Apple's 2026 and 2027 Mac Roadmap: Every Model and When It Ships

[MacRumors]

A shortage of memory chips has impacted the entire computer market, affecting Macs and PCs alike. Apple and other companies have raised prices, but Apple is better positioned than its competitors. Machines like the Mac mini and the Mac Studio are in demand for on-device AI agent use, and Apple plans to take advantage by refreshing its Mac lineup across 2026 and 2027.

Apple already launched the MacBook Neo and refreshed the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models with M5-series chips, but there are more updates coming before the end of the year.
Fall 2026 Launches

• 14-inch MacBook Pro - The entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro is expected to get an M6 chip, and it'll be one of the first machines with Apple's 2-nanometer chip technology.
• iMac - The 24-inch iMac will get an update, and it'll also probably get the new M6 chip. No design or display changes are expected, so it'll continue to look like the current model from 2024.

Late 2026 to Early 2027

• OLED MacBook Pro - A MacBook Pro (or MacBook Ultra) with an OLED touchscreen display could launch in late 2026, but Apple might also hold it until early 2027. The higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook models will use M5 Pro and M5 Max chips because Apple isn't going to release M6 Pro and M6 Max chips. The OLED MacBook Pro will have an updated design.
• Mac Studio - Apple is working on a refreshed version of the Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips, but launch timing is unclear because of RAM shortages and costs.
• Mac mini - There are M5 Pro and M6 Mac mini models in development, but as with the Mac Studio, launch timing is not known. We could get these two machines as soon as 2026, in early 2027, or they might even be held until later in 2027.

2027 Mac Plans

• MacBook Air - Refreshed 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models are planned for early 2027. The new machines are likely to get the M6 chip Apple is working on.
• 14-inch MacBook Pro - An updated entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M7 chip could come in as soon as early 2027. It will not have an OLED display like Apple's higher-end MacBook Pro machines coming in late 2026 or early 2027, but it is expected to get the same design overhaul.
• MacBook Neo - There's a new version of the low-cost MacBook Neo coming, but we don't know exactly when. It's expected to use a faster A19 Pro chip and it will come with more memory. New colors are also a possibility.

Late 2027 to Early 2028

• Second OLED MacBook Pro - A second-generation OLED MacBook Pro will come approximately a year after Apple releases the first version. The late 2027 to early 2028 MacBook Pro models will get Apple's M7 Pro and M7 Max chips, which are built for artificial intelligence workloads.

2028

• OLED MacBook Air - Apple plans to bring OLED displays to the MacBook Air, but 2028 is the earliest we'll see an OLED MacBook Air, and launch timing could even be pushed back.
• OLED iMac - Apple is also working on an OLED iMac, but it's not known when exactly it will come out. It could be released sometime around the OLED MacBook Air.

Chip Mixing

According to Bloomberg, Apple is moving up development of its M7 chips that are built for AI workloads, skipping some M6 chips. Apple won't come out with an M6 Pro or M6 Max chip, which is why the first OLED MacBook Pro models will use M5 Pro and M5 Max chips instead of newer technology. Apple's rough chip release schedule:

• M5 Ultra - Late 2026
• M6 - Late 2026
• M7 - First half of 2027
• M7 Pro - End of 2027
• M7 Max - End of 2027
• M7 Ultra - 2028

Memory Prices

Global memory shortages caused Apple to make major changes to its Mac and iPad pricing in June, and prior to that, Apple discontinued some Mac mini and Mac Studio models that included higher RAM upgrade options. Limited memory availability could affect Apple's Mac launch plans, so timing could shift.

Buying Advice

If you're planning to pick up a MacBook Pro or an iMac, it's probably worth waiting because of the refreshes coming as soon as late 2026. The iMac is two years old and got a price hike recently, so it's an especially bad deal.

OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro models are likely to be even more expensive than the current models, so if you don't want to pay more for the new screen technology, it's an okay time to buy. It's probably best to hold off on an entry-level MacBook Pro until it's updated with the faster M6 chip.

Mac mini and Mac Studio models have extended shipping times already, and if you don't need something imminently, it's probably better to wait for new chips. Other Macs aren't getting refreshed until 2027, so now is a good time to buy the MacBook Neo and the MacBook Air.

For more on Apple's product plans, we have an upcoming products guide that is regularly updated.

Article Link: Apple's 2026 and 2027 Mac Roadmap: Every Model and When It Ships

 

[cohen777]

Apple needs to make its own memory. Short of that, the U.S. government needs to prod the three memory chip makers by potentially allowing the Chinese memory makers to compete.

 

[segfaultdotorg]

What about the redesigned Apple iTV?

 

[FatLouie]

.
.
My kingdom for a 27 inch iMac this year. I know, not likely, but a fellow can dream. 😛

 

[Onimusha370]

It’s a bit crazy for the title to say “every Mac and when it ships” and then for the majority of the Mac’s in the article to say “timing unclear”…

 

[Reason077]

2028 is the earliest we'll see an ‌OLED‌ ‌MacBook Air‌, and launch timing could even be pushed back.

2028?!!! ... ugh. Why do we have to wait so long for a slim, mid-priced Mac with OLED? It already feels like we've been waiting far too long for this. iPads have had 13" tandem OLED panels since 2024!

