Three M6 Mac Mini Details Apple Didn't Highlight at Announcement
Apple's new M6 Mac mini has varying memory bandwidth by RAM, an N1 chip with Thread support, and ships with macOS Golden Gate.
Memory bandwidth varies depending on the configuration. According to Apple's technical specifications, the base M6 Mac mini with 16GB of RAM offers 153GB/s memory bandwidth, while upgrading to 24GB or 32GB of RAM increases that figure to 170GB/s. To get the maximum memory bandwidth of 307GB/s, customers must choose the M5 Pro model. Every configuration still improves on the previous M4 models, but the differences are worth noting for buyers.
The M6 Mac mini also includes an Apple-designed N1 chip, which adds Thread support. Apple's announcement emphasized Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, both upgrades from the M4 model's Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, but did not mention the N1 chip. Thread has been part of the iPhone since the iPhone 15 Pro, where Apple touted its benefits for smart home accessories and automation, but it is new to the Mac mini.
In addition, the M6 Mac mini ships with macOS Golden Gate preinstalled. Apple does not explicitly state this on its website, but the company reportedly confirmed to John Gruber that the new version of macOS is included. This is not surprising, as the M6 Mac mini will not ship until September 22, and macOS 27 is likely to be released the week beforehand, on or around September 14. Users who prefer to delay installing new macOS versions should take note.
The M6 and M5 Pro Mac mini are available for pre-order starting at $899.