As of 15 September 2026, Apple has not announced a 24-inch iMac with M6. The 9 September event covered iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, Apple Watch, and AirPods — no Mac on stage. The chip itself is already shipping in the 25 August Mac mini, with customer units arriving 22 September. Mark Gurman still says you should be able to buy a new iMac before year-end. Do not expect a new chassis or OLED.
15 September: what is fact, what is still rumor
The late-August “you’ll get an M6 iMac this year” wave now sits on harder ground: the chip is in production, and the 9 September keynote left Macs off the stage. Recycling August guesses like “4P+8E and 200 GB/s” is outdated — the Mac mini spec sheet already froze M6.
| Item | Status (2026-09-15) | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| M6 silicon itself | Shipping | Mac mini, announced 25 Aug, arrives 22 Sept |
| iMac jumps to M6, skips M5 | High-confidence rumor | Gurman; store page is still the Oct 2024 M4 |
| Stays 24-inch, no OLED | High-confidence rumor | Gurman: not a “blockbuster overhaul” |
| New colors | Rumor, unnamed | The seven finishes have only been retinted since 2021 |
| October with MacBook Pro | Calendar inference | 9 September confirmed zero Macs |
| Official USD / local price | Unannounced | Anchor on today’s iMac and the new mini |
| M6 Pro / Max iMac | Very unlikely | Reports skip those SKUs for M7 in 2027 |
Internal names J833 / J834 still point at two 24-inch SKUs: two Thunderbolt ports on the entry machine, four on the higher one — same split as today. Apple has not confirmed the codes. For the rest of the 2026 desktop cadence, see what the macOS Tahoe 26.7 leak named for 2026. The M6 MacBook Pro and the iMac are one autumn thread, not two stories.
Release date: October event or a press note?
“When does the M6 iMac come out” is now a narrower bet. John Ternus’s 9 September show stayed on phones and wearables. WIRED’s recap is blunt: no Vision Pro, no iPad, no Mac. Desktops already had their August press-release day for Mac mini and Mac Studio. Sliding an iMac into that keynote would have broken the calendar.
- October 2024: M4 iMac replaces M3, 16 GB becomes standard.
- All of 2025: no iMac refresh; M5 is skipped.
- 23–25 August 2026: Gurman calls M6 iMac “close to launch”; the same week M6 debuts in Mac mini.
- 25 August 2026: MacRumors parks M6 MacBook Pro and M6 iMac in October.
- 9 September 2026: autumn event, zero Macs.
- 22 September 2026: M6 Mac mini starts arriving — you can touch the chip, not the all-in-one.
- October 2026 (most likely): a Mac-only event, or a newsroom note plus a store-page swap; macOS 27.1 sits in the same window.
- Before December 2026: Gurman’s line was “you should be able to buy one,” meaning delivery, not a slide.
October is still the cleanest window, not the only path. Apple just launched desktops by press release. It can do that again: “the new 24-inch iMac is available today.” For a buyer, the only difference is inventory, not whether a keynote happened.
If October slips, blame supply or the 27.1 train, not a cancelled product. The M4 has been on the floor for almost two years. Dragging it past the holiday quarter would look worse on apple.com/imac than a quiet update.
Specs: read the 24-inch SKU from the shipping M6
Stop copying August second-hand guesses. M6’s numbers on Mac mini are official. Whether the iMac inherits them wholesale is the unannounced part. The die is likely shared; ports and accessories are where an all-in-one usually shrinks.
