Mac updates coming in 2026
2026 is expected to be a big year for the Mac, with talk of a redesigned MacBook, a new Studio Display, Apple’s first touchscreen Mac, and a budget model. The year will likely start with the M5 MacBook Air and M5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro, followed by a budget MacBook and updates to the Mac Studio and Studio Display. The year will culminate with a major update to the MacBook Pro, which may have an OLED touchscreen and a new design.
The first few months of 2026 are expected to be busy as Apple focuses on updating Macs with the next generation of M5 chips. Ahead of Apple’s March 4 events, we could see some Mac-related updates.
The M5 arrived with the MacBook Pro and iPad Pro in October 2025, so now we’re waiting for the M5 Pro and M5 Max to fit the MacBook Pro, Mac mini and Mac Studio. Hopefully Apple will also get around to upgrading the Mac Pro, which is long overdue for an update. Here’s what you can expect:
MacBook Pro M5 Pro and M5 Max
- An update is expected in spring 2026
Foundry
After launching the entry-level M5 MacBook Pro in October 2025, higher-end models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to arrive in spring 2026, possibly as early as late January or February. In October 2025, it was announced that the M5 Pro and Max chips were delayed until early 2026 due to a new design.
The M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to be significant upgrades over the M4 series and continue Apple’s trend of scaling performance by adding more cores and wider memory interfaces. While the base M5 chip already shows impressive gains, especially in graphics and AI, the Pro and Max versions are expected to push performance even further.
According to one report, Apple may have designed the M5 Pro and Max with separate CPU and GPU blocks. This could allow for greater user customization at the time of purchase, such as configuring a chip with a basic CPU but maxed out GPU to better handle parallel processing for tasks like AI.
Read more here: MacBook Pro M5 Pro & Max Rumors.
MacBook Air M5
- An update is expected in spring 2026
The MacBook Air is also slated to update to the M5 chip in spring 2026, which would be a year after the M4 MacBook Air arrives in March 2025. The M5 chip itself is expected to be an incremental but significant upgrade over the M4, with a primary focus on boosting AI and graphics performance. The MacBook Pro with the same M5 chip is likely to outperform the MacBook Air because the Pro includes a fan for active cooling, which the Airless Air lacks.
Rumors suggest that the M5 update for the MacBook Air will primarily be a “chip upgrade,” with no major design changes expected. The current design, which was introduced in summer 2022, includes a MagSafe charging port and thinner bezels. Read more here: MacBook Air M5 Rumors.
A cheap MacBook
- Spring 2026 possible introduction
This brand new budget MacBook with the A19 chip has been rumored for a while now and it might finally make an appearance, possibly right after the March 4th event.
Mac Mini
- An update is expected from early-mid 2026
The next update for the Mac mini is expected to include the M5 and M5 Pro chips, with a possible June 2026 release. In terms of features, there’s not much concrete information about the M5 Mac mini itself, but it’s not expected to be a major departure from the current model, which launched in October 2024 and introduced a major redesign that shrunk the 15-inch case to just 5GB. Read more here: Mac mini M5 Rumors.
Šimon Jary / Foundry
Mac Studio
- An update is expected from early-mid 2026
The current Mac Studio comes in two variants: Mac Studio M4 Max and Mac Studio M3 Ultra. The M3 Ultra is a faster chip than the M4 Max, but how much faster would the M4 Ultra or even the M5 Ultra be. Hopefully we won’t have to wait long for that. Based on current information, Apple is expected to release a new Mac Studio with an M5 series chip, probably in the middle of 2026. Read more here: M5 Mac Studio rumors.
iMac
The current M4 iMac was released in October 2024, so the M5 update may seem timely and could be released in June 2026, along with other potential M5 Mac updates.
The current iMac design was introduced in 2021 and is not expected to change anytime soon. It is still considered fresh and its components are not outdated. However, there are calls for Apple to introduce an iMac with a larger screen, something that has been missing since Apple discontinued the 27-inch model. Many feel that the 24-inch screen is too small. Read on for more iMac rumors.
Mac Pro
Mac Pro is long overdue for an update (it’s getting embarrassing now!)
Apple / Foundry / André Martin
Speaking of the M5, one Mac is still waiting for the M4: the Mac Pro. In fact, the Mac Pro is still stuck on the M2 generation chipset that it got in June 2023.
Apple’s lack of attention to the Mac Pro and the fact that it introduced an update to Mac Studio that makes the Mac more powerful than the Mac Pro has led to questions about whether the Mac Pro has a future, with some reports suggesting that Apple may stop using high-end desktops. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, in November 2025, Apple reportedly served “largely a write-off” from its desktop tower, believing that the target audience was now sufficiently served by the powerful Mac Studio. For more information, see Mac Pro rumors.
Touch MacBook Pro M6
- Possible introduction in late 2026
The M6 MacBook Pro is rumored to come with a touchscreen.