Apple has released its late 2026 Mac mini, which began shipping to customers on September 22. [1, 5] The new model features Apple's M6 chip, its first 2nm processor, delivering significant performance gains over the previous M4 generation. [2, 8] Reviews praise the strong single and multi-core performance, faster storage speeds, and the familiar compact design. [3, 12]
The primary criticism from reviewers is the new, higher starting price of $899, a substantial increase from the M4's original $599 launch price. [3, 5, 7] Many note that the continued high cost of memory and storage upgrades erodes the Mac mini's historical position as a value-oriented product. [3, 9]