Apple has officially introduced its new M6-powered iMac to the Indian market, bringing significant performance upgrades and expanded AI capabilities to its popular all-in-one desktop. Announced on October 27, the latest iMac aims to cater to students, creative professionals, and general users seeking a powerful machine for daily productivity and AI-driven tasks without the need for a separate tower and monitor.
Retaining its iconic slim design and a vibrant 24-inch 4.5K Retina display, the new iMac integrates Neural Accelerators across its GPU cores, alongside the latest Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 connectivity. Apple claims this iteration delivers up to 18 times faster performance compared to its most popular Intel-based iMac models. It also debuts with macOS 27 Golden Gate, which introduces the next generation of Apple Intelligence and Siri AI.
M6 Chip: Enhanced Performance and AI Processing
At the heart of the new iMac is the M6 chip, featuring configurations with up to a 12-core CPU and a 12-core GPU. Apple highlights that graphics performance can be up to twice as fast as the M4 model. The integrated Dual 16-core Neural Engine offers up to twice the AI computing performance of the previous generation, supported by a memory bandwidth of 170GB/s.
Specific performance benchmarks shared by Apple include up to 2.5 times faster performance in Microsoft Excel compared to the M1 model and up to 3.3 times faster graphics in Affinity. On-device AI prompt processing in LM Studio is reportedly up to 12 times faster than on the M1 iMac and up to five times faster than on the M4. Gaming performance with ray tracing also sees up to a twofold improvement over the M4.
macOS 27 Golden Gate and Advanced Connectivity
The desktop runs on macOS 27 Golden Gate, which brings a suite of new Siri AI and Apple Intelligence features across compatible applications. Users can effortlessly search messages, emails, and photos, ask follow-up questions via Spotlight, and perform actions across various apps. Visual Intelligence can interpret on-screen content, while Siri assists with writing and editing tasks.
Safari now includes features to organize tabs by topic, alert users to website changes like price drops or product restocks, and supports custom extensions created from natural language descriptions. Users can also create Shortcuts automations using plain language instructions and access AI-powered photo editing within the Photos app. Apple emphasizes that these new capabilities are designed with user privacy in mind.
Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, optional 2.5Gb Ethernet, and up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports. Apple also notes that SSD read and write speeds are up to twice as fast, and the iMac supports connecting up to two external 6K displays.
Design, Display, and Sustainability
The iMac maintains its stunning 24-inch 4.5K Retina display, offering 500 nits of brightness and P3 wide color support for over a billion colors. It features a 12MP Center Stage camera for enhanced video calls, Desk View for overhead perspectives, a three-microphone array, and speakers with Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos support.
Customers can choose from seven vibrant colors: blue, green, pink, yellow, purple, orange, and silver. Each iMac comes with color-matched accessories, including a Magic Keyboard (with optional Touch ID for secure unlocking and Apple Pay) and a Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad, all with USB-C charging. Continuity features allow seamless file sharing, task transfers, and iPhone control directly from the desktop.
In terms of sustainability, Apple states the iMac utilizes 100% recycled aluminum in its stand, recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, and recycled gold plating and tin solder in its circuit boards. Its supply chain operates on 40% renewable electricity, and all paper packaging is entirely fiber-based.
Indian Pricing and Availability
The Apple iMac M6 starts at ₹1,74,900 in India for the configuration with a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU. Eligible students can purchase this model for ₹1,68,900. A higher configuration, featuring a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU, is priced from ₹1,99,900, with an education discount bringing it down to ₹1,87,900.
Pre-orders for the new iMac M6 began on October 28 through Apple's online store and the Apple Store app across 35 countries and regions. The desktop will be officially available for purchase starting November 6 at Apple Store locations and authorized resellers. Customers also have the option to trade in an eligible computer for credit towards a new Mac through the Apple Trade In program.