Amazon Prime Day slashes prices on new M6 Mac mini and M5 Max Mac Studio

Key points

• The base M6 Mac mini (16GB RAM, 256GB storage) is available for $779 at Amazon, a $120 discount from its $899 retail price.
• The M5 Pro Mac mini (24GB RAM, 512GB storage) is marked down to $1,549.99, saving $150 off the original price.
• The M5 Max Mac Studio is discounted by $200, bringing its price down to $2,299.99 from the $2,499 launch price.
• The M5 MacBook Air (16GB RAM, 512GB storage) is $200 off at $1,099, effectively reversing a price increase Apple implemented in June 2026.
• These deals are part of Amazon's October Prime Big Deal Days event, which also includes discounts on AirPods Pro 3 and other Apple devices.

Background

Apple launched the new M6 Mac mini and M5 Max/Ultra Mac Studio in late September 2026, following pre-orders that began in August. The new Mac mini starts at $899, a significant increase from the previous generation's $599 starting price. The Mac Studio lineup, featuring M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips, was positioned for high-end professional and AI workloads, with the M5 Max model launching at $2,499. The M5 MacBook Air had seen a price hike in June 2026, raising its starting cost to $1,299.

How outlets are covering it

AppleInsider and The Verge both highlight the M6 Mac mini discount, with AppleInsider noting it as the lowest online price for the new model when shipped to the door. The Verge emphasizes that the $779 price for the M6 Mac mini is now $20 cheaper than the older M4 model available at Best Buy, despite the M6 being significantly more powerful. WIRED and PCWorld focus heavily on the M5 MacBook Air deal, with WIRED noting it is the lowest price since June and PCWorld stating it effectively erases Apple's recent price hike. All sources agree these discounts are part of Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days, but they differ in emphasis: AppleInsider and The Verge focus on the desktop deals, while WIRED and PCWorld prioritize the laptop discount.

Why it matters

These discounts provide the first significant price reductions on Apple's latest Mac lineup, which saw substantial price increases at launch. For consumers, the M6 Mac mini and M5 Max Mac Studio are now more accessible, while the M5 MacBook Air returns to a price point that makes it a more competitive option against other laptops. The deals also signal that Apple's new hardware is becoming more available at competitive prices shortly after launch.

What to watch

Consumers can take advantage of these Prime Big Deal Days discounts on Apple's new Mac mini, Mac Studio, and MacBook Air. Apple is expected to release an updated MacBook Pro later in 2026, potentially with OLED and touchscreen features, which may further impact the pricing and availability of current models.