Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) has announced a refresh of its Mac desktop lineup, introducing new models powered by the M6 and M5 chip series. The company launched a new Mac mini and a Mac Studio, both designed to enhance performance for professional users and on-device artificial intelligence tasks.
The new Mac mini is available in two configurations: one powered by the M6 chip and another by the M5 Pro chip. Apple stated that the M6 Mac mini delivers up to four times faster AI performance, twice the graphics performance, and 40% faster CPU performance compared to its predecessor. The Mac Studio targets professional workloads and is offered with M5 Max and M5 Ultra configurations. The M5 Ultra model supports up to 512GB of unified memory. Both desktops emphasize on-device AI capabilities through Apple Intelligence and Siri AI in macOS 27.
Pricing for the new hardware varies by configuration. The Mac mini with the M6 chip starts at $899, while the M5 Pro model begins at $1,699. The Mac Studio starts at $2,499 with the M5 Max chip and $5,499 with the M5 Ultra chip.
Separately, Apple is preparing to release a foldable device, internally referred to as the Duo, which is expected to be available in mid-October. Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring noted that early demand for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max appears stable, though some Chinese consumers may be delaying purchases in anticipation of the foldable device. Woodring believes Apple could sell nearly every unit of the Duo it produces over the next 12 months.
Regarding the company's financial outlook, Woodring noted that Apple trades at a relatively rich valuation of about 33 times fiscal 2027 earnings, near its historical peak multiple of roughly 34 to 35 times. He expects Services growth to reaccelerate after falling below 10% in the September quarter.
On the technical side, Apple stock rose approximately 1% on Tuesday, trading at $342.31. The shares are trading near the 52-week high of $344.57 and remain above key moving averages. The stock carries a 'Buy' consensus rating with an average price forecast of $335.57, according to data cited in the report.
