M6 MacBook Pro and iMac: price, specs, release date
/ Apple's 14-inch MacBook Pro and iMac get the M6 chip at unchanged prices of $1,999 and $1,499. Here are the specs, India prices and pre-order dates.
by Hozefa Khety
· 7 min read
Apple has put its M6 chip in the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro and the 24-inch iMac. Both were announced by press release on Tuesday, October 27, the day before Apple's "Pro and Tell" event, and neither has a new design. The good news is the price: the MacBook Pro still starts at $1,999 and the iMac at $1,499, the same as the M5 and M4 models they replace.
Pre-orders open on Wednesday, October 28, and both Macs go on sale on Friday, November 6. Here is what changes, what it costs in the US and India, and who should upgrade.
M6 MacBook Pro and iMac price and release date
In the US, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 starts at $1,999, or $1,899 with education pricing. That base model comes with 16GB of memory and a 1TB SSD, according to Apple's spec sheet. Apple's lease plan, Apple Upgrade, starts at $38.99 a month for 36 months.
The iMac with M6 starts at $1,499 ($1,449 for education) for a model with a 10-core CPU, a 10-core GPU and two Thunderbolt ports. The 12-core model with four Thunderbolt ports starts at $1,699 ($1,599 for education). Both start with 16GB of memory and a 256GB SSD. MacRumors reports that 2.5Gb Ethernet is a $30 option on the cheaper model; it is standard on the 12-core one.
In India, Apple lists the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 from Rs 2,39,900 (Rs 2,27,900 with education savings). The iMac starts at Rs 1,74,900 for the 10-core model (Rs 1,68,900 education) and Rs 1,99,900 for the 12-core model (Rs 1,87,900 education). Those base prices match what Apple India charged for the M5 MacBook Pro and M4 iMac when we checked on October 19.
Pre-orders open October 28 on apple.com and in the Apple Store app in 35 countries and regions, and Apple India's newsroom gives the same dates. MacRumors says US pre-orders start at 10:10 a.m. Pacific time (10:40 p.m. IST). Deliveries and in-store sales begin Friday, November 6.
One caveat on "same price": the 14-inch MacBook Pro launched at $1,699 with M5 in March, then rose to $1,999 when Apple raised Mac prices on June 25 during the memory shortage. So the M6 model holds the higher post-June price rather than going back to the old one.
14-inch MacBook Pro with M6: what's new
The M6 chip, which Apple calls its first 2-nanometer chip and first used in the Mac mini in August, has a 12-core CPU (two super cores, four performance cores and six efficiency cores) and a 12-core GPU with Neural Accelerators in every core. That is two more CPU and two more GPU cores than M5. It also has a Dual 16-core Neural Engine.
Apple claims, compared with the M5 model, up to 30% faster graphics, up to 25% faster AI workloads, up to 1.3x faster Xcode builds and Blender renders, and up to 1.9x faster Neural Engine performance. Compared with an M1 MacBook Pro, it claims up to 11x faster graphics and up to 13x faster AI. These are Apple's own tests; independent reviews should arrive closer to November 6.
Memory starts at 16GB and goes up to 32GB. Bandwidth is worth checking before you buy: Apple's spec sheet lists 153GB/s on the 16GB model and 170GB/s on the 24GB and 32GB options. Storage options are 1TB, 2TB or 4TB.
Battery life rises to up to 24 hours of video streaming, which Apple says is the longest ever in a Mac, and up to 16 hours of wireless web browsing. With the 96W adapter it charges to 50% in about 30 minutes. Wireless moves to Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, and the laptop can drive up to two external displays.
Everything else stays the same. The 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display has 1,000 nits of sustained brightness, 1,600 nits peak for HDR and ProMotion up to 120Hz, with an optional nano-texture finish. There is a 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View, six speakers and three microphones. It comes in space black and silver, weighs 1.55 kg (3.4 pounds) and ships with macOS 27, which includes Apple's new Siri AI assistant.
iMac with M6: what's new
The iMac skips M5 entirely and goes straight from M4 to M6. The 10-core model has two super cores, three performance cores and five efficiency cores; the 12-core model matches the MacBook Pro's chip. Both have Neural Accelerators in each GPU core.
