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The Mac mini is one of Apple’s most compelling Macs, combining strong performance, a compact design, and a relatively affordable starting price. Following its major redesign in late 2024, the desktop became smaller, faster, and more versatile than ever, featuring a dramatically reduced 5-by-5-inch footprint alongside Apple’s M4 and M4 Pro chips.
If you’re considering buying a Mac mini, you may be wondering whether a new model is on the horizon, what upgrades a 2026 refresh could bring, and whether Apple will maintain its attractive entry-level pricing. While there was no new Mac mini at Apple’s March 2026 “Special Experience” event, the company did unveil the M5 Pro chip – widely expected to power at least one next-generation Mac mini configuration.
Although Apple has not confirmed a release date for the M5 and M5 Pro Mac mini, a launch around WWDC in June remains possible. However, ongoing supply constraints, including extended delivery times and limited stock of existing models, have complicated expectations. These shortages could indicate that a refresh is approaching, but they may also reflect broader global component supply issues that could delay the next Mac mini.
Below, we break down everything we expect from the 2026 Mac mini, including possible performance upgrades, new configurations, pricing expectations, and other key changes.
As of May 2026, Apple has not officially announced an M5 Mac mini, but a refresh is still expected in 2026. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman previously reported that Apple is developing Mac mini models with M5 and M5 Pro chips, and updated versions remain on Apple’s roadmap.
A launch around WWDC 2026 in June is possible, although ongoing supply shortages could push the release later into the year. Apple is currently facing manufacturing constraints affecting its M-series chips and memory supply, which CEO Tim Cook said are likely to continue for several months.
The current Mac mini lineup has already been affected by these shortages. Apple discontinued the entry-level 256GB model, effectively raising the starting price, while some higher-memory configurations have disappeared from sale entirely. Shipping estimates for remaining models have also increased significantly in many regions.
At the same time, demand for the Mac mini has surged because of its growing popularity for local AI workloads and LLM development. Its compact design, unified memory architecture, and relatively low price have made it a popular choice for developers running AI models locally, contributing to low inventory levels worldwide.
While supply issues may simply reflect broader industry shortages, declining stock levels can also indicate that Apple is preparing for a hardware refresh. Apple introduced M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max chips in MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models earlier in 2026, making the Mac mini one of the few Macs still waiting for an M5 update.
Despite the uncertainty around timing, an M5 Mac mini launch in the second half of 2026 currently appears likely.
The new M5 chip may make its way into the Mac mini.
Apple
The M5 and M5 Pro are part of Apple’s latest generation of silicon, powering the current lineup of iPad Pro, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models. While the standard M5 chip focuses on balancing efficiency with a significant leap in AI and graphics performance for general users, the M5 Pro introduces a new “Fusion Architecture” that combines two dies to scale performance for professional workloads.
Apple’s M5 chip: Debuted in October 2025. It represents a significant shift in Apple silicon by prioritizing graphics performance and on-device artificial intelligence. While it maintains the 3-nanometer architecture of its predecessor, it introduces a new GPU design that incorporates dedicated hardware for AI tasks.
Apple’s M5 Pro chip: Released in March 2026 in the MacBook Pro, the M5 Pro is a high-end chip designed for demanding professional tasks like software development and 4K video editing. It introduced a new “Fusion Architecture” combining two dies with high bandwidth and low latency into one SoC, offering improved multithreaded performance and AI capabilities.
As seen in our review of the M5 MacBook Pro and our review of the M5 Max MacBook Pro, the biggest gains for the M5 chip come in graphics and AI-related workloads, rather than raw CPU speed.
The next Mac mini could become one of Apple’s biggest AI upgrades yet thanks to the M5 chip’s expected focus on machine learning and neural processing. In recent releases, Apple has been seen to be prioritizing AI performance improvements far more heavily than raw CPU gains, with faster local image generation, improved large language model performance, and better support for on-device AI tools. That could make the next Mac mini especially appealing to developers, creators, and power users experimenting with AI workloads without relying on cloud services.
Simon Jary / Foundry
Apple is not expected to redesign the Mac mini again in 2026, so the M5 models will likely keep the compact 5-by-5-inch chassis introduced with the M4 generation. Most of the expected changes focus on connectivity, storage, and memory.
Apple increased the base memory of the Mac mini to 16GB with the M4 generation in late 2024, and that will almost certainly continue with the M5 models as AI features and multitasking demand more RAM. The standard M5 Mac mini is expected to start with 16GB of unified memory, while the M5 Pro model could start at 24GB and offer higher-end configurations beyond that, depending on ongoing global memory shortages.
Storage is also expected to improve. Apple discontinued the 256GB Mac mini in May 2026, making 512GB SSD the new entry-level configuration. That strongly suggests the M5 Mac mini will start with a faster 512GB SSD as standard. Higher-end configurations are likely to continue offering up to 4TB storage on the standard model and up to 8TB on the Pro version.
Connectivity upgrades are also likely. The current M4 Mac mini supports Thunderbolt 4, while the M4 Pro already includes Thunderbolt 5. The M5 Mac mini is expected to keep Thunderbolt 4, while the M5 Pro model will likely continue to offer Thunderbolt 5 for faster external storage and display support.
