The iconic Mac mini may be getting a hardware upgrade in the coming months, with a M5 and M5 Pro version being tested.

Back in July, AppleInsider exclusively revealed that Apple was working on more than a dozen new Mac models and configurations. At the time, we explained that the iPhone maker was internally testing a Mac with the identifier J873s — likely a Mac mini with the M5 Pro chip.

We are now able to confirm that a second Mac mini variant is being tested internally. People familiar with Apple's development efforts have told AppleInsider that a Mac with the identifier J873g is in the works. Given the company's existing Mac naming pattern, this is almost certainly the base model M5 Mac mini.

For reference, the the current M4 Pro Mac mini is known as the J773s, while the version with the standard M4 chip is known as the J773g. The M4 variants of the Mac mini are notably smaller than their M2 predecessor, as Apple redesigned the housing in October 2024.

With that in mind, it's unlikely that we'll see any visible changes with the M5 models of the Mac mini. It's almost guaranteed to be a spec bump update, unlike the M6 MacBook Pro, which is expected to feature a lighter chassis and OLED display.

AppleInsider was also provided with details on the versions of macOS currently in development. At the time of writing, Apple is internally testing macOS 26.1, which is set to receive its first developer beta in the coming months, as well as macOS 26.4, and macOS 27.

Our findings align with an August 2025 report, which said Apple was testing iOS 26.4. Previous rumors have suggested we could see improvements to Siri, or new emoji with these two updates. They are still months away, however, and could debut around April 2026.

Going back to the M5 and M5 Pro Mac mini, they're far from the only thing Apple has in store for us. Throughout the remainder of 2025 and 2026, we're also likely going to see the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro, a New Mac Pro, and much more.