The user decided to return the base model Mac mini with the M6 chip, equipped with 256GB of storage and 16GB of RAM, without unboxing the device. The main reasons for declining the purchase are related to changes in the storage architecture, performance, and the lack of support for the latest connectivity standards.

SSD Upgrade Impossibility

A key factor prompting the return is the reversion to the practice of soldering the SSD drive to the motherboard. As reported by expandmacmini.com, starting with the M6 and M5 Pro models, the SSD has become an integral part of the logic board, similar to the M1 and M2 models. This means that the ability to independently increase storage capacity, which was available in the M4 Mac mini iteration, is now eliminated. The user notes that in the previous M4 Mac mini model, they successfully upgraded the base drive to 2TB, costing them approximately $319 (with a discount –$293), while Apple offered a similar configuration for $740. In the current situation, upgrading from 256GB to 2TB with Apple is estimated at an additional$1000.

SSD and RAM Performance

Particular attention is paid to the performance of the SSD in the base configuration. 256 GB models are equipped with a single NAND chip, providing read/write speeds of around 3000 MB/s. At the same time, models with 512 GB and more use two NAND chips, which doubles the speed to 6000 MB/s. This difference becomes critically important when RAM is limited (16 GB in the base model). When RAM is exhausted, the system begins to use the swap file on the SSD. A slow SSD in such a scenario leads to a significant decrease in overall system performance. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to choose a configuration with 512 GB to double storage performance.

Lack of Thunderbolt 5

Another reason for not buying is the lack of Thunderbolt 5 standard support. Despite the presence of 2.5-gigabit Ethernet in the base model, the user believes that Apple could have offered a more modern connection standard, such as Thunderbolt 5, instead of the existing Thunderbolt 4.

Pricing and Alternatives

The user criticizes Apple's pricing policy, especially regarding the cost of increasing storage capacity. He recalls a situation in early 2026 when there was a chip shortage and rising prices, yet Apple, in his opinion, could not avoid increasing the cost of its devices.

External SSDs are considered as an alternative for data storage. The user speaks positively about Western Digital Black SN850X drives and the more affordable SN7100 model, which, when combined with Thunderbolt 4 enclosures (e.g., from OWC or UGREEN), can provide high performance. The possibility of transferring the entire user folder to an external SSD is demonstrated as a way to save money on the "Apple storage tax." However, it is noted that such an approach may have limitations, such as incompatibility with the latest versions of Siri, which runs locally, or with Apple Intelligence features when booting from an external drive.

Local AI and Cloud Solutions

The positioning of the M6 Mac mini as a device for local artificial intelligence is discussed. It is emphasized that for full operation with local machine learning models, a significant amount of unified memory is required, which significantly increases the cost of the device. As a more affordable alternative, the use of cloud AI services, such as ChatGPT ($20 per month), or the deployment of local agents like OpenCLAW or Hermes, which can run even on older Intel Mac mini processors, is proposed.

For local deployment of large language models (LLMs), a configuration with 32 GB of RAM is recommended, allowing for operation with models up to 32 billion parameters. However, it is noted that such models may be outdated. A user shares their experience using a NAS with the Quen 32B model, which lacked information about the latest devices, such as the M6 Mac mini.

Recommended Configuration

If the user were to purchase an M6 Mac mini, they would opt for the model with a 512GB SSD and 24GB of RAM. This configuration, in their opinion, would be comparable to their previous M4 Pro Mac mini with 512GB of RAM and 24GB of RAM, but with a faster single-core M6 processor. The cost of this configuration is estimated to be around $1800.

Conclusion

The decision to return the M6 Mac mini was made after analyzing changes in Apple's design and pricing policy. The user believes that the inability to upgrade the SSD and the lack of Thunderbolt 5 support are significant drawbacks. For tasks related to local AI, they recommend either more expensive configurations with larger memory capacities or the use of cloud solutions. The optimal option for experimenting with local AI is considered to be a model with a 512GB SSD and 24GB of RAM, which, however, was not purchased due to the availability of a more powerful Mac Studio.