Apple is updating the 14-inch MacBook Pro with its latest M6 chip, which promises to make one of our most positively reviewed laptops even faster.
The company is marketing the new MacBook Pro to users looking for a serious upgrade. The M6 brings a 12-core CPU to the 14-inch laptop, up from 10 cores. For those currently running Apple’s M1 from 2020, “the performance gains are even more significant, with up to 11x faster graphics and up to 13x faster AI performance,” the company notes.
There’s no touch screen on this laptop; it seems to be an appetizer for tomorrow’s Apple event in Los Angeles, where the company is expected to debut its first touch-screen MacBook.
Compared with last year’s model, the M6 means the 14-inch MacBook Pro offers up to 30% faster graphics and up to 25% faster AI workloads, according to Apple. Other perks include support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. Owners can expect up to 24 hours of battery life, which is consistent with last year’s model.
(Credit: Apple)
The M6 debuted in August on the latest Mac mini; it’s Apple’s first chip to use a 2-nanometer manufacturing process, which can pack even more transistors on the silicon. Our review found the M6 provided dominant CPU and GPU performance among midrange computing devices. So, we’ll be curious to see how the M6 performs in the 14-inch MacBook Pro and whether it offers significant gains over last year’s model, which featured the still-powerful M5 chip.
(Credit: Apple)
Unfortunately, the base model 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,999 with 16GB of RAM, a $400 increase over the previous model’s launch price. In June, Apple raised the starting cost to $1,999, citing the ongoing memory shortage.
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You can also configure it with 24GB or 32GB of memory, and up to 4TB of storage, which could push the final price above $4,000.
Apple today also introduced a refreshed iMac that boasts M6 silicon. The day before, Apple also announced a new iPad mini featuring an OLED screen. Preorders for the new hardware open tomorrow on Apple.com at 10:10 a.m. PT ahead of a Nov. 6 launch. PCMag will also be in Los Angeles tomorrow to get some hands-on time with the new lineup.
About Our Expert
Michael Kan
Principal Reporter
Experience
I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. In 2024 and 2025, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how the AI-driven memory shortage is impacting the entire consumer electronics market. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
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