Apple pitches new Macs as cheaper local AI alternative to Microsoft and Nvidia

Apple is rolling out upgraded Mac mini and Mac Studio desktops, pitching on-device AI as cheaper than renting cloud capacity from Microsoft, Nvidia-backed systems or token-based services. Configurations reach nearly $20,000, while Apple holds about 4.6% of the enterprise desktop and laptop market versus 91.3% for Windows.

• New Mac mini and Mac Studio configurations cost up to nearly $20,000
• Apple promises no per-token costs for local AI workloads
• Apple's enterprise PC share is 4.6% versus 91.3% for Windows
• RDMA over Thunderbolt lets multiple Mac Studios run as a cluster