Apple claims, compared with the M4 iMac, up to 2x faster graphics, up to 2x faster ray-traced gaming, up to 5x faster on-device AI and up to 2x faster SSD reads and writes. 9to5Mac adds that Apple quotes up to 40% faster CPU performance. Memory bandwidth goes up to 170GB/s, from 120GB/s before.
Apple's new N1 wireless chip brings Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, replacing Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, and optional Ethernet is now 2.5Gb. The 12-core model supports two external 6K displays; the 10-core model supports one.
The rest is familiar: the 24-inch 4.5K Retina display at 500 nits, with nano-texture glass as an option on the 12-core model, a 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View, six speakers and the same seven colours (blue, green, pink, yellow, purple, orange and silver). Macworld's live blog summed it up as "very much the old iMac with a new chip."
How M6 compares with the M5 and M4 Macs
For the MacBook Pro, the jump from M5 to M6 is a normal yearly step: two extra CPU and GPU cores, a stronger Neural Engine, longer battery life and better wireless. If you bought an M5 MacBook Pro this year, there is no reason to switch. If you are on M1 or an Intel Mac, the gap is large and the price has not gone up.
For the iMac, the upgrade is bigger because it skips a generation. The cheaper model's CPU grows from 8 cores on the M4 to 10 on the M6, according to The Verge, and the 12-core model gains two cores on both CPU and GPU. Storage still starts at 256GB, which is tight for a $1,499 desktop.
Should you buy one or wait?
If you want a MacBook Pro, watch Apple's October 28 event first. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has reported a redesigned MacBook Pro with an OLED touchscreen, expected to sit above this model at a higher price. If you don't need touch or OLED, the M6 14-inch is the better value of the two, and its 1TB base storage helps.
If you want an iMac, the M6 model is the one to get; it makes no sense to buy the M4 now unless it is heavily discounted. Spend the extra on the 12-core model if you want four ports, two external displays and Ethernet built in. In India, third-party sellers often cut prices on outgoing models after a launch, so an M4 iMac or M5 MacBook Pro deal may be worth a look if you don't need the newest chip.
Either way, wait for independent reviews before trusting Apple's speed claims. Most arrive around the on-sale date.
The bottom line
The M6 MacBook Pro and iMac are faster versions of familiar Macs, not redesigns. Holding prices at $1,999 and $1,499 (Rs 2,39,900 and Rs 1,74,900 in India) during a memory shortage is the real news. Pre-orders open October 28 and both ship November 6.
Top photo: the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6. (Image: Apple)
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Frequently asked questions
How much does the M6 MacBook Pro cost?
The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 starts at $1,999 in the US ($1,899 with education pricing) and Rs 2,39,900 in India (Rs 2,27,900 education). The base model has 16GB of memory and a 1TB SSD.
How much does the M6 iMac cost?
The 10-core iMac with M6 starts at $1,499 in the US and Rs 1,74,900 in India. The 12-core model starts at $1,699 and Rs 1,99,900. Education pricing is lower in both countries.
When can I buy the M6 MacBook Pro and iMac?
Pre-orders open on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, in 35 countries and regions, including the US and India. Both Macs arrive in stores and to customers from Friday, November 6.
Is the M6 MacBook Pro more expensive than the M5 model?
No. It starts at $1,999, the same as the M5 model after Apple's June 25 price rise. The M5 model launched at $1,699 in March, so it is still $300 more than the M5 cost at launch.
How much faster is the M6 MacBook Pro than M5?
Apple claims up to 30% faster graphics, up to 25% faster AI workloads and up to 1.3x faster Xcode builds and Blender renders. These are Apple's figures; independent tests aren't out yet.
Does the M6 iMac have a new design or colours?
No. It keeps the same 24-inch 4.5K design and the same seven colours: blue, green, pink, yellow, purple, orange and silver. The changes are inside: the M6 chip, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, faster storage and 2.5Gb Ethernet.
What is the battery life of the M6 MacBook Pro?
Apple rates the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 at up to 24 hours of video streaming and up to 16 hours of wireless web browsing, the longest of any Mac.
Should I wait for the OLED MacBook Pro instead?
Only if you want touch or an OLED screen and can pay more. Reports say the redesigned model will sit above the M6 14-inch at a higher price. Apple's October 28 event should make the choice clear.
