M6 Chip Benchmark Surfaces Ahead of New Mac Mini Launch Next Week - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

M6 Chip Benchmark Surfaces Ahead of New Mac Mini Launch Next Week

The first unverified benchmark result for Apple's new M6 chip surfaced in the Geekbench 7 database today, offering a look at the chip's performance gains. The new Mac mini will be Apple's first device to be equipped with the M6 chip, which is 2nm.

Mac mini M6 chip
Here is how the M6 chip scored:

  • Single-core CPU score: 4,071
  • Multi-core CPU score: 22,783

Here are the average M5 chip scores for comparison:

  • Single-core CPU score: 3,641
  • Multi-core CPU score: 17,948

If this single Geekbench 7 result is accurate, the M6 chip has up to around 12% faster single-core CPU performance and up to around 27% faster multi-core CPU performance compared to the M5 chip. Note that the M6 chip is in the new Mac mini, while the M5 chip scores are based on the 14-inch MacBook Pro, but performance should be similar.

Apple said the M6 chip has the world's fastest single-threaded CPU performance, and its 4,071 single-core score indeed tops all other Macs and PCs in the Geekbench 7 database, including the M5 Max chip (3,731) and Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme (3,396). Up to 27% faster multi-core CPU performance is in line with Apple's claim of up to 1.2× faster multi-threaded performance, so all of Apple's advertised claims hold up.

Here is where the M6 chip slots in for maximum multi-core CPU performance:

  • M5 Ultra: 52,516
  • M3 Ultra: 39,059
  • M5 Max: 35,119
  • M5 Pro: 33,593
  • M4 Max: 29,047
  • M2 Ultra: 28,789
  • M4 Pro: 24,894
  • M3 Max: 24,649
  • M1 Ultra: 23,328
  • M6: 22,783
  • M5: 17,948
  • M2 Max: 17,387
  • M3 Pro: 16,880
  • M2 Pro: 16,725
  • M4: 15,477
  • M1 Max: 14,299
  • M1 Pro: 13,914
  • M3: 11,650
  • M2: 9,809
  • M1: 8,582

Based on these scores, the M6 chip is more than 2.5× faster than Apple's original M1 chip.

As always, real-world performance varies.

The new Mac mini with M6 and M5 Pro chips and the new Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips launch on Tuesday, September 22.

We are still waiting for GPU results for the M6 chip to appear on Geekbench 7.

Related Roundup: Mac mini
Buyer's Guide: Mac Mini (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Mac mini

Popular Stories

Mac mini vs Studio Feature Sans Text 1

Apple Caught Off Guard by AI Demand for Mac Mini and Mac Studio

Sunday August 30, 2026 8:52 am PDT by
Apple's unusually timed announcement of new Mac mini and Mac Studio models this week was driven by unexpectedly strong enterprise appetite for AI hardware, according to The Information. Apple normally releases new Mac models in the autumn, closer to October or November, making this week's announcement unusually early, falling just before the anticipated arrival of new iPhone models. The...
iphone 18 pro

iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max Benchmarks Reveal Speed of A20 Pro Chip

Thursday September 10, 2026 4:06 am PDT by
Early benchmark results for the A20 Pro chip in the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max appeared early this morning in the Geekbench 7 database, offering us a first look at the new models' CPU and graphics performance ahead of the devices reaching customers. Based on these early results – which are unconfirmed – the A20 Pro chip across the Pro models appears to deliver around 21% to 23%...
M5 Ultra Hero

M5 Ultra Chip's Impressive Performance Boost Revealed in First Benchmark Result

Tuesday September 15, 2026 11:00 am PDT by
The first unverified benchmark result for Apple's new M5 Ultra chip surfaced in the Geekbench 7 database today, offering a look at the chip's impressive performance gains. The new Mac Studio will be Apple's first device to be equipped with the M5 Ultra. Here is how the highest-end M5 Ultra chip with a 36-core CPU scored: Single-core CPU score: 3,774 Multi-core CPU score: 52,516Apple...

Top Rated Comments

1 day ago at 09:43 am
We're way beyond the point where processor speeds would be a major factor for an average user, even for some photo and video editing. AI may be the only possible exception. Many people could get by just fine for a decade or more with today's computer, if the software support would remain.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannys1 Avatar
1 day ago at 09:50 am

I feel it is overcomplicating to have numbers and Pro/Max/Ultra...

You'd think that the hierarchy is Ultra/Max/Pro... and then the number.
But an M5 Pro is better than the M4 Max.

They had the chance to make it clean and straightforward.
If you have created the power for an M3 Ultra... just stick it into the new laptops

Or am I missing something?
Yeah you're missing quite a few things.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
erikkfi Avatar
1 day ago at 09:53 am
And yet the M1 can still handle absolutely everything I need it to...
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
1 day ago at 09:51 am
This chip outperforms the M1 Ultra. Just let that sink in a second...
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
1 day ago at 09:52 am
Apple running so many circles around the competition, it's almost boring.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
drunkaviator Avatar
1 day ago at 09:55 am
That's a seriously impressive year on year jump, if only Apple would release a cheaper 16" MBP with this base chip for those who just appreciate the bigger screen and speakers.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)