Quick answer: Apple announced a new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 and an M6-powered iMac on October 27, 2026. U.S. prices start at $1,999 for the laptop and $1,499 for the desktop. Preorders begin October 28, with availability from November 6. Apple is emphasizing on-device AI, but its performance percentages compare different chip generations and specific workloads.

The launches put Apple’s latest silicon into two familiar form factors: a portable pro laptop and a colorful all-in-one desktop. The practical headline is not one universal “AI speed” number. It is a pair of upgrades with different starting prices, configurations and comparison baselines.

What’s new in the M6 MacBook Pro?

The 14-inch MacBook Pro adds Apple’s M6 chip, with a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU. Apple says the GPU delivers up to 30% faster graphics and up to 25% faster AI workloads than the M5 version. The company also lists up to 24 hours of battery life, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. Unified memory starts at 16GB and can be configured up to 32GB. The U.S. starting price is $1,999, or $1,899 with education savings.

For storage-conscious buyers, MacRumors reports that the entry configuration starts with 1TB of storage. It describes the refresh as focused mainly on the processor and connectivity, rather than a wholesale redesign. Apple says the laptop can run large language models locally alongside Apple Intelligence features. That capability still depends on the model, application and memory configuration a user chooses.

What changes in the M6 iMac?

The new iMac keeps its 24-inch 4.5K Retina display and thin all-in-one design, but moves to M6 and comes in seven colors: blue, green, pink, yellow, purple, orange and silver. Apple says it can be configured with a 10-core or 12-core CPU and GPU. U.S. prices start at $1,499 for the 10-core configuration and $1,699 for the 12-core version. Education pricing starts at $1,449 and $1,599, respectively.

Apple says the M6 iMac delivers up to five times faster on-device AI performance than the M4 iMac for prompt processing in LM Studio, and up to 12 times faster than M1 for that workload. It also adds Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, with up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports and optional 2.5-gigabit Ethernet.

How to read Apple’s AI performance claims

The MacBook Pro’s “up to 25%” AI-workload comparison is against M5. The iMac’s “up to 5x” figure compares a specific LM Studio prompt-processing task with M4; Apple’s release also gives a separate comparison with M1. These are not like-for-like numbers, and they are manufacturer-reported results rather than independent tests of every AI app.

That distinction matters if you are buying for local AI. Results can vary with the model, software, memory and task. A faster chip may reduce some processing time, but it does not mean every chatbot or AI feature runs entirely on the Mac. Buyers should check the requirements of the apps and models they actually plan to use.

Prices and release date

Both products can be preordered in the U.S. and other selected markets starting October 28, with Apple listing availability from Friday, November 6. Apple says the initial preorder markets include 35 countries and regions. The prices above are U.S. prices; local pricing, taxes and configurations vary by market.

Apple’s announcement is the source for the specifications and performance claims. Reuters’ report independently confirms the launch, headline prices and timing, while MacRumors provides additional configuration context for the MacBook Pro. Read Apple’s M6 MacBook Pro announcement, Apple’s M6 iMac announcement, Reuters’ report via Business Recorder and MacRumors’ MacBook Pro coverage.

Bottom line: Apple’s M6 refresh brings its local-AI pitch to a $1,999 laptop and a $1,499 desktop. The most useful buying comparison is the exact workload and chip generation behind each performance claim—not the largest percentage on its own.