Apple has refreshed the 24-inch iMac with the M6 chip. The design stays the same as the previous generation; everything inside has changed: more cores, faster memory and new wireless connectivity. In Italy, pre-orders open on 28 October, with prices from €1,829. Deliveries and in-store availability are set for Friday 6 November.
What actually changes
The M6 goes up to a maximum of 12 CPU cores and 12 GPU cores, against 10 and 10 on the M4 model. The Neural Engine moves to 16 dual cores and memory bandwidth reaches 170 GB/s, up from 120 GB/s. According to Apple, the CPU is up to 40% faster than the M4, graphics up to twice as fast, and the SSD up to twice as quick. These are figures claimed by the company on configurations it chose itself, so take them as an order of magnitude until independent tests arrive.
AI is the area Apple stresses most: up to 5 times the performance on models running directly on the Mac, thanks to a neural accelerator in every GPU core. The computer ships with macOS 27 and the Siri AI features.
On connectivity, the step forward is clear. The N1 wireless chip brings Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6; before, there was Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet is available only on the 12-core model, which also offers four Thunderbolt 4 ports and can drive two external 6K displays.
The rest is familiar: a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display (23.5 inches of visible diagonal) with 500 nits, a 12-megapixel Center Stage camera with Desk View, two woofers, two tweeters and three microphones. The anti-glare nano-texture glass is an option reserved for 12-core models. There are seven colours, from blue to purple, plus silver for those who prefer the classic look.
Prices and availability in Italy
On the Italian Apple Store, the official list prices are as follows:
- iMac with 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU: €1,829 (€1,769 with the education discount)
- iMac with 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU: €2,029 (€1,909 with the education discount)
In the United States, prices start at $1,499 for the base model and $1,699 for the 12-core one, unchanged from the previous generation. The Italian press release does not detail memory and SSD for the individual versions: the store lets you choose between 16 and 24 GB of RAM and between 256 and 512 GB of storage, so it is worth checking the configuration before comparing figures. For a price in Swiss francs, you will have to wait for the local price list, which Apple has not yet announced.
The Magic Keyboard with Touch ID is included with the 12-core model and optional on the 10-core. Pre-orders are open in the 35 countries where Apple sells the product, while in-store pick-up and shipping start on 6 November.
Who it is for
Anyone who still has an M1 iMac or an Intel model is the natural target for the upgrade: Wi-Fi 7, more cores and an excellent webcam in a single body. If you already have the M4, there is less reason to switch, unless you really need the fast Ethernet or the power for local AI models.
The 12-core model adds Thunderbolt 4 on all four ports, 2.5Gb Ethernet and Touch ID in the box: for a small studio or anyone working with heavy files over a network, it is the most sensible choice, even though it costs €200 more. If you need a Mac to keep several programs open and for video calls, the 10-core is more than enough.
If you are weighing up the Apple ecosystem more generally, you may be interested in the new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6, announced the same day.
What we think
The iMac remains the easiest Mac to recommend to anyone who wants a desktop computer without cables everywhere: a good screen, speakers and webcam included in the price. The update is more substantial in the parts you can’t see, though. Wi-Fi 7 and the 2.5Gb option make sense in homes and offices with a modern network; otherwise they remain potential.
The Italian list price, from €1,829, is high for an all-in-one with a 24-inch screen, and it will be the figure that gets people talking more than the spec sheet. Before deciding, it is best to wait for the first reviews and see how much memory and SSD on the base version really matter. For now, Apple’s numbers are promising, but they remain Apple’s numbers.
Written by the SpazioiTech newsroom with the help of AI tools, from facts verified across at least two independent outlets, and checked before publication. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Translated from the Italian original. Read in Italian
