Apple has expanded its M6 hardware rollout, officially announcing a heavily upgraded iMac. Building on the signature ultra-thin all-in-one form factor, the new desktop pairs massive performance gains with local artificial intelligence features, enhanced connectivity, and a spectrum of seven vibrant color options.
Targeting everyone from busy families and students to small business owners and creators, the latest iMac aims to serve as a massive generational leap—especially for users still relying on older Intel-based hardware.
At the core of the new iMac is the M6 chip, which introduces up to a 12-core CPU and an up-to-12-core GPU equipped with Neural Accelerators in every core. According to Apple, this architecture delivers world-class single-threaded processing speed. Compared to older Intel-based iMacs, the company claims performance gains of up to 18x, making daily multitasking, heavy spreadsheet management, and creative workloads exceptionally snappy.
Beyond standard processing power, the machine is heavily optimized for local machine learning. Paired with a Dual 16-core Neural Engine and higher memory bandwidth (up to 170GB/s), the iMac delivers up to 5x faster on-device AI performance than the previous M4 model. This enables users to run local large language models (LLMs) via tools like LM Studio Bionic, code seamlessly, and utilize systemwide Apple Intelligence features—all while keeping sensitive data secure on the device.
Graphics performance has also been accelerated, offering up to 2x faster graphics rendering compared to the M4 generation for tasks like photo editing in Affinity, alongside improved gaming capabilities enhanced by hardware-accelerated ray tracing.
The visual experience centers around a striking 24-inch 4.5K Retina display. Delivering 500 nits of brightness and P3 wide color coverage across over a billion colors, the screen provides a crisp, vibrant canvas for everything from movies to demanding professional projects.
Under the hood, wireless capabilities have been modernized with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, alongside optional 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet. Storage speeds have also doubled, allowing large project files and photo libraries to load almost instantly. For peripherals and workspace expansion, the iMac features up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports, giving users the flexibility to hook up external storage arrays or drive up to two 6K external displays.
For video calls and remote collaboration, the iMac features a 12MP Center Stage camera equipped with Desk View support—ideal for educators or creators needing a top-down workspace view. Audio is handled by a robust six-speaker sound system featuring force-cancelling woofers, tweeters, and Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos support, complemented by a studio-quality three-microphone array.
True to its heritage, the machine comes in seven distinct, eye-catching finishes: blue, green, pink, yellow, purple, orange, and silver. Each desktop ships with color-matched accessories, including a USB-C Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, and a Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad.
Continuing Apple’s environmental initiatives, the new iMac incorporates 100 percent recycled aluminum in its stand, along with recycled gold plating, tin solder, and rare earth elements throughout its components.
The new iMac with M6 is available in two core configurations:
Customers can pre-order the new iMac starting tomorrow, October 28, with official retail availability and store rollouts beginning Friday, November 6.