Update: As predicted, Apple released a Mac mini upgraded with M6 and M5 Pro chips on Tuesday, saying the tiny desktop computer “delivers up to 4x faster AI performance, up to 2x faster graphics and storage, along with enhanced connectivity.”
- Get the latest: Mac mini gets huge performance boost with M6 and M5 Pro chips
Apple’s next-gen Mac mini may debut in the coming days, possibly even ahead of Apple’s September iPhone event, according to an unconfirmed report published on Monday. The miniature desktop could debut with an Apple M5 or an M6 processor.
The new model should do well — Mac mini demand has exploded in recent months due to the AI boom.
M5 Mac mini could arrive before iPhone 18 Pro
The last Mac mini refresh arrived in October 2024, with Apple introducing a smaller, compact design and its powerful M4 and M4 Pro chips. This year, amidst the AI boom and AI agents like OpenClaw, the Mac mini saw unprecedented demand.
Add in the soaring DRAM and NAND prices, and Apple phased out the entry-level $599 variant of the mini with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage in April. High-end configurations with increased memory and storage also faced extremely long shipping times.
Now, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman says Apple will refresh the Mac mini within the next few days. It could even arrive ahead of the iPhone 18 Pro event rumored to take place in the second week of September.
While Apple “has tested versions with both the M5 and M6 generations,” it’s unclear which variant it will launch, says Gurman in the Bloomberg report.
Earlier rumors from a variety of sources point to a Mac mini version that will be one of the first with an Apple M6 processor, which has yet to be announced.
That said, an M5 version is also quite possible. The first touchscreen-enabled MacBook is expected to launch in the fall with M5-series chips, not M6.
Since the refresh will only involve a chip upgrade, Apple will likely announce the Mac mini through a press release, rather than a press event.
Mac mini may not get a Pro upgrade
If the device launches with the M6, there’s also rumored to be an M5 Pro variant for those needing more power.
However, if Apple goes with the M5 option, it’s possible Apple may not offer the 2026 Mac mini with an M5 Pro chip. The company faces considerable chip supply chain constraints. Even then, the upgrade should bring a noticeable performance boost over the M4, especially in AI workloads.
Also, given the DRAM and NAND supply crunch, Apple may only offer the M5 Mac mini in select memory configurations.
And it’s unclear if the refresh will come with a higher price tag. The current entry-level Mac mini with 512GB storage and 16GB of RAM costs $799.
If a new Mac mini arrives in August, it would be the last product to launch under Tim Cook’s leadership.
We originally published this story at 9:39 p.m. on August 24, 2026. We updated it after Apple announced the new M6 and M5 Pro Mac mini models.
Rajesh has been writing about consumer technology for over a decade, with a strong focus on iPhones, Macs and Apple’s ecosystem. He enjoys digging into Apple software updates, hardware changes, and discovering new Mac apps that make work faster and more enjoyable.
You can reach out to him at mail[at]rajeshpandey.me.
