M6 iMac vs M4 iMac: Should You Upgrade or Save Money?

M6 iMac vs M4 iMac is the question to settle if you’re shopping for an all-in-one Mac this month. Apple announced the M6 iMac on October 27, 2026, opened pre-orders the next day and starts shipping it on November 6. It skips the M5 entirely, so it’s a two-generation jump over the M4 model from 2024.

Quick answer: If you’re buying new, get the M6 iMac. It starts at $1,499 | AED 6,499 and adds Wi-Fi 7, more memory bandwidth and up to twice the graphics speed, by Apple’s numbers. If you already own an M4 iMac and it isn’t slowing you down, keep it, because the screen and design haven’t changed.

Quick Verdict

Short on time? Here’s the deal.

• Buy the M6 iMac if you’re coming from an Intel or M1 iMac, want faster graphics and local AI, or need Wi-Fi 7 and 2.5Gb Ethernet.
• Keep (or buy) the M4 iMac if yours already handles your work, or you find leftover stock at a real discount. It has the same 24-inch 4.5K screen and the same body.

M6 iMac vs M4 iMac at a Glance

This table sums up the two base models. Prices were checked on November 1, 2026.

Price and Availability in the USA and UAE

The M6 iMac costs $200 more than the M4 did at launch in the USA. That gap mostly comes from Apple’s July 2026 price rise, not the new chip.

M6 iMac price in the USA and UAE

There are two versions. The 10-core model with two Thunderbolt ports costs $1,499 | AED 6,499, and the 12-core model with four Thunderbolt 4 ports costs $1,699 | AED 7,499. Education pricing drops them to $1,449 | AED 6,299 and $1,599 | AED 7,099, according to PPC Land’s breakdown for the USA and tbreak’s UAE pricing report.

In the UAE, you can order from Apple’s UAE online store or the Apple Store app now, and authorized resellers start stocking it on November 6. [AFFILIATE LINK: Apple UAE] [AFFILIATE LINK: Amazon.ae] [AFFILIATE LINK: Sharaf DG] In the USA, it’s at Apple and authorized retailers from the same date. [AFFILIATE LINK: Amazon] [AFFILIATE LINK: Best Buy]

M4 iMac price and where to find it

The M4 iMac launched at $1,299 | AED 5,499 for the 8-core model and $1,499 for the 10-core version. Apple raised prices in July 2026, and The National reports that the new M6 model starts at the same $1,770 | AED 6,499 the older one sold for after that increase.

Apple has now dropped the M4 iMac from its lineup. You’ll only find it as leftover stock at retailers, and UAE reseller iStyle currently shows it as “notify me” rather than in stock. If you do spot one, it’s only worth it with a clear discount off the M6’s price.

Full Specs Comparison

The changes are all inside. Screen, size, camera and colors carry over almost untouched.

The full list is on Apple’s iMac tech specs page.

Is the M6 iMac Faster Than the M4 iMac?

Yes, and the gap is bigger than you might expect on paper. Apple’s own figures show the biggest jumps in graphics and AI, with smaller gains in everyday apps.

Apple says the M6 iMac runs Microsoft Excel up to 1.5x faster and Affinity photo edits up to 2x faster than the M4 model. Digital Trends lists Apple’s general processing claim at up to 40% faster. There’s one catch. PPC Land points out Apple ran those tests on the 12-core model with 32GB of memory, not the $1,499 | AED 6,499 base unit.

The new chip is built on a 2nm process, Digital Trends notes, against 3nm for the M4. Memory bandwidth also climbs from 120GB/s to 170GB/s, which helps with big photo libraries and heavier multitasking.

Winner: M6 iMac. Faster across the board, though base-model gains will be smaller than Apple’s headline numbers.

M6 iMac vs M4 iMac for Gaming and Graphics

Here’s where the M6 really pulls away. Apple claims up to 2x faster graphics and up to 2x better gaming with ray tracing.

Each GPU core now has its own Neural Accelerator, and the top model gets 12 GPU cores instead of 10. For casual gaming, 3D work and video edits, that’s a real step up. Both chips support hardware ray tracing, but the M6 gets far more out of it, going by Apple’s figures.

Winner: M6 iMac. The graphics jump is the clearest reason to upgrade.

On-Device AI Performance

The M6 is much stronger for local AI, which matters if you run models on your Mac. Apple says AI compute is up to 2x faster and LM Studio prompt processing up to 5x faster than the M4 iMac.

That LM Studio figure only measures time to the first token, as PPC Land notes, so real chats won’t feel five times quicker. Still, the Dual 16-core Neural Engine and extra bandwidth give the M6 more headroom. If you want to try it yourself, our guide on how to run AI locally on a Mac with Ollama walks you through it.