| Item | Shipping M6 (Mac mini) | Today’s 24-inch M4 iMac | Likely M6 iMac |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | 12-core: 2 super + 4 performance + 6 efficiency | 8-core or 10-core | Same 12-core as mini; no more 8/10 split |
| GPU | 12-core, Neural Accelerator per core, ray tracing | 8-core or 10-core | 12-core — the visible graphics step vs M4 |
| Neural | Dual 16-core Neural Engine | M4 Neural Engine | Follows the chip; helps on-device Siri AI |
| Unified memory | 16 GB base, 32 GB max | 16 GB base, 32 GB on higher SKUs | 16 GB standard likely stays; 32 GB still the ceiling |
| Bandwidth | 153 GB/s at 16 GB; 170 GB/s at 24/32 GB | Below M6 | Tracks the memory bin — not a flat “200 GB/s” |
| Display | None | 24-inch 4.5K, 500 nits, P3, nano-texture optional | Same LCD; OLED is years out |
| Camera | None | 12 MP Center Stage | Likely carried over, not a selling point |
| I/O | Two USB-C front, three Thunderbolt 4 rear, 2.5Gb Ethernet | Two or four Thunderbolt 4 + headphone, Ethernet optional | Thunderbolt 5 is a long shot; Wi-Fi 7 could follow mini |
Apple’s own copy: M6 is the first shipping 2 nm Mac chip, two more CPU cores and two more GPU cores than M4, with official comparisons up to about 4× on AI and 2× on graphics versus the M4 mini. Those figures live on mini. An iMac will lose a little to display power and chassis thermals. The order of magnitude does not change.
Two things not to invent. First, no M6 Pro / Max iMac. High-end silicon is reserved for M7 in 2027. Thunderbolt 5 and bigger memory still mean a Mac mini with M5 Pro or a Mac Studio. Second, the panel does not change this year. The 24-inch 4.5K LCD has been in that chin since 2021. OLED keeps being described as “in development, years away.”
M6 is kinder to on-device Apple Intelligence and Siri AI. That is silicon, not a new feature toggle. Whether the features matter depends on the OS, not on whether the computer is glued to a display. Read what Apple Intelligence actually does on a Mac in 2026 before you buy a desk machine “for a faster Neural Engine.”
Check the machine you already have before you debate waiting:
system_profiler SPHardwareDataType | grep -E "Chip|Memory|Model Name|Model Identifier"
If that already says M4 and ≥16 GB, the decision table below parks you in “do not chase this refresh.” If you are on M1 / Intel, or still on 8 GB, the October window is worth watching.
Price: after the June hike, what can M6 actually cost
This is the only column that cannot be written as an official number. Apple has not priced an M6 iMac. The anchors are today’s 24-inch and the mini that just got more expensive.
| Anchor | United States | What it implies for M6 iMac |
|---|---|---|
| Current M4 iMac entry (16 GB / 256 GB / two ports) | Raised from $1,299 to $1,499 in June 2026 | An M6 entry is unlikely to undercut today’s machine |
| Current four-port 10-core iMac | One step above entry | If M6 drops the 8/10-core split, SKUs get redrawn |
| New M6 Mac mini | $899 ($799 education), arrives 22 September | The chip is already not cheap; the all-in-one still adds a display and matching input devices |
Memory costs are not a secret. The mini’s climb is the receipt. An all-in-one will not cut against that grain. The sober read: US entry near $1,499 or one step above. If 16 GB stays standard, that is “they did not cut RAM again,” not a sale.
The usual upcharges will still be there: 512 GB / 1 TB / 2 TB, 24 GB / 32 GB, nano-texture, Ethernet, Touch ID keyboard. Wait for the spec page. Education pricing is usually a notch under the public store — worth the extra tab if you qualify, not a reason to pay full freight and regret it.
Same M6: is the all-in-one premium still worth it
This comparison only exists in mid-September. In August you were matching a rumored chip to an M4 all-in-one on a shelf. The chip now has a receipt: $899 in the US, on a desk from 22 September. The iMac costs more because of the 24-inch 4.5K panel, six speakers, color-matched input, and one power cable.
Build “M6 mini + a decent display” yourself and the total can meet or beat an entry iMac. A Studio Display alone is expensive. A cheap 4K panel will not replace the camera, mics, and speakers. You buy an iMac to sit down and work — meetings, 4K cuts, writing — not to win a compile benchmark.
If you already own a good display, or you need Xcode, local models, and a 24/7 agent, the same M6 is happier in a mini: swappable screen, a real upgrade path, more ports on the back. An all-in-one welds RAM and SSD. In five years you replace the whole object, not a DIMM.
