The OLED MacBook Pro Is Coming: What to Expect

Great news for Apple fans — the OLED MacBook Pro is officially on the horizon, and it’s shaping up to be one of the most exciting MacBook releases yet. Expected to arrive in 2026, this next-generation MacBook Pro will feature a slimmer design and groundbreaking display technology that may make it worth holding off on purchasing the upcoming M5 or M5 Pro models.

Slimmer Design — But Not Too Slim

The new MacBook Pro is rumored to be significantly slimmer, though not as thin as the MacBook Air. It’s expected to land somewhere between the current MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air in terms of thickness. This is important to note because the MacBook Pro line includes extra ports like HDMI and SD card slots, which require a certain amount of space on the chassis. If Apple reduces the thickness, it’s likely to be by around 10-15%, similar to the incremental thinning seen with the Apple Watch redesign in 2024.

The Star of the Show: OLED Display

The standout upgrade on the new MacBook Pro will be its OLED display. OLED technology offers several advantages over the current mini-LED screens. It’s significantly more power-efficient, which could translate into even better battery life. While Apple’s current mini-LED displays are among the best on the market, OLED panels deliver superior contrast, richer colors, and deeper blacks.

Expect a display comparable to the tandem OLED panel seen in the latest iPad Pro with the M4 chip, widely regarded as the best OLED display on a mobile device to date. Thanks to the thin nature of OLED technology, the display area on the MacBook Pro can also be slightly reduced in thickness — possibly by 10-20% — without sacrificing durability or performance.

Improved Cooling and Thermal Design

One common concern when devices get thinner is how they handle heat. Apple is expected to redesign the thermal architecture in the new MacBook Pro. Historically, the internal layouts of models like the M1 Pro and M4 Pro MacBook Pros have remained largely similar, particularly regarding fan placement and heatsinks. With the introduction of a new design, Apple will likely revamp the cooling system from the ground up to handle the next several generations of M-series chips, likely starting with the M6 and potentially carrying forward to the M10 or M11 series. The system will likely retain fans but with improved efficiency.

Goodbye to the Notch?

One of the most exciting rumored changes is the potential removal of the notch on the MacBook Pro. Future models may instead feature under-display Face ID or shift to a small circular camera cutout, following trends seen in Android smartphones and some premium laptops. This change would address a common complaint among users who find the notch distracting.

Price Expectations

With the addition of OLED technology, some price increases are expected. The 14-inch MacBook Pro may see a price bump of around $100, while the 16-inch model could go up by $150 to $200. This pattern follows the pricing shift seen when Apple upgraded the iPad Pro from mini-LED to OLED.

Expected Release Date

The OLED MacBook Pro is projected to launch in 2026. Before that, Apple will likely release one more MacBook Pro model featuring the M5 chip using the current design. The OLED models will debut alongside the M6 chip generation.