By Shakti Tiwari — Nifty Option Trader, Research Analyst & XGBoost Expert
NISM Series XII Certified (Registration: NISM-202500241080)
Apple repriced the Mac Mini M4 Pro up by $200 on June 25, 2026, killed the 64 GB memory option, and left local-AI buyers wondering if it still earns its premium. Here is the honest verdict for running LLMs at home.
What Changed on June 25, 2026
- Base M4 Pro: $1,399 → $1,599
- 48 GB config: ~$2,199 → ~$2,399
- 64 GB option: removed entirely
- Memory bandwidth: 273 GB/s (the 550 GB/s figure is M4 Max, not M4 Pro)
What 48 GB + 273 GB/s Actually Runs
| Model size | Tokens/sec on M4 Pro 48GB |
|---|---|
| 7B–8B | 20–30 tok/s |
| 14B | 10–20 tok/s |
| 30B–32B dense | 12–18 tok/s |
| Qwen3 3B MoE | 40–75 tok/s |
| 70B | 3–5 tok/s (tight) |
| 120B+ | Does not fit |
Power Efficiency
Mac Mini draws 30–65 W; AMD Strix Halo 45–140 W; an RTX tower 700–800 W. For overnight agentic work, the electricity math favors Apple silicon.
Software Cracks
MLX co-creator Ani Hanan left Apple for Anthropic in Feb 2026, with ~a dozen AI researchers. Apple's head of foundation models also departed. MLX fine-tuning on Apple silicon stays unstable. Apple pays Google ~$1B/year for a custom Gemini to power Siri.
Verdict
- Buy now if you run a 24/7 inference box at 7B–32B scale.
- Wait ~90 days if throughput is your top priority.
- Skip if 70B+ models are your main workload.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Mac Mini M4 Pro good for local LLMs in 2026?
Yes for 7B–32B models at 10–30 tok/s and very low power draw; weak for 70B+ due to the 48GB cap.
Why did Apple remove the 64GB M4 Pro option?
Pricing and segmentation — it pushes heavy workloads to the more expensive M4 Max/Ultra tiers.
Should I wait for the M5 Mac Mini?
If you need 70B+ models, wait. For 7B–32B always-on inference, the current M4 Pro is already efficient.
Disclaimer: Research only, not SEBI-registered advice. Verify all data before acting.
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