MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors - All Stories https://www.macrumors.com Apple, iPhone, iPad, Mac News and Rumors Wed, 28 Oct 2026 11:32:32 +0000 en hourly 1 https://www.macrumors.com Pill-Shaped macOS 27 Assets Hint at Dynamic Island for MacBook Pro https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/28/pill-shaped-macos-27-dynamic-island-macbook-pro/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/pill-shaped-macos-27-assets-hint-at-dynamic-island-for-macbook-pro.2493019/ Wed, 28 Oct 2026 11:28:48 +0000 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/28/pill-shaped-macos-27-dynamic-island-macbook-pro/ Tim Hardwick MacBook Pro Dynamic Island pdfu
The new MacBook Pros are expected to feature a Dynamic Island-like cutout for the FaceTime camera, finally doing away with the notch that has been part of the machine's design since 2021.


Uncovered by code explorer pdfu and shared on X (Twitter), the pill-shaped views cover AirPods connection, Focus activation, AirPods noise cancellation, low battery, and automatic audio switching.

The graphics are linked to a new menu bar component called MenuBarAgent, which "paves the way for a touchscreen Mac and a Dynamic Island," according to pdfu. "Some system compact and minimal views already ship," he added.

He also claims Siri AI will eventually occupy what he calls the new "system aperture" in a droplet-like design. The views line up with our previous reporting on macOS 27's touchscreen Mac hints ahead of the touchscreen MacBook Pro models Apple is set to announce later today.
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Tags: Dynamic Island, pdfu
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Coming Soon)
Related Forum: MacBook Pro

This article, "Pill-Shaped macOS 27 Assets Hint at Dynamic Island for MacBook Pro" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

]]> Touchscreen MacBook Pro to Debut Today With These 5 Features https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/28/touchscreen-macbook-pro-debut-these-5-features/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/touchscreen-macbook-pro-to-debut-today-with-these-5-features.2493016/ Wed, 28 Oct 2026 10:17:55 +0000 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/28/touchscreen-macbook-pro-debut-these-5-features/ Tim Hardwick Featured MacBook Pro MacBook Ultra," perhaps – marketed as the company's top-tier laptop offering. The machines are expected to sit above the current M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pros, rather than replace them, suggesting the latter will remain in Apple's lineup.


One thing to state up front is that Apple is expected to stick with the existing M5 Pro and M5 Max chips for its touchscreen MacBook models. Apple reportedly plans to skip what would have been the "M6 Pro" and "M6 Max" for more powerful "M7 Pro" and "M7 Max" chips. Apple announced the new entry-level 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with the M6 chip yesterday, ahead of pre-orders opening today, but the first "MacBook Ultra" models will use M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, after which second-generation models will come with M7 Pro and Max chips in late 2027.

Apple has already unveiled most of a second set of new products this week, as MacRumors' sources earlier indicated: the OLED iPad mini arrived on Monday, and the M6 iMac and M6 14-inch MacBook Pro followed yesterday. The new touchscreen models are expected to debut today at Apple's "Pro and tell" event in Los Angeles and become available for pre-order at 10:10 a.m. Pacific Time, with Bloomberg reporting that availability could begin as early as November 6. Recent reports have referred to the machines simply as new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, so the final name remains uncertain.

Below, we've listed the features and changes we are expecting for the new high-end MacBook Pro models.

OLED Display


Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo say Apple is readying OLED technology for these models, and industry reports corroborate their claims. Samsung Display is said to be making the panels exclusively, and the supplier has invested heavily in an 8.6-generation OLED production line in South Korea. The line reached a key milestone for mass production in May.

OLED presents an overall upgrade over the current mini-LED display technology, bringing deeper colors and a higher contrast ratio with true blacks. In an OLED display, individual pixels turn off instead of dimming when not activated, so there's less light leakage and better power efficiency. OLED displays also tend to have better HDR output than mini-LED, but they don't always match mini-LED brightness levels.

Touchscreen


The new ‌MacBook Pro‌ is expected to become the first Mac to support touch input directly on the display. It's a notable shift from Apple's longstanding position against bringing touchscreen functionality to the Mac.

Apple previously experimented with touch controls through the OLED Touch Bar on earlier ‌MacBook Pro‌ models, but the feature was ultimately discontinued following a lukewarm reception. Rather than positioning the ‌MacBook Pro‌ as a touch-centric device like the ‌iPad‌, Apple is reportedly planning to let users move seamlessly between touch and traditional trackpad or mouse input across the system.

There are features in ‌macOS Golden Gate‌ that hint at a future touchscreen Mac. Apple added direct touch input to Sidecar so users can tap and interact with macOS elements when using the ‌iPad‌ as a Mac display. macOS Golden Gate‌ also supports an iPhone-style pull-to-refresh option, and it can be used across apps like Safari, Mail, News, Podcasts, and Calendar. A pull-to-refresh option makes the most sense on a touch display.

