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At a glance: Apple iMac 24-inch (M6) Review

Apple iMac 24-inch (M6) Review: Value for money

Apple‘s iMac with M6 isn’t a revolution, but a lesson in squeezing more value out of a familiar package without raising the price. And I’d like to underscore the latter, as the iMac still starts at $1,499 / £1,499 / AU$2,399 for the entry-level configuration (remember Apple increased prices earlier this year), bucking a larger trend. For that price, you get a well-equipped Mac desktop that gives you everything you need to get started right out of the box.

That starts with a modern, slim, colorful design that won’t take up much real estate, while giving you the canvas of a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display. Even without Nano-Texture glass — if you choose not to upgrade, as with my review unit — it’s a colorful, vibrant, and rich experience that works well for everyday tasks and more creative work alike.

And, of course, there’s the M6 chip itself. It’s a meaningful performance upgrade that keeps everything running smoothly, whether you’re juggling everyday apps, working across multiple browser tabs, or getting stuck into more creative tasks. The addition of the Dual 16-core Neural Engine is another important part of the equation, helping accelerate AI-powered features and giving this iMac more room to grow as Apple Intelligence continues to evolve. It’s not just about getting a faster Mac today, but having a capable desktop that should feel ready for what’s next, too.

Ultimately, it’s an excellent value for someone buying a new desktop Mac, whether it’s their first iMac or an upgrade from an older machine. If you already have the M4 iMac, though, there’s less reason to rush out and upgrade, even if you have the M3 or the M1. This is a speed bump rather than a reinvention, but getting more performance for the same price is still a win.

So if you currently have an older iMac or an aging Mac and want a desktop that gives you everything you need out of the box — including a great display — there’s really no better value in Apple’s lineup.

The iMac starts at the same $1,499 / £1,499 / AU$2,399 price, delivering more performance and a complete desktop setup without costing more than the previous generation.

Apple iMac 24-inch (M6) Review: Design

• Familiar, colorful all-in-one design
• Immersive 24-inch 4.5K Retina display
• You can still get it with nano-texture

Apple’s iMac is still instantly recognizable as the latest generation of its iconic all-in-one. The new iMac with M6 looks just like the iMac with M4, M3, and M1 that came before it. It’s still plenty colorful and offers an expansive 24-inch 4.5K Retina display, all in a remarkably thin build that takes up minimal space wherever you decide to place it.

With M6 under the hood, the iMac still looks like an iMac. On the front, the 24-inch screen is surrounded by a white bezel, with the bottom featuring a chin in whichever color you’ve chosen. I’m testing the Purple model, just like last time, which is a light, likely Wonka-approved take on the shade. The rear and sides feature a darker, matte aluminum version of purple that really pops, while the giant Apple logo remains front and center on the back.

For connectivity, the left side has a headphone jack — yes, the iMac has a proper audio jack — while the rear houses the power connection, which magnetically snaps into place. It’s convenient, though not a quick-release connection like MagSafe on the MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. Around back, you’ll either get two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports or four, depending on the configuration. I’m testing the higher-end option with all four, and the power adapter also features a 2.5Gb Ethernet port.

Not much else is different here, especially since Apple introduced this design way back with the M1. If purple isn’t your shade, there are six other color options: Orange, Blue, Yellow, Green, Silver, and Pink. You’ll also get a color-matched keyboard and Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad in the box, along with a matching USB-C to USB-C cable.

The display is really good, with a 4480 x 2520 resolution and up to 500 nits of brightness. Using it as my daily Mac, I’ve found it to be a great screen for just about everything. Colors pop, there’s plenty of detail, and the resolution scales nicely whether I’m checking email, browsing the web, replying to messages, putting together presentations in Keynote, scrolling through Photos, or hopping on a FaceTime call.

It’s equally enjoyable for watching content, whether that’s a full-screen YouTube video or something playing in a window while I work. And for more creative tasks, there’s plenty of detail and color to work with when editing photos or videos.

I do miss the optional nano-texture glass on my review unit, particularly when dealing with natural light or other reflections. But if you’re placing the iMac in a space without a ton of direct sunlight or reflective surfaces, I think you’re largely all right with the standard glossy finish.

Apple’s familiar slim, colorful iMac design returns, complete with a sharp 24-inch 4.5K Retina display and a choice of seven finishes.

