MacBook Pro Buyers Now Facing Up to a Two-Month Wait Ahead of New Models

MacBook Pro availability is tightening on Apple's online store, with select configurations facing up to a two-month delivery timeframe in the United States.

A few 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro configurations with an M4 Pro chip are not facing any shipping delay, but estimated delivery dates for many configurations with an M4 Max chip range from February 6 to February 24 or even later. At the extreme end, all built-to-order 14-inch MacBook Pro configurations with a 16-core M4 Max chip and 128GB of RAM are estimated to be delivered as late as March 17 on Apple's online store.

The entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro was updated with an M5 chip in October, but the wait continues for MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. There were already some signs that might point towards Apple announcing those models as early as this week, and perhaps the extended delivery timeframes further hint at an imminent refresh. However, ongoing RAM supply constraints could also be contributing to the shipping delays.

Apple unveiled MacBook Pro models with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips in January 2023, so there is precedent for a MacBook Pro refresh in January. Apple's Creator Studio bundle of creative apps launches on Wednesday, January 28, and the company will be holding its next quarterly earnings call on Thursday, January 29.