2026 could be a big year for Apple's Mac, as the company is expected to announce up to four separate MacBook releases. Rumors suggest that Apple will appeal to a wide range of consumers, with more affordable options for students and premium, feature-rich linesfor users looking for the highest specifications from a laptop.
Here's a breakdown of what to expect from Apple in the next 12 months.
Budget MacBook
Apple is preparing to enter the budget laptop market for the first time , developing an affordable MacBook that aims to lure customers away from Chromebooks and basic Windows PCs, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman . The new device is said to be designed for students, businesses and casual users , and will target people who primarily browse the web, work on documents or engage in light multimedia editing.
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The new MacBook is said to have a 13-inch display, similar but slightly smaller than the MacBook Air, and will feature an ultra-thin, lightweight design with LCD display . According to trusted industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is said to be using the A18 Pro chip to power the device.
The A18 Pro chip does not support Thunderbolt, so the new MacBook will likely be equipped with regular USB-C ports. The current 13-inch MacBook Air starts at $999 in the US, so the new MacBook will likely have a starting price between $699 and $899. The more affordable MacBook could also come in some fun new colors like Silver, Blue, Pink, and Yellow.
MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max
Apple is set to refresh its MacBook Pro lineup with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips in early 2026. The M5 series is based on TSMC's third-generation 3-nanometer process technology. Given that the base MacBook Pro with M5 chips has already received a number of improvements, the new device is expected to come with faster SSD performance and higher memory bandwidth. No other major changes are expected, with Apple keeping a completely revamped design for the M6 models.
If Apple maintains current pricing levels, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro chips will start at $1,999, while the 16-inch model with M5 Pro chips will start at $2,399. For the M5 Max equivalents, prices could start at $3,199 for the 14-inch model and $3,499 for the 16-inch machine.
M5 MacBook Air
While the M4 MacBook Air model isn't exactly old, attention is already turning to its successor. The M5 series is reportedly built using TSMC's advanced 3-nanometer process, and we have some idea of what to expect in terms of performance thanks to the recently released M5 iPad Pro: benchmarks show single-core scores of around 4,133 and multi-core scores of around 15,437. That's about a 12-15% jump over the current M4 iPad Pro in both categories. As for graphics performance, the M5 chip appears to have up to a 36% faster GPU compared to the M4 chip.
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The benchmark suggests that Apple has focused on modest clock speed increases and efficiency improvements at the core level for the M5 chip, (rather than an architectural overhaul). In other words, the M5 will be similar to the incremental upgrade from the M3 to the M4. Expect 10-15% speed CPU, a slightly more powerful GPU, and better efficiency, which could lead to even longer battery life.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple plans to release M5 versions of the MacBook Air in the first quarter of 2026.Based on previous spring refreshes, this suggests a possible launch in March 2026. As for pricing, we expect it to remain stable, with the base model remaining at its current entry price of $999.
OLED MacBooks Pro with M6 Pro and M6 Max
Apple is reportedly developing an all-new version of the MacBook Pro packed with next-generation features. The redesigned models are expected to feature the M6 chip, which could adopt an all-new packaging based on TSMC’s 2nm process. This allows components like the CPU, GPU, DRAM, and Neural Engine to be more tightly integrated.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says that Apple is preparing OLED technology for these models. Compared to the current MacBook Pro models that use mini-LED displays, the benefits of OLED technology will include increased brightness, a higher contrast ratio, improved power efficiency for longer battery life, and more. Additionally, Gurman says that the new devices will also have “thinner and lighter bezels.” Apple is apparently focused on delivering the thinnest device without sacrificing battery life or significant new features.
The redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are also expected to feature a punch-hole camera at the top of the display, instead of the notch we're used to. Gurman says the design "leaves a screen area around the sensor... similar to the Dynamic Island on the iPhone."
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Apple's First OLED MacBook Pro Will Also Feature a Touch Bar, According to Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The rumor has been confirmed by Gurman, who suggested that the touchscreen MacBook Pro will retain a full trackpad and keyboard.
Research firm Omdia says Apple is "very likely" to introduce new MacBook Pros with OLED displays next year, while Gurman has said that the new OLED machines are in the works for late 2026 or early 2027. It would be unusual for Apple to introduce two MacBook Pro refreshes in the same year, but it's not impossible. The company updated its MacBook Pro lineup twice in 2023, first with M2 Pro/M2 Max chips (in January) and then with M3/M3 Pro/M3 Max chips (in late October).
Due to the more expensive components, the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros are expected to cost a few hundred dollars more than the current versions. Current models with high-end chips start at $1,999 for the 14-inch version and $2,499 for the 16-inch version.
