Apple Mac mini M5 Pro vs Beelink SER9 MAX
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Apple Mac mini M5 Pro
15-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD
Beelink SER9 MAX
Ryzen 7 H 255 / 64GB DDR5-5600 / 1TB SSD / Windows 11 Pro / Space Gray / US adapter
Amazon results may include other models. Verify the processor, memory, storage, and seller before buying.
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1Is it fast for normal work?
Apple Mac mini M5 Pro
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Base processor configuration 15 CPU cores
The retail base configuration uses a 15-core M5 Pro CPU with five super cores and ten performance cores. This is a manufacturer specification, not an independent productivity result.
Manufacturer processor specification · MHQN4LL/A base retail configuration
Apple -
Geekbench 7 single-core 3513 points
Adam Talks Tech's base M5 Pro scored 3,513 in Geekbench 7 single-core, behind the M6 tested in the same video.
Geekbench 7 CPU single-core · M5 Pro 15-core CPU and 16-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD
Adam Talks Tech · 10:11 -
Geekbench 7 multi-core 26454 points
Adam Talks Tech's base M5 Pro scored 26,454 in Geekbench 7 multi-core, about 24% ahead of the M6 in the same video.
Geekbench 7 CPU multi-core · M5 Pro 15-core CPU and 16-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD
Adam Talks Tech · 10:39 -
Cinebench 2026 single-core 693 points
Adam Talks Tech's base M5 Pro scored 693 in Cinebench 2026 single-thread.
Cinebench 2026 CPU single-thread · M5 Pro 15-core CPU and 16-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD
Adam Talks Tech · 10:21
Beelink SER9 MAX
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Base processor configuration Not available
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Geekbench 7 single-core Not available
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Geekbench 7 multi-core Not available
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Cinebench 2026 single-core Not available
2Can it handle sustained work?
Apple Mac mini M5 Pro
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Dedicated media engines H.264, HEVC, and ProRes
M5 Pro includes hardware H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW encode and decode support. This confirms workload support but is not a sustained-performance test.
Video encode and decode capability · M5 Pro media engine
Apple -
Cinebench 2026 multi-core 5330 points
Adam Talks Tech's base M5 Pro scored 5,330 in Cinebench 2026 multi-thread, nearly tied with the M6.
Cinebench 2026 CPU multi-thread · M5 Pro 15-core CPU and 16-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD
Adam Talks Tech · 10:52 -
Blender Classroom CPU render 199 s
Adam Talks Tech's base M5 Pro rendered Blender's Classroom scene on the CPU alone in 3 minutes 19 seconds, using the third run.
Blender Classroom scene, CPU only; lower is better · Third of three runs; M5 Pro 15-core CPU and 16-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD
Adam Talks Tech · 12:08 -
Final Cut Pro 30-minute 4K export 781 s
Adam Talks Tech's base M5 Pro exported a 30-minute 4K Final Cut Pro project in 13 minutes 1 second, slower than the M6 in the same test.
Final Cut Pro export of the reviewer's 30-minute 4K project; lower is better · M5 Pro 15-core CPU and 16-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD
Adam Talks Tech · 3:13 -
Blender Classroom GPU render 18.5 s
Adam Talks Tech's base M5 Pro rendered Blender's Classroom scene on the GPU in 18.5 seconds, using the third run.
Blender Classroom scene, GPU; lower is better · Third of three runs; M5 Pro 15-core CPU and 16-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD
Adam Talks Tech · 11:56
Beelink SER9 MAX
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Dedicated media engines Not available
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Cinebench 2026 multi-core Not available
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Blender Classroom CPU render Not available
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Final Cut Pro 30-minute 4K export Not available
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Blender Classroom GPU render Not available
3Can it game?
Apple Mac mini M5 Pro
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Graphics hardware 16-core GPU
The base configuration has a 16-core Apple GPU with hardware-accelerated ray tracing and Neural Accelerators. No exact-chassis independent gaming result was available at launch.
Manufacturer graphics specification · Base 15-core CPU and 16-core GPU configuration
Apple -
Geekbench 7 Metal GPU 128469 points
Adam Talks Tech's base M5 Pro scored 128,469 in the Geekbench Metal GPU test, 53% ahead of the M6 in the same video.
Geekbench 7 GPU, Metal · M5 Pro 15-core CPU and 16-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD
Adam Talks Tech · 11:24 -
Cinebench 2026 GPU 40456 points
Adam Talks Tech's base M5 Pro scored 40,456 in Cinebench 2026 GPU, about 50% ahead of the M6.
Cinebench 2026 GPU · M5 Pro 15-core CPU and 16-core GPU, 24GB memory, 512GB SSD
Adam Talks Tech · 11:30
Beelink SER9 MAX
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Graphics hardware Not available
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Geekbench 7 Metal GPU Not available
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Cinebench 2026 GPU Not available
4Is it loud or hot?
Apple Mac mini M5 Pro
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Manufacturer idle noise 5 dBA
Apple lists a typical operator-position sound pressure level of 5 dBA at idle and notes that acoustics may vary by configuration.
System idle · Operator position; standard Mac mini system; manufacturer acoustical test
Apple
Beelink SER9 MAX
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Manufacturer idle noise Not available
5How much electricity does it use?
Apple Mac mini M5 Pro
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Maximum continuous power 155 W maximum
Apple specifies a 155 W maximum continuous power rating for the current Mac mini chassis. This is a design limit, not typical wall-power consumption.
