The New iMac with M6 Explained: Performance, AI & Price
Apple's new iMac with M6 brings a big performance jump, Siri AI and macOS 27 to its all-in-one design. Here's what's changed and what it costs in Australia.
Apple has announced a new iMac built around its M6 chip, and it’s a genuinely bigger jump than the usual yearly refresh. Beyond the usual speed increase, this update brings Siri AI and the next generation of Apple Intelligence to the all-in-one desktop, along with faster networking and storage.
If you’re a small business or home user weighing up a new iMac, here’s what’s actually changed, who it suits, and what it costs in Australia.
What’s different with M6
The new iMac gets a bigger CPU and GPU than the previous model, both now available with up to 12 cores, two more than before. Apple says this is enough for the fastest single-threaded CPU performance of any Mac to date, which matters most for everyday tasks like opening apps, switching between windows and general responsiveness rather than heavy specialist workloads.
The GPU also picks up Neural Accelerators in every core, which Apple says roughly doubles graphics performance for tasks like photo editing compared with the previous M4 model, along with a solid bump in gaming performance.
For anyone still using an older Intel-based iMac, Apple is pointing to a dramatically larger leap, since Intel Macs don’t benefit from Apple’s custom chip architecture at all. If you’ve been holding onto an Intel iMac because it still does the job, this is the clearest signal yet that it’s worth planning a move to Apple silicon.
Siri AI and Apple Intelligence
The new iMac ships with macOS 27, which includes Siri AI, a significantly more capable and conversational version of Siri built on the next generation of Apple Intelligence. Siri AI is built into Spotlight, so you can search for information, ask follow-up questions and take action across apps without leaving what you’re doing.
On the 24-inch display, Apple is also highlighting Visual Intelligence, which lets you ask Siri about anything currently on screen, such as a chart in a spreadsheet or an image in a browser tab, using a dedicated keyboard shortcut.
Apple is clear that this processing happens on the device itself, which matters for small businesses handling client information, since nothing needs to leave the Mac to get the benefit.
Faster storage and networking
The new iMac supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, with an optional 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet connection on the 12-core model. Storage read and write speeds are also up to twice as fast as the previous generation, which is most noticeable when working with large files such as photo libraries or video projects.
Port count also varies by configuration. The 10-core model includes two Thunderbolt and USB-C ports, while the 12-core model steps up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports, enough to run external storage, docks and additional displays without constantly swapping cables.
Design and display
The iMac keeps its familiar thin, all-in-one design, now available in seven colours: blue, green, pink, yellow, purple, orange and silver. The 24-inch 4.5K Retina display remains unchanged in size but is a genuinely bright, detailed screen for everyday office or creative work.
Apple has also kept the features that make the iMac a strong single-screen option for small offices and home setups, including a 12 megapixel centre-stage camera for video calls, a Desk View mode for showing a top-down view of your desk during a call, and a built-in three-microphone array and speaker system that doesn’t require separate accessories.
Who this suits
If you’re buying a Mac for general office work, email, Microsoft 365 and everyday business admin, the performance gains here are genuinely more than most people need right now, and your existing M-series iMac would likely be perfectly fine for a while yet. Where this update earns its place is for small businesses or creative users doing heavier photo or video editing, anyone wanting to make real use of on-device AI tools locally, or anyone still running an Intel Mac who has been waiting for a clear reason to upgrade.
Pricing and availability in Australia
Apple is taking pre-orders for the new iMac with M6 from 29 October, with units arriving from 6 November.
The entry model, with a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, starts at RRP A$2,399 inc. GST, or RRP A$2,319 inc. GST with education pricing.1 The higher-spec model, with a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU, starts at RRP A$2,699 inc. GST, or RRP A$2,539 inc. GST with education pricing.1
If you’re trading in an older Mac, Apple’s trade-in program can put credit toward the new machine, and AppleCare+ or AppleCare One remain available for ongoing cover.
Need a hand deciding?
If you’re not sure whether this update is worth it for your business, or you want help working out which configuration actually suits how you use your Mac day to day, contact Your Mac Tech and we can talk through the right option before you buy.
1. Prices shown are current as at October 2026.