Apple iMac 24-inch (M6) Review: Specs

Apple iMac 24-inch (M6) Review: Performance

• Apple’s M6 chip brings a welcome performance boost over M4, M3, or M1
• Everyday multitasking feels effortless, even with 16GB of RAM
• Improved Neural Engine makes AI and creative tasks feel snappy

As I hinted at above, the main change with Apple’s iMac for 2026 is the processor. Apple’s all-in-one computer is jumping from M4 to M6, and there are still two main configurations to choose from. For most folks, the entry-level iMac should be more than enough. Priced at $1,499 / £1,499 / AU$3,499, you get an M6 chip with a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and Dual 16-core Neural Engine, alongside 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

For $1,699 / £1,699 / AU$3,699, you can step up to an M6 with a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU, along with the same Dual 16-core Neural Engine, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. That extra horsepower should come in handy for more creative tasks and on-device AI functionality.

It’s also worth noting that neither configuration comes with a price increase over the previous generation. Both feature improvements to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, now sitting at Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, along with Thread connectivity to help with the smart home.

I’ve been testing the step-up model with the fully specced M6 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. Out of the box, setup was a breeze, and the iMac is running macOS 27.2. Here’s a pro tip: as part of the onboarding process, you can choose to set up your new Mac using an iPhone or iPad, which speeds things up a bit.

From there, you’re presented with a welcome screen; hit Enter, and you’re ready to start using your iMac however you’d like. And, as has been the case with most Macs since Apple made the jump to its own chips — Apple Silicon — everyday performance isn’t really an issue. In my daily use, I’ve had no trouble running Safari and Google Chrome, both with more than a dozen tabs open, alongside Messages, Mail, Photos, Pixelmator Pro, and Slack, all without skipping a beat. Thanks to the M6 chip, multitasking is effortless, and everything feels zippy and responsive. That’s particularly impressive given that this configuration has just 16GB of RAM.

One key advantage of the M6 is its Dual 16-core Neural Engine, compared with the single Neural Engine in earlier iMac models. This helps power Siri AI and other Apple Intelligence features, and I’ve found some of the multimodal capabilities particularly snappy. For instance, I can ask Siri to create a calendar event based on an invitation displayed on my screen in Mail or Gmail, and even have it invite other people. You can type your request into Spotlight or use the built-in microphones to get started.

Similarly, as part of the latest updates to Apple Creator Studio, Generative Fill within Pixelmator Pro works quite snappily here. It’s also easy enough to ask it to try again if the result isn’t quite right. You can also use Siri AI within Numbers, Pages, and Keynote for a little extra assistance. I’ve found myself making good use of the big screen, too, starting with a photo edit in the Photos app using tools like Expand or Clean Up before sending it into Pixelmator Pro to refine things further. The Super Resolution functionality is particularly handy for boosting overall image quality.

Previously, my iMac with M4, which was specced with a beefier 32GB of RAM, scored 3,646 in single-core and 14,724 in multi-core testing with Geekbench 6.3. The iMac with M6 surpassed those results, scoring 4,553 in single-core and 20,038 in multi-core with Geekbench 6. That’s roughly a 25% improvement in single-core performance and a 36% jump in multi-core performance over the M4.

We also ran Geekbench 7, where the M6 iMac scored 3,931 in single-core and 21,374 in multi-core testing. While those results aren’t directly comparable to my previous Geekbench 6.3 scores, they further demonstrate the kind of performance this machine can deliver.

It’s an impressive leap over two generations of Apple Silicon, and one that matches my real-world experience over the past few days. The iMac with M6 feels zippy, responsive, and ready for a challenge, even with just 16GB of RAM inside.

The iMac remains the centerpiece of Apple’s all-in-one desktop lineup. Unlike the Mac mini or Mac Studio, you’re getting a complete system that’s ready to go right out of the box. That means a screen, speakers, ports, keyboard, and mouse are all included, making it an excellent choice for someone buying their first desktop Mac, upgrading from an older model or even a PC, or a business looking for a straightforward, all-in-one solution.

The iMac has always served a lot of different use cases, and Apple’s latest iteration doesn’t change or revolutionize that. But a speed-bump upgrade can still be a worthwhile one, especially when it brings more performance without increasing the price. You’re getting more computer for the same money, and that’s always welcome.

The M6 chip brings a welcome speed boost across both configurations, while the Dual 16-core Neural Engine helps power AI features and creative workflows if you upgrade.

Should I buy the Apple iMac with M6?

How I tested the Apple iMac with M6

I’ve spent the past five days putting the Apple iMac with M6 through its paces. After unboxing it, I set it up in two different spaces — my kitchen island and my desk — to get a sense of how it fits into different environments. I downloaded a range of apps for work and play, including Google Chrome, Pixelmator Pro, Final Cut Pro, Slack, and Geekbench.

I used it as my daily work machine, juggling browser tabs, messages, and creative projects, while also running benchmarks and more demanding tasks. Outside of work, I played games, took calls, watched movies, and listened to music to get a feel for its overall performance and entertainment experience.

First reviewed November 2026.

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