Why You Might Want to Wait to Buy a MacBook Pro
Apple refreshed the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max models in March 2026, but depending on your needs and interests, you might want to skip this generation because there’s something better in the works.
The M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models have faster chips, but the same design that Apple has used since 2021. An updated design with new display technology and faster performance is coming in late 2026 or early 2027.
OLED Touchscreen Display
The next MacBook Pro that comes out will be the first with an OLED display, according to rumors. iPhones have used OLED for years, and Apple launched a larger-screened OLED device with the M4 iPad Pro in 2024.
OLED has benefits over the mini-LED display in current MacBook Pro models. Pixels can be lit individually for deeper blacks, brighter colors, and no bloom from surrounding pixels. There can be power savings when compared to mini-LED displays, response times are quicker, and viewing angles are better. OLED brightness can be an issue compared to LEDs, but as OLED technology has improved, so has brightness. The combination of true black and vivid color is ideal for HDR content.
Along with OLED, the next MacBook Pro is expected to have touchscreen capabilities.
Apple said repeatedly that the Mac wouldn’t get a touchscreen, but Apple’s position has shifted. Multiple rumors suggest that touch capabilities are coming, making the Mac more like an iPad. Touch-based controls will be available alongside traditional mouse and keyboard input options.
Design Update
Some rumors suggest the OLED MacBook Pro will be thinner, and since Apple hasn’t updated the MacBook Pro design since 2021 and this is a major technology shift, some kind of design refresh is likely. Sizes will stay the same, and Apple isn’t removing the keyboard or trackpad.
Instead of a notch, the OLED MacBook Pro is expected to have a Dynamic Island that takes up less screen space. The Dynamic Island will be interactive, and it will contextually expand based on the app or Mac feature in use.
2nm Chip
The OLED MacBook Pro models will be the first to use Apple’s 2-nanometer chip technology that’s supposed to be coming in the M6-series chips.
The change in node size is expected to bring faster speeds with reduced power consumption and higher transistor density. Performance per watt will improve, and the 2nm chips will use GAA nanosheet transistors instead of FinFET. TSMC says the new transistor technology will bring improved performance and lower power consumption.
Cellular Connectivity
There have been rumors that 5G could come to Macs, and if that’s Apple’s plan, it would make a lot of sense to offer it in the OLED MacBook Pro.
Ultra Branding
OLED touch displays will be limited to the highest-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models because of the cost, and Apple might even use new “Ultra” branding.
It’s possible the OLED M6 model will be sold alongside the existing M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max models rather than replacing them, and if that’s the case, we’re likely looking at a serious price increase. Apple could also refresh the entire line with M6 chip variants, reserving the OLED display for the most expensive models.
If you don’t care about OLED display technology or a touchscreen and want something lower-cost, you’re probably not going to want to hold off on purchasing.
First-Generation Tech
Some of Apple’s first-generation Macs can have more problems than expected, which was the case with the 2016 transition to the butterfly keyboard.
If you don’t want to get AppleCare+ and are concerned about first-generation problems, the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models are a safer bet.
Launch Date
The OLED MacBook Pro could come as soon as late 2026, but it’s looking more like Apple will hold it until early 2027. Apple is facing chip shortages that will require it to hold the MacBook Pro for longer to build up stock.
This article, "Why You Might Want to Wait to Buy a MacBook Pro" first appeared on MacRumors.com
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