2026 MacBook Pro to See Major Changes with OLED and M6 Chips

While Apple refreshed its MacBook Pro lineup last fall with the introduction of M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips and display improvements, tech enthusiasts may want to hold off on upgrading until 2026. According to recent reports, next year's MacBook Pro is positioned to receive substantial upgrades that could make it worth the wait.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman predicts that while Apple will release a 2025 MacBook Pro with the M5 chip later this year, it will likely be a minor update compared to the significant overhaul planned for 2026. Tech publication MacRumors has compiled several predictions about what we can expect from next year's model.

OLED Display Technology Coming to MacBook Pro

One of the most anticipated changes for the 2026 MacBook Pro is the introduction of OLED display technology. According to market research firm Omdia, Apple is likely to equip its premium laptop with an OLED screen for the first time. Display expert Ross Young has corroborated this timeline, suggesting that Apple's supply chain will be capable of mass-producing OLED displays for MacBooks by next year.

The shift from the current mini-LED display to OLED promises several benefits for users, including increased screen brightness, superior contrast ratios, and improved power efficiency that could extend battery life. OLED displays deliver true blacks and more vibrant colors by individually illuminating pixels rather than relying on a backlight system.

Slimmer and Lighter Design

Apple appears to focus on reducing its premium devices' physical footprint. Last May, the company unveiled the M4 iPad Pro, which it marketed as its "thinnest product ever." Mark Gurman has indicated that the ultra-thin iPad Pro represents "the beginning of a new Apple device" design philosophy, and that Apple is working to make the MacBook Pro thinner over the next two years.

The transition to OLED technology is expected to contribute to this slimming trend, as OLED panels typically require less space than mini-LED displays with their backlight systems.

It's worth noting that the MacBook Pro actually became thicker and heavier following its 2021 redesign, primarily because Apple reintroduced several ports that had been removed from previous models. A key challenge for Apple will be maintaining this port selection while achieving a thinner profile.

Punch-Hole Camera Replacing the Notch

Users who have been critical of the MacBook's notch design will likely welcome the changes coming next year. According to display roadmap data released by Omdia, the 2026 MacBook Pro will eliminate the controversial notch in favor of a punch-hole camera positioned at the top of the display.

This change would bring the MacBook Pro's design language more in line with trends in the smartphone industry, where many manufacturers have already moved from notched to punch-hole camera designs to maximize screen real estate.

5G Connectivity

Apple's long-in-development proprietary 5G modem chip made its debut in the iPhone 16e earlier this year and is expected to appear in lower-priced iPads and the next-generation iPhone 17 Air as the company continues to test and refine the technology.

According to Mark Gurman, Apple is considering including its second-generation 5G modem chip in upcoming Mac computers, including the 2026 MacBook Pro. While the first-generation chip only supports sub-6GHz 5G frequencies, the second generation is expected to add support for faster millimeter wave (mmWave) technology, providing MacBook users with high-speed cellular connectivity on the go.

Revolutionary M6 Chip

Following Apple's established release pattern for its M-series processors, the company is expected to equip its MacBook Pro lineup with M5 chips in October of this year. These chips will be manufactured using TSMC's third-generation 3nm process (N3P) and should deliver modest improvements in performance and power efficiency compared to the current M4 series.

However, the real leap forward is expected to come with the M6 chip in 2026, which could represent a significant performance breakthrough. The M6 is rumored to be built on TSMC's new 2nm process technology, potentially enabling substantial gains in both processing power and energy efficiency.

MacRumors reports that if Apple combines the 2nm process with advanced WMCM (Wafer-on-Wafer Multi-Chip Module) packaging technology, the result could be an exceptionally powerful custom processor that pushes Apple silicon to new heights.

MacBook Pro Major Changes: Worth the Wait?

With OLED displays, a slimmer design, punch-hole camera, 5G connectivity, and groundbreaking M6 chips all potentially on the horizon, the 2026 MacBook Pro Major Changes is shaping up to be a much more substantial upgrade than the 2025 model expected later this year.

For professionals and power users who depend on cutting-edge technology, these anticipated improvements may provide compelling reasons to hold off on upgrading until next year's more revolutionary model arrives.