Macs updates coming in 2026
The primary few months of 2026 are anticipated to be busy as Apple focuses on updating Macs with the subsequent era of M5 chips.
The M5 arrived with the MacBook Professional and iPad Professional in October 2025, so now the wait is on for the M5 Professional and M5 Max, which is able to lend themselves to the MacBook Professional, Mac mini and Mac Studio. Hopefully Apple can even get round to upgrading the Mac Professional, which is lengthy overdue an replace. Right here’s what to anticipate:
MacBook Professional M5 Professional & M5 Max
Foundry
Following the entry-level M5 MacBook Professional launch in October 2025, the higher-end fashions with M5 Professional and M5 Max chips are anticipated to reach in spring 2026. In October 2025 it was reported that the M5 Professional and Max chips have been delayed till early 2026 because of a brand new design.
The M5 Professional and M5 Max chips are anticipated to be vital upgrades over the M4 collection, persevering with Apple’s pattern of scaling efficiency by including extra cores and wider reminiscence interfaces. Whereas the bottom M5 chip already exhibits spectacular features, significantly in graphics and AI, the Professional and Max variations are anticipated to push efficiency even additional.
In accordance with one report, Apple might have designed the M5 Professional and Max with separate CPU and GPU blocks. This might enable for higher consumer customization on the time of buy, corresponding to configuring a chip with a base CPU however a maxed-out GPU to raised deal with parallel processing for duties like AI. Learn extra right here: MacBook Professional M5 Professional & Max rumors.
MacBook Air M5
The MacBook Air can be slated for an replace to the M5 chip within the spring of 2026, which might be one 12 months after the M4 MacBook Air arrived in March 2025. The M5 chip itself is anticipated to be an incremental however vital replace over the M4, with a major concentrate on boosting AI and graphics efficiency. The MacBook Professional with the identical M5 chip will probably outperform the MacBook Air because of the Professional’s inclusion of a fan for lively cooling, which the fanless Air lacks.
Rumors counsel the M5 replace for the MacBook Air will primarily be a “chip improve,” with no main design modifications anticipated. The present design, which was launched in the summertime of 2022, contains a MagSafe charging port and thinner bezels. Learn extra right here: MacBook Air M5 rumors.
Mac mini
The subsequent replace for the Mac mini is anticipated to function the M5 and M5 Professional chips, with a doable launch in June 2026. Concerning options, there isn’t a lot particular details about the M5 Mac mini itself, however it’s not anticipated to be a significant departure from the present mannequin, which was launched in October 2024, and launched a big redesign, shrinking the case to simply 5 by 5 inches and upgrading the bottom RAM to 16GB. Learn extra right here: Mac mini M5 rumors.
Simon Jary / Foundry
iMac
The present M4 iMac was launched in October 2024, so an M5 replace would possibly appears well timed and might be launched in June 2026, alongside different potential M5 Mac updates.
The present iMac design was launched in 2021 and isn’t anticipated to vary quickly. It’s nonetheless thought of contemporary, and its parts will not be outdated. Nonetheless, there are requires Apple to introduce a bigger screened iMac, one thing that has been missed since Apple discontinued the 27-inch mannequin. Many really feel that the 24-inch display is just too small. Learn concerning the bigger iMac rumors.
Mac Studio
The present Mac Studio is available in two flavors: the Mac Studio M4 Max and the Mac Studio M3 Extremely. The M3 Extremely is a sooner chip than the M4 Max, however simply how a lot sooner would an M4 Extremely, and even an M5 Extremely be. Hopefully we gained’t have to attend lengthy to search out out. Based mostly on present data, Apple is anticipated to launch a brand new Mac Studio with an M5-series chip, probably in mid-2026. Learn extra right here: M5 Mac Studio rumors.
Mac Professional
The Mac Professional is lengthy overdue an replace (it’s getting embarrassing now!)
Apple / Foundry / André Martin
Whereas we’re speaking concerning the M5, there’s one Mac nonetheless ready for an M4: the Mac Professional. In actual fact, the Mac Professional continues to be caught with the M2 era chipset which it gained in June 2023.
Apple’s lack of consideration for the Mac Professional, and the truth that it launched an replace to the Mac Studio that makes that Mac extra highly effective than the Mac Professional, has result in questions of whether or not there’s a future for the Mac Professional, with some stories suggesting Apple might discontinue the high-end desktop. In accordance with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in November 2025, Apple has reportedly “largely written off” its desktop tower, believing that the audience is now adequately served by the highly effective Mac Studio. See Mac Professional rumors for extra.
