Apple M6 MacBook Pro launched at Rs 2,39,900; sales start November 6

Apple announced a new 14-inch MacBook Pro powered by its M6 chip on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. In the United States it starts at $1,999, and in India at Rs 2,39,900, with an education price of Rs 2,27,900 for eligible students. Pre-orders opened on October 28, and the laptop goes on sale at Apple's stores, online and through authorised resellers from Friday, November 6. Apple also refreshed the 24-inch iMac with the same M6 chip, starting at Rs 1,74,900 in India.

The M-series chips are the heart of every Mac. Each new generation sets the performance level for Apple's laptops and desktops for the next year, and the base chip in a MacBook Pro is often the one that most professional buyers end up with. The M6 adds two CPU cores and two GPU cores over the M5, and Apple has built its pitch around AI work done on the laptop itself rather than in the cloud.

That "on-device AI" focus is worth explaining. Many AI tools send your request to a company's data centre, which needs an internet connection and raises privacy questions. Running a smaller AI model directly on the laptop avoids that, but it needs a fast chip and plenty of memory. Apple's claims of faster "time to first token", the delay before a model starts answering, are aimed at developers and professionals who run such models locally. These figures are Apple's own and have not yet been independently tested.

The launch is also notable for what it is not. There has been heavy speculation about an OLED MacBook Pro with a touchscreen. This model is not that machine, and only the standard M6 chip is included for now; there are no M6 Pro or M6 Max versions yet. Reports say Apple has discussed a higher price for a future OLED model, but Apple has not announced one.

For Indian buyers, the price gap with the US remains wide. At Rs 2,39,900, the Indian starting price is far above a straight conversion of $1,999, a gap that typically reflects import duties, taxes and currency costs. Students get a Rs 12,000 discount through education pricing.

Short-term: Buyers who were waiting for a new MacBook Pro can order now. Prices of the outgoing M5 model may fall at retailers and in festive sales as stock is cleared, which could suit buyers who do not need the newest chip.

Long-term: The M6 will likely spread to other Macs over the next year, and more capable chips (Pro and Max versions) usually follow the base chip. Apple's emphasis on AI running locally signals where it wants to compete with Windows laptops built around AI features.

Who is affected: Professionals such as video editors, designers and software developers; students who use Macs; Indian retailers and resellers; and rival laptop makers competing in the premium segment.

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