Wireless connectivity could also receive a major upgrade. Apple added Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 to several Macs in early 2026, making those technologies likely additions to the next Mac mini lineup.
Expect the ports to remain the same on the new Mac mini.
Foundry
The M4 Mac mini underwent a significant physical redesign in October 2024, shrinking to a 5-by-5-inch enclosure. This design will be in place for several years to come. The M5 update is anticipated to focus on internal performance enhancements with no changes to the physical chassis.
No reports indicate that Apple will offer new colors – so a Space Gray Mac mini is unlikely.
The port offerings are also expected to remain the same as the M4 Mac mini:
Recent changes to the Mac mini lineup suggest Apple may be shifting its pricing strategy, effectively increasing the cost of entry for buyers. In May 2026, Apple removed the most affordable 256GB version of the M4 Mac mini from its online store, leaving the 512GB configuration as the new base model.
Before that change, the 2024 Mac mini lineup started at:
With the $599 model now discontinued, the effective starting price of the Mac mini has risen to $799. That marks a notable change for a product long known for its affordability. When the Mac mini launched in 2005, it started at $499, and for nearly two decades Apple kept the entry price relatively close to that figure.
Pricing for the upcoming M5 Mac mini has not been confirmed, but Apple’s recent moves suggest the next generation could launch with a higher starting price. One possibility is that Apple simply carries over the current strategy, making a 512GB SSD the standard entry-level configuration and pricing the M5 Mac mini at $799. Another possibility is a more modest increase, similar to Apple’s recent MacBook pricing strategy, where entry-level prices rose alongside larger base storage capacities. In that scenario, the next Mac mini could start around $699/£699 with 512GB of storage.
There are several reasons prices could increase further, including rising component costs, global memory shortages, and potential tariffs. Apple is also expected to begin assembling some Mac mini models at a Foxconn facility in Texas later in 2026 while continuing production in Asia. U.S. manufacturing could help Apple avoid certain tariffs, although domestic production may also increase costs in other areas.
At the same time, Apple may choose to keep pricing stable to preserve the Mac mini’s reputation as its most affordable desktop Mac. The launch of the $599 MacBook Neo also changes the equation slightly, since the Mac mini is no longer Apple’s only low-cost Mac option. In some respects, the MacBook Neo may offer better overall value because it includes a built-in display, keyboard, and battery.
If you need a Mac mini immediately, there may be little choice but to buy one now – although availability remains limited. Current delivery estimates range from three to four weeks for standard configurations, while models with higher RAM capacities can take up to 10–12 weeks to ship.
However, if you can afford to wait, we recommend holding off until after WWDC in June, as Apple could announce updated Mac mini models or share new details about its desktop Mac lineup at the event.
Under normal circumstances, we would also suggest looking for discounts on existing models or considering Apple Certified Refurbished options. Unfortunately, ongoing supply shortages mean that stock is currently limited across both new and refurbished Mac mini configurations.
For more guidance read: Should you buy a Mac mini now or wait for M5?
Considering an alternative? Read our Best Mac buying guide.
The Mac mini’s current supply constraints and unusually high demand could significantly affect the launch timing and availability of new models. Limited manufacturing capacity for Apple’s advanced M-series chips, combined with global RAM shortages, may restrict Apple’s ability to produce enough next-generation Mac minis at launch, potentially delaying the release until supply stabilizes. At the same time, strong demand from AI developers and businesses using the Mac mini as a compact AI server is rapidly depleting existing inventory, complicating Apple’s transition between generations. While dwindling stock levels can sometimes indicate that a refresh is imminent, the broader component shortages affecting the industry could just as easily reduce launch availability or delay the M5 Mac mini altogether.
As of May 2026, the Mac mini is facing significant supply shortages, with low stock at retailers and some configurations disappearing from Apple’s online store. The main issue is limited manufacturing capacity for Apple’s advanced M-series chips, which Tim Cook recently described as the primary bottleneck. A wider global memory shortage has added further pressure, particularly for higher-RAM models, as AI data centers compete for the same components. Rising production costs have also pushed Apple to discontinue the $599 base model, steering buyers toward more expensive configurations.
At the same time, demand for the Mac mini has surged because of its growing popularity as a compact AI server. Developers and companies are increasingly using it to run local AI agents and large language models (LLMs), leading to temporary sell-outs at major retailers. The Mac mini has long been popular as Apple’s most affordable and versatile desktop, but its combination of Apple silicon, unified memory architecture, compact size, and energy efficiency has made it especially attractive for AI workloads and 24/7 local AI setups.
The Mac mini’s unified memory architecture allows the CPU and GPU to share the same memory pool, improving performance for AI tasks compared to traditional PCs with separate RAM and VRAM. Combined with its small footprint and relatively low starting price, it offers an accessible entry point for AI development. However, there are trade-offs: memory and storage cannot be upgraded after purchase, higher RAM configurations are recommended for serious AI work, and users must supply their own monitor and peripherals. Some analysts also believe the limited availability could indicate Apple is preparing updated hardware, although supply issues may have delayed the expected M5 Mac mini launch until later in 2026.
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