M5 Mac release schedule: Here’s when to expect new Macs

It’s almost time for Apple’s M5 chip to debut, and that means the first M5 Macs are coming soon too. Here’s what the latest rumors indicate about when to expect new M5 Mac models like the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.

M5 chip unveiling coming next month, per rumors

Apple is widely expected to unveil its next-gen M5 chip some time in October.

This might happen during a standalone October event, or perhaps through several consecutive days of product launches.

However it happens, the M5 will be here soon. Interestingly though, it may not come to the Mac first.

Just as the M4 chip debuted in the iPad Pro, rumors indicate the first M5 product will also be a new iPad Pro.

There’s even a good chance Apple’s new Vision Pro will pack the M5 chip too.

What about the Mac? There’s one model in particular that might get the M5 next month: the MacBook Pro. However, per Bloomberg, we might have to wait a little longer.

Early 2026 launches expected for M5 MacBook Pro, MacBook Air

Apple historically has launched new MacBook Pro models in the fall. So it wouldn’t be surprising if that still happens this year with the M5 MacBook Pro.

However, Mark Gurman at Bloomberg has indicated for a while that Apple is now targeting an early 2026 debut for its M5 MacBook Pro instead.

When it does debut, the M5 MacBook Pro will come in the same 14-inch and 16-inch sizes with the current industrial design. Also, per Apple’s typical pattern, there will be three chip versions:

• M5
• M5 Pro
• M5 Max

In addition to the MacBook Pro launch, Apple is also expected to debut the M5 MacBook Air in early 2026.

Likely, this means we’ll see the M5 MacBook Air arrive around February or March—right around the same time we got the M4 model this year.

The M5 MacBook Air will have the same basic design as the M4 model, with 13-inch and 15-inch size options.

It’s possible Apple will have some other new M5 Macs ready for late 2025 or early 2026 too.

The most likely contenders include the Mac mini and iMac. But so far, reports on M5 Macs have focused exclusively on Apple’s line of laptops.

What new features do you hope to see when M5 Macs arrive? Let us know in the comments.

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