Reinforced Hinge


Apple has reportedly developed a reinforced hinge and screen hardware to prevent the display from bouncing back or moving when touched. Apple is apparently aware of the same issue that plagues existing touch PCs.

Lighter Design


Gurman has reported that Apple is working to make the OLED MacBook Pro thinner, as part of the company's plan to create "the thinnest and lightest products in their categories across the whole tech industry." (Think the latest iPad Pro and iPad Air – two of the thinnest devices the company has ever made.) Indeed, the reporter said there's a good chance that the next MacBook Pro model will represent a "true overhaul" for the laptop, thanks to the combination of the OLED display and thinner design.

In October 2025, Gurman reported that the OLED MacBook Pro models would have "thinner and lighter" frames. Then again in November 2025, he said the touchscreen models would have "a thinner chassis."

However, Gurman has walked back somewhat on his previous reporting that Apple's upcoming touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro will be thinner than current models. "I don't think it'll be significantly thinner in the end," he said in early October 2026.

In a last-minute detail, Gurman reports that Apple has also reworked the cooling system to improve airflow through the hinge while helping to reduce the laptop's weight.

Dynamic Island


The MacBook Ultra could ditch the current notch used in the MacBook Pro models for a display cutout potentially similar to the iPhone's Dynamic Island, according to Bloomberg. Such a move would mirror Apple's iPhone evolution, since the iPhone's notch became the current Dynamic Island starting with the iPhone 14 Pro models in 2022.

As with the iPhone‌, the Mac ‌Dynamic Island‌ will be interactive and it will contextually expand based on the app or Mac feature in use. The change should address long-standing user complaints about the notch, which physically ingresses into the macOS menu bar.

Price Changes


There is no doubt that Apple will unveil the new MacBook Pro models as ultra-premium products carrying price tags that are higher than the current MacBook Pro 14-inch and 16-inch models. Apple increased the prices of all its Macs in June 2026 – MacBook Pro‌ pricing went up $300 – so the "MacBook Ultra" will likely be even more expensive than expected. ‌

For what it's worth, the higher-end 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with M5 Pro chip starts at $2,499 after the price increase, while the 16-inch M5 Pro ‌MacBook Pro‌ starts at $2,999. More specifically, Bloomberg reported this week that Apple has discussed charging $2,899 for the new 14-inch model with an M5 Pro chip, which would mean a starting price of at least $3,399 for the 16-inch model. Hold onto your wallets!
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Coming Soon)
Related Forum: MacBook Pro

This article, "Touchscreen MacBook Pro to Debut Today With These 5 Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

]]> Apple to Open Pre-Orders for Five New Products Today https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/28/apple-open-pre-orders-five-new-products-today/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-to-open-pre-orders-for-five-new-products-today.2493015/ Wed, 28 Oct 2026 09:49:42 +0000 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/28/apple-open-pre-orders-five-new-products-today/ Tim Hardwick Featured

Pre-orders will open for the following new products:
Pre-orders for the iPad mini, iMac, and M6 MacBook Pro open at 10:10 a.m. Pacific Time, with availability beginning Friday, November 6. The iPad mini starts at $699, the iMac at $1,499, and the M6 MacBook Pro at $1,999.

Bloomberg reports that pre-orders for the touchscreen MacBook Pro models will also begin Wednesday following their announcement at Apple's "Pro and tell" event in Los Angeles, with availability potentially as early as November 6. Pricing is expected to start at $2,899 for the 14-inch model and at least $3,399 for the 16-inch.
This article, "Apple to Open Pre-Orders for Five New Products Today" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

]]> Apple Shares tvOS 27.2 Release Notes With List of New Features https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/apple-tv-tvos-27-2-release-notes/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-shares-tvos-27-2-release-notes-with-list-of-new-features.2492994/ Wed, 28 Oct 2026 01:40:09 +0000 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/apple-tv-tvos-27-2-release-notes/ Joe Rossignol Apple TV released on Monday for the Apple TV 4K (2nd generation) and newer, but the Apple TV does not show release notes for software updates in the Settings app. Instead, Apple periodically updates a support document outlining what is new in tvOS updates, and the release notes for tvOS 27.2 are now available.


Note that Apple never released a tvOS 27.1 version, so tvOS 27.2 is the first Apple TV software update since tvOS 27 was released in September.

Apple says tvOS 27.2 includes a few FaceTime enhancements, plus the ability to shuffle through different screen saver categories. In addition, the Find My app now supports the Siri Remote (2nd generation) and later, but Precision Finding is limited to the Siri Remote (4th generation). The update also contains bug fixes and security patches.

Here are Apple's full tvOS 27.2 release notes:
This update brings new ways to stay connected with FaceTime, personalize your screen saver, and locate your Siri Remote with Find My, along with bug fixes and security updates for your Apple TV 4K.

FaceTime

FaceTime links make it easier to join calls directly from your Apple TV.

Sign language interpreter and captioning support lets you add third-party services to your calls.

