As of November 9, 2026. Apple announced the new iMac with M6 on October 27, opened pre-orders the next day, and began shipping on Friday, November 6, in 35 countries and regions. There are two versions: 10-core CPU / 10-core GPU from $1,499 and 12-core CPU / 12-core GPU from $1,699 (U.S.). This guide uses only Apple's press release and spec sheet to show what the $200 difference buys, how much faster M6 is than M4, and who should upgrade.
Short answer: get the 12-core if you need two displays, four ports, or Ethernet
Both base models ship with 16GB of unified memory, a 256GB SSD, the same 24-inch 4.5K Retina display, 12MP Center Stage camera, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. The $200 step-up changes the number of Thunderbolt ports, external display support, Ethernet, the Touch ID keyboard, and the memory and storage ceilings.
- 10-core is enough for family, school and office work with no more than one external display and two USB-C devices plugged in.
- Choose the 12-core if you run two external displays, use docks or external drives, need wired networking, want 32GB of memory, or want the nano-texture glass option.
10-core vs 12-core iMac (M6) comparison
Spec | 10-core CPU / 10-core GPU | 12-core CPU / 12-core GPU |
|---|---|---|
Price (U.S.) | From $1,499 ($1,449 education) | From $1,699 ($1,599 education) |
CPU cores | 2 super + 3 performance + 5 efficiency | 2 super + 4 performance + 6 efficiency |
Memory | 16GB, configurable to 24GB | 16GB, configurable to 24GB or 32GB |
Storage | 256GB, up to 1TB | 256GB, up to 2TB |
Thunderbolt / USB 4 ports | 2 | 4 (all Thunderbolt 4) |
External displays | 1 (6K at 60Hz or 4K at 165Hz) | Up to 2 (6K at 60Hz each), or one 8K at 60Hz |
Keyboard | Magic Keyboard (Touch ID is a configure-to-order option) | Magic Keyboard with Touch ID included |
Nano-texture glass | Not available | Option |
⚠ Apple's sources describe 2.5Gb Ethernet differently. The U.S. press release footnote says the 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet option is available on 12-core models, while Apple's Japanese spec page lists it as an option for the 10-core model too. If wired networking matters, confirm it is in your configuration before you check out.
How much faster is M6 than M4?
Apple compares against the previous iMac with M4 (10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 32GB memory, 2TB SSD). All figures are Apple's "up to" numbers from its own testing.
Task | vs M4 iMac | vs M1 iMac |
|---|---|---|
Productivity apps such as Microsoft Excel | Up to 1.5x | Up to 2.5x |
Graphics, e.g. photo editing in Affinity | Up to 2x | Up to 3.3x |
On-device AI (prompt processing in LM Studio) | Up to 5x | Up to 12x |
Ray-traced gaming | Up to 2x | — |
SSD read/write | Up to 2x | — |
The pattern is clear: everyday office work improves by about 1.5x, while running AI models locally improves the most. Against the most popular Intel-based iMac, Apple claims up to 18x.
Should you upgrade? It depends on the iMac you have
- Intel iMac: the strongest case. macOS 27 runs only on Apple silicon Macs.
- M1 iMac: worth it if you edit photos or video or run local AI models; for office work only, M1 still runs macOS 27.
- M4 iMac: usually no rush unless you need local LLM speed or a second external display.
You do not need a new Mac just for Siri AI. Apple's footnote says Siri AI is available in beta in macOS 27.2 on Apple Intelligence-enabled Macs, in English, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish.
Is 16GB of memory enough?
Memory cannot be upgraded later, so this is the choice people regret most. 16GB covers browsing, Office, photo libraries and video calls. Consider 24GB if you run local LLMs or edit photos and video regularly. If you plan to use larger local AI models every day, 32GB is only available on the 12-core model.
Summary
- iMac (M6): 10-core from $1,499, 12-core from $1,699. Shipping since November 6, 2026.
- The $200 difference: 2 vs 4 ports, 1 vs 2 external displays, Touch ID keyboard, 24GB vs 32GB memory ceiling, 1TB vs 2TB storage ceiling.
- The biggest gain over M4 is on-device AI (up to 5x); office apps are up to 1.5x.
FAQ
How much is the new iMac with M6?
In the U.S., the 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU model starts at $1,499 ($1,449 with education savings) and the 12-core model starts at $1,699 ($1,599 with education savings).
What is the difference between the 10-core and 12-core iMac?
The 12-core model has four Thunderbolt 4 ports instead of two, supports up to two external displays instead of one, includes a Touch ID keyboard, and can be configured with up to 32GB of memory and 2TB of storage. The 10-core model tops out at 24GB and 1TB.
Is the M6 iMac worth upgrading from M4?
Apple's figures show up to 1.5x faster productivity apps and up to 5x faster on-device AI compared with the M4 iMac. Unless you need local AI performance or a second external display, there is little reason to rush; upgrading from an Intel iMac brings a much bigger gain.