New MacBook Pro Nears Mass Production, But Four Bigger Upgrades Expected Next Year

[jaceapoc]

I'm still using a MacBook Pro from 2018 (with Touch Bar). The keyboard and the battery are barely hanging on anymore. I could wait until January 2026 at the most, but not March 2026. I had hoped the M5 MBPs would come by November. Not sure what to do anymore. Buy a 2024 MBP M4 Pro which is already 1 year old, or wait for the 2026 MBP M5 Pro... Hm...

 

[StoneJack]

I sold my Macbook Pro M3 mainly due to its weight, density and generally heavy feeling.

 

[seek3r]

I love my surface pros. I would go nuts for a touchscreen Mac with a detachable keyboard. iPadOS is simply too limited for my needs.

I seriously doubt the pros would have a detachable keyboard, no way does the cooling system for an M6 max fit in the footprint of a screen

 

[bjork90210]

I will eat my shoe if Apple releases a touchscreen MacBook. It’s just so un-Apple.

 

[Black_Mage]

I'm excited about the M5 Pro version. Also, how many times does Apple have to tell people that touch screens aren't happening for Macs.

 

[ikramerica]

I still feel my MBP M1 Pro is overpowered

Though I haven’t changed the software I use, my M1Pro has slowed way down. Spinning beachballs, especially when accessing files, like the days of an Intel.

Also, Mail app needs to be restarted every time I unlock my computer and sometimes even later. Preview app randomly hides the window when I click on certain tabs. Preview also doesn’t necessarily show me the window after I double click a file. I have to locate the window. After some change to the font manager API last fall, I cannot get any old excel files to open and few word files. It’s become a CF of crashes and delays.

The new passwords app isn’t as good as the old keychain, and now if I try to allow passwords to generate a new password, it freezes safari and I have to restart it. Have to go into the password app, create a password there, copy it, paste it into safari.

The list of issues goes on and on. It’s tiresome.

 

[Darajavahus]

There are only 2 things that they need to do: micro led display and significant boost in GPU.

Two things that they should do but won't are ram and ssd prices decrease.

 

[paulvee]

I actually like the idea of the last iteration before the redesign. Give the new design a few years and then get one. An M5 max would be a nice machine to have. To each their own. As long as I get my work done, it’s all good.

 

[zonai]

I'm excited about the M5 Pro version. Also, how many times does Apple have to tell people that touch screens aren't happening for Macs.

What kind of workloads are you running?

 

[beautyहमempty]

I hope they will finally make the MacBook Pro titanium. The aluminum is so cheap and does not feel premium at all. /s

 

[AppleTO]

How about that lower tier MacBook that’s apparently in the works? That will potentially be a game changer.

 

[ttyRazor]

The pro machines are already plenty thin, nobody is asking to make them thinner. As someone else said, beef them up as PRO machines, add more ports, upgrade options, and capabilities that Pros can use. The thin MacBook is already accomplished with the Air.

I wouldn’t mind if the non-pro-chip M4 MacBook Pro, which exists mostly as an Air with a better screen, cooling and battery, got thinner and lighter but still had the better screen, but still keep an option for current battery sizes or more for at least some models of the ‘real’ MacBook Pros.

 

[mozumder]

Also I hope the next MacBook Pro has CFExpress card slot instead of SD Card. I don't know any professional use case for SD Card anymore. Everything is CFExpress now.

 

[Le0M]

MacBooks won't get a touch screen.
If they do, they will be an entirely new device.
Unless Apple decides to go all in with a touch screen ready macOS. In that case they could retain the MacBook name, but I seriously doubt it.

 

[haunebu]

We'll only get something meaningfully new and useful if Tim Cook retires.

 

[Madonepro]

Mark never knows anything. Just throwing darts.

With MacRumors being the dartboard. It can receive these rumours, and post what it likes, because, as they say, the name is on the tin. When your brand is 'rumours', then no one can get upset, or peeved, if they are wrong.

 

[trusso]

Can we remove the effing notch already?

 

[Arghyayon]

I've had Windows laptops for both work and home use with touchscreens and honestly I dont see the attraction... except to finger prints

Windows is not great for touch. Unless you are using in tablet only mode without a keyboard. And then it's just a slightly clunky iPad with quirks.

Pick the tool to do the job you want not force interaction on things not primarily designed for it.

Exactly, I bought 11” M3 iPad Air 256GB (2025) and 13” M4 Macbook Air 1TB (2025) via student offer by Apple. I only needed because I upgraded from 10.5” iPad Pro 64GB (2017) and Early 13” i5 MacBook Pro 128GB (2015). I’ve been using both of them my entire life.

 

[MichaelAdam]

A Touchscreen MBP will be a revolution for many of us … The best of both worlds … I don’t and hope it’s not going to be the same form factor but more like with a detachable keyboard and adjustable angle for the screen. The use for creative people is endless and unleash every need we have … I expect it to be very expensive though but it’s ok …

 

[Flamingdeathbolts]

Touchscreen would be cool as I enjoy the touchscreen on my work laptops Dell and HP.

My biggest wish at the least though is for the screen hinge to allow to pivot the screen further.

 

[richinaus]

A Touchscreen MBP will be a revolution for many of us … The best of both worlds … I don’t and hope it’s not going to be the same form factor but more like with a detachable keyboard and adjustable angle for the screen. The use for creative people is endless and unleash every need we have … I expect it to be very expensive though but it’s ok …

this creative person does not like anybody touching the screen. Not sure which creative people you work with, but no greasy fingers on my screens thanks - thats what the iPad is for.
Come to think about it, I actually have zero uses for a touchscreen MacBook Pro - the trackpad does everything it needs to do, so am unsure what these needs 'we have' are.

 

[MacHeritage]

Though I haven’t changed the software I use, my M1Pro has slowed way down. Spinning beachballs, especially when accessing files, like the days of an Intel.

Also, Mail app needs to be restarted every time I unlock my computer and sometimes even later. Preview app randomly hides the window when I click on certain tabs. Preview also doesn’t necessarily show me the window after I double click a file. I have to locate the window. After some change to the font manager API last fall, I cannot get any old excel files to open and few word files. It’s become a CF of crashes and delays.

The new passwords app isn’t as good as the old keychain, and now if I try to allow passwords to generate a new password, it freezes safari and I have to restart it. Have to go into the password app, create a password there, copy it, paste it into safari.

The list of issues goes on and on. It’s tiresome.

Sounds more like an macOS reinstall could solve the issues. Everyone I am aware of has no slow downs with M1. I don't recommend using Tahoe yet because of the bugs. If you are using one of the previous macOS then I would start with a reinstall and see if that solves them.

 

[benface]

Interesting how no one is talking about the cellular / 5G feature. To me, that is BY FAR the most interesting potential upgrade.

 

[Ursadorable]

Interesting how no one is talking about the cellular / 5G feature. To me, that is BY FAR the most interesting potential upgrade.

Why not just connect wirelessly to the hotspot on your phone? Would save an extra data plan.

 

[MacHeritage]

My guess is the usual timing of end of October early November when they will be released. Hopefully, that reveal also includes the new Mac Pro with M4 Ultra or Extreme.