M6 iMac Starts at $1,499, but Its Connectivity Headline Needs a Configuration Check

The M6 iMac starts at $1,499 in the U.S., but that price does not describe every feature in Apple’s connectivity headline. The model with a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU starts at $1,699. Before ordering, check which machine offers the ports and accessories your desk actually needs.

What the extra $200 changes

Apple announced the new iMac on October 27, opened pre-orders on October 28 and sets November 6 as the start of availability. The entry configuration has a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU. The two additional CPU and GPU cores belong to the more expensive starting model.

The release’s smaller print is useful here. All four USB-C ports support Thunderbolt 4 on the 12-core configuration. The 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet option is also restricted to that model. “Available” still means an option to check in the order, rather than a promise that every $1,699 machine includes that Ethernet configuration.

Touch ID follows a similar split. It comes standard with the 12-core iMac; buyers of the 10-core version can configure a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad. Nano-texture glass is another option confined to the 12-core model. A buyer comparing only processor names could miss these differences.

Match the connection to the job

Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 are part of the new iMac announcement. Faster wired Ethernet is relevant when moving large projects to network storage, but the rest of the connection must support that speed too. Paying for a faster computer port cannot remove a slower router or storage bottleneck.

For a desk with external drives, a dock and other peripherals, count the required connections before choosing the configuration. Apple also advertises support for up to two external 6K displays. Check the exact ordered specification rather than treating every “up to” feature as an entry-model inclusion.

The built-in display remains a 24-inch-class 4.5K Retina panel with 500-nit brightness. Apple gives its actual diagonal measurement as 23.5 inches. That is a physical workspace consideration separate from the faster processor.

iPhone features bring their own requirements

For iPhone owners, the release highlights Continuity and iPhone Mirroring. Mirroring requires both devices to use the same Apple Account with two-factor authentication, to be near each other and to have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on. The Mac must not be using AirPlay or Sidecar. Some iPhone functions, including its camera and microphone, are not compatible with Mirroring.

Likewise, new hardware does not erase software rollout limits. Apple identifies Siri AI as a beta requiring macOS 27.2 and a supported language. Our Siri AI language and iPhone eligibility coverage explains why a language announcement alone does not establish availability on every device.

Apple’s performance multipliers are its own benchmark claims, not our test results. For an order placed now, the firmer comparison is the configuration sheet: $1,499 versus $1,699, the connections you need, and the options still to be selected. November 6 availability is a separate date from today’s ability to pre-order.