Skip to main content

Next week’s MacBook Pro could be huge upgrade, but with one problem

Apple has a fully redesigned MacBook Pro launching next week that promises to be a major upgrade, except in one key area.

New MacBook Pro will reportedly have no performance boost, use current M5 Pro and Max chips

Apple touts Fusion Architecture for M5 Pro and M5 Max chips with 'super cores' | Apple promo graphic for the new chips

Next week on October 28 at its ‘Pro and tell’ event, Apple is expected to unveil a redesigned MacBook Pro with major improvements.

The new model is rumored to feature:

  • brand new industrial design
  • significantly lighter and a bit thinner
  • OLED display
  • touchscreen
  • Dynamic Island
  • no notch
  • wildcard: possibly a C2 cellular modem

If most or all of these rumors prove true, it’s going to be a big upgrade for the MacBook Pro.

But there’s one crucial area that’s not expected to improve: performance.

Per Mark Gurman, the new MacBook Pro will include the same M5 Pro and M5 Max chips that first debuted nearly eight months ago. That means a product that specializes in performance is going to offer zero performance boosts.

It’s an odd move, and reportedly the result of Apple skipping M6 Pro and Max chips altogether in favor of fast-tracking the M7 Pro and Max for 2027.

Considering how expensive the MacBook Pro is already, and the premium this new model is likely to bring, we may be looking at a ~$2,999 starting price for a model that’s no faster than before.

Perhaps Apple will replace the current M5 Pro and M5 Max models entirely at the same price point. I would love that, but it’s probably wishful thinking in our memory-crisis moment.

Overall, I’m fascinated to see how Apple pitches the new MacBook Pro to prospective upgraders. Will Pro users who passed on M5 Pro and M5 Max chips earlier this year all of a sudden be convinced now? We’ll have to wait and see.

How likely are you to upgrade to the new MacBook Pro? Let us know in the comments.

*Buy Mac with 15% discount from Apple refurbished

Best Mac accessories

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

Author

Avatar for Ryan Christoffel Ryan Christoffel

Ryan got his start in journalism as an Editor at MacStories, where he worked for four years covering Apple news, writing app reviews, and more. For two years he co-hosted the Adapt podcast on Relay FM, which focused entirely on the iPad. As a result, it should come as no surprise that his favorite Apple device is the iPad Pro.