Whether or not you might be updating your outdated MacBook laptop computer or planning to purchase your first Mac a part of the choice of which mannequin to purchase must be based mostly on timing. Earlier than you half together with your cash it is best to test that the mannequin you might be shopping for isn’t about to be upgraded by Apple. There’s nothing worse than shopping for a brand new MacBook Air solely to see Apple replace the fashions a month later. Fortunately you might be right here studying this text so the possibility of you making a mistake like that’s slim (though it is best to test the date this text was final up to date!)
On this article, we’ll let you know the very best time to purchase a MacBook, when to purchase a Mac, at what time of 12 months Apple normally updates its Macs, and whether or not an replace is anticipated quickly. We’ll additionally point out if there are any explicit configurations to keep away from.
We’ll run by way of every Mac and MacBook Apple presently sells and assess whether or not now is an effective time to purchase one based mostly on educated guesses as to when the subsequent one will launch. Typically when you wait a month or two you will get extra on your cash – offered Apple retains its costs the identical.
Earlier than you make the choice of which Mac to purchase you must also try our Mac shopping for information and our MacBook shopping for information. We additionally provide recommendation about how a lot storage, RAM and cores in How a lot MacBook RAM, SSD, GPU and CPU do you actually need?
If you’re studying this round Black Friday, learn our recommendation in our information to the greatest Black Friday MacBook offers and the greatest Mac mini and iMac offers. And if you wish to know what different Apple merchandise are discounted learn Greatest Black Friday Apple offers.
When will Apple launch new Macs?
There are a few issues that may assist when predicting when a brand new mannequin may land. One is to concentrate on when Apple final up to date the vary. The opposite is to notice when Apple has beforehand introduced updates to that vary.
Apple up to date the MacBook Professional, Mac mini and iMac at an occasion in October 2024. We don’t anticipate any extra Mac updates till spring 2025. check out our article about Apple Occasions and the new merchandise anticipated from Apple to test that the outlook hasn’t modified.
Most up-to-date/present launches:
- 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Professional, M4, M4 Professional and M4 Max – October 2024
- 24-inch iMac, M4 – October 2024
- Mac mini, M4 and M4 Professional – October 2024
- 15-inch MacBook Air, M3 – March 2024 (RAM replace in October 2024)
- Mac Studio, M2 Max and M2 Extremely – June 2023
- Mac Professional, M2 Extremely – June 2023
- 13-inch MacBook Air, M2 – July 2022 (RAM replace in October 2024)
As for the occasions when a Mac launch is most probably. Up to now, the most probably occasions to see Mac updates had been: WWDC in June for skilled Mac fashions (e.g. Mac Studio and Mac Professional) and October for consumer-focused Macs (e.g. MacBook Air and Mac mini). Nonetheless, as you will note whenever you learn on, this isn’t a rule that Apple abides by notably, nor does Apple at all times launch new Macs at particular occasions: it usually simply takes the Apple Retailer offline for a couple of hours after which when it returns new Mac fashions can be found because it did in October 2024.
It was once simpler to foretell when Apple would launch new Macs as a result of updates had been usually tied to the launch of the subsequent era of Intel processors. Now that Apple has transitioned from Intel to its personal collection of processors, it’s now not tied to Intel’s improve cycle. This doesn’t essentially imply that the updates occur extra often although.
We do, nonetheless, suppose that updates for the next Macs are more likely to arrive within the subsequent few months.
- 13- & 15-inch MacBook Air, M4: Now that the MacBook Professional has an M4 chip we count on that the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air will get an replace quickly. See: MacBook Air rumors. Anticipated launch: Spring 2025.
- Mac Studio, M4: The Mac Studio go the M2 Max and M2 Extremely in June 2023. We count on that the entire of 2024 will go with out an replace so count on an M4-Max/Extremely in 2025, maybe at WWDC. See: M4 Mac Studio.
- Mac Professional, M4: Just like the Mac Studio, we count on a replace in June 2024.
