{"slug": "apple-launches-faster-mac-mini-mac-studio-to-tap-ai-boom", "title": "Apple launches faster Mac mini, Mac Studio to tap AI boom", "summary": "Apple on Tuesday unveiled a more powerful Mac mini starting at $899, with either the new M6 chip or M5 Pro, and a refreshed Mac Studio lineup starting at $2,499, aiming to tap the AI boom by supporting local AI agents. The launch, likely the last major product unveiling under CEO Tim Cook, comes as memory chip prices climb due to AI data center demand, prompting Apple to raise prices on some models.", "body_md": "# Apple launches faster Mac mini, Mac Studio to tap AI boom\n\nBy\n\nReuters\n\nPublished\nAug. 25, 2026, 1:16 p.m. ET\n\nSee more of our coverage in your search results.\n\n[Add The New York Post on Google](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=nypost.com)\n\nApple on Tuesday unveiled a more powerful Mac mini aimed at consumers looking to host AI agents remotely, marking what is likely the final product launch of Tim Cook’s tenure as CEO.\n\nThe new mini, unveiled alongside a beefed-up Mac Studio, starts at $899 and comes with either Apple’s new M6 chip or the M5 Pro. It is $100 more expensive than its predecessor.\n\nBoth devices have become popular with consumers looking to run autonomous AI agents such as OpenClaw locally, with high demand depleting inventories at several Apple stores.\n\n“Whether it’s being used as a home computer, powering a professional studio, or as an always-on agentic device, it’s the little Mac that can do it all,” the company’s hardware boss Johny Srouji said.\n\nThe unveiling is likely Apple’s last major launch before Tim Cook hands over the reins to [hardware veteran John Ternus](https://nypost.com/2026/04/20/business/apple-names-insider-john-ternus-to-succeed-tim-cook-as-ceo/) in one of its most closely watched leadership transitions.\n\nIt also highlights mounting cost pressures as memory chip prices climb on strong demand from AI data centers, which prompted Apple to raise prices on some Mac and iPad models in June.\n\nOne variant of the new mini is powered by Apple’s 2-nanometer M6 chip, which the company said delivers up to four times faster AI performance and double the graphics and storage speeds compared with the previous M4-powered model.\n\nThe higher-end variant, powered by its M5 Pro chip, offers up to an 18-core central processor and 20-core graphics processor, targeting professional users working on tasks such as visual effects.\n\nApple also refreshed its Mac Studio desktop lineup, introducing versions powered by its M5 Max and new M5 Ultra chips.\n\nAimed at developers and other professional users, the machines can run large models on-device and combine the computing power of multiple systems for more intensive AI tasks.\n\nPricing starts at $2,499 for the M5 Max version and $5,499 for the M5 Ultra model, up from $1,999 for the previous generation.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/apple-launches-faster-mac-mini-mac-studio-to-tap-ai-boom", "canonical_source": "https://nypost.com/2026/08/25/business/apple-launches-faster-mac-mini-mac-studio-to-tap-ai-boom/", "published_at": "2026-08-25 17:16:36+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-08-25 17:46:39.811838+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-products", "ai-infrastructure"], "entities": ["Apple", "Tim Cook", "Johny Srouji", "John Ternus", "Mac mini", "Mac Studio", "M6 chip", "M5 Pro"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/apple-launches-faster-mac-mini-mac-studio-to-tap-ai-boom", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/apple-launches-faster-mac-mini-mac-studio-to-tap-ai-boom.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/apple-launches-faster-mac-mini-mac-studio-to-tap-ai-boom.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/apple-launches-faster-mac-mini-mac-studio-to-tap-ai-boom.jsonld"}}