Apple Mac mini (2026, M5 Pro) — $1,699.00 Offer at Best Buy

Best Buy · via PCMag ReviewsPosted Sep 21

Apple Mac mini (2026, M5 Pro) Review: Benchmark Gains and Buying Considerations

Item: Apple Mac mini (2026, M5 Pro)
Author: Savlume

PCMag reviewed the 2026 Apple Mac mini featuring the M5 Pro chip, which starts at $1,699 and reached $2,899 in the tested configuration. In the reviewer's lab testing, the system demonstrated roughly 25% to 30% performance leads over the previous generation in CPU, video editing, and GPU rendering workloads, supported by robust memory bandwidth and quiet cooling. The publication recommends the mini desktop for creative professionals and AI workflows, but cautions that factory memory and SSD upgrades escalate quickly in price and cannot be modified after purchase.

Read the original at PCMag Reviews

AI brief

From the source report

The source review reports that the M5 Pro Mac mini delivered strong results across its benchmark tests and names it an Editors’ Choice among high-end mini desktops. It may be worth considering for Mac users doing content creation or AI development who can use that performance, but buyers should weigh the high configuration and upgrade costs against their needs.

Best suited for

Mac-loyal or Mac-curious professionals, especially those working in content creation or AI development, as described by the source review.

Highlights

The review reports strong results across its CPU, graphics, and workstation benchmarks, which may benefit demanding professional workloads.
The review says M5 Pro Mac minis can be chained via Thunderbolt 5 to share computational resources for larger AI models.
According to PCMag Reviews, support for up to three displays, which may suit multi-screen desktop setups.

Before you buy

The review says the base configuration includes a 512GB SSD and considers that storage limited for the price.
Memory and storage are not upgradeable after purchase, according to the review, so buyers should choose a configuration that meets their expected needs.
The review says the front USB-C ports are 10Gbps and that the system is less upgradable than comparable mini PCs.

Savlume Editorial Team. AI-assisted analysis of the source; not a hands-on test. Read source ↗

Media review

Review findings & buying advice

Based on PCMag Reviews · Joe Osborne ↗. AI-assisted summary of the source; not a Savlume hands-on test.

PCMag’s review awards the M5 Pro Mac mini Editors’ Choice among high-end mini desktops, citing strong benchmark results and recommending it particularly for professional content creation or AI development.

Who it may suit
Mac professionals working in content creation or AI development; the source says general Mac users may wait if cash flow is tight.

What the source liked

The reviewer reports leading results across the review’s productivity and workstation benchmark comparisons.
The reviewer reports improved gaming performance over the M4 Pro, while noting demanding games may require settings adjustments.
The reviewer highlights Thunderbolt 5 resource-sharing support for larger AI models.

Trade-offs & limitations

The reviewer says the base 512GB SSD is limited at this price and storage upgrades become expensive.
The reviewer notes that memory and storage cannot be upgraded after purchase and says the system is less expandable than some comparable mini PCs.
The reviewer says demanding games require settings adjustments and that performance falls behind systems with dedicated GPUs.

Source testing context
The author says the $2,899 review configuration was run through the publication’s usual performance tests, including CPU, graphics, gaming, and workstation benchmarks.

Questions this review helps answer

What does the review configuration cost?

The source reports $2,899 for a configuration with the improved M5 Pro, 48GB of memory, a 1TB SSD, and upgraded 10Gbps Ethernet.

What does the review say about the base configuration?

It reports a $1,699 starting configuration with a 15-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 24GB of unified memory, and a 512GB SSD.

Can memory and storage be upgraded later?

The review says buyers are stuck with the components and system they purchase.

More details

Brand: Apple
Model / variant: M5 Pro · Base configuration: 15-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 24GB unified memory, 512GB SSD

Sources & checks

Published on Savlume: Sep 21, 2026, 9:00 AM ET · Content updated: Oct 13, 2026, 4:12 PM ET · Source published: Sep 21, 2026, 9:00 AM ET

PCMag Reviews — original report ↗

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Apple Mac mini (2026, M5 Pro) Review: Benchmark Gains and Buying Considerations