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Apple has unveiled a new 14-inch MacBook Pro and an updated iMac, both powered by its M6 chip. The company is highlighting faster performance, improved connectivity and stronger on-device artificial intelligence capabilities.
Announced on October 27, the new computers retain their existing designs. Apple has also introduced new AI features for Apple Creator Studio, its subscription bundle of creative applications.
The M6 chip features additional CPU and GPU cores. It also includes Neural Accelerators in every GPU core and a redesigned Neural Engine architecture. Apple says these upgrades will help users run AI models directly on their computers.
The new computers support macOS 27, which introduces an upgraded Siri assistant and additional Apple Intelligence features. These tools are designed to help users find information and complete tasks across supported applications.
The new 14-inch MacBook Pro features an M6 chip with a 12-core CPU and a 12-core GPU.
Apple claims the processor has the world’s fastest CPU core. It also says the GPU delivers up to 30% faster graphics performance and up to 25% better performance for AI workloads compared with the M5 model.
The company says the Neural Engine delivers up to 1.9 times faster performance than its predecessor. Users upgrading from an M1-powered MacBook Pro could see graphics performance improve by up to 11 times and AI performance by up to 13 times, according to Apple’s estimates.
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Apple also reports improvements in large language model processing, Blender rendering and Xcode software builds.
Battery life reaches up to 24 hours, which Apple describes as the longest ever in a Mac. Fast charging can bring the battery to 50% in around 30 minutes with a compatible 96-watt power adapter.
The laptop comes with 16GB of unified memory as standard. Users can configure it with up to 32GB. Other upgrades include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and support for up to two external displays.
The display remains a Liquid Retina XDR panel. It offers peak HDR brightness of up to 1,600 nits and an optional nano-texture finish.
Additional features include a 12-megapixel Center Stage camera and a six-speaker sound system. The laptop also retains HDMI, MagSafe 3, three Thunderbolt 4 ports and an SDXC card slot.
The M6 MacBook Pro starts at $1,999 in the United States. Eligible students can purchase it at an education price of $1,899. The laptop comes in space black and silver.
Pre-orders open on October 28 in 35 countries and regions, including the US. Availability begins November 6.
Apple has also refreshed its 24-inch iMac with the M6 chip. The desktop moves directly from the M4 generation to M6.
The updated iMac offers configurations with up to 12 CPU cores and 12 GPU cores. Apple claims the new GPU delivers up to twice the graphics performance of the M4 model.
The company is also promoting faster local AI processing. It says the M6 iMac can handle on-device AI tasks up to five times faster than the M4 model. One example involves processing prompts in LM Studio.
Apple estimates that users upgrading from Intel-based iMacs could see performance improve by up to 18 times. Actual results will depend on the system and workload.
Connectivity has also improved. The new computer supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. An optional 2.5-gigabit Ethernet connection offers faster wired networking.
Apple says SSD read and write performance has doubled. The iMac also supports up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports and can connect to two external 6K displays.
The familiar 24-inch 4.5K Retina display remains. The computer also retains its 12-megapixel Center Stage camera and colour-matched accessories.
Customers can choose from seven colours: blue, green, pink, yellow, purple, orange and silver.
In the US, the base iMac configuration starts at $1,499. It includes a 10-core CPU and a 10-core GPU. A higher-tier version with 12-core CPU and GPU configurations starts at $1,699.
Education pricing starts at $1,449 for the base model and $1,599 for the higher-tier version. Pre-orders open October 28, with availability beginning November 6.
The M6 launches underline Apple’s focus on running AI tasks directly on its hardware.
The chip combines additional processing cores with Neural Accelerators built into every GPU core. It also features a dual 16-core Neural Engine and memory bandwidth of up to 170GB per second.
These capabilities are designed to support AI applications, including large language models, without sending every task to remote servers.
Apple says its upgraded Siri can use personal context from messages, emails and photos. It can also carry out tasks across supported applications.
The company says these features will make everyday tasks easier while supporting its approach to user privacy. However, results will vary depending on the application, model and task.
Apple’s performance figures are based on its own testing. Independent testing will help establish how the new computers compare with competing systems in everyday use.
Alongside the new Macs, Apple announced additional AI features for Apple Creator Studio.
The subscription bundle brings together creative applications for users working with images, video and other content. The latest updates form part of Apple’s broader effort to integrate AI into creative workflows.
The company is positioning the M6 hardware as a platform for demanding creative tasks. These include image processing, graphics work and running AI models locally.
The practical benefits will depend on which applications users choose and how well those apps support the new hardware.
The M6 announcements focus on the MacBook Pro, iMac and Apple Creator Studio updates.
An OLED iPad mini has also featured in wider discussions about Apple’s future products. However, the announcement details covered here do not establish that Apple unveiled such a device on October 27.
Reports have also pointed to a possible touchscreen MacBook Pro. That device was not included in the announcements discussed in this report.
For now, Apple’s confirmed focus is on improving Mac performance, connectivity and on-device AI capabilities through its new M6-powered computers.
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