Apple M6 MacBook Pro Review: New Chip Fails to Bring Exciting Upgrades
Apple's entry-level M6 MacBook Pro delivers solid performance gains, but lacks the exciting OLED screens and touch panels found on higher-end models.
Apple has released its latest entry-level laptop, the M6 MacBook Pro, carrying a starting price of $1,999. While the device introduces a brand-new processor, it retains the design language and chassis that Apple has used since 2021, missing out on several major hardware updates found in more expensive models.
The new base-model laptop costs $700 more than the basic M1 MacBook Pro from 2020 and $400 more than the starting price of the M5 MacBook Pro. Despite the high price tag, users will not find a touchscreen, an OLED panel, a Dynamic Island, a lighter weight reduction, or a glowing Apple logo on the lid.
Performance and Specifications
At the core of the new release is the Apple M6 chip, which also recently debuted in the Mac mini. The M6 is a significant refresh for the company's lowest-end silicon, increasing total CPU cores to 12, featuring two top-performance super cores, four performance cores, and six high-efficiency cores. The GPU core count has also grown to 12, while the Neural Engine NPU has doubled to a total of 32 cores.
Memory options begin with 16GB of RAM, alongside 24GB and 32GB upgrade choices. For the 16GB configuration, memory bandwidth remains locked at 153 GB/s, while the 24GB and 32GB variants see an increase to 170 GB/s. Benchmark tests on the 16GB review unit show that compared to last year’s M5 version, the new chip delivers roughly 7 percent and 15 percent better single- and multi-core CPU performance, alongside a 20 to 30 percent boost in GPU performance depending on the specific test.
For users upgrading from older hardware, the improvements are more pronounced. When compared against the M3 MacBook Pro, the new model offers approximately 30 percent better single-core CPU performance and between 40 and 60 percent faster multi-core CPU and graphics capabilities.
Display and design features remain largely consistent with previous generations. The 14.2-inch screen is a mini LED display panel featuring local dimming support, a maximum SDR brightness of 1,000 nits, HDR brightness up to 1,600 nits, and a 120 Hz ProMotion refresh rate. Port selection also remains robust, offering a MagSafe charging port, a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports, and a headphone jack on the left side, paired with an HDMI port, an additional Thunderbolt 4 port, and an SD card reader on the right.