Apple has a lot in store for the Mac lineup this year, here’s what’s coming

Michael Burkhardt | Jan 25 2026 - 6:24 am PT

Tim Cook standing behind lineup of colorful M1 iMacs

Apple reportedly has an exciting plan for the Mac lineup for 2026. That includes new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro refreshes, a massive MacBook Pro redesign, new Mac desktops, an all new budget MacBook offering, as well as a second generation Studio Display.

We’ll be delving into what’s expected for all of these new Mac products right here.

First half of 2026

MacBook Pro refresh

First things first, 2026 will likely kick off with a relatively minor MacBook Pro refresh. This isn’t the massive redesign we’ve all been talking about, as that’s still on track for late 2026-early 2027.

Expect to see new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, Apple’s new N1 networking chip, and likely not much else.

The M5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro is rumored to launch as soon as this coming week, though today’s reporting from Bloomberg doesn’t call out an urgent timeline. Instead, he just reports that we should see it in the “first half of the year.”

MacBook Air refresh

Also on track for the first half of 2026, Apple should be updating the MacBook Air. Similar to the MacBook Pro outlined earlier, it should just be the M5 chip and possibly the N1 networking chip without much additional fanfare.

MacBook Air fans will have to wait until at least 2028 for a major change, where the laptop is expected to get OLED.

New Mac Studio

Perhaps more excitingly, Apple will also be refreshing the Mac Studio in the first half of 2026.

Last year, it threw us a little bit of a surprise by debuting the M4 Max alongside a new M3 Ultra – rather than unveiling a new M4 Ultra chip.

This next-generation Mac Studio should almost definitely include an M5 Max chip, though whether the Ultra chip will be M4 or M5 is yet to be seen. Previous reports would suggest that we’ll probably see M5 Ultra.

Studio Display 2

If you’re someone who exclusively buys Apple displays because of your desire to have a pixel-perfect retina display, good news! Apple’s display drought may soon may be over, and we should be getting the first new Apple external monitor in over four years.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman doesn’t outline specifications for this new Studio Display in today’s reporting, though previous reports indicate that we should be seeing HDR support, 120Hz ProMotion, as well as an A19 chip to power all of it.

macOS Sequoia wallpaper on Studio Display powered by M4 Mac mini monitor

Second half of 2026

New Mac mini

Bloomberg reports that we should be seeing a new Mac mini in the second half of the year, though he doesn’t specify that it’ll necessarily be M5.

In his reporting, Mark Gurman notes the following:

One wrinkle: I think the M6 chip is potentially coming sooner than people anticipate. Not necessarily in these next laptops, but still in the near future in some configurations.

This means that the M6 isn’t on the table for any of the products coming in the first half of 2026. However, Apple’s new silicon typically debuts around October. If Gurman is reporting that we might see it sooner, that could potentially align with the new Mac mini. Only time will tell, though.

New low-cost MacBook

We’ve been hearing for a little while that Apple is working on a cheaper MacBook model. It’s anticipated to feature an A18 Pro chip, a 13-inch LCD display, as well as a number of fun colors: including pink and yellow.

While initial rumors suggested an early 2026 launch, todays reporting from Bloomberg seems to indicate that it’ll be a little bit later in the year.

This new MacBook should considerably undercut the $999 MacBook Air, and might start as low as $699. This’ll bring the Mac into new markets.

MacBook Pro overhaul

Saving the best for last, we’ll be getting a MacBook Pro overhaul towards the “end of 2026,” marking the first design change in over five years.

Previously, reports indicated that this new MacBook Pro might get a bit delayed, potentially launching in early 2027. However, Gurman seems firm on it launching by the end of the year, at least in the most recent Power On newsletter.

This new MacBook Pro should bring OLED, a thinner design, touch support, and potentially even cellular support. You can read more about it in my redesigned MacBook Pro rumor recap.

My favorite Apple accessory recommendations:

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Michael Burkhardt mbrkhrdt

Michael is 9to5Mac’s Weekend Editor, keeping up with all of the latest Apple news on Saturday and Sunday. He got started in the world of Apple news during the pandemic, and it became a growing hobby. He’s also an indie iOS developer in his free time, and has published numerous apps over the years.

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