Two years ago, we loved the power and efficiency of Apple’s surprisingly small computer, but were dismayed by how much more you paid for even the most modest upgrades. This year’s model is the same computer with a faster chip, and the price has gone through the roof. Is it still a worthwhile purchase? Let’s dive in.
M5 Pro Mac mini: Preposterous pricing
The M4 Mac mini cost $599 in late 2024, with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. It was a great starting price, but at the time we noted the greedy pricing of RAM and SSD upgrades: simply stepping up one level to 32GB and 512GB of storage cost another $600. In other words, Apple was charging as much for 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage as an upgrade as it was for an entire computer with that same RAM and storage. Absurd!
It gives me no pleasure to say that pricing has gotten much worse. The starting price of this generation, the M6 Mac mini, is 50 percent higher at $899. It still has 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. It still costs $600 to add another 16GB of RAM (a total of 32GB) and 256GB of storage (a total of 512GB).
Want the more powerful chip? The M5 Pro version, with a cut-back version of the chip that has fewer CPU and GPU cores, 24GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, is $1,699. The same configuration of the M4 Pro model was $1,399. Basically, you’re paying $300 more to get your foot in the door with the Mac mini, a change that undermines its entire existence as a small and affordable Mac.
The version we’re reviewing here has the full M5 Pro chip (a +$200 upgrade), 48GB of RAM (+$600) an 1TB SSD (+$300), and 10 gigabit Ethernet (+$100). That’s $2,899. Two years ago, the M4 Pro version of this computer with these same specs cost $2,299, and even that felt high.
For reference, the Mac Studio with M5 Max (18-core CPU and 32-core GPU), 36GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD is actually less expensive at $2,799, offers more ports, and has a much more powerful GPU.
