Apple updated the 14-inch MacBook Pro on Tuesday with the new M6 chip. The M6 has a 12-core CPU and a 12-core GPU, two more cores of each than the M5. Each GPU core includes a neural accelerator, and the chip also has a dual 16-core Neural Engine and unified memory. Apple says the GPU is up to 30% faster for graphics and 25% faster for on-device AI, and that the Neural Engine is 1.9 times faster than the M5’s.
Memory bandwidth on the new chip reaches 170GB/s, up from 153GB/s on its predecessor. Apple says the gain only applies to configurations with 24GB or 32GB of RAM, however. The base model ships with 16GB.
Apple rates the new MacBook Pro for up to 24 hours of battery life. The company says that’s roughly four hours longer than the M1 model and 14 hours longer than Intel-based machines. Wireless gets an upgrade as well, with Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) and Bluetooth 6 replacing Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
Most of the rest of the laptop carries over from the base M5 model. It keeps the 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with 120Hz ProMotion, 1TB of starting storage, a six-speaker system that supports Spatial Audio, and a 12MP Center Stage front camera. The ports haven’t changed either: three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) connections, an HDMI port, and an SDXC card slot.
The new model matches its predecessor in size and weight. It measures 0.61 inches high, 12.31 inches wide and 8.71 inches deep, and weighs 3.4 pounds.
Pre-orders for the M6 14-inch MacBook Pro open today, October 28, at a starting price of $1,999. Color options are black and silver. Apple continues to offer its anti-glare nano-texture display as a paid upgrade, and units are expected to ship on November 6.
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