Screen Savers

Photo personalization lets you use your iPhone to choose specific photos for your screen saver without sharing your full library with Apple TV.

Shuffle option lets you enjoy different screen saver categories as your Apple TV cycles through them.

Find My

Find My support lets you locate your Siri Remote (2nd generation) or later using your iPhone.
Apple said Siri AI will be available on the Apple TV 4K (2nd generation) and newer, but this functionality is not yet enabled on these models on tvOS 27.2. The new Apple TV 4K (4th generation) launches on Friday, November 13, and Siri AI is one of its headline new features, so perhaps the feature will come to older models closer to then.
Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple TV and Home Theater

This article, "Apple Shares tvOS 27.2 Release Notes With List of New Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

]]> Apple Shares New Apple Watch Survival Stories https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/apple-watch-survival-stories/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-shares-new-apple-watch-survival-stories.2492995/ Tue, 27 Oct 2026 23:20:22 +0000 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/apple-watch-survival-stories/ Juli Clover Apple Watch Apple Ads



In the first video, Morgan tells the story of how her Apple Watch woke her up with high heart rate alerts. She ended up having a kidney infection and was going into septic shock.

The second video features a man named Josh, who used the Apple Watch to lose weight. He weighed 340 pounds until the Apple Watch motivated him to be more active.

Apple previously shared the story of a woman who was alerted to changes in her resting heart rate. When she went to the doctor, she was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer, but was able to get treatment.
Related Roundup: Apple Watch 12
Tag: Apple Ads
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Watch

This article, "Apple Shares New Apple Watch Survival Stories" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

]]> OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Start at $2,899 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/oled-macbook-pro-pricing/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/oled-touchscreen-macbook-pro-could-start-at-2-899.2492991/ Tue, 27 Oct 2026 22:29:50 +0000 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/oled-macbook-pro-pricing/ Juli Clover Featured MacBook Pro OLED OLED MacBook Pro with an M5 Pro chip could be $400 more expensive than the current model, reports Bloomberg. Apple has "discussed" charging $2,899 for the upcoming M5 Pro model. The current M5 Pro ‌MacBook Pro‌ starts at $2,499.


The 16-inch ‌OLED‌ ‌MacBook Pro‌ could start at $3,399 if it gets the same $400 price increase, though Bloomberg suggests the larger version might be even more expensive.

Apple is adding ‌OLED‌ touchscreens to the 14-inch and 16-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, but they will use the same M5 Pro and M5 Max chips as the current models. Other features include a Dynamic Island, a redesigned hinge that keeps the display steady when touched, thinner bezels, and a slimmer and lighter body. Apple updated the cooling system to cut weight and improve airflow through the hinge.

Apple is expected to continue selling the existing mini-LED ‌MacBook Pro‌ models alongside the more expensive ‌OLED‌ models, so customers who don't want to pay for touch will have a more affordable option.

The ‌OLED‌ ‌MacBook Pro‌ models will be unveiled tomorrow morning, with pre-orders set to begin at 10:10 a.m. Pacific Time. Apple also plans to accept pre-orders for the ‌OLED‌ iPad mini, the M6 iMac, and the entry-level M6 ‌MacBook Pro‌.
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Tag: OLED
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Coming Soon)
Related Forum: MacBook Pro

This article, "OLED Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Start at $2,899" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

]]> M6 iMac Sticks With Its Five-Year-Old Color Lineup https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/imac-m6-color-options/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/m6-imac-sticks-with-its-five-year-old-color-lineup.2492983/ Tue, 27 Oct 2026 21:07:38 +0000 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/imac-m6-color-options/ Juli Clover iMac new M6 iMac models come in the same color options as the 2024 model, despite reports suggesting we could see new shades.


You can buy the M6 iMac in green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver. Those are the seven colors that Apple used for the original 2021 ‌iMac‌ design. Apple tweaked the colors in 2024 to make the back of the ‌iMac‌ a more vibrant shade in those seven colors, but no further changes were made this year.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said back in August that "some new color options" would be available for the M6 ‌iMac‌ models, but unfortunately, we're stuck with the colors we've had for years.

The new ‌iMac‌ has the M6 chip that was previously added to the Mac mini. It also includes a faster SSD and an N1 networking chip with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. Pricing starts at $1,499.

iMacs still ship with color-matched accessories and cables, so color choice matters more than with most Mac purchases.

Pre-orders for the M6 ‌iMac‌ start on October 28 at 10:10 a.m. Pacific Time, and it launches on Friday, November 6.
Related Roundup: iMac
Buyer's Guide: iMac (Coming Soon)
Related Forum: iMac

This article, "M6 iMac Sticks With Its Five-Year-Old Color Lineup" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

]]> ChatGPT Can Now Access Your iCloud Mail and Calendar https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/chatgpt-icloud-mail-calendar-plugin/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/chatgpt-can-now-access-your-icloud-mail-and-calendar.2492979/ Tue, 27 Oct 2026 19:51:25 +0000 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/chatgpt-icloud-mail-calendar-plugin/ Juli Clover ChatGPT OpenAI iCloud Mail and Calendar plugins to ChatGPT.


