Apple has brought its M6 chip to two more Macs, refreshing the entry level 14 inch MacBook Pro and the iMac in one announcement that keeps both designs unchanged while promising faster graphics and stronger on device artificial intelligence.
The announcement, made on Tuesday, follows the arrival of the M6 in the Mac mini several weeks earlier.
The headline change is the silicon itself. The MacBook Pro version of the M6 pairs a 12 core processor with a 12 core graphics processor, and the company says it delivers graphics up to 30 percent faster than the M5, along with AI work up to 25 percent faster. Memory starts at 16 gigabytes, configurable up to 32 gigabytes.
What changes inside the two machines
The iMac takes two forms. A two port version uses a 10 core processor and a 10 core graphics processor, while a four port version steps up to 12 cores for each. The two port model reaches 24 gigabytes of memory and one terabyte of storage; the four port model reaches 32 gigabytes and two terabytes.
For iMac buyers the jump is larger, because the previous model used the M4 and skipped the M5 entirely. According to reports, the gain reaches up to double the storage speed of the M4 machine, and up to five times faster on device AI performance. The MacBook Pro moves a single generation from the M5, so its gains are smaller, including up to double the neural engine performance reported for that model.
Both machines also gain a new wireless chip that brings WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 6, and the iMac can now be configured with up to 2.5 gigabit Ethernet. Outwardly, neither machine changes: the MacBook Pro keeps its familiar ports, while the iMac keeps its 24 inch display and seven colour options.
Price, timing and the wider picture
Pricing starts at 1,999 dollars for the MacBook Pro, 1,499 dollars for the two port iMac and 1,699 dollars for the four port iMac. Preorders open on 28 October, with availability from 6 November, according to reports.
The strategy is easy to read. By spreading one chip across three machines, Apple can sell the same performance story at three price points while keeping manufacturing simple. The unchanged designs are part of that logic: buyers pay for what is inside, not for a new look. The same AI economics now shape how investors value large AI companies.
It also shows how the contest in personal computing has shifted. The selling point is no longer raw speed alone, but how quickly a machine can run AI tasks locally. That comparison with the M4 and M5 tells existing owners exactly what upgrading buys them.
For recent machine owners, the upgrade case still depends on workload. Video editors and AI users will feel the difference first, while everyday users may find their current machine already fast enough.
