Apple’s new Mac mini is still a compact, capable desktop, but the $899 starting price has changed the familiar value conversation around it. The previous generation began at $599, so the new base price is $300 higher even before buyers consider memory or storage upgrades.
The 2026 lineup offers Apple’s M6 chip or M5 Pro. Apple says the M6 configuration starts at $899 in the US and M5 Pro at $1,699, with availability beginning September 22. The company’s announcement frames the machine as a desktop for always-on agentic computing and says the new models add faster storage, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and 2.5Gb Ethernet; Thunderbolt 5 is available on the M5 Pro version.
Performance is not the point of dispute
The review consensus is that the hardware itself is strong. Tom’s Hardware highlighted M6 performance, faster storage and the still-small footprint. PCMag called the M6 model a good-value powerhouse for most Mac tasks short of workstation work, while its M5 Pro review described the higher-tier model as a midrange workstation.
But the performance case does not erase the price increase. Ars Technica says the $300 rise spoils an otherwise nice upgrade. Engadget says the new price strips away some of the old model’s fun, while The Verge calls it the best tiny computer available but says $900 stings after $600.
The upgrade path is part of the calculation
Tom’s Hardware also flags expensive memory and storage upgrades. That matters because the Mac mini’s entry price once made it easy to recommend as the least expensive way into a current desktop Mac; a buyer who needs more capacity can now move much closer to other Mac configurations.
MacRumors’ roundup cites WIRED’s conclusion that the computer remains a good deal because of its M6 and M5 Pro performance. That is a useful qualification: the new mini can still make sense for a buyer who values its small footprint and capabilities. Its claim to being an automatic budget recommendation is simply less clear than it was.
