during the AI boom. Apple skipped the M5 chip entirely, jumping straight to M6.

Two chip options, confusing lineup

You can choose the M6 with 12 CPU and 12 GPU cores, or the M5 Pro with up to 18 CPU and 20 GPU cores. The M6 supports up to 32GB RAM, while M5 Pro goes to 64GB.

AI processing gets massive boost

The M6 is 13.5 times faster than the M1 at processing large language models, while the M5 Pro is 22.3 times faster. General performance gains are more modest at 2.3x and 4.6x respectively.

Same adorable five-inch design

The Mac mini keeps its compact five-by-five-inch case at just 1.5 pounds, looking more like an oversized Apple TV than a computer. It remains shockingly small in person.

Power button placement still awkward

The power button sits on the bottom next to rear ports, making hard resets difficult if the Mac mini is tucked in a corner. Most Mac keyboards have power buttons in the top row anyway.

Ports are solid, SD card missing

The M6 has two USB-C 3.0 ports up front, HDMI, Ethernet, and three Thunderbolt 4 ports in back. The M5 Pro gets Thunderbolt 5 for faster speeds, but neither has an SD card slot.

Real-world performance impresses

The M6 handled everyday work flawlessly with multiple browser tabs, video calls, and photo editing. It ran Cyberpunk 2077 at 55 fps in 1080p and transcoded 4K video faster than many Windows laptops.

Benchmarks show solid gains

The M6 was 16.5 percent faster than the M4 Pro in single-threaded tests and 30 percent faster in GPU performance. It matched an M5 MacBook Pro in single-threaded speed but beat it by 18 percent in multi-threaded work.

Memory upgrades cost way too much

Apple charges $200 extra to reach 24GB of RAM and $400 to hit 32GB, bringing the total to $1,299. At that price, the $1,699 M5 Pro with 24GB included becomes the smarter choice.

Still the best compact Mac desktop

If you need a Mac desktop today, the M6 is the best option for most people. It's fast, compact, and capable, but it's no longer the incredible bargain that made earlier generations so appealing.

“If you absolutely need a decent Mac desktop today, the Mac mini M6 remains the system to beat for most people.”

Price may not drop for years

The M6 Mac mini might eventually return to $599, but that could take years. For now, it's the cheapest Mac desktop entry point in an era where everything costs more.

“Maybe one day, the Mac mini will creep back down to $599, but it will likely be years before that happens.”