Should you buy a MacBook Pro now or wait? Best time to buy and how to get the best deals

Should you buy a MacBook Pro now?

The MacBook Pro is the best MacBook Apple makes for users who need sustained performance, a premium display and professional features. As of July 2026, we think it’s a good time to buy – provided you’re buying it for the right reasons.

Buy a MacBook Pro now if:

• You’re upgrading from an Intel Mac: Apple is ending support for Intel Macs, so if you haven’t yet switched to Apple Silicon, now is a good time to do so. As Intel Macs reach the end of support, they’ll stop receiving security updates, leaving them vulnerable to newly discovered security flaws.
• You need a new laptop: If your current Mac is broken, unreliable or slowing you down, there’s little reason to wait.
• You edit video or create content: Whether you’re editing 4K video, working in Photoshop or Lightroom, producing music or creating 3D graphics, the MacBook Pro delivers the sustained performance creative professionals need.
• You’re a software developer, engineer or AI professional: Compiling code, running virtual machines, working with AI models or processing large datasets is much faster on the MacBook Pro, particularly the M5 Pro and M5 Max models.
• You need sustained performance: Unlike the fanless MacBook Air, the MacBook Pro uses active cooling to maintain peak performance during long exports, renders and other demanding workloads.
• You need professional features: The MacBook Pro offers a Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion, HDMI, an SDXC card slot, MagSafe charging and higher memory and storage options than the MacBook Air.
• You find a good deal: Discounts of around $200/£200 or more are worth taking, especially during Prime Day or Black Friday sales.
• You don’t want to wait for the next generation: The next major chip upgrade isn’t expected until 2027, so unless you’re specifically waiting for the rumoured touchscreen redesign, today’s MacBook Pro models should remain excellent choices for years.

When shouldn’t you buy a MacBook Pro?

The MacBook Pro is an excellent laptop, but it isn’t the right choice for everyone. If you don’t need its extra performance or professional features, you’ll save money – and probably be just as happy – with a MacBook Air. There are also a few situations where it’s worth waiting rather than buying today.

Don’t buy a MacBook Pro now if:

• You already own a recent MacBook Pro: If you have an M2, M3 or M4 MacBook Pro, the performance improvements offered by the M5 generation are relatively modest.
• You’re waiting for the redesign: Apple is widely expected to give the MacBook Pro its biggest redesign in years, with rumours pointing to a thinner chassis, a touchscreen and other design changes.
• You want the next-generation chips: The M6 Pro and M6 Max are expected to arrive alongside the redesigned MacBook Pro and should deliver another step up in performance and efficiency.
• You’re looking for the best price: Apple raised MacBook Pro prices in June 2026, so today’s models are more expensive than ever. If you can wait, you’re likely to find better deals during October Prime Day or Black Friday, and prices could fall further once the next-generation models are announced.
• You mainly use your laptop for everyday tasks: If your workload consists of web browsing, Microsoft Office, streaming, email, video calls or light photo editing, a MacBook Air offers excellent performance for much less money.
• You’re a student with basic computing needs: If your coursework mainly involves writing essays, researching online or creating presentations, a MacBook Air is likely to be the better value.
• Portability is your priority: The MacBook Air is thinner, lighter and completely silent thanks to its fanless design.
• You’re on a budget: The MacBook Air delivers outstanding performance for most users while costing significantly less than the MacBook Pro.

For most people, the MacBook Air is the better buy. The MacBook Pro only comes into its own if you regularly run demanding professional workloads that benefit from its active cooling, more powerful chips, superior display, additional ports and higher memory options.

MacBook Pro: Current line up

Apple currently sells three MacBook Pro models, available in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes:

The MacBook Pro (M5, 14-inch) was introduced in October 2025, this is the entry-level MacBook Pro. It features a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, 16GB of unified memory, 1TB of storage, Thunderbolt 4 ports, and up to 24 hours of battery life.

