The price difference is huge.
Cheng Xin/Getty Images
With fall just around the corner, all eyes are on the upcoming iPhones. But Apple surprised us this week with updates to two of its desktop computers: a new Mac mini and a Mac Studio. They don't look radically different, but they come with faster chips. And although these Macs won't hit stores until next month, you can already pre-order them. So now the question is: Which Mac desktop should you choose? Is the Mac mini enough? Or maybe you should spend more on a Mac Studio?
The Mac mini and Mac Studio are similar in many ways. But the Mac mini is a simple, compact box, while the Mac Studio is a real heavyweight that's bigger in size. Both are desktop computers designed to be connected to the accessories you already own. Hook up your own keyboard, mouse, monitor, whatever you've already got. Neither one comes with those in the box, though. You can buy all of that from Apple. But you'll pay extra, and it adds up fast.
Mac mini: The one for most people
Apple
The real difference between them is what's inside. The Mac mini is... mini. It's really small — only 2 inches tall. The mini is great for tight spaces where a bigger tower just won't fit. And what makes that possible is the hardware inside. It's all optimized for low power consumption. That includes the M6, which is Apple's first chip built on 2-nanometer tech. That also helps the Mac mini stay cool most of the time.
Just don't be fooled by its size. The M6 is a very capable chip. It's more than enough for average users. The base model gets you a 12-core CPU and a 12-core GPU, plus 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage — which you should definitely consider upgrading. (256GB isn't a lot these days.) Still, with these specs, the Mac mini can handle most basic tasks with ease, including some basic video editing.
Even if you need more, you might not actually need a super-expensive Mac Studio. There's a version of the Mac mini with the M5 Pro that should get the job done for many pros. In fact, that's the same chip that's in the latest MacBook Pros. Its CPU goes up to 18 cores while the GPU goes up to 16. You can also choose to equip it with up to 64GB of RAM and an 8TB SSD. A computer with these specs should handle 3D graphics and coding with no hiccups.
Mac Studio: For power users
Apple
The Mac Studio is a beast, and not just on the inside. It looks huge next to the Mac mini, too. It's 3.7 inches tall, and weighs more than 6 pounds. But that massive computer holds a lot of power. The base Mac Studio has an M5 Max chip with 18 CPU cores and a whopping 32 GPU cores. And that's just the base model. It'll provide more than enough power for heavy work, from training AI models to demanding games.
If you want the best Mac out there, there's the Mac Studio with the M5 Ultra. And the specs here are kind of nuts. To build this chip, Apple fused two M5 Max chips together, delivering up to 36 CPU cores and 80 GPU cores. Still not enough? You can spec it with up to 512GB of RAM and a 16TB SSD. It's the right Mac for production studios, engineers and scientists.
Another thing the Mac Studio has over the Mac mini is ports. It has four Thunderbolt 5 ports for fast transfers at up to 120 Gbps, plus 10Gb Ethernet, HDMI, a headphone jack and two USB-A ports for your (older) gear. It also has two more USB-C ports up front, so you won't need to get an extra hub. The Mac mini has plenty of ports too, just fewer. You lose one Thunderbolt port and both USB-A ports.
Choosing between a Mac mini and a Mac Studio comes down to the kind of work you do. The new Mac mini is more than enough for most people. Even at the higher starting price of $899 (compared to its predecessor), it's still a capable machine. For real power users, the Mac Studio might be worth the extra money. It's for those who don't want to think twice about whether their hardware can keep up. That comes at a price, though. And that price starts at $2,499. It's overkill for most of us, but Apple knows there's a small group of users who'll want it anyway.
