New doesn’t always mean better.
Apple announced a surprising update to the Mac mini this week. This cute little Mac that doesn’t come with a keyboard or monitor now has an M6 chip inside. This is an all-new Apple Silicon chip debuting in the Mac mini, and as you’d expect, it’s faster and more efficient than the last generation. The fact is that there is a second new Mac mini today. Instead of the M6, it has the M5 Pro, and it also costs more. We’re talking $1,699 versus $899. So why would anyone pay more for a chip from the M5 family?
New doesn’t always mean better
It’s easy to assume that newer means better, especially when comparing chips in the same category. But the M5 Pro is in a very different category from the M6. Yes, the M5 Pro has been around since March. And it’s in a category higher than the M6. That’s because Apple’s “Pro” chips are high-performance chips.
The M6 has a 12-core processor, while Apple’s M5 Pro Mac mini has 15 or 18 cores. In theory, the M6 is more efficient thanks to its new 2 nanometer architecture. The M6 also has a configuration that targets power saving rather than raw speed, offering two “super” cores, four “performance” cores and 6 “efficiency” cores. The M5 Pro has five super cores and 10 performance cores in its base configuration, increasing to six and 10 in its 18-core version. More CPU cores mean better multitasking, and more high-power cores multiply this effect. This is just one example of why you shouldn’t just focus on when a chip was launched.
There is also a big difference in GPUs. If you get the M6 Mac mini, you’ll be stuck with a 12-core GPU. Choose the M5 Pro and you can get a 16- or 20-core GPU. A more powerful GPU means your Mac handles graphics-intensive tasks with ease. Think 3D rendering, gaming, training AI models. Everything benefits from more GPU power.
RAM and storage also make the M5 Pro cost significantly more. The base Mac mini M6 comes with a 256GB SSD. Need more? There are 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB options. The M5 Pro starts at 512GB and goes up to 8TB. And choosing the right amount is important: you don’t want to delete files to free up space later. As for RAM, the M6 gives you 16GB, 24GB, or 32GB, while the M5 Pro starts at 24GB and goes up to 64GB. With RAM prices skyrocketing, it’s not hard to see why the M5 Pro costs so much more.
Should you opt for the M6 or the M5 Pro?
Apple
Both chips are quite capable. Obviously the M5 Pro is more powerful in many ways, but it’s not the right chip for everyone. Are you deciding between the two? Think about what type of user you are. Maybe you just need a computer for the basics, like browsing the web, editing documents, even light video editing, and learning to code. The M6 can handle all of that.
If you like the tech specs, chances are you do more advanced tasks that make the M5 Pro a better option for you. It’s not the latest chip, but it offers much greater performance without the huge starting price of the new Mac Studio models. Run local AI models? Engineering software? This is the chip you should look at. The M5 Pro is a great chip, and the M6 probably will be too. Don’t think the M6 is bad just because it’s cheaper. Or that the M5 Pro is bad just because it’s not the newest. They are simply designed for different types of users.