With the ‌iCloud‌ Calendar integration, ChatGPT can read, schedule, and update events that show up on your iPhone's Calendar app or any third-party app that uses ‌iCloud‌ Calendar. The Mail integration lets ChatGPT search and read ‌iCloud‌ Mail, manage messages and drafts, send email, and look up ‌iCloud‌ contacts.

‌iCloud‌ Mail uses an Apple-provided email address that ends in @icloud.com, @me.com, or @mac.com. ChatGPT can only see your ‌iCloud‌ Mail, not other accounts that are in the iOS Mail app, like Gmail or Outlook. You will need to create an app-specific password for both ‌iCloud‌ Mail and ‌iCloud‌ Calendar.

‌iCloud‌ plugins give ChatGPT some of the same access that Siri AI has to personal data, expanding what the chatbot can do. ‌iCloud‌ access can also be used for Dots, the proactive AI agent that OpenAI launched last month.

The ‌iCloud‌ plugins are available on all plans across the web, desktop, and iOS.
Tags: ChatGPT, OpenAI

This article, "ChatGPT Can Now Access Your iCloud Mail and Calendar" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

]]> Apple Reportedly Plans to Release MacBook Neo 2 in First Half of 2027 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/macbook-neo-2-first-half-2027-report/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-reportedly-plans-to-release-macbook-neo-2-in-first-half-of-2027.2492970/ Tue, 27 Oct 2026 17:32:56 +0000 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/macbook-neo-2-first-half-2027-report/ Joe Rossignol MacBook Neo No Linkback Mark Gurman Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today reported that Apple plans to release a second-generation MacBook Neo in the first half of 2027. He previously mentioned that the new model will feature an A19 Pro chip, 12GB of RAM, and new color options.

Released in March 2026, the current MacBook Neo has an A18 Pro chip with 8GB of RAM, and it is available in Silver, Blush, Citrus, and Indigo. In the U.S., the laptop initially started at $599, but Apple raised the price to $699 in June.
Related Roundup: MacBook Neo
Tag: Mark Gurman
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Neo (Neutral)
Related Forum: MacBook Neo

This article, "Apple Reportedly Plans to Release MacBook Neo 2 in First Half of 2027" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

]]> Best Buy Details Black Friday Plans With Early Deals Available on Halloween https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/best-buy-black-friday-plans-26/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/best-buy-details-black-friday-plans-with-early-deals-available-on-halloween.2492972/ Tue, 27 Oct 2026 17:28:11 +0000 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/best-buy-black-friday-plans-26/ Mitchel Broussard Deals Featured detailing its sale plans for the holiday, as well as the rest of the year. This includes a special event on Friday, October 30, and the usual month-long discounts leading up to Black Friday on Friday, November 27.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Best Buy will kick off its holiday sales with "DoorBOOsters" on the day before Halloween, with additional doorbusters dropping on select tech products every week of the holiday season. My Best Buy Plus and Total members can expect to get added rewards for select doorbusters this season as well.

SITEWIDE SALE
Best Buy Halloween Sale


Afterwards, Best Buy's Black Friday sale will officially start on Thursday, November 19 and run through Saturday, November 28. Cyber Monday deals will then appear on Sunday, November 29 and run through Monday, November 30. There will also be a week of last-minute savings from December 18 through December 24.

Deals Available Now


Ahead of these events, there are also a few notable discounts happening at Best Buy this week, including great deals on TVs, Apple products, and more. This event is available to all customers and doesn't require a My Best Buy Plus or Total membership.



If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.



Deals Newsletter


Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find as we head into the holidays? You can sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!




Related Roundup: Apple Deals

This article, "Best Buy Details Black Friday Plans With Early Deals Available on Halloween" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

]]> New iMac Available With 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet Port on Power Adapter https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/new-imac-2-5-gigabit-ethernet/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/new-imac-available-with-2-5-gigabit-ethernet-port-on-power-adapter.2492957/ Tue, 27 Oct 2026 17:16:26 +0000 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/new-imac-2-5-gigabit-ethernet/ Joe Rossignol iMac No Linkback The new iMac with the M6 chip can be configured with a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port, which is built into the power adapter rather than the computer. The port is a $30 upgrade option for the lower-end iMac and comes standard with the higher-end model. The previous iMac had the same option, but the port was 1 Gigabit.
Related Roundup: iMac
Buyer's Guide: iMac (Coming Soon)
Related Forum: iMac

This article, "New iMac Available With 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet Port on Power Adapter" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

