Buying a New MacBook? You May Want to Wait

If you are planning to buy a new MacBook, you may want to wait, as rumors suggest that Apple has several new MacBook models on the horizon.

Both the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air are expected to get newer chips in the next few months, and an all-new, lower-cost MacBook with an iPhone chip is reportedly launching this year. That is not all, as a redesigned MacBook Pro with an OLED display is reportedly set to launch towards the end of the year.

Lower-Cost MacBook With A18 Pro Chip

Apple plans to release a lower-priced MacBook with a version of the iPhone 16 Pro's A18 Pro chip this year, according to several reports and leakers. This would be an all-new model positioned below the MacBook Air in the Mac lineup.

Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo was first to reveal that Apple is allegedly planning a more affordable MacBook. Last year, he said the laptop would have around a 13-inch display and come in silver, blue, pink, and yellow finishes. A few rumors have specifically mentioned that it will have a 12.9-inch display.

The lower-cost MacBook could have a lot in common with the discontinued 12-inch MacBook, including an ultra-thin and lightweight design. However, that model was powered by Intel processors. Apple stopped selling the 12-inch MacBook in July 2019, so there has been a long wait for a similar model powered by Apple silicon.

In the iPhone 16 Pro, the A18 Pro chip has a 6-core CPU and a 6-core GPU. The chip's performance is similar to the M1 chip, so this new MacBook could effectively be a replacement for the old MacBook Air with the M1 chip, which Apple still sells through Walmart for $599. The new MacBook would likely start at $699 or $799.

With the A18 Pro chip, the lower-cost MacBook might have only 8GB of RAM, whereas all current MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models start with at least 16GB of RAM. The chip also lacks Thunderbolt support, so the new MacBook would likely be equipped with regular USB-C ports, with slower data transfer speeds and external display limitations.

MacBook Air With M5 Chip

By March or April, the MacBook Air is expected to receive a simple spec bump, with the 13-inch and 15-inch models set to move from the M4 chip to the M5 chip.

No design changes have been rumored for the MacBook Air this year.

MacBook Pro With M5 Pro and M5 Max Chips

A spec bump is also expected for the higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, which will be moving up to next-generation M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.

We highly recommend skipping these models, as the MacBook Pro is expected to receive a major redesign with an OLED display and more as soon as late 2026.

MacBook Pro With OLED Display

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman recently said that redesigned MacBook Pro models with an OLED display and many other upgrades "should be hitting toward the end of 2026," meaning that the MacBook Pro line would be upgraded twice this year.

Before you say "no chance" to two MacBook Pro refreshes in one year, keep in mind that Apple released MacBook Pro models with M2 Pro and M2 Max models in January 2023, followed by models with M3 Pro and M3 Max models in October 2023.

Beyond an OLED display, rumored features include a touch screen, a Dynamic Island, M6 Pro and M6 Max chips, a thinner design, and built-in cellular connectivity.

Apple last redesigned the MacBook Pro in 2021.