In the tale of two 2026 Mac minis, there is a more Pro-oriented model, but as with the Mac Studio, it is a complicated story. The gap between the two Mac minis in 2026 is wider than first thought. Like the Pro model before it, the M5 Pro Mac mini features Thunderbolt 5, more cores, and faster memory.
At $1,699, it edges toward Mac Studio territory. It is a great computer, but it is hard to recommend when upgrades are added. The M5 Pro Mac mini shares the compact M4 design.
It is a 5-inch square, 2 inches tall, weighing 1.6 pounds. The front carries two 10Gbit USB-C ports and a headphone jack. The power button sits underneath.
Nothing about the outside signals the Pro chip; buyers pay for what is inside. The M5 Pro chip is the reason this mini exists. It is both a jump and a side-step from the M6 Mac mini.
The base chip has a 15-core CPU, with five super cores and ten performance cores. An 18-core CPU is available for more money. The GPU runs 16 cores, or 20 if upgraded.
Memory bandwidth is the standout number at 307GB/s. Geekbench 7 multi-core results show the M5 Pro ahead of the M6 due to higher core counts, though neither can compete with the M5 Max. On graphics, the M5 Pro's 121,303 score is respectable, though core count differences persist.
The M5 Pro uses a single 16-core Neural Engine, while the cheaper base M6 has a dual Neural Engine.
Source: AppleInsider · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing