Today Apple unveiled a new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip. It has the same design as before and many of the same features, so what’s actually changed? Here’s what’s new.
#1: M6 chip
Here’s a quick rundown of how the M6 chip compares to last year’s M5, per Apple:
M6 chip
- 12-core CPU with 2 super cores, 4 performance cores, and 6 efficiency cores
- 12-core GPU
- Dual 16-core Neural Engine
- Up to 170GB/s memory bandwidth
M5 chip
- 10-core CPU with 4 super cores and 6 efficiency cores
- 10-core GPU
- 16-core Neural Engine
- 153GB/s memory bandwidth
In real-world use, here are the gains Apple says to expect: “The 12-core GPU delivers up to 30 percent faster graphics and up to 25 percent faster AI workloads when compared to M5.”
Finally, here are some pro workflow examples that compare the M6 MacBook Pro to the M5:
- Up to 1.3x faster time to first token performance for LLM prompt processing
- Up to 1.3x faster render performance with ray tracing in Blender
- Up to 1.2x faster image-processing performance in Affinity
- Up to 1.3x faster project build performance when compiling code in Xcode
#2: N1 wireless chip
Apple’s N1 wireless chip that first debuted in the iPhone 17 is now included in the MacBook Pro too.
N1 gives the new MacBook Pro two main upgrades:
- Wi-Fi 7 support, up from Wi-Fi 6E
- Bluetooth 6, up from Bluetooth 5.3
Apple also says that N1 improves the performance and reliability of certain features such as AirDrop and Personal Hotspot.
M6 MacBook Pro vs M5 model: wrap-up
Surprisingly, that’s the end of the list for M6 MacBook Pro upgrades. The new model is solely a spec bump update, with two new chips and no other listed changes.
That said, the M6 MacBook Pro is still a fantastic computer for anyone who wants Apple’s latest chip with a great Liquid Retina XDR display and excellent battery life.
But if you’re interested in something more radically new, Apple’s redesigned MacBook Pro with high-end chips is expected to be unveiled tomorrow.
Are you buying an M6 MacBook Pro? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.
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