- iMac Professional: Apple discontinued the larger-screened 27-inch iMac when the Mac Studio was launched, however there are rumors that it might make a comeback. Learn concerning the new iMac Professional. Anticipated launch: 2025.
Ought to I await Black Friday offers?
If you’re considering of shopping for a brand new Mac and the previous couple of months of the 12 months are approaching, it is best to maintain on to reap the benefits of offers season. From October onwards is once we are inclined to see essentially the most offers, with everybody saving their greatest reductions for the weeks round Black Friday on the finish of November. If you’re questioning whether or not to attend till Black Friday itself or reap the benefits of an early deal that’s marked as being ‘early Black Friday’ or comparable, our recommendation is to only go for it! Up to now numerous retailers have began their Black Fridays gross sales a very long time earlier than the day itself and promised that costs received’t go any decrease on Black Friday itself.
It’s unlikely that Apple will provide any reductions for Black Friday although. The corporate tends to supply vouchers with qualifying gross sales round Black Friday, and we don’t count on that to alter: right here’s what Apple is more likely to be doing for Black Friday. So don’t count on Apple to supply reductions on Black Friday, however you may have the ability to get cash off Apple merchandise from one other reseller. We see many resellers providing Black Friday offers on Apple merchandise, so come again round Black Friday and take a look at our greatest
However we don’t solely see costs minimize for Black Friday, we see offers on Apple merchandise all 12 months spherical – so don’t assume you possibly can’t get cash off a brand new Apple product when you might want to purchase one. Try our round-ups of the greatest Apple offers:
There are different methods to economize too:
Is it a superb time to purchase a Mac or MacBook?
Let’s check out every Mac and MacBook available on the market and assess when you ought to think about shopping for it now. Test the date on the high of the article to see once we final up to date this info.
Ought to I purchase a 13-inch MacBook Air now or wait?
Worth When Reviewed:
$1,099
- Final replace: March 2024
- Subsequent replace: Spring 2025
There are three variations of the MacBook Air that can be purchased proper now. There are two 13-inch fashions: one with an M2 chip that launched in July 2022 and one with an M3 chip that went on sale in March 2024. There’s additionally a 15-inch MacBook Air with M3 that was up to date in March 2024, which we talk about under.
The M2 MacBook Air, with its brand-new design, arrived in the summertime of 2022. It gained a MagSafe charging port, that means that two USB-C ports can be found. In our 13-inch M2 MacBook Air evaluate we described it as “excellent for practically each person” due to its improved show with thinner bezels, full-size perform row, killer battery life and excellent efficiency in its class. There are nonetheless some areas that allow it down although, for instance, the truth that you possibly can’t plug in a couple of different monitor, except you shut the MacBook lid or observe this workaround: Easy methods to join two or extra exterior shows to Apple Silicon Macs.
When the M3 model of the MacBook Air arrived in spring 2024 we had been impressed, discovering that the M3 chip gave a pleasant efficiency increase. In October 2024, with the arrival of the M4 within the MacBook Professional, the MacBook Air does look rather less spectacular, however Apple elevated the unified reminiscence (RAM) within the M3 and M2 MacBook Air, from 8GB to 16GB, paving the best way for Apple Intelligence.
Is now a superb time to purchase a 13-inch MacBook Air?
The M2 MacBook Air is a wonderful machine and it’s the least expensive Mac laptop computer proper now. Nonetheless, the 13-inch MacBook Air with M3 chip solely prices $100/£100 extra, so our recommendation could be to pay somewhat additional for higher specs. In October 2024 the M3 MacBook Air had a RAM increase, which is actually some extent in favor of shopping for one proper now, however, with the MacBook Professional gaining an M4 chip on the identical time, it’s doubtless that the MacBook Air will get an analogous replace quickly.
Our advice is that when you discover a good low cost on the worth of the M3 MacBook Air test that the mannequin being bought contains the now customary 16GB RAM, moderately than 8GB RAM. If you happen to discover a 16GB outfitted M3 MacBook Air at a superb value then it will likely be a superb purchase, so long as you’re ready for disappointment in early 2025 when the MacBook Air is upgraded. If you wish to purchase a MacBook Air now try our round-up of the Greatest MacBook Air offers.
