Why You Shouldn't Buy the Next MacBook Pro

[novagamer]

I got an M4 Max (maxed out) a year ago because I thought they might do OLED / redesign. Buying the last of a proven form factor is smart, not stupid.

However this year, unless prices jump (which they will) I think the Mac Studio is the right buy. There very likely won't be an M6 Ultra so that product will be really compelling.

If it weren't such a pain in the ass for me to switch my machines I'd probably upgrade and eat the cost difference but most of what I'm doing at the moment doesn't need more speed. When I get deeper into MLX that calculus may change.

 

[mdcmdcmdc]

I’ve learned not to buy the first redesigned model of anything, be it a car or a laptop.

If history is any guide, the M6 we see this year could be just the base model. This time next year, we may still be waiting for the M6 Pro and Max.

 

[whitby]

I look forward seeing the next iteration of the MacBook Pro and, Air. Meanwhile my 16” M1 Max MacBook Pro and 14” M4 seem perfectly good. So far, the only upgrades have been iterative and just processor bumps.

I look for significant hardware improvements which are, for me, lighter weight (without the Air compromises), longer battery life, better screens (although the current ones are not bad for the Pro models), decent high speed graphics, and improved reliability and options for connections (e.g. cellular network options). I want a machine I can take anywhere and just use it (and the iPad and Air are nowhere near good enough) for as long as I need to (usually around 8 hours or so). Those changes might be a reason to upgrade, but otherwise for the moment, there is no reason for me.

 

[mdcmdcmdc]

What’s the real advantage of OLED? And if you answer “blacker blacks, whiter whites, and higher contrast,” I’ll take that to mean you have no clue.

Tell me how OLED will benefit your real world use for a laptop.

I do photo processing, but a 14” or 16” laptop screen is too small to begin with. I use a color-calibrated 27” external monitor for that.

Convince me that an OLED laptop screen is more than just “gee-whiz” buzzwords and marketing hype.

 

[Dorfdad]

Not all of us want an OLED screen.

Nines foci g you to get it! Plus they will have version without oled for you peasants! 🙂

How long before the first post about their 4000 oled MacBook Pro has burn in!??

 

[Playfoot]

Great, in addition to useless legacy ports never used, especially after making the shift to all usb-c, and the always annoying "in your face" or rather eyes notch, I will have people poking grubby fingers on my screen. NO thank you.

All joking aside, NEVER buy a first gen anything unless necessary.

And finally, what is wrong with keeping a computer a computer, and not turning into a giant phone?

 

[bigglow]

If you had a 2019 MBP 16" would you upgrade to the early 2026 MBP without OLED or late 2026 MBP with OLED?

 

[bigglow]

This. Cellular is way overdue for the Mac and would be a great new feature.

If I can get this Mac on a 2-3 year postpaid plan then I'm sold!

 

[Tearpusher]

I’ve learned not to buy the first redesigned model of anything, be it a car or a laptop.

If history is any guide, the M6 we see this year could be just the base model. This time next year, we may still be waiting for the M6 Pro and Max.

Wholeheartedly agree. I have been burned by the first model of a new gen so many times. I’m not here to spend thousands of dollars to beta test Apple’s stuff.

I’m sure there will be compelling stuff about the M6 and it will make some people very happy. My ideal computer right now is an M5 Pro, though. I don’t need any of the features they’re talking about, although they’re undeniably appealing to someone.

 

[sidewinder3000]

Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models as soon as early March, but if you can, this is one generation you should skip because there's something much better in the works.

We're waiting on 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, with few changes other than the processor upgrade. There won't be any tweaks to the design or the display, but later this year, a massive refresh is coming. Rumors suggest that there won't be just one MacBook Pro refresh in 2026, but two.

After launching M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models in the spring, Apple will do another update in late 2026, introducing the first OLED MacBook Pro models. The OLED MacBook Pro is expected to feature a design refresh, faster M6 chips, all new display technology, and, in a first for the Mac, touch screen capabilities.

