The 10-core vs 12-core iMac with M6 decision comes down to $200. The 12-core model costs $1,699 and adds two CPU cores, two GPU cores, two more Thunderbolt 4 ports, a second external display and a nano-texture glass option, while the 10-core model starts at $1,499.
Apple announced the iMac with M6 today, with pre-orders opening on Wednesday, October 28 and deliveries starting on Friday, November 6. Education pricing is $1,449 for the 10-core model and $1,599 for the 12-core model, which makes the gap $150 there.
The 12-Core iMac with M6 Has 20 Percent More Cores for 13 Percent More Money
The 12-core model has 12 CPU cores and 12 GPU cores against 10 and 10 on the 10-core model. That is 20 percent more cores of each kind for a $200 gap, which is 13 percent of the $1,499 starting price. Apple puts a Neural Accelerator in every GPU core, so the 12-core model has two more of those as well.
Apple’s tests compare the iMac with M6 with older iMac models and not the two M6 models with each other, so independent benchmarks will give the first real number for the gap. Extra cores matter most for video exports, 3D rendering and other work that spreads across the chip.
Ports, Ethernet, Touch ID and Nano-Texture Glass Separate the Two Models
The 12-core model has four Thunderbolt 4 ports and supports two external 6K displays, while the 10-core model has two Thunderbolt 4 ports and supports one external display. 2.5Gb Ethernet is included on the 12-core model and configurable on the 10-core model, and only the 12-core model offers nano-texture glass. The 12-core model also comes with a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID as standard, and the 10-core model can be configured with the Touch ID and numeric keypad keyboard.
| Spec | 10-core iMac with M6 | 12-core iMac with M6 |
|---|---|---|
| US starting price | $1,499 | $1,699 |
| Education price | $1,449 | $1,599 |
| CPU and GPU cores | 10 and 10 | 12 and 12 |
| CPU core layout | 2 super, 3 performance and 5 efficiency | 2 super, 4 performance and 6 efficiency |
| Memory options | Up to 24GB | Up to 32GB |
| Storage options | 512GB or 1TB | 512GB, 1TB or 2TB |
| External displays | One | Up to two 6K |
| Thunderbolt 4 ports | Two | Four |
| 2.5Gb Ethernet | Configurable | Included |
| Nano-texture glass option | No | Yes |
| Magic Keyboard with Touch ID | Optional, with numeric keypad | Standard |
| Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 | Yes | Yes |
| Colors | Seven | Seven |
The 10-Core iMac with M6 Keeps Wi-Fi 7, the Same Display and All Seven Colors
Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 come on both models, and the 24-inch 4.5K Retina display at 500 nits is the same on both. The colors are blue, green, pink, yellow, purple, orange and silver.
Apple Upgrade leases the $1,499 model from $28.99 a month for 36 months, before taxes and any trade-in credit. Our iMac with M6 vs iMac with M4 comparison shows what both models change from the previous generation.
Our Take
I would buy the 12-core model if the iMac will sit on a dock or drive two external displays, and the 10-core model for everything else. The extra ports and the second display justify the $200 more than the extra cores do, and 2.5Gb Ethernet is available on both.
Pre-orders open on October 28.
