Apple has announced a new iMac powered by the M6 chip. It keeps the super-thin all-in-one design and comes in seven colors.
Powered by M6
The M6 offers up to a 12-core CPU, two more cores than before. Apple claims the world’s fastest single-threaded CPU performance, based on its own testing. The GPU also tops out at 12 cores, with a Neural Accelerator in each. Apple says graphics run up to 2x faster than the M4 iMac, which helps with heavier jobs like photo editing.
A Dual 16-core Neural Engine delivers up to 2x faster AI compute than the previous generation.
Unified memory
You can configure the new iMac with 16GB, 24GB or 32GB of unified memory. Memory bandwidth reaches up to 170GB/s. Paired with the Neural Engine and GPU, that makes the iMac a good fit for on-device AI tasks like running LLMs. Apple says LM Studio prompt processing runs up to 5x faster than on the M4.
Retina display
The iMac has a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display with 500 nits of brightness. Apple says it offers 5x more resolution and nearly 70% more brightness than the bestselling 24-inch all-in-one PC. The display covers the P3 wide color gamut with over 1 billion colors. A nano-texture option is available on the 12-core model.
Connectivity
Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 handle wireless. The 12-core model offers 2.5Gb Ethernet, which Apple says is up to 2.5x faster than the previous generation. SSD read and write speeds are up to 2x faster, so apps launch quickly and video projects load fast.
The 12-core model also has up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports for accessories. You can connect up to two 6K external displays.
Other features
A 12MP Center Stage camera keeps you framed on video calls. Desk View lets you share a top-down view of your workspace. Two pairs of force-cancelling woofers and two tweeters deliver bass-rich sound, with Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos support. A studio-quality three-microphone array rounds out the setup.
What we think
The new iMac with M6 brings serious performance upgrades. Apple says photo editing in Affinity runs up to 3.3x faster than on the M1 iMac and up to 2x faster than on the M4. Ray-traced gaming is up to 2x faster than the M4 too. The large Retina screen makes a good canvas.
Video editors should watch the fine print. The Thunderbolt 4 ports and 2.5Gb Ethernet apply to the 12-core model. If you want the expansion of a desktop instead of the portability of a laptop, the M6 iMac deserves a spot on your shortlist, and we plan to put it through its paces.
Pricing and availability
The 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU model costs $1,499. The 12-core CPU and GPU model costs $1,699, or $1,599 for education. Preorders opened Oct. 28, and the iMac ships Nov. 6. Colors include blue, green, pink, yellow, purple, orange and silver.