It's going to be the biggest update to the Mac lineup since Apple silicon chips came out in 2020. iPhones have used OLED for years, and Apple brought it to the iPad Pro in 2024, but Macs don't use OLED yet.

Apple said for years and years that the Mac wouldn't get a touch screen, but times change. Multiple rumors suggest that touch capabilities are coming, making the Mac more like an iPad. Touch-based controls will be available right alongside traditional mouse and keyboard input options.

The OLED MacBook Pro models will be the first to use Apple's 2-nanometer chip technology, and they could even be the first Macs with cellular capabilities. With so many changes in store, it doesn't make much sense to buy an M5 Pro or an M5 Max MacBook Pro with much better options coming just months later.

OLED touch displays will be limited to the higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch models because of the cost, so the warning isn't applicable to the standard M5 MacBook Pro that came out last fall. The entry-level MacBook Pro isn't expected to get the same upgrades, though it is likely to get an M6 chip.

It's also possible OLED will be so expensive that it's limited to a single, super expensive high-end model, but we're still probably looking at M6 chip upgrades and a design refresh across the lineup.

Two Mac refreshes in a single year is unusual, but not unheard of. Apple refreshed the MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips in January 2023, and then updated the machines again with M3 Pro and M3 Max chips in October 2023.

Normally a Mac refresh results in a Buy Now recommendation from us, but this year, with rumors of two updates in 2026 and so much expected from the later models, those interested in a high-end, premium MacBook Pro should plan to wait.

Article Link: Why You Shouldn't Buy the Next MacBook Pro

You heard it here first, folks: Apple
Will not release an M5 MacBook Pro and an M6 MacBook Pro in the same year. Wouldn’t. Be prudent. At this juncture.

 

[Admiral Fart]

You definitely should buy a MacBook Pro now, if you want to avoid paying extra for a pointless touch screen. The redesign will probably have fewer ports as well, since Apple will need to make it thinner to differentiate its design from the previous model.

 

[unobtainium]

These will definitely be much more expensive than current models. I’m guessing they will also be delayed until 2027. I don’t care for a touch screen or cellular connectivity and don’t want to pay extra for those features, but I would love an OLED screen. For now I’ll keep being amazed by the longevity of my M1. Has never felt slow or in need of replacing.

 

[@Brett]

Give me an OLED screen and 5G and I will be happy. Still rocking my mid 2020 MacBook Pro.

 

[Marx55]

Bring M6 and PCIe-5-like internal SSD speed like internal Samsung 9100 Pro SSD:
Sequential read/write speeds up to 14,800/13,400 MB/s
Random read/write speeds up to 2,200K/2,600K IOPS

Internal Solid State Drives (SSD) | Samsung USA

Looking for high-quality and high-performance Solid State Drives and Internal SSDs? Shop Samsung's range of SSD's for all of your storage needs.

semiconductor.samsung.com

 

[JohannesO]

Don’t buy the iteration, buy the new thing.
Don’t buy the first gen, buy the it iteration.
Don’t buy, but buy.
Stop thinking, do what you’re told.

 

[wasobia]

Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models as soon as early March, but if you can, this is one generation you should skip because there's something much better in the works.

We're waiting on 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, with few changes other than the processor upgrade. There won't be any tweaks to the design or the display, but later this year, a massive refresh is coming. Rumors suggest that there won't be just one MacBook Pro refresh in 2026, but two.

After launching M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models in the spring, Apple will do another update in late 2026, introducing the first OLED MacBook Pro models. The OLED MacBook Pro is expected to feature a design refresh, faster M6 chips, all new display technology, and, in a first for the Mac, touch screen capabilities.

It's going to be the biggest update to the Mac lineup since Apple silicon chips came out in 2020. iPhones have used OLED for years, and Apple brought it to the iPad Pro in 2024, but Macs don't use OLED yet.

Apple said for years and years that the Mac wouldn't get a touch screen, but times change. Multiple rumors suggest that touch capabilities are coming, making the Mac more like an iPad. Touch-based controls will be available right alongside traditional mouse and keyboard input options.

