There’s tremendous anticipation for a MacBook Pro upgraded with faster M5 Pro or M5 Max processors, but the laptop did not launch this week, despite eager speculation that it would. And we need to be patient because we’re likely to continue waiting well into February and maybe beyond. A critical feature apparently isn’t ready yet: macOS Tahoe 26.3.
M5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro: Release date?
The first M5-powered MacBook Pro debuted in October, but this is the entry-level model. It uses the base M5 chip, and the only screen size available is 14 inches. The wait for variants with faster M5 Pro or M5 Max processors goes on. Expect these chips to bring notable improvements in CPU and GPU performance, a boon to creative professionals and their demanding workflows.
Apple held an event on Wednesday for a select group of content creators. In the days before, there was much speculation that this would be the surprise launch of the upgraded MacBook Pro. And the debut of the new AirTag 2 on Monday kicked the excitement up to 11 — we could have been in for a week of product launches!
Nope.
Waiting for macOS 26.3
What is Apple waiting for? Mac revenue last quarter dropped 7% because so many customers are passing on M4 models while holding off for the revamped top-of-the-line MacBook Pro with enhanced M5 variants. Wonder no longer: information that leaked out of Apple back in October might supply the answer. We all just seem to have forgotten it.
The M5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro will launch with macOS Tahoe 26.3, according to info leaked months ago to AppleInsider.
But the most recent version is macOS 26.2, with version 26.3 still in beta testing. And it’s weeks away from launch. There’s no Release Candidate, and even if that goes to developers in early February, the debut of macOS Tahoe 26.3 can’t be before the second week of February. So a new top-tier MacBook Pro won’t hit store shelves before then.
Of course, this is based on an unconfirmed report from several months ago. If it’s incorrect, Apple could launch the M5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro with macOS 26.2 any time it wants.
M5 MacBook Air might come first
If the AppleInsider leak is correct, we really shouldn’t be expecting a new MacBook Pro yet — a MacBook Air upgraded from M4 to the base M5 is supposedly coming first. It’ll reportedly launch with macOS Tahoe 26.2, so it could be out any day now.
And while MacBook Pro generally gets the lion’s share of attention, Apple’s marketing team consistently refers to the MacBook Air as the “world’s most popular laptop.” So its launch matters to more people.
A couple of “chip-and-ship” MacBook upgrades
Coverage of the refreshed MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models expected in the coming weeks concentrates on the chips because that’s expected to be the only significant modification.
Rumors indicate Apple will stick with the current designs for both laptops for now, though major changes are expected in a new MacBook Pro generation coming in late 2026 or early 2027.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh Classic II (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer. He’s written for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview, and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
