Apple may launch next-gen MacBook Pro with M5 Max and M5 Pro this week

Back in October 2025, Apple unveiled the MacBook Pro powered by the M5 chip. Since then, the rumour mill has been speculating about the arrival of M5 Pro and M5 Max chip variants of the device. In a recent Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has revealed the possible launch timeframe for these new variants.

New MacBook Pro’s launch imminent

According to Gurman, upcoming MacBook Pro variants codenamed J714 and J716 are expected to launch alongside the rollout of macOS 26.3, which is likely to happen between February and March. Therefore, the M5 Pro and M5 Max editions of the MacBook Pro may debut either later this month or in March.

Another source claims that the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models could launch as early as this week, with February 4 tipped as a possible date.

The announcement is expected to be made via a press release, which may also include the unveiling of the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. That said, this information should be taken with a pinch of salt, as Apple has not officially confirmed any launch details yet.

What to expect from the upcoming MacBook Pro?

Rumours suggest that the M5 Pro may offer around 14 CPU cores, while the M5 Max could feature up to 16 CPU cores. Graphics configurations are expected to scale up to around 20 cores on the Pro and up to 40 cores on the Max.

Memory bandwidth is also likely to see a noticeable increase, potentially reaching around 550GB/s, which should help improve overall system responsiveness.

Another expected upgrade is Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, which would bring significantly faster data transfer speeds. Apart from these performance enhancements, the laptops are expected to retain the same display sizes, colour options, and overall design language.

The new MacBook Pro is expected to be available in 14-inch and 16-inch variants, with a design similar to the existing models. The new lineup is likely to be offered in Silver and Black colour options.

Apple’s 2026 lineup at a glance

The year 2026 is shaping up to be an eventful one for Apple, as the company is expected to launch an M5-powered MacBook Air, an affordable MacBook powered by the Apple A18 Pro chip, a refreshed Mac Studio featuring the M5 Max and M5 Ultra, a new Studio Display with a mini-LED panel and ProMotion support, an iPad with A19 chip, and M4-powered iPad Air. In addition, Apple is also expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro series and its first foldable iPhone in September this year.

ALSO READ: Apple’s next foldable phone may sport a flip-style design

Stay tuned to Unboxed by Croma for updates on upcoming Apple devices.