Apple's M6 chip debuts in the iMac and 14-inch MacBook Pro, with a catch in the spec sheet

In the same week as the touchscreen MacBook Pro, Apple launched the M6 chip with far less fanfare. It debuted on October 27 in two products: the 24-inch iMac and the entry 14-inch MacBook Pro. Preorders opened on the 28th and sales start November 6 in 35 countries and regions.

14-inch MacBook Pro

The laptop has a 12-core CPU, 12-core GPU, 16GB of unified memory (configurable to 32GB) and 1TB of storage in the base model. It keeps HDMI, MagSafe 3 and three Thunderbolt 4 ports, and hits 50% charge in 30 minutes with a compatible high-wattage adapter.

It starts at $1,999, the same as the M5 model. That price, however, was already raised in June when Apple adjusted the lineup over the memory shortage. "Same price" here means the already increased price.

The memory catch

Apple quotes up to 170GB/s of memory bandwidth for the M6. According to its spec page, that figure applies to the 24GB and 32GB configurations. The 16GB model, the one most people will buy, runs at 153GB/s, per Memeburn. It is not a dramatic gap in everyday use, but it matters for running AI models locally, which is exactly how Apple is pitching the chip.

iMac

The iMac starts at $1,499 with a binned M6 featuring a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU. The full 12-core chip comes in the $1,699 model. Education pricing drops those to $1,449 and $1,599. It adds Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, with optional 2.5Gb Ethernet. Sources disagree on the display: most say 24 inches, while CNN describes a 24.5-inch 4.5K panel.

Should you upgrade?

If you are on an M1 or M2 Mac, the M6 is a big step up in performance and connectivity. If you have an M4 or M5, you can comfortably skip this cycle.

My view: the most interesting launch of the week is not the flashiest. The M6 14-inch MacBook Pro is the "Pro" Mac most people should buy. Just skip the 16GB version if your work involves local AI or heavy editing: in those cases, the 24GB model is worth the extra money.