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M5 vs. M6 MacBook Pro Rumors: Features, Design, Specs, and More

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Apple’s next MacBook Pro refresh is closer than you think, but it’s not the one fans are buzzing about.
The real excitement? A rumored thinner M6 model with OLED screens, maybe even a touchscreen.
Rumors say the notch could vanish, replaced by a punch-hole camera at last.
Also, a 5G-connected MacBook Pro might finally be on the horizon. Read on.

Apple doesn’t exactly have a reputation for resting on its laurels, but even by Cupertino’s standards, the pace of MacBook Pro updates has been brisk. In October 2024, Apple gave its 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros a hefty refresh with M4 chips, Thunderbolt 5 ports, and new display tweaks. That might sound like enough to hold Apple fans over for years—but if the latest reports are to be believed, we’re just getting started.

Let’s unpack what’s coming in the next couple of years, from the modest M5 bump to the more radical M6 MacBook Pro redesign that could completely reframe the MacBook Pro experience.

Photo via MacRumors // A concept rendering of Apple's upcoming M6 MacBook Pro.

M5 MacBook Pro: The Stopgap Upgrade

Same look, new brain

All signs point to the M5 MacBook Pro arriving in late 2025 or early 2026. Don’t expect Apple to reinvent the wheel here: the design should remain identical to the M4 generation, right down to the Space Black option. What will change is under the hood.

The M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max chips will reportedly use TSMC’s N3P process, offering the usual 15–25% performance boost and improved efficiency. It’s the kind of upgrade that’ll feel snappy if you’re coming from an M2 or Intel machine, but not necessarily a must-buy if you’re already on Apple Silicon.

Incremental perks

There are rumors of Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support thanks to Apple’s N1 chip, plus Thunderbolt 5 on more configurations. A small FaceTime camera upgrade is possible too, although don’t count on Apple ditching the notch just yet—that’s for the M6 era.

Think of the M5 MacBook Pro as a refined, slightly faster version of what you can buy today. A nice step forward, but not a reason to camp outside the Apple Store.

Photo via The Mac Observer // Apple's M5 MacBook Pro is rumored to launch soon, but it's not the MacBook everyone's waiting for (at least, that's what the rumors are saying).

M6 MacBook Pro: The True Overhaul

Now here’s where it gets interesting. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has consistently reported that Apple’s real “wow” moment won’t arrive until the M6 generation in late 2026 or early 2027. And the rumor mill suggests it’ll be one of the biggest MacBook Pro redesigns in recent memory.

Photo via 3uTools // Apple's upcoming M6 MacBook Pro is rumored to be thinner and lighter, with a totally fresh design.

OLED display: mini-LED’s replacement

For years, fans have asked when Apple would bring OLED to the Mac. According to multiple sources—including Omdia, Ross Young, and Gurman—that moment comes with M6. OLED means richer blacks, higher contrast, and potentially longer battery life. It could even use the same Tandem OLED tech that debuted in the iPad Pro, doubling brightness and panel longevity.

Thinner, lighter chassis

Here’s the catch: Apple’s 2021 MacBook Pro redesign actually made the laptops thicker to fit back beloved ports. Now, with OLED freeing up internal space, Apple reportedly wants to slim things down again—echoing what it did with the razor-thin M4 iPad Pro. The challenge? Keeping all those ports without compromising usability.

Punch-hole camera, no notch

Love it or hate it, the notch has been part of the MacBook Pro since 2021. Rumors suggest Apple will finally retire it, replacing it with a punch-hole camera that takes up far less screen real estate. Will it mimic the iPhone’s Dynamic Island? Hard to say. But the idea of an uninterrupted Mac display is bound to excite longtime critics.

Cellular MacBook Pro?

One of the bolder rumors involves Apple bringing 5G to the Mac. Apple’s in-house C2 modem could debut as soon as 2026, giving the MacBook Pro true always-connected portability. Imagine editing in Final Cut Pro from a park bench without tethering to your iPhone. It’s a dream scenario that Apple may finally make real.

M6 chip on 2nm

The star of the show will, of course, be the M6 chip family. Built on TSMC’s 2nm process and possibly using advanced WMCM packaging, the M6 could integrate CPU, GPU, Neural Engine, and RAM in ways we haven’t seen before. That could mean serious leaps in efficiency and raw performance—enough to tempt even M1 die-hards to upgrade.

Touchscreen MacBook Pro

Last but not least, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has thrown fuel on a rumor many thought impossible: a touchscreen MacBook Pro. Using on-cell touch OLED panels, Apple could blend iPad-style interaction with macOS productivity. Whether this marks the beginning of a touch-enabled Mac ecosystem or just an optional experiment remains to be seen.

Photo via iPadizate // Will Apple's M6 MacBook Pro feature... a touchscreen? Some leakers are saying yes.

Should You Wait or Buy Now?

This is the eternal Apple fan dilemma. If you need a MacBook Pro today, the M4 models are fantastic machines—and now that they’ve been on shelves for nearly a year, discounts are easier to find. But if your current Mac still holds up, the M6 generation sounds like it’ll be worth the wait.

Thinner design, OLED, 5G, a notch-free display, touchscreen functionality, and a bleeding-edge M6 chip—those are the kinds of changes that define an era, not just a spec bump.

Final Thoughts

Apple’s M-series Macs have stretched upgrade cycles. The M1 is still plenty fast, which is why Apple knows the M6 redesign has to be splashy enough to get people moving. With OLED, thinner builds, and possibly even cellular connectivity, it seems poised to do exactly that.

The M5 MacBook Pro may be a fine stopgap, but the M6 MacBook Pro? That’s shaping up to be the one you’ll tell your friends about.

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Published to Apple Scoop on 26th September, 2025.

Flynn Lo Faro

Team Leader / Editor-in-Chief

Flynn has been covering technology for over a decade, with a deep focus on all things Apple. As the Editor-in-Chief of Apple Scoop, Flynn ensures the team delivers the most accurate and up-to-date information on Apple news, rumors, and product releases. His passion for tech journalism and editorial expertise guide the site’s vision and maintain its high standards.

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