The MacBook Pro (M5 Pro, 14-inch and 16-inch) was launched in March 2026. The M5 Pro models introduced Apple’s new Fusion Architecture, combining two 3nm dies into a single system-on-a-chip. They start with 1TB of storage, feature Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, and offer up to 24 hours of battery life on the 16-inch model.

The MacBook Pro (M5 Max, 14-inch and 16-inch) was also introduced in March 2026, these are Apple’s fastest laptops, designed for demanding professional workflows. They start with 36GB of unified memory and 2TB of storage, support up to 128GB of memory, and deliver up to four times the AI performance of the previous generation.

What’s the best MacBook Pro price right now?

Apple rarely discounts Macs itself. In fact, in June 2026, Apple increased MacBook Pro prices by $300 to $500, making it more important than ever to shop around for a deal.

The price rise came in the middle of Amazon’s Prime Day sale, when the M5 MacBook Pro briefly hit record-low prices. Discounts brought the entry-level model down to $1,499/£1,529, making it one of the best MacBook Pro deals we’ve ever tracked. Prices that low are unlikely to return until a major sales event such as October Prime Day or Black Friday.

Right now, the best U.S. deal is the 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro for $1,886.31 at Amazon, saving more than $110 compared to Apple’s current price. If you need maximum performance, the 16-inch M5 Max is available for $4,179, a saving of $220.

In the U.K., the standout deals are the 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro for £1,799 (£200 off) and the 16-inch M5 Max for £3,898.97, a saving of £500.

For the latest prices across all configurations, see our live MacBook Pro deals table below.

When is the best time to buy a MacBook Pro?

If you’re looking for the lowest price on a MacBook Pro, the best times to buy are during major sales events such as Amazon Prime Day in June/July or October and Black Friday.

Black Friday is typically the strongest shopping period for MacBook Pro deals, although the lowest prices are often reserved for older or clearance models, and popular configurations can sell out quickly.

Another time to look for deals is shortly after Apple launches a new model, as retailers often discount the previous generation to clear remaining stock, making it possible to save hundreds if you don’t need the latest chip.

If you’re a student, you can save all year. Students, teachers, and education staff can typically save $100 to $200 on a new MacBook Pro through Apple’s Education Store. However, the best time to buy is usually during Apple’s annual Back to School promotion in the summer, when qualifying customers can often claim a free pair of AirPods or another bonus gift alongside the education discount. See How to use Apple’s Education Store to get a bargain.

Is buying a refurbished MacBook Pro a good idea?

Foundry

Buying a refurbished MacBook Pro can be an great way to save money – particularly if you buy directly from Apple’s Certified Refurbished Store.

As of July 2026, buying refurbished makes more sense than ever because Apple has continued to sell refurbished Macs at pre-price-hike prices, allowing buyers to avoid the $300 to $500 increases Apple introduced on new MacBook Pro models in June.

Apple Certified Refurbished Macs are typically around 15% cheaper than brand-new models and come with the same one-year warranty, 90 days of complimentary technical support, and the option to purchase AppleCare+. Every Mac undergoes extensive testing, is cleaned and inspected, and receives genuine Apple replacement parts where necessary.

The main downside is availability. Stock changes daily, so you may need to wait for the exact model, storage capacity, memory configuration, or colour you want. Newer MacBook Pro models also usually don’t appear in the refurbished store until several months after launch.

Third-party retailers, including Amazon, also sell refurbished Macs, but quality standards vary considerably. We generally recommend avoiding Macs that are more than five years old, as they may receive fewer years of macOS and security updates. In some cases, retailers also offer larger discounts on new, previous-generation MacBook Pro models during major sales events, so it’s always worth comparing prices before you buy.

For most buyers, Apple’s Certified Refurbished Store remains the safest and best-value way to buy a refurbished MacBook Pro.

Best refurbished MacBook Pro deal right now

Apple is selling the M5 MacBook Pro on its Certified Refurbished store in the U.S. for $1,699, that’s $300 off the full price. You can also get up to $450 off the M5 Pro MacBook Pro.