Manufacturer electrical rating · 100-240 V AC input
Apple
Beelink SER9 MAX
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Maximum continuous power Not available
6Can I upgrade and connect everything?
Apple Mac mini M5 Pro
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Memory is upgradeable No
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Storage is upgradeable No
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Thunderbolt is present Yes
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Display support Up to 3 displays
The M5 Pro model supports up to three external displays through any combination of its Thunderbolt 5 and HDMI ports.
Manufacturer display-support check · M5 Pro Mac mini
Apple -
USB4 Not available
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Upgradeable storage Not available
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Bottom-cover access Not available
Beelink SER9 MAX
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Memory is upgradeable Not available
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Storage is upgradeable Not available
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Thunderbolt is present Not available
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Display support Not available
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USB4 Yes
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Upgradeable storage Yes
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Bottom-cover access
ETA PRIME demonstrates removal of the bottom cover after undoing four screws.
ETA PRIME · 2:05
7Is it good value?
Apple Mac mini M5 Pro
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Launch price $1,699
Apple lists the base M5 Pro Mac mini with a 15-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 24GB of memory, and a 512GB SSD at $1,699 in the United States.
Manufacturer launch-price check · MHQN4LL/A: 15-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 24GB unified memory, 512GB SSD
Apple
Beelink SER9 MAX
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Launch price Not available
8Will it be dependable?
Apple Mac mini M5 Pro
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Hardware warranty 1 year
Apple's U.S. limited warranty covers Mac hardware against defects in materials and workmanship for one year from the original retail purchase date.
Manufacturer warranty-policy check
Apple -
Proxmox installation caveat Not available
Beelink SER9 MAX
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Hardware warranty Not available
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Proxmox installation caveat
VirtualizationHowto encountered a blinking Proxmox VE 9 installer while using a TinyPilot remote KVM. He installed VE 8 and upgraded to VE 9, and cautioned that the problem could be specific to his setup.
VirtualizationHowto · 11:24
References
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Apple. Apple Mac mini technical specifications. Product page. Accessed .
Configuration: M5 Pro with 15-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 24GB unified memory, and 512GB SSD
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Apple. Buy Mac mini with M5 Pro. Product page. Accessed .
Configuration: MHQN4LL/A: M5 Pro with 15-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 24GB unified memory, and 512GB SSD
Disclosure: Manufacturer retail configuration and price.
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Apple. Apple One (1) Year Limited Warranty – Mac. Product page. Accessed .
Configuration: Apple-branded Mac hardware sold in the United States
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Adam Talks Tech. M6 vs M5 Pro Mac mini: Real World Tests and Benchmarks. Video review. . Accessed .
Configuration: Base M5 Pro with 15-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 24GB memory, and 512GB SSD
Disclosure: B&H loaned this unit to the reviewer. The description includes Amazon and B&H affiliate links.
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Beelink. SER9 MAX H255/H260/H350 specifications and configuration selector. Product page. Accessed .
Configuration: Ryzen 7 H 255 / 64GB DDR5-5600 / 1TB SSD / Windows 11 Pro / Space Gray / US adapter
Disclosure: Manufacturer specifications; performance has not been independently measured.
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ETA PRIME. SER9 MAX Mini PC First Look! Ryzen 7 H 255 Quiet, Cool, and Powerful. Video review. . Accessed .
Configuration: SER9 MAX H255 with 1TB SSD; installed RAM capacity not verified.
Disclosure: Affiliate links and software-key promotion are disclosed; unit acquisition was not established.
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VirtualizationHowto. Beelink SER9 Max Review and Proxmox 10 Gig Mini PC Giveaway. Video review. . Accessed .
Configuration: SER9 MAX H255 running Proxmox; RAM capacity and firmware not established. TinyPilot remote KVM used for installation.
Disclosure: Beelink supplied the unit; the reviewer says the review was unpaid. Video includes a Nakivo sponsor segment.
Value for money
No value comparison is available. It requires eligible test scores and at least four current price observations in seven days.
Specification differences
Differences supported by the listed manufacturer specifications
Higher listed specifications for Apple Mac mini M5 Pro
Higher listed specifications for Beelink SER9 MAX
- Provides 2 storage slots versus 0
Verified specifications
Manufacturer-sourced specifications and current testing status
Processor
| Specification | Mac mini M5 Pro | SER9 MAX |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Apple M5 Pro | AMD Ryzen 7 H 255 |
| Cores / threads | 15 / 15 | 8 / 16 |
| Processor default TDP | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Integrated graphics | 16-core Apple GPU | AMD Radeon 780M |
Memory and storage
| Specification | Mac mini M5 Pro | SER9 MAX |
|---|---|---|
| Memory type | Unified memory onboard | DDR5-5600 |
| Maximum memory | 64 GB | Not published |
| Upgradeable memory | No | Not published |
| Storage slots | 0 | 2 |
Connectivity
| Specification | Mac mini M5 Pro | SER9 MAX |
|---|---|---|
| Ethernet | 2.5GbE; configurable to 10GbE | 1 × 10Gb Ethernet |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 6 | Intel AX200 Wi-Fi 6; Bluetooth 5.2 |
| USB4 | Yes | Yes |
| Thunderbolt | Yes | Not published |
Size and price
| Specification | Mac mini M5 Pro | SER9 MAX |
|---|---|---|
| Enclosure volume | 0.81 liters | Not published |
| List price | $1,699 | Not published |
| Product class | macOS pro workflows | Not assigned |