M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pros look set to launch in March — but it's the cheap MacBook that has me most excited

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New report spills the beans

MacBook Pro M5
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Remember when I told you not to buy a MacBook Pro right now? Well, we’re getting stronger confirmation that’s the right decision, as Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman confirms that the M5 Pro and M5 Max Pro laptops look set to launch as early as the week of March 2.

Off the back of M4 Pro MacBook Pro stock running in extremely short supply, this comes as part of an anticipated “spring Mac refresh,” which looks certain to bring new entries to my picks for the best MacBooks you can buy.

Turns out the rumors of these machines launching last week weren’t true, and it’s much more likely that we’ll see them tied to the public release of macOS Tahoe 26.3. But it's the cheap MacBook on the horizon that will likely cause the most buzz.

What new Macs launch in 2026? My predictions

Person holding the MacBook Air 13-inch M4 outside above grass in a shaded garden

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

So, as you may have seen in my past articles, I’ve been making predictions here and there based on the rumor mill and looking back to when Apple has launched new computing hardware.

And so far, I’ve been pretty bang on — casting doubt on last week’s rumor that the MacBook Pros could’ve launched last Tuesday (though not sure who edited that part out).

With that in mind, allow me to put my money where my mouth is and lay out when I expect to see all the new systems. Just so I can help you escape that classic Apple device FOMO of buying one just before the new one launches.

  • March 2026: MacBook Air M5 and MacBook Pro M5 Pro and Max
    Alongside the new MacBook Pros, I’d anticipate the M5 MacBook Air to launch around this time too, alongside an updated Mac Studio with M5 Max/M5 Ultra and the rumored new Studio Display 2. Gurman is saying the latter two devices will launch “not long after” the Spring updates, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Apple has a week of Mac announcements planned.
  • June 2026 (WWDC): The New Cheap MacBook
    I’m gonna switch up a prediction I had previously — given that the OpenClaw mania has everybody rushing to buy M4 Mac minis. The next headline announcement in my mind will be the rumored new cheaper MacBook using the A18 Pro chipset (from the iPhone 16 Pro), and I expect a spot on the WWDC stage for it. This could be the hottest MacBook of the year, giving cheaper Windows laptops and premium Chromebooks a run for their money.
  • Fall 2026 (October/November): MacBook Pro with OLED
    The new silicon always takes center stage at the end of the year, and it’ll be time for the M6 MacBook Pros — with certain pricier models packing that rumored OLED touchscreen! Alongside this, Apple will probably ride the Openclaw hype for a little longer and launch the M6 Mac mini around this time.

Outlook

The Mac mini M4 on top of a desk riser shelf

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

It’s clear from how quick people are attaching themselves to fake rumors based on very loose strings that hype for new Macs is reaching fever pitch — especially in Apple’s 50th year of existence.

But if there’s one thing the Cupertino crew is well known for, it’s remaining consistent with launch cycles, and I’ll buy the editor reading this a beer if I’m wrong.

Which Mac are you most excited for? I’d love to know!

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Jason England
Jason England
Managing Editor — Computing

Jason brings a decade of tech and gaming journalism experience to his role as a Managing Editor of Computing at Tom's Guide. He has previously written for Laptop Mag, Tom's Hardware, Kotaku, Stuff and BBC Science Focus. In his spare time, you'll find Jason looking for good dogs to pet or thinking about eating pizza if he isn't already.

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