Key takeaways
- The 14 inch M6 MacBook Pro starts at $1,999 with 16GB of memory and 1TB of storage, the same price as the M5 model it replaces.
- The M6 iMac starts at $1,499, while the $1,699 version adds a 12 core chip, four Thunderbolt ports, 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet and Touch ID.
- Apple has not released a 16 inch M6 MacBook Pro or M6 Pro and Max chips, so buyers who want a larger screen may prefer to wait.
In this story 4 sections
If you have been waiting to replace an aging Mac, today is the day you can order one. Apple opened preorders on Wednesday, October 28, for the M6 MacBook Pro and a refreshed iMac, and neither machine costs more than the model it replaces. Both arrive on November 6, according to Apple's announcements reported by 9to5Mac and Popular Science.
The catch is that these are the entry models. The 14 inch M6 MacBook Pro starts at $1,999, the iMac at $1,499, and the bigger upgrades are inside the chip, not the case. Here is who gains the most and what to check before ordering. For more Apple coverage this month, see our gadgets section.
Two Macs, same price tags as last year
The M6 MacBook Pro replaces the M5 14 inch base model. It starts at $1,999 with 16GB of unified memory and 1TB of storage, in silver or space black. TechRadar confirms the price matches the M5 version.
The iMac starts at $1,499 with a 10 core CPU and 10 core GPU. A $1,699 version moves up to a 12 core CPU and 12 core GPU and adds four Thunderbolt 4 ports, 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, a Touch ID keyboard and the option of a nano texture display. Education pricing drops those to $1,449 and $1,599, according to Popular Science. It keeps the 24 inch 4.5K Retina screen, rated at 500 nits, and comes in seven colors: blue, green, pink, yellow, purple, orange and silver.
What the 2nm M6 chip changes for you
M6 is Apple's first chip made on a 2nm process, and Apple's claims focus heavily on AI that runs on the machine itself.
On the MacBook Pro, Apple says the 12 core GPU is up to 30% faster than M5 and the dual 16 core Neural Engine is up to 1.9 times faster. For people running local language models, Apple claims prompt processing is up to 1.3 times faster than the M5 MacBook Pro and up to 13 times faster than the 13 inch M1 MacBook Pro. Xcode builds are up to 1.3 times faster than M5, Apple says.
On the iMac, Apple compares against the M4 model it replaces: up to five times faster on device AI, up to twice the ray tracing performance in games, and SSD reads and writes up to twice as fast.
Both machines get Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. The MacBook Pro keeps its full port set (three Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI, MagSafe 3, an SD card slot and a headphone jack) and can reach a 50% charge in about 30 minutes with a 96W or higher adapter. The iMac supports up to two 6K external displays and adds a 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View.
Treat all of these numbers as Apple's own tests. Independent reviews usually land a little lower, as we noted when breaking down the new iPad mini's speed claims.
Who should order now, and who should wait
Upgrade now if you own an Intel Mac or an M1 model. The jump from M1 is large on every measure Apple lists, and prices are not rising. With memory costs pushing PC prices up this year, as we reported in our look at falling PC shipments, holding prices flat is worth something.
Skip it if you bought an M5 MacBook Pro or M4 iMac. Popular Science described the iMac upgrade as noticeable but not a revolution, and the outside of both machines looks nearly the same as before.
Wait if you want a bigger or touch screen MacBook Pro. There is no 16 inch M6 model and no M6 Pro or M6 Max yet. The M5 Pro and M5 Max models stay on sale. Reports of an OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro, which we covered in our touchscreen MacBook Pro preview, had not turned into an announcement as of Wednesday morning, according to Tom's Guide's live coverage of Apple's week of launches.
A preorder checklist before you click buy
- Pick memory carefully. The $1,999 MacBook Pro starts at 16GB. If you plan to run local AI models or heavy creative apps, price out a higher configuration now, because Apple memory cannot be upgraded later.
- Decide on the iMac tier for the ports, not just the speed. Only the $1,699 iMac gets all four Thunderbolt ports, Ethernet at 2.5 Gigabit and the Touch ID keyboard.
- Check the charger. Fast charging to 50% in half an hour needs an adapter of 96W or more. Confirm which one ships in your configuration.
- Order early for a November 6 arrival. Popular Science reports deliveries start that day in 35 countries and regions, including the US. Launch week stock tends to slip quickly for custom builds.
- Use education pricing if you qualify. Students and teachers save $50 on the base iMac and $100 on the 12 core model.
Still unsure which size or chip fits your work? Our guide on how to choose a laptop walks through the basics. And if you are buying a MacBook Pro mainly for its screen, give Apple a few more days before you commit.
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