Mac updates coming in 2026
The first few months of 2026 are expected to be busy as Apple focuses on updating Macs with the next generation of M5 chips.
The M5 arrived alongside the MacBook Pro and iPad Pro in October 2025, so now await the M5 Pro and M5 Max, which will fit the MacBook Pro, Mac mini and Mac Studio. Hopefully Apple will also find time to update the Mac Pro, which is long overdue. Here's what to expect:
MacBook Pro M5 Pro and M5 Max
Foundry
Following the launch of 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. In October 2025, it was reported that the release of the M5 Pro and Max chips had been delayed until early 2026 due to the new design.
The M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to be significant upgrades to the M4 series, continuing Apple's trend of increasing performance by adding more cores and wider memory interfaces. While the base M5 chip already shows impressive benefits, especially in graphics and AI, the Pro and Max versions are expected to boost performance even further.
According to one report, Apple may have designed the M5 Pro and Max with separate CPU and GPU units. This could allow for more customization options for the user at the time of purchase, such as configuring a chip with a base processor but a maxed-out GPU to better handle parallel processing for tasks like artificial intelligence. Read more here: MacBook Pro M5 Pro and Max Rumors.
MacBook Air M5
The MacBook Air is also scheduled to receive an M5 chip update in spring 2026, which is a year after the M4 MacBook Air arrives in March 2025. The M5 chip itself is expected to be a gradual but significant upgrade over the M4, with a major focus on improving AI and graphics performance. A MacBook Pro with the same M5 chip will likely outperform the MacBook Air thanks to the Pro's inclusion of a fan for active cooling, which the fanless Air lacks.
Rumors suggest that the M5 update for the MacBook Air will primarily be a “chip upgrade”, without any major design changes. The current design, unveiled in summer 2022, features a MagSafe charging port and thinner bezels. Read more here: MacBook Air M5 Rumors.
Mac mini
The next update to the Mac mini is expected to include the M5 and M5 Pro chips and may be released in June 2026. In terms of features, there's not a lot of specific 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 received a significant design refresh, shrinking the body to 5 by 5 inches and increasing base RAM to 16GB. Read more here: Mac mini M5 rumors.
Simon Jary / Foundry
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 unlikely to change anytime soon. It is still considered fresh and its ingredients are not outdated. However, there are calls for Apple to introduce a larger screen iMac, something that hasn't happened since Apple discontinued the 27-inch model. Many people think that a 24-inch screen is too small. Read about big iMac rumors.
Mac Studio
The current Mac Studio comes in two flavors: Mac Studio M4 Max and Mac Studio M3 Ultra. The M3 Ultra is a faster chip than the M4 Max, but how much faster will the M4 Ultra or even the M5 Ultra be? Hopefully we won't have to wait long to find out. Based on current information, Apple is expected to release a new Mac Studio with the M5 series chip, probably in mid-2026. Read more here: M5 Mac Studio Rumors.
Mac Pro
The Mac Pro was long overdue for an upgrade (now it's getting awkward!)
Apple / Foundry / André Martin
While we're talking about the M5, there's one Mac that's still waiting for the M4: the Mac Pro. In fact, the Mac Pro still uses the M2 generation chipset it received in June 2023.
Apple's lack of focus on the Mac Pro and the fact that it introduced a Mac Studio update that makes that Mac more powerful than the Mac Pro has led to questions about whether there is a future for the Mac Pro, with some reports suggesting that Apple may stop making high-end desktop computers. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in November 2025, Apple was reportedly “largely written off» its desktop tower, believing that the target audience was now adequately served by the powerful Mac Studio. Mac Pro rumors for more.
