They removed unpopular hardwares and associated UI changes before. So I would not say removing overhaul is out of question.
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Apple Rumored to Launch MacBook Pro With M5 Chip Before M5 Pro and M5 Max Models
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Not interested and don’t care, unless we get options for a built-in 5G cell modem, a touch screen display, and a decent keyboard.
Apple is planning to release a base MacBook Pro with a standard M5 chip before higher-end models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, according to AppleInsider's sources with "knowledge of macOS Tahoe development and hardware testing."
The report said a MacBook Pro with an M5 chip is "nearing release," and Apple has apparently been testing this model with an unreleased macOS 26.0.2 version.
14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to follow in early 2026, with macOS 26.3 preinstalled, the report added. Following beta testing, macOS 26.3 will likely be released in January.
There is precedent for a decoupled launch. Apple updated the 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 chip in November 2020, but 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips did not debut until October 2021. Then, the 13-inch MacBook Pro was updated with the M2 chip in June 2022, with 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips following in January 2023.
That trend stopped once the 13-inch MacBook Pro was discontinued. The entire 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro lineup was updated with M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips all at once in October 2023, and 14-inch and 16-inch models with M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips debuted simultaneously in October 2024.
Last month, U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) documents surfaced for only a single unreleased MacBook Pro model, which further suggests that Apple might be planning to release a base 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M5 chip soon, followed by higher-end models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips early next year.
In fact, this split launch could explain why rumors flip flopped between late 2025 and early 2026 timeframes. Ultimately, it sounds like it will be both.
Other devices expected to be updated with the M5 chip this year include the iPad Pro and the Vision Pro. It is still not clear if Apple plans to host an October event, or if it will announce new products with press releases and shorter videos only.
An early unboxing video for the next iPad Pro already revealed that the M5 chip will offer up to 12% faster multi-core CPU performance, and up to 36% faster graphics performance, compared to the M4 chip in the current iPad Pro. The chip still has a 9-core CPU, and it is manufactured with TSMC's third-generation 3nm process.
Bigger changes to the MacBook Pro are expected with the two-generations-away models, with rumored upgrades including an OLED display, touchscreen capabilities, a thinner design, built-in cellular connectivity, and M6 chips manufactured with TSMC's advanced 2nm process, for even greater year-over-year performance gains.
New models of the MacBook Air, iMac, Mac mini, and Mac Studio are not expected to launch until next year, but the report did not mention the Mac Pro desktop tower.
Article Link: Apple Rumored to Launch MacBook Pro With M5 Chip Before M5 Pro and M5 Max Models
While not a deal breaker, would like to be able to connect to more things without a suitcase of dongles.
Is it possible that Apple is intentionally releasing the base M5 Macbook Pro so instead of releasing M5 Pro or Max, they choose M6 Pro or Max Macbook Pros for next year which will make a difference between mini-LED & OLED? I had a feeling about that since the rumors about new M6 Macbook Pros getting a redesign with OLED screen, thinner body, smaller notch, etc.
I have a 16” MBP M4 Max. When Apple moves to a thinner MBP with 14” tandem OLED, I plan to switch. The 16” is great but when traveling it’s just too heavy. And unless flying business, cannot use it in an airplane. I do wish they would come out with the M6 Ultra in a MBP with 512GB of Unified Memory. Day one purchase for me. I don’t care about throttling as much as I want more unified memory.
I'd love to see an Ultra chip on Macbook Pros. I can imagine Apple adding an Ultra chip on iMac Pro if that's why it's taking so long to release it. But Apple did tested it in one of the Macbook Pros here's the link:
Perhaps the base m5 will be but a chip refresh, while the m5 pros will get oled screens and redesign and whatnot ?
I also much prefer the ergonomics and form factor of a 14", but that screen is just rather tiny and so is the resolution. 15 is a much better compromise
Heck I mean the 14 pro is only 0.6" bigger than the MacBook Air 13....
It should be closer to 14.7 imo
Im hoping we get better reflection handling for glossy displays
Nano coating just compromises too much. I'd like a coating like the one on iPhone 17 , or better yet, like Samsung and LG high end TVs
Nano coating just compromises too much. I'd like a coating like the one on iPhone 17 , or better yet, like Samsung and LG high end TVs
I dont think that is an accurate description. the 14 and 16 MacBook Pro are not the same design and hence are treated differently. I am guessing we may see the same as well. The M5 MacBook Pro will be old design. The newer thinner, OLED MacBook Pro with come with M5 Pro and Max later.
M5 base model is probably uninteresting because of unified RAM limits. I have a M3 MBP with 24GB RAM, very limiting. The M4 came with a max of 32GB RAM. if M5 is similar that's pretty limiting, but let's wish for 64GB RAM.
