Apple Introduces M5 Ultra and M6 Chips for AI and High-Performance Computing

Apple has introduced two new processors, the M5 Ultra and M6, designed to power its latest Mac Studio and Mac Mini computers, delivering improved performance and enhanced artificial intelligence capabilities.

The company described the M5 Ultra as its most powerful chip to date, while the M6 is positioned for everyday users who want improved computing performance and on-device AI capabilities. Apple said the new chips deliver major improvements in processing power, graphics performance, and AI workloads.

M5 Ultra targets advanced AI and professional workloads

The M5 Ultra combines two dual-die M5 Max chips to create Apple’s first quad-die processor. The chip is designed for demanding workloads such as 3D rendering, visual effects production, and running advanced AI models.

The processor includes up to a 36-core CPU, an 80-core GPU, and 1.2 TB/s of unified memory bandwidth. Apple said the memory bandwidth is 50% higher than the M3 Ultra, which launched about a year and a half earlier.

The M5 Ultra is expected to appeal to professionals working on intensive computing tasks, as well as developers and AI enthusiasts who want to run advanced workloads locally on Mac hardware.

M6 chip brings faster AI processing to everyday Macs

Apple said the M6 chip is built using a 2-nanometer process and includes a new CPU design, additional CPU and GPU cores, a Dual 16-core Neural Engine, and increased unified memory bandwidth.

The M6 features a 12-core CPU complex, adding two more cores compared with the M5. Apple said the chip delivers nearly 30% higher peak GPU compute performance for AI tasks compared with the previous generation.

The company said the improvements help accelerate tasks such as processing prompts with on-device large language models. Apple also said developers can run and fine-tune AI models locally using its developer frameworks and tools.

Apple focuses on local AI processing

Apple is emphasising on-device AI capabilities as part of its broader strategy, allowing developers to build and run AI applications directly on Mac computers without relying entirely on cloud-based processing.

The company said its frameworks optimise workloads across the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine while supporting Apple Foundation Models, App Intents, Apple Intelligence features, and custom AI models.

Apple’s approach focuses on processing certain AI tasks locally, similar to how the company has used on-device technology for privacy-sensitive features such as Face ID and Touch ID.

New Mac Mini models start at $899

The new processors power Apple’s latest Mac Mini and Mac Studio models. The updated Mac Mini lineup is available for preorder starting at $899 and will begin shipping after September 22.

With the M5 Ultra and M6 chips, Apple is expanding its desktop hardware lineup while positioning its processors for both professional computing and emerging AI development workloads.