Apple could launch a new base model 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M6 chip later this year, bringing a major performance upgrade to its entry-level Pro laptop lineup.
Bloomberg reports that Apple is testing an M6 MacBook Pro, while M6 updates for the Mac mini, iMac, and MacBook Air are also possible. However, the report specifically mentions the MacBook Pro as the clearest device in testing right now.
M6 Chip Could Bring Big Performance Gains
The M6 chip is expected to be Apple’s first chip built on TSMC’s 2-nanometer process, moving ahead from the 3-nanometer process used in recent Apple Silicon chips. This change should help Apple improve speed and power efficiency while fitting more transistors into a smaller space.
The chip is also expected to offer around 200GB/s memory bandwidth, up from 153GB/s on the M5, which should improve graphics performance and make on-device AI tasks faster.
Apple is reportedly not planning M6 Pro or M6 Max versions, as higher-end chips are expected to arrive with the M7 series in 2027.
The M6 is also expected to include an upgraded Neural Engine, better video encoding and decoding, and a GPU with up to 12 cores, compared with the 10-core GPU on the M5.