I suspect that Apple has a lot more planning going on than "basically, release when it's ready."
One should not expect large jumps in any single generation. Anyone who buys enough RAM initially should easily go for 3-5 generations or more. Scrimping on RAM however will shorten life cycles.
Asking for thin and light and an ultra chip with 512 GB RAM may be a bit much...
Recently upgraded from a 14” M1 to a 16” M4. Primarily for the bigger screen. I’m a laptop user but my laptop almost never leaves the house except maybe to go down the beach for the weekend so I can remote in to work in case something pops up.
I’m hardly a “power” user. It’s mostly web surfing, MS Office, handling documents, etc. so the M1 was working just fine. I really wanted the bigger screen and it was time for something new. Most retailers were offering a couple hundred bucks off at the time so I snatched one up. The difference between the M4 and the M5 won’t be anything I would have noticed in the near future. The M4 is like using a sledge hammer to kill flies in the grand scheme of how much I use the capabilities of this machine. I was thinking if waiting for the M5 but decided to move forward anyway.
One consideration was the rumors of a form factor change. I understand the current MBP design is getting a little long in the tooth but to be honest that’s what I appreciate about it. I believe it’s an excellent design that people will look back on and eventually miss after whatever redesign comes next. I owned one of the butterfly keyboard MBP’s. Redesign for the sake of redesign doesn’t always work out well. I see no need to make the MBP thinner, or lighter, or quieter. It’s a pro level machine meant to do work or be more robust. Keep it that way. I understand the rumored design changes are at least a year or so off. This is just my 2 cents in regards to any impending design changes.
Anyway, I’m a fan of the current MBP design, and the M5 isn’t going to make that much of a difference to me right now so i got the M4. I have a little FOMO with the M5 but I don’t regret my decision.
I’m hardly a “power” user. It’s mostly web surfing, MS Office, handling documents, etc. so the M1 was working just fine. I really wanted the bigger screen and it was time for something new. Most retailers were offering a couple hundred bucks off at the time so I snatched one up. The difference between the M4 and the M5 won’t be anything I would have noticed in the near future. The M4 is like using a sledge hammer to kill flies in the grand scheme of how much I use the capabilities of this machine. I was thinking if waiting for the M5 but decided to move forward anyway.
One consideration was the rumors of a form factor change. I understand the current MBP design is getting a little long in the tooth but to be honest that’s what I appreciate about it. I believe it’s an excellent design that people will look back on and eventually miss after whatever redesign comes next. I owned one of the butterfly keyboard MBP’s. Redesign for the sake of redesign doesn’t always work out well. I see no need to make the MBP thinner, or lighter, or quieter. It’s a pro level machine meant to do work or be more robust. Keep it that way. I understand the rumored design changes are at least a year or so off. This is just my 2 cents in regards to any impending design changes.
Anyway, I’m a fan of the current MBP design, and the M5 isn’t going to make that much of a difference to me right now so i got the M4. I have a little FOMO with the M5 but I don’t regret my decision.
M4 pro or M5 ? Frankly as long as we do not have the details of the differences and how this would be implemented on the MacBook pro, there is no way to know what it would bring.
What the crap are you doing, Apple?
Studio got M4 Max and…. M3 Ultra chips? Now M5 is going to come out without even Pro or Max? In a "Pro" laptop?
FFS… Just delay the chip until *ALL* versions are ready!
(Heck, Mac Pro still uses M2 Ultra! It hasn't even been upgraded to the Studio's M3 Ultra.)
Studio got M4 Max and…. M3 Ultra chips? Now M5 is going to come out without even Pro or Max? In a "Pro" laptop?
FFS… Just delay the chip until *ALL* versions are ready!
(Heck, Mac Pro still uses M2 Ultra! It hasn't even been upgraded to the Studio's M3 Ultra.)
Agree. And again I only care about the memory not throttling. But I agree. There were rumors Apple tested a MBP with M3 Ultra???
Maybe they’re taking time to deal with the thermals? When I push my M4 Pro MacBook with LLMs, it goes over 100C and battery life tanks. If they’re looking at better thermals and battery, it’ll be worth the wait. If.
Actually, that's often not been their strategy.
For instance, had they wished, they obviously could have released the M4 Max Studio at the same time as the M4 Max MacBook Pro, particularly since it used the same case as the M2 Studio. Yet they delayed it so they could release it at the same time as the M4 Ultra Studio.
I.e., you could just as well say "There's no reason to hold back the M4 Max Studio just because the M4 Ultra chip isn't yet ready". Yet they did hold it back. So there must have been some reason.
I'm not saying they will or won't hold back the base M5 MacBook Pro, just that Apple does sometimes does hold back product releases for non-engineering reasons.
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