Apple has announced the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6, starting at $1,999 in the US with 16GB of unified memory and a 1TB SSD. Pre-orders open on October 28 in 35 countries and regions, and deliveries begin Friday, November 6.
This is a chip refresh of the existing 14-inch design. It is not the touchscreen MacBook Pro that reports have tied to Apple’s Pro and Tell event, and that model remains unannounced. The M5 Pro and M5 Max configurations stay on sale, and there is no M6 Pro or M6 Max.
MacBook Pro M6 Pricing and Availability
- M6, 12-core CPU / 12-core GPU, 16GB, 1TB: $1,999, or $1,899 with education pricing
- Apple Upgrade lease (US): from $38.99 a month over 36 months
Orders go through apple.com and the Apple Store app from October 28. Apple Stores and resellers get stock on November 6. There is no confirmed Indian price yet.
The M6 comes in one chip configuration only, with a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU. Memory can go up to 24GB or 32GB, and storage to 2TB or 4TB.
The 16GB MacBook Pro Gets Less Memory Bandwidth
Apple’s headline figure for M6 memory bandwidth is up to 170GB/s. Its specs page shows the 16GB base model runs at 153GB/s. Only the 24GB and 32GB versions reach 170GB/s, so buyers who want the full figure have to pay for more memory.
Specifications
The M6 model comes in space black and silver. Compared with older Intel and M1 machines, Apple points to the 16GB starting memory, an extra Thunderbolt port and the space black finish.
- Chip: M6 with 12-core CPU (2 super, 4 performance, 6 efficiency cores), 12-core GPU with Neural Accelerators, dual 16-core Neural Engine
- Memory: 16GB at 153GB/s; 24GB or 32GB at 170GB/s
- Storage: 1TB, 2TB or 4TB SSD
- Display: 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR, 3024 x 1964, ProMotion up to 120Hz, 1,000 nits sustained and 1,600 nits HDR peak, nano-texture optional
- Ports: three Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, MagSafe 3, SDXC slot, headphone jack
- External displays: up to two
- Wireless: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6
- Camera and audio: 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View, six speakers
- Battery: 72.4Wh; Apple rates it at up to 24 hours of video streaming and 16 hours of wireless web
- Weight: 1.55 kg (3.4 lb)
Apple’s Performance Claims
Apple claims the M6 has the fastest CPU core in the world. The figures below come from Apple’s own testing, and we haven’t verified them. Its M5 comparisons use a 14-inch M5 model with 32GB of memory and 4TB of storage.
- Up to 30% faster graphics than M5
- Up to 25% faster AI workloads than M5
- Up to 11x the graphics and 13x the AI performance of M1
Shelly Goldberg, Apple’s vice president of Hardware Engineering, framed the update around speed and on-device AI:
“With the powerful M6 chip, we’re taking performance to the next level, with a boost in CPU speed and graphics and even more powerful capabilities for on-device AI.”
Apple also launched the iMac with M6 on the same day, starting at $1,499 with the same October 28 pre-order date. Its Pro and Tell event takes place in Los Angeles on October 28.