A small desk that should not show a brick and a nest of cables: the premium holds. A bench that already has a panel, or a team that needs identical build machines: it does not. When both needs live in one person, the usual split is an all-in-one for humans and a Mac that never sleeps for CI and agents.
Buy now, wait, or park the work in the cloud
“Just wait two months” is a lazy default. Age of the machine, RAM, and whether you have work this quarter beat the chip name.
| Where you are | Do this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| M1 / Intel iMac, or ≤8 GB | Wait for M6 | Two chip generations plus 16 GB standard is an upgrade you will feel |
| M4 bought in 2024, 16 GB is enough | Neither wait nor buy | Panel and chassis barely move; the chip bump is not a new desk |
| M3, happy with the screen, just slow | Read October pricing first | You may get “a bit faster, a bit dearer” — not an automatic upgrade |
| Xcode or edit suites must start this month; the machine is already gasping | Buy today’s M4, or rent an M-series box | A keynote does not pause a deadline |
| You want big local models and Thunderbolt 5 | Do not wait on an iMac | That is mini M5 Pro / Studio work. The all-in-one will not grow those ports |
Retailers clearing M4 stock may flash a short discount. That is “cash for inventory,” not a cancelled M6. Education and refurbished pages are worth one look. Do not buy leftover 8 GB just to save a hundred dollars.
Developers have a third lane. For the next four to six weeks, put CI, simulators, and local agents on Apple Silicon that stays awake. Keep the old iMac for calls. When the M6 all-in-one is for sale, decide whether the machine people look at needs replacing.
Keep the project moving while the 24-inch ships
M6 is already proven in Mac mini: 12-core CPU, 12-core GPU with Neural Accelerators, up to 170 GB/s, still a quiet desktop. Nuvcloud is dedicated Apple Silicon bare metal, not a shared vCPU. Xcode, simulators, local models, and 24/7 agents can run there first. Swap the “human-facing” machine when the all-in-one unboxes.
If the bottleneck is RAM on an old Mac — not the absence of a 4.5K panel — read Nuvcloud plans and regions and finish the quarter on silicon that already exists, instead of staring at an unannounced price.
Further reading
FAQ
When does the M6 iMac come out?
Apple has not said. The 9 September event had no Macs. Gurman plus the usual calendar point to an October appearance and a purchase before year-end. A press note with no keynote is also possible.
Is it still 24 inches? Will there be a 27-inch?
Reports agree on 24 inches. Apple’s answer for a larger panel is still a mini or Studio plus a display. An OLED 24-inch is described as years away, not this machine.
Will M6 iMac specs match the Mac mini M6?
The die is likely the same: 12-core CPU (2+4+6), 12-core GPU, dual 16-core Neural Engine, 32 GB max, 153–170 GB/s by memory bin. Ports, camera, and speakers will be redone for an all-in-one. Do not copy the mini’s three Thunderbolt 4 ports and 2.5Gb Ethernet onto the iMac.
What will it cost in the US?
No official price. After the June hike to $1,499 and a mini that starts at $899, an M6 iMac is more likely to hold or rise than to get cheaper. Trust apple.com/imac on announcement day.
I have an M4 iMac. Should I wait?
No. Panel and design barely change. M6 matters more if you are on M1 / Intel or 8 GB. An M4 with 16 GB that still keeps up should stay and finish the work.
Will there be an M6 Pro iMac?
Almost certainly not. Reports say Apple skips M6 Pro / Max / Ultra. For Thunderbolt 5 and more memory, look at Mac mini with M5 Pro or Mac Studio. Do not wait on an all-in-one.
Is the 22 September M6 Mac mini an early test drive?
It tests the chip and memory bandwidth. It does not test the 4.5K panel, six speakers, or all-in-one thermals. Useful for “is M6 fast enough,” useless for “do I like this iMac.”
Deadlines cannot slip, but I still want the new machine. Now what?
Put compiles, simulators, and agents on a cloud Mac mini. Keep the old desk machine for meetings. Replace the human-facing box when the M6 iMac is actually for sale — fewer wasted weeks than staring at a calendar.