GoKawiilIt's easy to assume that newer means better, especially when comparing chips in the same category. But the M5 Pro is in a very different category from the M6. Yes, the M5 Pro has been around since March. And it's in a higher category than the M6. That's because Apple's "Pro" chips are high-performance chips.
M6 tops out at a 12-core CPU, while Apple's M5 Pro Mac mini has either 15 or 18 cores. In theory, M6 is more efficient thanks to its new 2-nanometer architecture. The M6 also has a configuration that's targeting power economy over raw speed, offering two "super" cores, four "performance" cores and 6 "efficiency" cores. The M5 Pro has five super cores and 10 performance cores in its base configuration, rising to six and 10 in its 18-core version. More CPU cores means better multitasking, and more high-power cores multiplies that effect. That's just one example of why you shouldn't focus strictly on when a chip was released.
There's also a big difference in GPUs. If you get the M6 Mac mini, you'll be stuck with a 12-core GPU. Choose the M5 Pro and you can get a 16- or 20-core GPU. A more powerful GPU means your Mac handles graphics-intensive tasks with ease. Think 3D rendering, games, training AI models. All of it benefits from more GPU power.
RAM and storage also make the M5 Pro cost significantly more. The base M6 Mac mini comes with a 256GB SSD. Need more? There are 512GB, 1TB or 2TB options. The M5 Pro starts at 512GB and goes up to 8TB. And choosing the right amount matters –- you don't want to be deleting files to free up space later. As for RAM, the M6 gives you 16GB, 24GB or 32GB, while the M5 Pro starts at 24GB and goes all the way up to 64GB. With RAM prices skyrocketing, it's not hard to see why the M5 Pro costs so much more.