]]> Apple Expected to Announce MacBook Pro With Touchscreen Tomorrow https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/macbook-pro-with-touchscreen-tomorrow/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-expected-to-announce-macbook-pro-with-touchscreen-tomorrow.2492953/ Tue, 27 Oct 2026 15:57:14 +0000 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/macbook-pro-with-touchscreen-tomorrow/ Joe Rossignol Featured MacBook Pro No Linkback Mark Gurman Apple on Wednesday will announce 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models featuring touch-enabled OLED displays with thinner bezels, a Dynamic Island instead of a notch, M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, and a lighter and slightly thinner design, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Apple is hosting a private "Pro and tell" experience in Los Angeles starting at 10 a.m. Pacific Time tomorrow.
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Tag: Mark Gurman
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Coming Soon)
Related Forum: MacBook Pro

This article, "Apple Expected to Announce MacBook Pro With Touchscreen Tomorrow" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

]]> M5 vs. M6 MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared https://www.macrumors.com/guide/m5-vs-m6-macbook-pro/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/m5-vs-m6-macbook-pro-buyers-guide-all-differences-compared.2492959/ Tue, 27 Oct 2026 15:42:54 +0000 https://www.macrumors.com/guide/m5-vs-m6-macbook-pro?post_date=1793126571/ Hartley Charlton Buyer's Guide Featured MacBook Pro today replaced the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro with a new M6 model, bringing more CPU and GPU cores, upgraded wireless connectivity, and more. How much has changed, and is it worth upgrading or choosing the newer model?



The M6 ‌MacBook Pro‌ retains the previous model's design and most of its specifications, concentrating its improvements on processing performance and connectivity. Both models offer 16GB of starting memory, 1TB of starting storage, and up to 24 hours of battery life.

The M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌ originally launched at $1,599 with 512GB of storage. Apple removed that configuration in March, making 1TB standard and increasing the starting price to $1,699. A further price increase in June brought it to $1,999 amid rising memory and storage costs. The M6 replaces that model at the same price.

Here are all of the differences between the entry-level M5 and M6 ‌MacBook Pro‌ models:










































































14-Inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ (M5, 2025) 14-Inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ (M6, 2026)
M5 chip made with TSMC's third-generation 3nm process (N3P) M6 chip made with TSMC's first-generation 2nm process (N2)
FinFET transistors Gate-all-around nanosheet transistors
10-core CPU 12-core CPU
4 super cores and 6 efficiency cores 2 super cores, 4 performance cores, and 6 efficiency cores
10-core GPU with a Neural Accelerator in every core 12-core GPU with a Neural Accelerator in every core
Enhanced shader cores Updated shader core architecture
Second-generation Dynamic Caching Third-generation Dynamic Caching
16-core Neural Engine Dual 16-core Neural Engine, totaling 32 cores
153GB/s memory bandwidth across all memory configurations 16GB memory: 153GB/s
24GB or 32GB memory: 170GB/s
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
Bluetooth 5.3 Bluetooth 6
Broadcom wireless networking chip Apple N1 wireless networking chip
Thread networking support
Supports two external 4K displays at up to 144Hz each Supports two external 4K displays at up to 165Hz each
Originally offered with 512GB storage; started with 1TB from March 2026 Starts with 1TB storage
Originally $1,599; $1,699 from March and $1,999 from June; now discontinued by Apple Starts at $1,999



Should You Upgrade From the M5 MacBook Pro?


For existing M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌ owners, there is very little reason to upgrade. The M6 is a small refresh aimed primarily at buyers replacing a much older machine, with improvements to performance and connectivity that leave the overall experience essentially unchanged. It offers no increase in memory capacity, additional ports, or longer battery life. If the M5 model already handles your work comfortably, the newer model provides little practical incentive to replace it.

If your current computer can last a little longer, it may also be worth waiting. A redesigned entry-level ‌MacBook Pro‌ with an M7 chip is reportedly planned for as early as the first half of 2027, potentially offering a more substantial upgrade than the M6 refresh.

Should You Buy the M5 or M6 MacBook Pro?


For buyers replacing an Intel-based Mac or an older Apple silicon machine, the M5 and M6 deliver much the same experience. The more consequential improvements come from the hardware they share, so the price and configuration should carry more weight than the chip generation.



At the same price, memory, storage, and condition, choose the M6. Its newer chip and wireless connectivity are welcome additions, but there is little reason to pay substantially more for them. A discounted M5 model is likely to be the better value for many buyers.

Used and refurbished M5 models offer another potential saving: the 512GB configuration that Apple discontinued in March. If you do not need 1TB of internal storage, this version may provide a more affordable route to essentially the same ‌MacBook Pro‌ experience. The M6 starts at 1TB, leaving no equivalent lower-capacity option.

A well-priced M5 with enough memory and storage for your work is still a sensible purchase, while the M6 is the straightforward choice when comparable models cost close to the same amount.
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Coming Soon)
Related Forum: MacBook Pro

This article, "M5 vs. M6 MacBook Pro Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

]]> M4 vs. M6 iMac Buyer's Guide: Should You Upgrade? https://www.macrumors.com/guide/m4-vs-m6-imac/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/m4-vs-m6-imac-buyers-guide-should-you-upgrade.2492955/ Tue, 27 Oct 2026 15:30:15 +0000 https://www.macrumors.com/guide/m4-vs-m6-imac?post_date=1793125810/ Hartley Charlton Buyer's Guide Featured iMac iMac skips the M5 chip and moves directly to the M6, bringing faster performance, improved connectivity, and faster storage. So how much has changed since the M4 model arrived in 2024, and is it worth upgrading?


