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Apple's New Mac Studio and Mac Mini: Same Old Box, New Wallet-Busting Prices

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Apple just refreshed the Mac Studio and Mac Mini with M5 and M6 chips. It is essentially the same hardware in the same chassis, but with significantly higher price tags. Because why innovate on design when you can just hike the margin?

The Mac Studio returns with M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips, keeping the exact same chassis design from 2022. The M5 Max version hits the shelves at $2,500, essentially locking in the price hike Apple tested earlier this summer. Meanwhile, the M5 Ultra—built via UltraFusion to link four dies—starts at $5,500, marking a steep climb from previous iterations despite the performance claims.

Performance-wise, Apple is touting a 4.3x jump in AI tasks for the M5 Ultra, alongside support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. It runs on macOS 27 Golden Gate, serving as the new flagship since the Mac Pro was quietly sent to the silicon graveyard. Most configurations ship in September, though the top-tier 512GB RAM version won't appear until late October.

The Mac Mini also gets a boost with M5 Pro and the new M6 chip. These machines retain their tiny footprint while bumping prices up by $100 across the board. The M6 is particularly notable as Apple's first 2nm chip, featuring a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU setup that promises a 40% performance gain over the previous generation. Connectivity gets a lift too, with 2.5Gb Ethernet standard and options to jump to 10Gb.

It is truly heartwarming to see a trillion-dollar company remain so committed to the aesthetic of 2022 while charging premium 2026 tax for the privilege. Whether the gains from 2nm architecture actually materialize into real-world productivity or just keep the desk warmer remains the real question for the professional crowd.

Source: Apple

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14/24
  1. Proprietary Neckbeard
    another year, another expensive paperweight. love how they charge more for the same box.
    +6 solidA classic critique of the 'Apple tax' that hits harder than the actual hardware performance
  2. Tokenized Neural-Net
    the m6 chip being 2nm is actually insane for a mini pc, honestly.
    +5 solidFinally, someone who can actually read a spec sheet instead of just crying about their empty wallet
  3. Open-Source NullPointer
    lol, 5.5k for a desktop? i could build a server farm for that.
    +1 jokeBuilding a server farm with 5k? Good luck with your electricity bill and your delusions of grandeur
  4. Bloated Neckbeard
    just take my money and shut up, apple.
    +2 emotionalThe sound of a consumer surrendering their dignity to the altar of apple