Apple’s new Mac Mini and Mac Studio clearly have an eye on AI use cases

Apple has unveiled refreshed Mac Mini and Mac Studio models, incorporating cutting-edge 2-nanometre chips to enhance performance for AI tasks, aiming to keep data within the device and avoid cloud costs. The Mac Mini, designed as a consistently powered workstation for the desk, is aimed at handling automated or autonomous tasks.

Apple touts memory capacity and bandwidth as crucial for local Large Language Models (LLMs), stating that the M6 Mac Mini with up to 32GB unified memory is sufficient for a "nice" local LLM, while the M5 Pro Mac Mini with up to 64GB unified memory and higher bandwidth can sustain larger models. Both new Mac Mini variants boast up to four times the AI performance of their predecessors.

Pre-orders commenced on August 25, with availability slated for September 22. The Mac Mini introduces the M6 chip, a leap from the previous M4, featuring 12-core CPU, 12-core GPU, and a dual 16-core Neural Engine, delivering double the peak AI compute. Memory reaches up to 32GB with 170GB/s bandwidth, showcasing a 40% faster multi-threaded CPU, twice the graphics speed, and four times the AI compute over the M4.

For demanding tasks, the M5 Pro variant offers up to 64GB unified memory and Thunderbolt 5 connectivity. All models include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and standard 2.5Gb Ethernet. Upgrading from an M1 Mac Mini could result in up to 20 times faster AI inference. The Mac Studio scales up with the M5 Max and the new M5 Ultra. The latter features a quad-die chip with 36 cores, 80 cores, up to 512GB unified memory, and 1.2TB/s memory bandwidth, providing up to 30% faster CPU, 80% faster graphics, and 4.5 times higher AI compute compared to the M3 Ultra.

Multiple Mac Studios can be networked via Thunderbolt 5, achieving up to three times the performance of a single unit. Mac Studio with M5 Max starts at Rs 2,79,900, with education pricing at Rs 2,56,900, while the M5 Ultra variant begins at Rs 6,29,900, education pricing at Rs 5,84,900. The 512GB memory configuration will be available later in October.