The M6 iMac starts at $1,499 in the United States, with the four-port configuration starting at $1,699. While the entry price is $200 higher than the M4 model's original $1,299 launch price, the outgoing model had already risen to $1,499 earlier in 2026.

With much of the ‌iMac‌ experience unchanged, existing M4 owners may be weighing up whether the performance improvements justify replacing their machine, while new buyers may be considering a discounted older model. Here are the key differences between the M4 and M6 ‌iMac‌:






























































































‌iMac‌ (M4, 2024) ‌iMac‌ (M6, 2026)
M4 chip made using TSMC's second-generation 3nm process (N3E) M6 chip made using TSMC's first-generation 2nm process (N2)
FinFET transistors Gate-all-around nanosheet transistors
Two-port model: 8-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores
Four-port model: 10-core CPU with 4 performance cores and 6 efficiency cores		 Two-port model: 10-core CPU with 2 super cores, 3 performance cores, and 5 efficiency cores
Four-port model: 12-core CPU with 2 super cores, 4 performance cores, and 6 efficiency cores
Two CPU core types: performance and efficiency Three CPU core types: super, performance, and efficiency
Two-port model: 8-core GPU
Four-port model: 10-core GPU		 Two-port model: 10-core GPU
Four-port model: 12-core GPU
Integrated Neural Accelerator in every GPU core
GPU shader cores without dedicated Neural Accelerators GPU shader cores with a dedicated Neural Accelerator in every core
First-generation Dynamic Caching Updated Dynamic Caching
Second-generation hardware-accelerated ray tracing Hardware-accelerated ray tracing with up to 2x higher gaming performance compared with M4, according to Apple
One 16-core Neural Engine Two 16-core Neural Engines, totaling 32 cores, which system frameworks can use simultaneously
120GB/s unified memory bandwidth Up to 170GB/s unified memory bandwidth
SSD storage SSD storage with PCIe 5.0 support and up to 2x faster read and write performance
Broadcom wireless networking chip Apple N1 wireless networking chip
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
Bluetooth 5.3 Bluetooth 6
Thread networking technology
Two-port model: Optional Gigabit Ethernet
Four-port model: Gigabit Ethernet as standard		 Two-port model: Optional 2.5Gb Ethernet
Four-port model: 2.5Gb Ethernet as standard
Two-port model: One external display up to 6K at 60Hz Two-port model: One external display up to 6K at 60Hz or 4K at 165Hz
Four-port model: Two external displays up to 6K at 60Hz, or one external display up to 8K at 60Hz Four-port model: Two external displays up to 6K at 60Hz or 4K at 165Hz, or one external display up to 8K at 60Hz, 5K at 120Hz, or 4K at 240Hz
Four-port model: Support for two external displays over a single Thunderbolt port
100% recycled gold plating and tin solder in multiple printed circuit boards 100% recycled gold plating and tin solder in all Apple-designed printed circuit boards
Over 20% of manufacturing electricity sourced from low-carbon electricity 40% of manufacturing electricity sourced from renewable electricity



Apple claims the following workflow improvements for the M6 ‌iMac‌ compared with the M4 model:


  • Up to 1.5x faster performance in Microsoft Excel.

  • Up to 2x faster graphics performance for photo editing in Affinity.

  • Up to 5x faster prompt processing in LM Studio.

  • Up to 2x higher gaming performance with ray tracing.



Is It Worth Upgrading From the M4 to M6 iMac?


For most M4 ‌iMac‌ owners, there is little reason to upgrade. The M6's performance improvements are substantial in certain tasks, but casual tasks such as browsing, email, video calls, and streaming are already comfortably within the M4's capabilities. With the same display, camera, speakers, and overall design, the new model is unlikely to meaningfully change how most households use their ‌iMac‌.

Occasional photo editing or gaming can benefit from the M6, but these improvements alone are difficult to justify replacing an otherwise capable computer. The faster networking similarly offers limited incentive unless your current connection is a particular frustration and the rest of your equipment can support the upgrade. For the typical M4 ‌iMac‌ owner, keeping the existing machine is the sensible choice.

Should You Buy the M4 or M6 iMac?


For buyers choosing a new family computer, the M6 ‌iMac‌ is the straightforward choice when comparable configurations are close in price. Its additional performance provides more room for demanding apps and games as your needs change, while retaining the familiar all-in-one experience.