Ought to I purchase a 15-inch MacBook Air now or wait?
Worth When Reviewed:
$1,299
- Final replace: June 2023
- Subsequent replace: Spring 2025
There’s one other MacBook Air to think about. In our evaluate of the 15-inch MacBook Air we stated that the 15-inch MacBook Air is “precisely just like the 13-inch MacBook Air solely with a much bigger show (and thus chassis) and higher audio system”. However when you want bigger laptops then the 15-inch MacBook Air will prevent hundreds in comparison with the 16-inch MacBook Professional.
It presents higher battery life than the smaller mannequin and presents a bigger display screen, and whereas it prices a bit greater than the 13-inch mannequin, it’s a lot lower than the opposite Mac laptops with bigger screens. The 14-inch MacBook Professional begins at $1,599/£1,599, whereas the 15-inch MacBook Air begins at $1,299/£1,399.
Is now a superb time to purchase a 15-inch MacBook Air?
Apple launched the 15-inch MacBook Air in March 2024, however whereas it’s nonetheless lower than a 12 months outdated, we do count on that Apple will replace it in early 2025 with the M4 chip that arrived within the MacBook Professional, iMac and Mac mini in October 2024.
One level in favor of the 15-inch MacBook Air is that Apple doubled the unified reminiscence (RAM) in October 2024, so there’s at the very least 16GB RAM as customary within the 15-inch MacBook Air, which ought to imply that when you discover a whole lot on a 16GB RAM-equipped mannequin you received’t remorse spending your cash.
Ought to I purchase a 14-inch MacBook Professional now or wait?
Worth When Reviewed:
$1,599 | $1,799 | $1,999
- Final replace: October 2024
- Subsequent replace: October 2025
Apple upgraded the 14-inch MacBook Professional with the M4, M4 Professional and M4 Max in October 2024. We don’t count on to see one other replace till at the very least the autumn of 2025.
Once we reviewed the MacBook Professional M4 mannequin we discovered it provided a superb efficiency increase over the MacBook Professional M3. The increase from 8GB to 16GB unified reminiscence is one profit, one other acquire comes within the type of an additional Thunderbolt/USB 4 port. In our evaluate we described the M4 MacBook Professional as: “a bundle bursting with worth. It now not seems like a compromised laptop computer, and also you get lots of efficiency and options for the worth”.
If you’re a professional person who wants somewhat extra oomph then the M4 Professional or M4 Max fashions provide extra ports (together with Thunderbolt 5) and superior energy. In our evaluate of the M4 Professional fashions we stated they “have what it takes to beat your processing calls for”. Learn our evaluate right here: 14-inch MacBook Professional M4 evaluate.
Is now a superb time to purchase a 14-inch MacBook Professional?
At $1,599/£1,599 the worth of the 14-inch MacBook Professional with M4 is a excessive in comparison with the 15-inch MacBook Air, which you will get for $1,299/£1,299, however the latter nonetheless solely presents the M3 chip and the M4 within the MacBook Professional is leaps forward. So or advice proper now could be to purchase the MacBook Professional when you see a superb deal. If you happen to discover a deal on the older M3 MacBook Professional we’d advise towards it as a result of that mannequin has much less RAM.
If it’s the M4 Professional or M4 Max version you might be after, our advice is purchase one, you received’t be upset. If you wish to get the very best value for a brand new MacBook Professional try our round-up of the Greatest MacBook Professional offers.
Learn our full
Apple 14-inch MacBook Professional (M4) evaluate
Ought to I purchase a 16-inch MacBook Professional now or wait?