The M6 iMac also ships with macOS 27 and the new Siri AI features. PPC Land reports some server-side features have daily limits, and Apple plans to charge for expanded access.

Winner: M6 iMac. Big gains for anyone running local AI tools.

Ports, Wireless and External Displays

The M6 brings newer wireless and faster Ethernet. The port layout itself stays the same.

Apple’s N1 chip adds Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread for smart home gear. The M4 tops out at Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. Ethernet moves up to 2.5Gb, standard on the 12-core model and a configure-to-order option on the 10-core one.

Display support depends on the model. The 10-core M6 drives one external screen up to 6K at 60Hz or 4K at 165Hz. The 12-core model handles two, or one at up to 8K at 60Hz, according to Apple’s spec sheet.

Winner: M6 iMac. Wi-Fi 7 and 2.5Gb Ethernet are welcome, even if most people won’t notice day to day.

Design, Display and Accessories

Nothing much changes here. Both use the same thin 24-inch chassis, 4.5K Retina screen, six-speaker system and 12MP Center Stage camera.

The M6 comes in seven colors: blue, purple, pink, orange, yellow, green and silver. Nano-texture glass is an option on the 12-core model. Touch ID comes with the 12-core version’s Magic Keyboard, while it’s an extra on the 10-core model, as it was before.

Winner: Tie. Same screen and design, so you won’t see a difference on your desk.

Value for Money

The M6 iMac is good value for new buyers. The M4 only makes sense at a meaningful discount.

At $1,499 | AED 6,499, the M6 base model costs $200 more than the M4 did at its 2024 launch. In the UAE, though, it matches what the M4 cost after Apple’s July increase. So you’re paying the same money for a faster chip, better wireless and more bandwidth.

The $1,699 | AED 7,499 model is the smarter pick for power users. For $200 | AED 1,000 more, you get two extra CPU and GPU cores, four Thunderbolt 4 ports, standard 2.5Gb Ethernet, Touch ID and support for two external displays.

Should You Upgrade From the M4 iMac to the M6?

For most M4 owners, no. Here’s how it breaks down by buyer:

• M4 iMac owners: Keep your M4 unless graphics, local AI or Wi-Fi is holding you back. Digital Trends’ writer says he’d sit this generation out.
• M1 or Intel iMac owners: Upgrade to the M6. Apple claims Excel runs up to 2.5x faster than on an M1 iMac.
• Students and families: The $1,449 | AED 6,299 education price on the 10-core M6 is the sweet spot.
• Creators and photographers: Go for the 12-core M6 for the extra GPU cores and two external displays.
• Budget buyers: Look for a discounted M4 at retailers, or think about a MacBook instead.

Alternatives to Consider

Not sold on an all-in-one? Two other Macs are worth a look.

• MacBook Neo: Apple’s budget laptop, if you’d rather have something portable. Read our MacBook Neo price and specs guide.
• 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6: The same chip generation in a laptop, from $1,999 in the USA. Our guide to which MacBook to buy helps you pick.

Final Verdict

If you’re getting a new iMac, the M6 is the one to buy. It keeps the screen and design people already like, then adds faster graphics, much stronger on-device AI, Wi-Fi 7 and 2.5Gb Ethernet, at a starting price of $1,499 | AED 6,499.

If you already own an M4 iMac, there’s no rush. It has the same display, the same body and plenty of speed for everyday work. Save your money for a later generation unless you need the graphics or AI boost right now.

FAQs

Is the M6 iMac worth upgrading from the M4?

Usually not. The M6 iMac has the same 24-inch 4.5K screen and design as the M4 model, so the upgrade is mostly about speed. It makes sense if you need up to 2x faster graphics, stronger local AI or Wi-Fi 7.

What is the M6 iMac price in the UAE?

The M6 iMac starts at $1,770 | AED 6,499 for the 10-core model and AED 7,499 for the 12-core model in the UAE. Education pricing is $1,715 | AED 6,299 and AED 7,099. In the USA, the same models cost $1,499 and $1,699.

When is the M6 iMac release date?

Apple announced the M6 iMac on October 27, 2026, and pre-orders opened on October 28. It reaches customers and Apple Stores on November 6, 2026.

What’s the difference between the M6 iMac and the M4 iMac?

The M6 iMac adds a 2nm chip with up to 12 CPU and GPU cores, a Dual 16-core Neural Engine, 170GB/s memory bandwidth, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and 2.5Gb Ethernet. The display, camera, speakers and design stay the same as the M4 model.

Is the M4 iMac still sold?

Apple no longer sells the M4 iMac in its own lineup now that the M6 model is out. You may still find leftover stock at retailers, but it’s only worth buying at a clear discount.

Image credits: Photo: Seasider53, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.