Apple offers the MacBook Pro with three different chip options. It starts with the entry-level M5 chip, which you can only get in the 14-inch MacBook Pro. Apple also offers higher end M5 Pro and M5 Max chips for the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro, as it has since the M1 arrived in 2020.
Apple launched the M5 MacBook Pro in October 2025, and the next generation could arrive almost exactly a year later. According to a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple plans to announce the entry-level 14-inch M6 MacBook Pro on October 27, alongside a new iMac, iPad mini, and the first touchscreen MacBook Pro.
The standard M6 MacBook Pro is expected to retain the existing design, with the new processor providing the main upgrade. The more substantial changes—including an OLED touchscreen and redesigned chassis—are reportedly reserved for premium MacBook Pro models that will continue to use M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. Apple is reportedly skipping the M6 Pro and M6 Max generation to accelerate development of the M7.
That creates an unusual buying decision: wait for the M6 chip, choose one of the redesigned touchscreen models, or hold out until 2027 for the next generation. Here’s what the latest reports suggest.s.
M6 MacBook Pro release date: When will it launch?
• October 27, 2026 (reported announcement date)
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported on October 8 that Apple is planning to announce the M6 MacBook Pro on October 27, 2026. According to the report, the launch will include an online video presentation and an in-person component for the press.
The M6 MacBook Pro is expected to launch alongside the first OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro, an M6 iMac, and an updated iPad mini. The new entry-level MacBook Pro is expected to retain its 14-inch display and existing design, with the M6 chip providing the main upgrade.
The reported October 27 announcement would fit Apple’s recent release pattern. The M5 MacBook Pro arrived in October 2025, while its predecessor launched in November 2024.
Of the five generations of the entry-level MacBook Pro, three have been released in the October/November timeframe, including the past two releases. Here are the release dates for the entry-level MacBook Pro:
- M5 MacBook Pro: October 2025
- M4 MacBook Pro: November 2024
- M3 MacBook Pro: January 2023
- M2 MacBook Pro: June 2022
- M1 MacBook Pro: November 2020
Ongoing memory and storage chip shortages could still affect availability or delivery times. These supply constraints have already contributed to price increases across Apple’s Mac lineup.
M6 MacBook Pro: Chip details
- 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU in the existing M6 Mac mini
- TSMC 2nm manufacturing process
- Up to 170GB/s memory bandwidth
- Improved AI processing with Neural Accelerators
The M6 chip is expected to incorporate new features for improved AI processing.
Apple
Apple has introduced the M6 chip in the Mac mini, giving us a clear idea of what to expect from the upcoming MacBook Pro. The M6 is Apple’s first M-series chip built using TSMC’s 2nm manufacturing process, bringing improvements to CPU, GPU, and AI performance.
The M6 in the Mac mini features a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU, up from the M5’s 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU. It also introduces Neural Accelerators in every GPU core and a dual 16-core Neural Engine, boosting performance in AI workloads. The M6 MacBook Pro is expected to benefit from the same architectural improvements, making it particularly appealing to users running AI-powered applications and local AI models.
The Mac mini also provides an indication of what to expect from memory bandwidth. Earlier rumors suggested the M6 could reach 200GB/s, but the M6 Mac mini delivers up to 170GB/s with 24GB or 32GB of unified memory. The 16GB configuration offers 153GB/s, matching the M5. This relatively modest increase could limit the performance gains delivered by the redesigned GPU.
Our analysis suggests that the additional GPU cores, higher clock speeds, and architectural improvements help the M6 deliver gains of 20 percent or more in 3D graphics performance. However, memory bandwidth limitations mean those gains aren’t as substantial as the additional processing power might suggest.
The MacBook Pro’s exact M6 specifications remain unconfirmed, but the Mac mini offers a useful preview of the chip’s capabilities. The key question is whether Apple will make further changes to the processor or memory configurations when it brings the M6 to the MacBook Pro.
M6 MacBook Pro: Other specifications and features
- Existing 14-inch design expected; no OLED or touchscreen
The M6 MacBook Pro is expected to retain the existing 14-inch design, with few changes beyond the processor upgrade. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the display, chassis, and other hardware are likely to remain substantially unchanged from the M5 MacBook Pro.
That means buyers shouldn’t expect an OLED display or touchscreen on the standard M6 model. Those features are reportedly reserved for Apple’s redesigned premium MacBook Pro models, which are also expected to debut on October 27.
The M6 MacBook Pro could be the last entry-level model of this particular design.
Foundry
How is the M6 MacBook Pro different from the touchscreen MacBook Pro?
