The 12-core M6 iMac costs $1,699, per Apple’s October 27 announcement. Build the same desk from a Mac mini, a Studio Display, a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and a Magic Mouse, and Apple’s own store charges you $2,726. That’s $1,027 more for a setup with the very same M6 chip inside.
So is the separates route ever worth it? Sometimes, yes. We priced both desks from Apple’s store pages and pulled the specs from the iMac, Mac mini and Studio Display spec pages.
The Mac mini uses the same 12-core M6 as the pricier iMac, not the 10-core one
Apple’s current Mac mini runs the same M6 generation as the new iMac, so you’re comparing like with like. There is one twist. Every M6 Mac mini has a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU, with 16GB of memory and 256GB of storage in the base model. Apple’s August Mac mini release puts its starting price at $899.
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The $1,499 iMac uses a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU version of M6. To match the Mac mini’s chip in an iMac, you need the $1,699 model, which also comes with 16GB and 256GB. That’s why our main math uses the $1,699 iMac. Our M6 iMac specs breakdown covers the rest of the gap between the two iMac models.
Price math for an M6 iMac desk vs a Mac mini and Studio Display desk
The iMac price already includes a keyboard and mouse. Apple’s spec page lists a Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse in the box of both models, with Touch ID on the 12-core model’s keyboard. The Mac mini box holds only the computer and a power cord, so you buy the rest. Apple’s store lists the Studio Display at $1,599 with standard glass and the tilt stand, the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID at $149, the plain Magic Keyboard at $99 and the Magic Mouse at $79.
| Item | 12-core M6 iMac | Mac mini desk (Touch ID) | Mac mini desk (no Touch ID) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer | $1,699 | $899 | $899 |
| Display | Built in | $1,599 | $1,599 |
| Keyboard | Included, Touch ID | $149 | $99 |
| Mouse | Included | $79 | $79 |
| Total | $1,699 | $2,726 | $2,676 |
| Chip | M6, 12-core CPU, 12-core GPU | M6, 12-core CPU, 12-core GPU | M6, 12-core CPU, 12-core GPU |
| Memory and storage | 16GB, 256GB | 16GB, 256GB | 16GB, 256GB |
| Screen | 24-inch 4.5K, 4480 x 2520, 500 nits | 27-inch 5K, 5120 x 2880, 600 nits | 27-inch 5K, 5120 x 2880, 600 nits |
| Camera | 12MP Center Stage with Desk View | 12MP Center Stage with Desk View | 12MP Center Stage with Desk View |
Against the $1,499 10-core iMac, the plain-keyboard Mac mini desk costs $1,177 more. That gap buys you a faster chip as well as the bigger screen. And if you want the Studio Display’s height-adjustable stand, Apple charges $1,999 for that version, which pushes the Touch ID desk to $3,126.
The extra $1,027 buys a 27-inch 5K screen, more ports and a display you keep
Both screens run at 218 pixels per inch, so text looks equally sharp. The Studio Display simply gives you more of it. Apple lists the iMac’s 24-inch class panel at an actual 23.5 inches diagonal, against 27 inches for the Studio Display, and 600 nits against 500. Both have a 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View, a three-mic array and a six-speaker system with force-cancelling woofers, so video calls and music are a wash.
Ports favor the separates. The Mac mini has two front USB-C ports, a headphone jack, three Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI and 2.5Gb Ethernet on the back. The Studio Display adds two Thunderbolt 5 ports and two USB-C ports. The 12-core iMac gives you four Thunderbolt 4 ports, a headphone jack and 2.5Gb Ethernet. The Mac mini can also drive up to three external displays, against two for the 12-core iMac.
The quieter win is longevity. When the Mac mini gets old, you replace an $899 box and keep a $1,599 screen. The Studio Display works with any Apple silicon Mac mini, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro or Mac Studio on Apple’s compatibility list. An iMac’s screen retires with its chip.
Buy the iMac if you want one cable and color, buy the Mac mini if you have a screen
- Buy the $1,699 iMac if you want the cheapest way to get a 12-core M6 with a sharp Apple screen, a Touch ID keyboard and one power cable. Apple sells it in seven colors with matching accessories.
- Buy the $1,499 iMac if your work is mail, browsing and school projects. You give up two CPU cores, two GPU cores and two Thunderbolt ports to save $200.
- Buy the Mac mini and Studio Display if you want the 27-inch 5K screen, more ports and a monitor you’ll keep through two or three Macs. Plan on $2,676 to $2,726 for the full desk.
- Buy just the $899 Mac mini if you already own a monitor, keyboard and mouse. That’s $600 less than the cheapest iMac and $800 less than the 12-core one, with the same 12-core chip.
One more check before you order. Apple’s Studio Display XDR starts at $2,899, so the regular Studio Display is the cheapest screen Apple sells for a Mac mini desk. Any cheaper monitor puts you back in third-party territory, and that’s a different price story.
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