 

[NeekonMike]

I'm so glad I didn't listen to this site and its advice to skip the M5 based MacBook Pro in favor of the upcoming Ultra redesign. I grabbed the M5 Pro MBP right after it shipped in March, and enjoyed it immensely with local LLMs (those neural accelerators make a huge difference) while saving $600 (compared to current prices). Looks like it's going to be the king of the hill for quite a while. I just wish I could wait for the custom build with 64 GB RAM, but the nano-texture 48 GB machine I could grab at a local Apple Store is still impressive. At the time, the difference was mere $200 (!), but also a month of wait...
I was torn between the M5 Pro mini and the MBP, I'm glad I went with the portable for many practical reasons (apart from the fact that the M5 Pro mini is still missing in action).

 

[MallardDuck]

So no refreshed 16" MBP with the M7 max chip...something doesn't smell right

 

[satchmo]

If this is indeed the roadmap, Ternus is simply following Cook’s playbook with slow incremental features.

I was hoping things would change with a hardware guy at the helm.

 

[triumvirate]

Glad I bought the m5 air on sale before the hikes. Looks like it will last well into the 2030s by which time either these prices will have come back down (lolllll) or the used/refurb Neo market will meet my needs. The tech boom of the 2000s is finally ending from my POV.

 

[svish]

Waiting to see the iMac. An OLED iMac though many years away will be a good upgrade. Want to see a bigger iMac too in the future. Looking forward to seeing the redesigned MacBook. Mac mini could also launch along with iMac this year.

 

[azpc]

Looks like I will be using my 2019 27 inch iMac for quite a while longer. I'm not interested in a Dell styled box or one that you have to pick up to turn on.

 

[hirshnoc]

But…what about the foldable Mac? 😛

 

[davys]

Mac Studio due late 2026 with M5 chips
MacBook Pro base 14” due early 2027 with M7 chips

I’ve been looking forward to upgrading my M1 Mac Studio this year but this sticks in my throat a little. Still happy with my 14” M3 MacBook Pro but now giving serious consideration to forgetting about the Mac Studio upgrade and buying only the M7 MacBook Pro and attaching it to my 32” Studio Display. It also means that there will be no upgrade to my MacBook Pro in 2027, surely I can’t be the only one seriously considering doing this?

 

[EuropaAeterna]

Glad I bought the m5 air on sale before the hikes. Looks like it will last well into the 2030s by which time either these prices will have come back down (lolllll) or the used/refurb Neo market will meet my needs. The tech boom of the 2000s is finally ending from my POV.

Same here. I even maxed out the ram on my M5 Air and believe it will last at least until 2032. It’s a nice laptop.

 

[EuropaAeterna]

Looks like I will be using my 2019 27 inch iMac for quite a while longer. I'm not interested in a Dell styled box or one that you have to pick up to turn on.

I think you can set the Mac mini to power on when plugged in. In that case you can simply buy an IKEA smart plug (or any other smart plug) and thus will never have to pick up your Mac mini again.

 

[Juraj22]

But…what about the foldable Mac? 😛

Every macbook is foldable 😉

 

[walnuts]

I wonder are there are bunch of folks putting off Mac purchases to try to ride out this price hike? I'm looking at this roadmap thinking I'm going to try to put off my purchases as long as I can. It won't bode well for Apple if that is the general market sentiment. I think people will avoid spec bumps and Apple will need to make really compelling upgrades to bring people past the price barrier.

 

[Marx55]

I think you can set the Mac mini to power on when plugged in. In that case you can simply buy an IKEA smart plug (or any other smart plug) and thus will never have to pick up your Mac mini again.

Computers like desktops should be connected to live mains ALWAYS. Even when the computer is turned off. Otherwise (if the mains is disconnected), the internal (tiny) computer battery will drain in about six months.

 

[k1121j]

2028?!!! ... ugh. Why do we have to wait so long for a slim, mid-priced Mac with OLED? It already feels like we've been waiting far too long for this. iPads have had 13" tandem OLED panels since 2024!

They save this stuff for when they got nothing else.

 

[EuropaAeterna]

Computers like desktops should be connected to live mains ALWAYS. Even when the computer is turned off. Otherwise (if the mains is disconnected), the internal (tiny) computer battery will drain in about six months.

I don’t own a Mac mini but my PC has a removable CMOS battery, a CR2032 I think. It’s not a big deal to replace it in any case. I like to keep my devices off the power at night because of thunderstorms. I’ve had my WiFi router destroyed last year, though thankfully my PC survived.

 

[EuropaAeterna]

I wonder are there are bunch of folks putting off Mac purchases to try to ride out this price hike? I'm looking at this roadmap thinking I'm going to try to put off my purchases as long as I can. It won't bode well for Apple if that is the general market sentiment. I think people will avoid spec bumps and Apple will need to make really compelling upgrades to bring people past the price barrier.

I just upgraded all of my devices. I won’t be buying anything new for at least 3 years. Let’s hope the prices are a little bit more reasonable then.

 

[azentropy]

The MacBook Air really needs a redesign. While still a great machine, it really has fallen behind in the "Air" category compared to the competition which are now much thinner and lighter.

 

[acconda81]

still loving my M1 Max. I been looking for the right time to upgrade and I think this has answered my query. I will deffo wait for the the OLED models with the M7 pro chips 🙂

 

[neuralengine]

Looks like everything is moving to OLED eventually, which is worrisome for those of us with PWM sensitivity. Really hoping whatever follows OLED will solve this.