Apple kept the new M6 and M5 Pro Mac mini at three external displays, but increased the maximum refresh rate, and gave M5 Pro support for connecting all three through one Thunderbolt port. The Mac mini models were introduced August 25 and will be available September 22. M6 replaces M4 in the standard model, while M5 Pro succeeds M4 Pro in the higher-performance configuration.

Both chips support one display at up to 8K at 60Hz, 5K at 120Hz, or 4K at 240Hz. They also support variable refresh rates, HDR, and multichannel audio. The differences emerge as more monitors are connected. Apple's published specifications show that M5 Pro maintains higher limits across two or three displays, while M6 assigns lower limits to the additional screens.

M6 Mac mini supports as many as three external displays through its rear Thunderbolt 4 and HDMI ports. With two monitors connected, one can reach up to 8K at 60Hz, 5K at 120Hz, or 4K at 240Hz. The third display runs at a lower maximum than the other two. M5 Pro also supports three external displays, but its Thunderbolt 5 connections provide native Display Port 2.1 output, enabling three displays through one port at up to 6K at 60Hz or 4K at 165Hz each.