Apple’s desktop lineup is set to get M5 variants, and the Studio Display may finally get a long-awaited upgrade just after the M5 Pro and Max MacBook Pro arrive. Here’s what to expect and when.
Apple Silicon has a fairly predictable near-annual update cycle, which means the Mac line is updated at a similar cadence. While some chips have a short cycle, others take just a bit longer, which seems to be the case with Mac Studio in 2026.
According to Turn on newsletter from Mark Gurman, Apple will release Mac Studio and Studio Display “not long after” the Mac’s spring updates. The Mac mini is also expected to get an update in 2026.
None of these statements are particularly revealing given Apple’s release cadence. The M4 Max and M3 Ultra Mac Studio were revealed on March 5, 2025.
While there have been rumors of an upgraded Studio Display, it wasn’t until iOS 26 that more concrete evidence of an imminent launch emerged. While the exact timing was unknown, it was clear that Studio Display with ProMotion could arrive at any point in the cycle.
With one yet to be revealed, a spring release is the obvious conclusion to reach.
The Mac mini was redesigned and released with the M4 and M4 Pro in October 2024. The consumer-focused device didn’t get an update in 2025, though that’s likely to do with how late the M5 was released that year and was used in the iPad Pro, Apple Vision Pro, and entry-level MacBook Pro for the first release.
Apple was clearly constrained in its supply chain processor orders, so instead of launching the M5, M5 Pro and M5 Max all at once, it saw a much more staggered release. The remaining chip bumps could happen at any time, though the report remained vague — saying only that an updated Mac mini will be released sometime in 2026.
It’s going to be a busy spring for Apple. The iPhone 17e is set to launch very soon, plus new Apple Home products, possible updates to Apple TV, HomePod, HomePod mini, and a complete overhaul of Apple Intelligence are expected before WWDC.