M6 MacBook Pro Arrives Late 2026 Ahead of Bigger MacBook Ultra Redesign

Apple plans to release an updated 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M6 chip later this year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, ahead of a bigger redesign expected to follow just months later. The staggered release means the M6 MacBook Pro will have an unusually short run before Apple's next major overhaul arrives.

An M6 chip without Pro or Max variants
Unlike past chip generations, Apple's M6 is reportedly skipping higher-end Pro, Max, and Ultra variants entirely. Gurman says the M6 chip will offer around 200GB/s of memory bandwidth, up from 153GB/s on the M5, along with improved graphics performance and up to 12 GPU cores.

Why Apple is compressing the chip cycle
Apple is reportedly fast-tracking its M7 generation to prioritize on-device AI performance and more graphics-intensive workloads. That means the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro gets the M6 chip this year, while the more powerful Pro and Max configurations wait for M7 chips instead of an M6 Pro or M6 Max.

A redesign follows soon after
Bloomberg reports that a redesigned MacBook Pro, expected to be called the MacBook Ultra, is coming in late 2026 or early 2027 with M7 Pro and M7 Max chips. The redesign brings an OLED touchscreen display, a hole-punch camera cutout in place of the notch, and a Dynamic Island-style interface similar to the iPhone's.

The redesign reaches the entry-level model too
Apple is also preparing a revamped entry-level MacBook Pro, code-named K104, for as early as the first half of 2027. That model would bring the new design down to the base configuration only about six months after it debuts on the higher-end machines, a faster trickle-down than past MacBook Pro redesigns.

What this means for buyers right now
Anyone buying the M6 MacBook Pro this year is getting the final entry in the current design generation before Apple's biggest MacBook Pro overhaul since 2021. It remains a fast, well-built machine, but buyers who value the newest screen technology and thinner build may prefer to wait for the touchscreen redesign in 2027.

Pricing pressure across the lineup
Apple already raised prices on MacBooks and iPads last month due to rising component costs tied to an industry-wide memory shortage. The redesigned OLED MacBook Pro models are expected to carry a further price increase over today's $1,999 and $2,499 starting points for the 14-inch and 16-inch configurations, reflecting the cost of the new display and touch hardware.

Protect your MacBook Pro with a Komodoty case
Whether you're picking up the new M6 MacBook Pro this year or holding out for the redesigned MacBook Ultra, a well-fitted case keeps the investment protected in the meantime. Komodoty makes slim MacBook cases in materials like aramid fiber, Alcantara, and slim wood, cut precisely for each MacBook Pro generation's ports and vents. See the current options in the Komodoty MacBook cases collection.