However, a substantially discounted M4 ‌iMac‌ remains an appealing purchase. Most households will get much the same everyday experience, making the saving more useful than the M6's additional processing power.
Related Roundup: iMac
Buyer's Guide: iMac (Coming Soon)
Related Forum: iMac

This article, "M4 vs. M6 iMac Buyer's Guide: Should You Upgrade?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

]]> Banktivity Offers 30% Off First Year Subscriptions for MacRumors Readers https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/banktivity-30-off-first-year/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/banktivity-offers-30-off-first-year-subscriptions-for-macrumors-readers.2492948/ Tue, 27 Oct 2026 14:25:46 +0000 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/banktivity-30-off-first-year/ Mitchel Broussard Deals Featured 30 percent discount on their first year of the service, plus a 30-day free trial. This deal is available to new subscribers only, and you can find it on Banktivity's website, where it has been automatically applied with no coupon code needed.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Banktivity is a popular banking app that works on Mac, iPhone, and iPad. The app allows you to track your spending, set a custom budget, automatically categorize transactions, and more. The app supports a few of Apple's native iOS features as well, including widgets and shortcuts.

30% OFF
Banktivity First Year Subscription


With our deal, you can save 30 percent on any tier of your choosing on Banktivity. This makes the Bronze tier $41.99/year (down from $59.99/year), the Silver tier $55.99/year (down from $79.99/year), and the Gold tier $69.99/year (down from $99.99/year). Bronze tier covers all of the basic account tracking features most people will need, with Silver and Gold adding features like real estate tracking, retirement and loan accounts, and more.

You can also choose to subscribe monthly with similar markdowns: Bronze at $4.89/month (down from $6.99/month), Silver at $6.29/month (down from $8.99/month), and Gold at $7.69/month (down from $10.99/month). For all of these deals, once your first year of the service ends, the service will return to its then-current price.

If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week.



Deals Newsletter


Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find as we head into the holidays? You can sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!




Related Roundup: Apple Deals

This article, "Banktivity Offers 30% Off First Year Subscriptions for MacRumors Readers" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

]]> M6 MacBook Pro's 170GB/s Memory Bandwidth Skips Base 16GB Model https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/m6-14-inch-macbook-pro-memory-bandwidth-split/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/m6-macbook-pros-170gb-s-memory-bandwidth-skips-base-16gb-model.2492944/ Tue, 27 Oct 2026 13:55:55 +0000 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/m6-14-inch-macbook-pro-memory-bandwidth-split/ Tim Hardwick MacBook Pro just-announced 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip features memory bandwidth of up to 170GB/s, up from 153GB/s in the M5 model, but notably the performance increase doesn't stretch to the base 16GB configuration.


According to Apple's tech specs page, the option for 16GB of unified memory remains limited to 153GB/s. That's identical to the M5 version, while only the new 24GB and 32GB configurations receive the faster 170GB/s memory bandwidth.

For comparison, the high-end MacBook Pro with M5 Pro chip offers 307GB/s memory bandwidth, and the high-end model with the M5 Max features up to 614GB/s memory bandwidth.

Pricing starts at $1,999, with 16GB of unified memory and 1TB of storage as standard. The new 14-inch MacBook Pro is available in Space Black and Silver, with configurations up to 32GB of memory and 4TB of storage. The new MacBook Pro is available to pre-order from Wednesday ahead of a November 6 launch.
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Coming Soon)
Related Forum: MacBook Pro

This article, "M6 MacBook Pro's 170GB/s Memory Bandwidth Skips Base 16GB Model" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

]]> M6 iMac Pre-Orders and Release Date Announced https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/m6-imac-pre-orders-release-date/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/m6-imac-pre-orders-and-release-date-announced.2492940/ Tue, 27 Oct 2026 13:44:03 +0000 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/m6-imac-pre-orders-release-date/ Tim Hardwick iMac No Linkback Apple has announced the first iMac update in two years, bringing its M6 chip to the all-in-one desktop. The new model features a 24-inch 4.5K Retina display, up to a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU, and Wi-Fi 7. Pre-orders open Wednesday, October 28, at 10:10 a.m. Pacific Time on apple.com and in the Apple Store app, and availability starts Friday, November 6.

Pricing begins at $1,499 for the 10-core model with two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports and $1,699 for the 12-core model with four Thunderbolt 4 ports. Both models are available in blue, green, pink, yellow, purple, orange, and silver – colors that are unchanged from the M4 iMac. Both configurations include 16GB of unified memory and 256GB of storage as standard.
Related Roundup: iMac
Buyer's Guide: iMac (Coming Soon)
Related Forum: iMac

This article, "M6 iMac Pre-Orders and Release Date Announced" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

]]> Apple Updates Creator Studio With New Tools and AI Features https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/apple-updates-creator-studio-ai-features/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-updates-creator-studio-with-new-tools-and-ai-features.2492938/ Tue, 27 Oct 2026 13:36:26 +0000 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/apple-updates-creator-studio-ai-features/ Tim Hardwick Featured Apple Creator Studio announced a new update to its Creator Studio suite of apps, adding a number of additional features and tools across Mac, iPad, and iPhone.


