As a Mac fan, getting through the whole butterfly keyboard saga wasn’t easy, and I’ll be the first to admit that I enjoyed the relative quietness of the M-series MacBook Pros.
Of course, every new iteration update didn’t make me swear, but the functionality and reliability was a godsend. But after five years of using the same M1 Pro MacBook Pro that I bought on launch day, I’m ready to upgrade to a new machine.
And if the current leaks and rumors are true, the end of this year could be the right time to upgrade to the new MacBook Pro. Apple is rumored to launch a completely redesigned MacBook Pro sometime in 2026, and the list of changes is long enough to make any Mac fan sit up and pay attention.
Brand new design after five years
The last time Apple redesigned the MacBook Pro was in 2021, and that redesign was a big deal. It brought back the ports that Apple had forcibly removed, finally fixed the keyboard, and gave us a solid, capable machine.
While I enjoy the new design language, I can’t deny that I miss the slim, portable form factor, now possible thanks to the M series chipsets that work in a more energy-efficient manner.
The leak suggests that the next update will be a “complete redesign” with a thinner and lighter chassis. I hope that Apple will keep all the ports, as it doesn’t want another conflict on its hands, but personally, I don’t care if the HDMI port is banished.
Most new monitors go with a USB-C port, and if killing the HDMI port would result in a smaller body, I’d take that trade any day.
The display gets a lot of improvements
This is where things get really interesting. The M6 MacBook Pro is expected to bring two major improvements at once: an OLED panel and a touchscreen.
OLED means deeper blacks, better contrast, and improved viewing angles. Combined with the slim chassis, it should make for a great screen. And if Apple uses the same tandem OLED technology found in the iPad Pro, the lighting will be special as well.
The touch screen is a very surprising addition, and I’m not sure if this will work. macOS 27 will reportedly improve the UI to support standard touch, so we’ll know for sure in a month at the WWDC 2026 event.
What I really appreciate is that the notch is finally going away. According to Mark Gurman, you get a hole-punch camera and Dynamic Island, which should bring Live Actions and other interactive features.
If you read my excellent Mac resources article, you know that I already use the app to upgrade the Note, but it would be nice to see official support.
It’s a performance improvement worth talking about
The M6 MacBook Pro will be powered by a new generation of Apple Silicon built on a 2nm process. That’s a significant leap from the current generation and should translate into meaningful gains in CPU speed, GPU performance, and AI processing.
What excites me most, in addition to the performance gains, is the slight possibility that the M6 MacBook Pro could include an Apple C2 modem for built-in cellular communication. My job involves a lot of travel, and I would like to have a mobile connection.
I wouldn’t count on it, but it would be a game-changer if it happened.
One thing that might dampen my enthusiasm
Now, we come to the part I’m not looking forward to. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the M6 MacBook Pros could see a 20% price increase. Some sources suggest that the new models could go up by $200 to $400.
Seeing all the improvements and the state of RAM prices due to AI, I can see the price increase working, and I’m not happy about it.
I might still pull the trigger and buy one, but against all odds, I hope Apple doesn’t raise the base price, or even if it does, the base model starts with higher storage and RAM than the current generation models.