Worth When Reviewed:
$2,499 | $2,899
- Final replace: October 2024
- Subsequent replace: October 2025
Alongside the 14-inch MacBook Professional, in October 2024, Apple launched a 16-inch MacBook Professional with M4 Professional or M4 Max. Once we reviewed the M4 Professional 16-inch MacBook Professional mannequin we described it as “a strong workstation and Apple makes the bundle even higher with Thunderbolt 5, the 12MP Heart Stage digicam, and the Nano-texture glass show choice”.
If you happen to want the last word in processing muscle, you really need an M4 Max chip, but when a $3,499/£3,499 laptop computer is out of your price range, the M4 Professional fashions have what it takes to beat your processing calls for.
The bigger 16-inch mannequin prices greater than it’s smaller sibling, however when you want extra battery life and a much bigger display screen then that is the mannequin for you.
If you happen to’re nonetheless utilizing an Intel-based MacBook Professional, it’s time to improve.
For extra recommendation learn our comparability of all of the MacBook Professional fashions.
Is now a superb time to purchase a 16-inch MacBook Professional?
The 16-inch MacBook Professional was up to date in October 2024, so we don’t count on one other replace for a while. If you’ll find a superb deal then undoubtedly purchase one.
If it’s energy you want and portability isn’t an element, you might also need to think about the M4 Professional within the Mac mini and a show as a less expensive choice than the 16-inch MacBook Professional.
Learn our full
Apple 16-inch MacBook Professional (M4 Professional) evaluate
Ought to I purchase a 24-inch iMac now or wait?
Worth When Reviewed:
$1,299 | $1,499 | $1,699 | $1,899
- Final replace: October 2024
- Subsequent replace: Late 2025/2026
The 24-inch iMac is eye-catching, each by way of the standard of the 4.5K show and the colourful case. The M4 mannequin arrived in October 2024 with every mannequin obtainable in blue, inexperienced, orange, pink, purple, yellow, and silver, with all however silver providing a daring tone on the again that’s complemented by a paler model on the entrance.
On the within the variations are spectacular. As we stated in our evaluate, “the brand new 16GB RAM customary, the implementation of Thunderbolt throughout the board, the improved FaceTime digicam, and the Nano-texture glass choice are all successful strikes by Apple.”
The M4 chip inside is similar as you’ll find within the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Professional and Mac mini. The iMac is inexpensive than the MacBook Professional, beginning at $1,299/£1,299 in comparison with $1,599/£1,599 for the MacBook Professional, however the MacBook Professional is healthier outfitted, with a 10-core GPU, moderately than the 8-core GPU present in that entry-level iMac. There’s additionally double the storage within the MacBook (512GB in comparison with 256GB). If you’re in search of the very best worth although, the Mac mini is less expensive than the iMac, beginning at $599/£599 for a similar spec.
Is now a superb time to purchase a 24-inch iMac?
Whereas we really feel that it’s overpriced, we settle for that there are locations for which the iMac is right–reception desks, dwelling rooms, and so forth. If If you happen to’re in search of a brand new, full Mac setup– a pc, show, and enter units–the M4 iMac is a good alternative.
If you happen to do need to purchase one then don’t pay full value, test our round-up of the greatest iMac offers.
If you happen to want an iMac that’s designed with artistic professionals in thoughts it is best to have a look at the Mac mini with M4 Professional.
Learn our full
Apple iMac (M4) evaluate
Ought to I purchase a Mac mini now or wait?
Worth When Reviewed:
$599 | $799 | $999
- Final replace: October 2024
- Subsequent replace: Late 2025/2026
Apple launched the M4 Mac mini and M4 Professional Mac mini in October 2024. The Mac mini with M4 or M4 Professional is the lengthy awaited successor to the M2 Mac mini and M2 Professional model.
The Mac mini is now even smaller, nevertheless it’s simply as highly effective as another M4 outfitted Mac. The efficiency and worth on provide for simply $599/£599 is great, in case you are making an attempt to spec up a machine to satisfy increased calls for we discovered that may be costly, however that’s the case with all of Apple’s build-to-order choices.
The professional model of the Mac mini does a lot to fill the hole left by the removing of the 27-inch iMac, so long as you will have an honest monitor you should utilize.