Apple is reportedly preparing two very different MacBook Pro updates for October 27.
The standard 14-inch MacBook Pro will move from the M5 to the M6 processor while retaining its familiar design. It should appeal to buyers who want the newer chip but don’t need a redesigned laptop.
The higher-end MacBook Pro models, meanwhile, are expected to introduce an OLED touchscreen, a thinner and lighter chassis, and potentially an iPhone-style Dynamic Island camera cutout. Despite these upgrades, the redesigned models will reportedly use M5 Pro and M5 Max chips rather than M6 Pro and M6 Max processors.
This reflects Apple’s reported decision to skip the M6 Pro and M6 Max generation and focus development resources on the M7 family, which is expected in 2027.
Although the standard M6 is a newer chip, the M5 Pro and M5 Max are designed for more demanding professional workloads, so buyers shouldn’t assume the M6 MacBook Pro will be the more powerful option. It’s a similar situation to the Mac mini lineup, where the standard model features the M6 chip while the higher-end configuration uses the M5 Pro.
The choice could therefore come down to whether buyers prioritize the latest chip at a lower price or a more powerful MacBook Pro with a redesigned display and chassis.
| Feature | M6 MacBook Pro | OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Expected announcement | October 27, 2026 | October 27, 2026 |
| Processor | M6 | M5 Pro / M5 Max |
| Screen sizes | 14-inch | Premium MacBook Pro sizes; expected 14- and 16-inch |
| Display | Existing non-OLED display | OLED |
| Touchscreen | No | Yes |
| Design | Existing chassis | Thinner, lighter redesign |
| Price | From around $1,999 | Higher pricing expected/ |
M6 MacBook Pro: Price
- $1,999/£1,999 starting price possible
We haven’t heard any reports about the price of the entry-level M6 MacBook Pro, but we can look at recent price history to get an idea. When the M5 MacBook Pro was released in 2025, its starting price was $1,599. Apple bumped it to $1,699 when the M5 Pro and Max models arrived earlier this year and increased the starting storage to 1TB. This past June, however, Apple raised the price to $1,999 due to supply chain constraints. Those constraints aren’t going away anytime soon, and it’s likely that the higher price is now the new normal.
During Apple’s Q3 2026 financial announcement in July, Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Kevan Parekh made it a point to explain that the supply chain constraints will affect production costs for months to come. ” We expect the impact from supply constraints to increase significantly sequentially,” said Parekh. “The projected supply constraints in the September quarter affect iPhone, Mac, and iPad.” Cook said, “With less flexibility in supply chain, we expect the impact from the supply constraints to increase significantly sequentially.”
The existing M5 MacBook Pro starts at $1,999/£1,999, following the price increases introduced in June 2026, and the M6 could retain that starting price.
However, another price increase is possible. Ongoing memory and storage shortages continue to affect Apple’s manufacturing costs, and the company may need to pass some of those costs on to buyers.
The redesigned OLED touchscreen models are also expected to carry a premium over the existing MacBook Pro lineup, making the standard M6 a potentially more affordable alternative for buyers who want a new MacBook Pro without paying extra for the redesigned display and chassis.
With Apple reportedly planning to announce the M6 MacBook Pro on October 27, there’s a strong argument for waiting before buying a new 14-inch MacBook Pro. The announcement is expected in just a few weeks, and it should provide clarity on performance, pricing, and availability.
Wait for the M6 MacBook Pro if: You’re planning to buy the standard 14-inch MacBook Pro and don’t urgently need a new laptop. The M6 should provide improved CPU, GPU, and AI performance over the M5, without requiring a move to Apple’s more expensive Pro and Max models.
Consider the OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro if: You’re interested in a more substantial upgrade, particularly the rumored touchscreen display, OLED technology, and thinner design. Those models are expected to continue using M5 Pro and M5 Max processors, making them potentially better choices for demanding professional workloads.
Buy an M5 MacBook Pro now if: You need a laptop immediately or find a substantial discount. The existing M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max MacBook Pro models remain capable machines, and a reduced price could make them better value than a newly launched M6 model.
Wait for the M7 MacBook Pro if: You’re particularly interested in OLED but don’t need the touchscreen. Reports suggest Apple’s entry-level MacBook Pro could adopt the redesigned OLED chassis in 2027 with an M7 processor, although the timing remains uncertain.
For most people considering the entry-level MacBook Pro, waiting until October 27 makes sense. Even if the M6 doesn’t offer enough of an improvement to justify its price, its arrival could create opportunities to buy the outgoing M5 model at a discount.
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