Macs 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 with the MacBook Pro and iPad Pro in October 2025, so now the wait is on for the M5 Pro and M5 Max, which will lend themselves to the MacBook Pro, Mac mini and Mac Studio. Hopefully Apple will also get around to upgrading the Mac Pro, which is long overdue an update. Here’s what to expect:
MacBook Pro M5 Pro & M5 Max
Foundry
Following the entry-level M5 MacBook Pro launch in October 2025, the 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 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, continuing Apple’s trend of scaling performance by adding more cores and wider memory interfaces. While the base M5 chip already shows impressive gains, particularly in graphics and AI, the Pro and Max versions are anticipated 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 base CPU but a maxed-out GPU to better handle parallel processing for tasks like AI. Read more here: MacBook Pro M5 Pro & Max rumors.
MacBook Air M5
The MacBook Air is also slated for an update to the M5 chip in the spring of 2026, which would be one year after the M4 MacBook Air arrived in March 2025. The M5 chip itself is expected to be an incremental but significant update over the M4, with a primary focus on boosting AI and graphics performance. The MacBook Pro with the same M5 chip will likely outperform the MacBook Air due to the Pro’s inclusion of a fan for active cooling, which the fanless Air lacks.
Rumors suggest 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 the summer of 2022, features a MagSafe charging port and thinner bezels. Read more here: MacBook Air M5 rumors.
Mac mini
The next update for the Mac mini is expected to feature the M5 and M5 Pro chips, with a possible release in June 2026. Regarding features, there isn’t much specific information about the M5 Mac mini itself, but it’s not expected to be a major departure from the current model, which was released in October 2024, and introduced a significant redesign, shrinking the case to just 5 by 5 inches and upgrading the 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 an M5 update might seems timely and could be released in June 2026, alongside other potential M5 Mac updates.
The current iMac design was introduced in 2021 and is not expected to change soon. It is still considered fresh, and its components are not outdated. However, there are calls for Apple to introduce a larger screened iMac, something that has been missed since Apple discontinued the 27-inch model. Many feel that the 24-inch screen is too small. Read about the larger iMac rumors.
Mac Studio
The current Mac Studio comes in two flavors: the Mac Studio M4 Max and the Mac Studio M3 Ultra. The M3 Ultra is a faster chip than the M4 Max, but just how much faster would an M4 Ultra, or even an 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 an M5-series chip, likely in mid-2026. Read more here: M5 Mac Studio rumors.
Mac Pro
The Mac Pro is long overdue an update (it’s getting embarrassing now!)
Apple / Foundry / André Martin
While we’re talking about the M5, there is one Mac still waiting for an M4: the Mac Pro. In fact, the Mac Pro is still stuck with the M2 generation chipset which it gained in June 2023.
Apple’s lack of attention for the Mac Pro, and the fact that it introduced an update to the Mac Studio that makes that Mac more powerful than the Mac Pro, has lead to questions of whether there is a future for the Mac Pro, with some reports suggesting Apple may discontinue the high-end desktop. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in November 2025, Apple has reportedly “largely written off” its desktop tower, believing that the target audience is now adequately served by the powerful Mac Studio. See Mac Pro rumors for more.