Is now a superb time to purchase a Mac mini?
We advocate the M4 Mac mini. It presents the identical specs as the opposite M4 Macs for a lot much less cash, the one distinction being the absence of a display screen. However since you should buy an honest 4K show for lower than £300/$300 we don’t suppose that may be a large downside. See our round-up of the greatest displays for Mac.
The M4 Professional Mac mini is a good choice for anybody who wants reasonably priced energy. The one cause to carry off shopping for is if you wish to await Apple to replace the Mac Studio with M2 Max and M2 Extremely. Nonetheless, the Mac Studio begins at $1,999/£2,099, whereas the M2 Professional Mac mini presents a lot better worth at $1,299/£1,299.
If you wish to purchase a Mac mini now try our round-up of the Greatest Mac mini offers.
Ought to I purchase a Mac Studio now or wait?
Worth When Reviewed:
£1,999
Final replace: June 2023
Subsequent replace: 2025
The Mac Studio arrived in March 2022 and we had been impressed by its processing energy, port flexibility and value. In our evaluate we stated “The Mac Studio presents thrilling processing prowess,” and added: “It might even be an appropriate substitute for an Intel Mac Professional in sure conditions.” That mannequin was changed by a Mac Studio with M2 Max or M2 Extremely again in June 2023, however there hasn’t been an replace in 2024.
In our evaluate of the mannequin that arrived in June 2023, we stated that: “The Mac Studio is the perfect Mac–it’s highly effective, priced appropriately, has numerous ports for connecting units, and it received’t take up lots of desk area,” and described it as a “full bundle of processing energy, options, and design”. An HDMI improve fixes certainly one of our greatest issues with the unique Mac Studio, bringing 8K show help and help for extra shows general.
Is now a superb time to purchase a Mac Studio?
Practically a 12 months and a half after the Mac Studio with M2 Max and M2 Extremely arrived in June 2023, the M4 Max has arrived within the MacBook Professional. That chip which can finally be destined for the Mac Studio, together with the M4 Extremely (except Apple jumps straight to the M5).
With an replace log overdue it actually appears to be like doubtless that the Mac Studio will see an replace in 2025. We count on Apple to replace the mannequin both at, or earlier than, WWDC in June. If you happen to want a strong machine within the meantime then you might be higher off contemplating the M4 Professional Mac mini or M4 Professional or M4 Max MacBook Professional.
Alternatively, reap the benefits of the Greatest Mac Studio offers, as a result of we do see some large reductions on these fashions.
Learn our full
Apple Mac Studio (M2 Max, 2023) evaluate
Ought to I purchase a Mac Professional now or wait?
Worth When Reviewed:
From $6,999
- Final replace: June 2023
- Subsequent replace: 2025
Apple launched the present Mac Professional in June 2023, three and a half years after the vary was final up to date in December 2019. That was the primary replace since December 2013 (which was a wait of six years!)
The primary good thing about the 2019 Mac Professional design is shared by the design of the 2023 Mac Professional: it presents PCIe growth slots (seven in whole) and its modular design ought to imply that there’s the potential for SSD upgrades down the road (though RAM received’t be upgradable and nor will the GPU or CPU).
The Mac Professional has lots of competitors within the type of the Mac Studio, which presents the very same spec because the Mac Studio and is cheaper. The Mac Professional brings an additional fan, extra ports and there’s a rack-mounted choice.
Is now a superb time to purchase a Mac Professional?
The drawback is that Apple hasn’t up to date the Mac Professional (or Mac Studio) since mid 2023. Whereas Apple usually waits a very long time between Mac Professional updates, the M4 Professional has greater than caught up with the M2 Max and the M4 Max has edged forward of the M2 Extremely, so when you want the facility then the Mac Professional isn’t trying as enticing subsequent to its siblings
When the Mac Professional is lastly up to date we count on it to leap forward, so our advice it to attend. We count on an replace at, or earlier than, WWDC.