Apple is selling the M5 MacBook Pro on its Certified Refurbished store in the U.K. for £1,829, more than £ off the full price. You can also get up to £450 off the M5 Pro MacBook Pro.

Which MacBook Pro to choose

Choose the M5 MacBook Pro if you want Pro features such as the better display, extra ports and active cooling, but don’t need the power of the M5 Pro or M5 Max.

Choose the M5 Pro MacBook Pro if you’re a professional who regularly edits 4K video, compiles large software projects, works with RAW photos, produces music or runs multiple demanding applications at once. For most creative professionals and developers, the M5 Pro offers the best balance of performance and price.

Choose the M5 Max MacBook Pro if your work pushes a laptop to its limits. The M5 Max is designed for users editing multiple streams of 8K video, creating complex 3D animations, running large AI or machine learning workloads, or handling visual effects and other GPU-intensive tasks. Unless you regularly perform these types of work, the M5 Pro is likely to offer better value.

What about the MacBook Air?

Stephan Wiesend

If you’re considering a MacBook Pro, it’s also worth looking at the MacBook Air. Apple updated the Air in March 2026, and with a starting price of $1,299/£1,299 (the price increased by $200/£200 in June 2026), it’s significantly cheaper than the MacBook Pro.

The MacBook Air is a good choice if you:

• Mainly browse the web, use Microsoft Office or stream media.
• Are a student or home user with light computing needs.
• Value portability and a silent, fanless design.
• Want the best value MacBook.

However, the lower price comes with a few compromises. Compared to the MacBook Pro, the Air offers lower sustained performance, a less advanced display, fewer ports, and lower memory and storage limits.

Choose the MacBook Pro if you need:

• Sustained performance for video editing, coding, 3D rendering or AI workloads.
• A Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion and HDR.
• More connectivity, including HDMI, an SDXC card slot and additional Thunderbolt ports.
• Higher-end M5 Pro or M5 Max chips, with up to 128GB of unified memory.

For most everyday users, the MacBook Air is the better value. But if your work regularly pushes your laptop to its limits, the MacBook Pro is well worth the extra investment.

Do you need to upgrade your current Mac?

Apple

Whether you need to upgrade depends on three things: how old your Mac is, whether Apple still supports it, and whether it can keep up with the apps and features you use every day.

If you have an Intel Mac, it’s time to upgrade

With the release of macOS 27 Golden Gate in late 2026, Apple will end support for Intel Macs. While Apple is expected to continue providing security updates for the small number of Intel Macs that support macOS 26 Tahoe, that support is likely to last only another year or two.

The only Intel Macs that can run macOS Tahoe are:

• 16-inch MacBook Pro (2019)
• 13-inch MacBook Pro (2020, four Thunderbolt ports)
• 27-inch iMac (2020)
• Mac Pro (2019)

If your Mac isn’t on this list, it may not receive future macOS security updates after Golden Gate launches later in 2026. For more advice, read How long Macs and MacBooks last: Lifespan, support and when to upgrade.

If you’re still using an Intel Mac, we recommend upgrading as soon as your budget allows. Moving from Intel to Apple Silicon is one of the biggest upgrades Apple has ever offered. You’ll benefit from dramatically faster performance, much longer battery life, quieter operation, Apple Intelligence support, and many more years of macOS compatibility. Read our guides to macOS Tahoe and macOS Golden Gate to see what you’ll gain by upgrading.

Which are the best retailers to buy a MacBook from?

Aside from Apple (View the MacBook Pro in the Apple Store and View the MacBook Pro in the Apple Store U.K). There are a number of third-party reseller that frequently discount the MacBook Air.

When shopping at a reseller our advice is to always verify:

• Processor generation
• RAM amount
• SSD size
• Whether the model is Intel or Apple Silicon

Don’t make the mistake of paying for a previous generation Mac without comparing it to the specs of the current model.

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Best for U.K. Buyers