Amongst the new features, Final Cut Pro for Mac now includes built-in MotionVFX, which was previously a third-party content maker. The integration brings over thousands of effects, plug-ins, transitions, templates, titles and motion graphics tools, including rotoscoping, tracking, and color grading. Apple's curated Content Hub now also includes video assets and is available in Final Cut Pro.

Pixelmator Pro's Generate Fill now lets users select an area of an image and describe the change they want in natural language, while Logic Pro adds an intelligent assistant in beta, a redesigned sound Browser, and an enhanced Stem Splitter that can now isolate drum parts without the original multitracks.

Keynote, Pages, and Numbers are all gaining assistants that understand document context, plus there's Model Context Protocol support which lets external AI agents read, edit, and automate actions in the apps.

The Logic Pro assistant is Mac-only, and requires macOS 27 on an Apple Intelligence-capable Mac, whereas the Keynote, Pages, and Numbers assistants require an Apple Intelligence-capable device running iOS 27, iPadOS 27, or macOS 27. MCP support is Mac-only as well, requiring macOS 27. All of the assistants are in beta and available in U.S. English only.

The update arrives on the App Store in November as a free update for existing subscribers, while new subscribers can get them for $12.99 per month or $129 per year. One-time-purchase versions of Final Cut Pro ($299.99), Logic Pro ($199.99), Pixelmator Pro ($49.99), Motion ($49.99), Compressor ($49.99), and MainStage ($29.99) remain available on the Mac App Store and will receive the new features in November.
Tag: Apple Creator Studio

This article, "Apple Updates Creator Studio With New Tools and AI Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

]]> M6 14-Inch MacBook Pro: Pre-Orders and Release Date Announced https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/m6-14-inch-macbook-pro-pre-orders-release-date/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/m6-14-inch-macbook-pro-pre-orders-and-release-date-announced.2492934/ Tue, 27 Oct 2026 13:21:07 +0000 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/m6-14-inch-macbook-pro-pre-orders-release-date/ Tim Hardwick MacBook Pro No Linkback Apple today announced the new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6, featuring a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU, Wi-Fi 7, and up to 24 hours of battery life. Pre-orders for the new model open Wednesday, October 28, at 10:10 a.m. Pacific Time on apple.com and in the Apple Store app, with availability starting Friday, November 6.

Pricing starts at $1,999, with 16GB of unified memory and 1TB of storage as standard. That would have been double the base storage of the M5 model, had Apple not removed the 512GB option in March. The new 14-inch MacBook Pro is available in Space Black and Silver, with configurations up to 32GB of memory and 4TB of storage.
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Coming Soon)
Related Forum: MacBook Pro

This article, "M6 14-Inch MacBook Pro: Pre-Orders and Release Date Announced" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

]]> Apple Announces New 14-Inch MacBook Pro With M6 Chip https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/14-inch-macbook-pro-with-m6-chip/ https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-announces-new-14-inch-macbook-pro-with-m6-chip.2492932/ Tue, 27 Oct 2026 13:01:00 +0000 https://www.macrumors.com/2026/10/27/14-inch-macbook-pro-with-m6-chip/ Hartley Charlton Featured Featured (sticky) MacBook Pro New Banner (Featured) Product Release (Buyer's Guide) announced a refreshed 14-inch MacBook Pro featuring the M6 chip, upgraded connectivity specifications, and more.


The M6 chip in the ‌MacBook Pro‌ features a 12-core CPU with 2 super cores, 4 performance cores, and 6 efficiency cores, paired with a 12-core GPU. This is up from the M5 chip with a 10-core CPU with 4 super cores and 6 efficiency cores, paired with a 10-core GPU.

M6 features an advanced 12-core CPU with the world's fastest CPU core, so everything from productivity tasks to more demanding pro workflows feels incredibly fast and responsive. The 12-core GPU delivers up to 30 percent faster graphics and up to 25 percent faster AI workloads when compared to M5, making the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 a compelling value for users who need serious power.


The Neural Engine doubles from 16-cores to a dual 16-core Neural Engine system with 32 total cores. Memory bandwidth also increases from 153GB/s to 170GB/s, but only on models with 24GB and 32GB of memory.

With additional Neural Accelerators in the GPU and a Dual 16-core Neural Engine, M6 turns MacBook Pro into an even more powerful platform for AI — from taking advantage of Siri AI and Apple Intelligence features across apps and macOS to running LLMs locally, all while preserving user privacy.


Alongside the M6 chip, the new 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ now features support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 connectivity via Apple's N1 wireless chip. It can also now drive dual external 4K displays at up to 165Hz, up from 144Hz.

The 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ continues to start with 1TB of storage. The previous model's 512GB configuration was dropped in March.

Everything else remains the same as the previous model with the M5 chip. The new 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ is available for pre-order starting tomorrow (Wednesday, October 28). It launches on Friday, November 6. It starts at $1,999.
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Coming Soon)
Related Forum: MacBook Pro

This article, "Apple Announces New 14-Inch MacBook Pro With M6 Chip" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

]]>