MacBooks have taken most of the spotlight away from Mac desktops in recent years. Now that mobile performance and battery life have improved so much, there’s less of a reason to buy a desktop that chains you to your office.
But Mac desktops are getting a resurgence. The Mac Mini and Mac Studio were finally refreshed with brand-new chips and a newfound focus on running local AI. But which one should you buy? And where does the iMac land these days? I’ve been testing Macs for over a decade and have tested all these Mac desktops, so I can recommend what’s right for you.
Also check out our complete guide to the Best MacBooks, Best Desktops, and Best All-In-One Desktops.
The Best for Everyone: Mac Mini
Apple’s lovable mini PC was just upgraded with the M6 chip, and it’s a big deal on a couple of fronts. Before the refresh, these little computers were sold out for months, and it has AI to thank.
The Mac Mini isn’t the ultra-cheap mini PC it used to be. It’s $300 more than in the past, but the base model now has higher specs and a focus on running local AI. If you want a truly affordable little desktop PC for occasional use, you’ll have to opt for a Windows machine. The good news is that the Mac Mini remains a compelling offer across its configurations. You can choose between two new models: one with the M6 and one with the M5 Pro. The M6 model is the one most people should buy, especially if you’re looking for a fast, reliable Mac desktop.
The new M6 chip is especially fast in terms of GPU performance, an area Apple continues to make strides. If you’re a fledgling video editor or designer, the base configuration packs plenty of performance for creative applications. Unfortunately, it’s only a couple hundred bucks cheaper than a similarly configured MacBook Air, which makes the buying decision frustrating given how much more versatile a laptop is. But for the first time, the Mac Mini’s form factor is a benefit over a laptop. AI enthusiasts get excited about the prospect of an always-on, agentic AI box that sits on their desk and can then be controlled remotely from a MacBook or iPhone. That’s exactly what the Mac Mini can do (just be sure to upgrade the memory). And given memory prices across the industry, you won’t find many comparable options on Windows or Linux—at least not with this much performance and RAM.
I haven’t tested the M5 Pro model yet, but the main difference is in the enhanced graphics. Despite the improvements I mentioned on the M6, you can configure the M5 Pro up to 20 GPU cores, which really come in handy for tasks like gaming, 3D modeling, and video rendering. As the name suggests, I wouldn’t consider the pricier M5 Pro config unless you’re a professional who sits in front of Final Cut Pro or DaVinci Resolve all day. If you’re more of a hobbyist or dabbler, the M6 will likely do you just fine.