The OLED MacBook Pro models will be the first to use Apple's 2-nanometer chip technology, and they could even be the first Macs with cellular capabilities. With so many changes in store, it doesn't make much sense to buy an M5 Pro or an M5 Max MacBook Pro with much better options coming just months later.

OLED touch displays will be limited to the higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch models because of the cost, so the warning isn't applicable to the standard M5 MacBook Pro that came out last fall. The entry-level MacBook Pro isn't expected to get the same upgrades, though it is likely to get an M6 chip.

It's also possible OLED will be so expensive that it's limited to a single, super expensive high-end model, but we're still probably looking at M6 chip upgrades and a design refresh across the lineup.

Two Mac refreshes in a single year is unusual, but not unheard of. Apple refreshed the MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips in January 2023, and then updated the machines again with M3 Pro and M3 Max chips in October 2023.

Normally a Mac refresh results in a Buy Now recommendation from us, but this year, with rumors of two updates in 2026 and so much expected from the later models, those interested in a high-end, premium MacBook Pro should plan to wait.

Article Link: Why You Shouldn't Buy the Next MacBook Pro

Only interested in cellular. I am tired of pairing my MacBook Air to my iPhone and have two batteries being drained. No cellular? No buy for me.
OLED and/or Touchscreen are of no interest to me.

On a side note, Apple is making a mess with all these chip upgrades, same or even worse than the iPad lineup.

 

[poematik13]

There is NO WAY Apple is updating to M5 Pro & M5 Max in the MBP to only turn around and update to M6 Pro & M6 Max the same year.

They’ve done this a couple times in the past.

 

[Will Co]

My wife once said to me "Never buy the first generation of a new model or technology." At the time, she was referring to my Honda Pilot, which was a brand new design (2016-17 model), and had bugs aplenty in the AV system, which was not upgradeable.

I'm in agreement I'll grab the new M5 as the most tested of the current generation, before they move to a new platform that hasn't hit the field yet. (My current one is the last Intel model, so it's getting long in the tooth.)

Boy are you in for a treat. I upgraded from the last gen Intel to an M4 Max and performance jump is quite something.

 

[Avenged110]

The OLED MacBook Pro is expected to feature a design refresh...and, in a first for the Mac, touch screen capabilities.

Those sound much more like reasons not to wait than anything.

 

[DougiePhresh]

OLED, touchscreen... Hope it won't be the only option. I enjoy OLED on my TV but hate on laptops. That much that I manually swapped OLED to IPS panel on one of my Thinkpads. Cellular sounds good though but not that important since hotspot covers all the very rare cases when I work somewhere without wifi access.

What is wrong with OLED laptops?

 

[DougiePhresh]

Everyone is fawning over the prospect of cellular connectivity - why do all these people want to pay a big wireless company more money every month when everyone here already walks around with a wireless hotspot in their pocket?

 

[code-m]

There's always something better coming if you just keep waiting...

Something better or something worse. I wouldn’t call the butterfly keyboard on the pre-AS being better and the TouchBar had its critics as well. Lack of MagSafe was also a bad move, again what it replaced wasn’t for the better.

 

[code-m]

Everyone is fawning over the prospect of cellular connectivity - why do all these people want to pay a big wireless company more money every month when everyone here already walks around with a wireless hotspot in their pocket?

There is a reason why Apple redesigned or reconfigured the Apple Store to make the options for its Mac similar to iPhone and iPad.

Options will probably be there for cellular or just wifi, touchscreen or not.

 

[Pezimak]

Sorry I still do not believe Apple will update the MacBook Pro in March or April only to then update it completely with a brand new model 5 months or so later.
More interested in the Studio though personally anyway.

 

[code-m]

What is wrong with OLED laptops?

Speculation of age old OLED tech and its drawbacks. But this is 2026 and we have TOLED plus other improvements since yet these naysayers still live in the past.

It’s not like the static element of the dock in iOS and iPadOS are causing burn-in issues on those OLED screens. Plus iOS 27 introduced a process for PWM for those who are sensitive to it.