MacBook Pro Ship Dates Slip Into February and March as Talk of M5 Pro/Max Models Builds
The pattern of extended waits for M4 Max builds is raising questions about a refresh versus simple supply constraints.
Overview
- Apple’s online store now lists many M4 Max configurations for delivery between February 6 and February 24, with some 14‑inch, 16‑core M4 Max models with 128GB of RAM estimated as late as March 17.
- A subset of 14‑inch and 16‑inch MacBook Pro configurations with the M4 Pro chip still shows immediate availability.
- Reports point to a potential early‑2026 unveiling of MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, but Apple has not announced new laptops and RAM shortages could also explain the delays.
- Apple’s Creator Studio bundle of creative apps is scheduled to launch on Wednesday, January 28, with the company’s quarterly earnings call on Thursday, January 29.
- Analyst projections suggest notable CPU/GPU gains for the next chips, including up to 14 CPU cores for M5 Pro and up to 16 for M5 Max, though specifications remain unconfirmed.