Some see the new iMac as simply "that beautiful computer on the desk". Others look at the M6 specs and ask straight away: why does an all-in-one even need a neural engine? Is it going to finish my emails for me and draw a tail on the cat in my photos?
Partly, yes. But let's dig a little deeper than the marketing line about "even more performance and powerful AI capabilities".
The neural engine in the chip is a separate block that handles machine learning right on the device. That means no sending data to the cloud. This matters because response time becomes instant: photo enhancement, speech recognition, smart suggestions — it all runs locally rather than waiting for an answer from a server somewhere across the ocean.
For the iMac this isn't a tick-box on a slide. It's about heavy AI tasks no longer being a case of "wait a couple of seconds". Image processing, noise reduction on calls, searching through photos — all of this becomes background work. You just get on with your job while the computer quietly handles the routine without distracting you with an hourglass.
And of course, work applications. For designers, editors, musicians and anyone used to keeping ten windows open at once, the neural engine means steady power without stutters or overheating. Less strained fan whirring, more calm work.
At home this iMac is also quiet. Even when it's doing complicated things, you sit there and can't hear it. Lovely.
The main practical takeaway is simple: if you're still on an old iMac and thinking "this screen will last another couple of years", with the M6 the difference is felt immediately, and not in benchmarks but in everyday little things. And to keep your new all-in-one happy for longer, don't forget about ventilation and periodic dust cleaning: the vents on the iMac are narrow, and they're the first thing to turn into a felt pad.