Unless you always buy stuff at launch, there’s a high chance you’re sometimes divided between upgrading a device or waiting. If you’re wondering whether to get an M4 MacBook Pro or save money for an M5, here’s what to consider.
Is It Better To Buy an M4 MacBook Pro or Wait for the M5 Models?
Well, it depends. If rumors are to be believed, the M5 MacBook Pros will be significantly different from the current models. That doesn’t mean, however, you should necessarily wait for them. There are good arguments both in favor of waiting and in favor of purchasing a current-gen model.
4 Reasons To Wait for the M5
The stock market has a practice called panic selling. That’s when shares you own begin to devalue, and you sell them right away “before things get worse”. Apple stock, e.g., fell 40% between October 3rd ($58 then, $74 now), 2018, and January 3rd, 2019($35, $45 nowadays). Currently, it’s worth over $220 per share, thrice its peak price in 2018.
Now, there’s “panic buying” as well — which is different from impulse buying. A person panic buying is so anxious to switch something they own for a new model, they make terrible decisions. This results in buyer’s remorse and makes you lose time and money. The arguments below will help you avoid being this person.
1. Possible Redesign
Some more recent rumors indicate this may have been pushed to 2026. However, there’s still a chance the M5 MacBook Pros will get a redesign. If you own a 2021 or newer model and want some change, or don’t like the current-gen design, wait. It won’t hurt to stand by for a few months to see if new leaks discard or confirm the design changes.
2. Performance Boost
What will surely arrive with the M5 MacBook Pro family, however, is a performance upgrade over the M4 models. Other than the new processor, they may come with faster RAM, and in higher amounts. There are also rumors about a new camera, and possibly (though unlikely) an Apple-designed Wi-Fi modem. Cellular connectivity, on the other hand, won’t arrive before 2026, if ever.
3. Longer Support and OS Updates
Apple doesn’t usually drop support for more than one product generation at a time. Sometimes it even “skips” deprecations: iPhones XR and XS, got two more OS updates than the X, one year older.
If something similar happens to M5 MacBook Pros, they will receive macOS upgrades until 2033, and security updates until 2035. M4 models, on the other hand, may not get new versions after 2031.
4. Your Current Mac Is Likely Still Good Enough
Lastly, if the Mac you’re using today still serves you well, why rush to buy a new one? Surely, older models aren’t as fast as newer ones, but many still pack a punch. To this day, my secondary computer is a 2012 MacBook Pro — the i5 model! — running macOS Ventura with OCLP. It’s not a powerhouse, but handles basic internet browsing or watching movies very decently for a 13-year-old computer.
4 Reasons To Buy the M4
Now, even if the above made you consider waiting for the M5, getting an M4 MacBook Pro may be worth it. Here’s why.
1. M5 Models Will Take Some Time To Arrive
Even though Apple decided to launch products this year earlier than usual, M5-powered Macs are still many months away. Don’t forget that the company even released a processor in the M3 line less than a month ago.
Apple’s product roadmap for 2025 isn’t likely to include an M5 MacBook Pro before the last quarter. While at that, I’d like to remind you that the current generation is only five months old.
2. The Performance Boost Won’t Be So Significant
Surely, the M5 processors will be more powerful, but how much more? According to the most recent information available, performance should increase by only about 5%, compared to their M4 counterparts. Power consumption will get a slightly more significant boost, but not by much, likely consuming 5-10% less at best.
One aspect that the M5 CPUs are expected to be way better than other Apple Silicon processors is thermal performance. However, even M1 Macs are so overpowered, for so many tasks, that heat generation isn’t a concern for most users. Even so, this point is more likely to impact MacBook Air users, since the Pros feature active cooling.
3. M-Series Macs Might Get Longer Support
Speaking of overpowered, it’s possible that Apple stretches its upgrade policy even longer with Apple Silicon Macs. For M1 models, we’re still somewhat far from the usual macOS compatibility drop, so the following is only speculation.
I believe Apple will keep the 6-7 year window most Macs get, or extend it slightly, for now. That’s because of RAM constraints. It was unbelievable Macs still had 8GB of RAM in 2024, so imagine how unusable they will be in 2030.
Anyway, my guess is that the company would extend this window further for models with 16GB of RAM or more. However, Apple isn’t known to limit OS compatibility based solely on RAM, so it’s likely to cut support by generation. That means the (bigger) support extension would begin with M4 Macs, all of which feature at least 16GB of RAM.
If the company goes for something audacious, like a decade of OS upgrades, M4 Macs would be supported until 2034. Or 2036, if you count security updates. It’s not reasonable to refrain from buying a laptop because you’ll get updates for 12 years instead of 13.
4. Postponing Purchases Has Lots of Disadvantages
Lastly, holding back from buying a computer has all sorts of drawbacks. For starters, you’ll have to use your current Mac, which is the reason you want a new model, for longer.
You’ll also miss many great deals, like this MacBook Pro with an M3 Pro and 36GB of RAM for $1,799. That’s $800, or 31%, off the model’s original price. And, even if it’s the 2023 model, there’s very little you can throw at this computer that makes it sweat.
There’s the chance, as well, that when Apple launches the new models, you’ll be underwhelmed and postpone upgrading even more. This can become a cycle, until your current Mac bites the dust, forcing you to buy a new one unexpectedly.
Other Aspects to Consider
Before wrapping up, there are a few more things to have in mind. These can help you decide between waiting for the M5 models, buying an M4, or doing something else entirely.
Does the M4 or M5 MacBook Pro Fit Your Needs?
When Steve Jobs first introduced the MacBook Air, in 2008, he famously took the laptop out of a kraft envelope. While MacBook Pros have gotten significantly thinner since they still can’t slip through most mailbox openings. So, if your priorities include, e.g., ultimate portability, they’re far from the best option.
Also, if you only do light tasks like office work, basic web browsing, or watching movies, MacBook Pros are overkill. Apple Silicon Airs can even handle a bit of serious gaming, though nothing recent at Ultra settings.
Do You Really Need a Pro Model?
There are more aspects, other than raw power, in which Pros show they are higher-end machines. They have better screens, additional ports, active cooling, and even a “more sober” color availability. If you don’t need all that, why not save some money and get the recently announced M4 MacBook Air instead? You can use the difference to get accessories, or purchase RAM and storage upgrades as well.
Do You Really Need a Laptop?
A similar matter to the above is: do you need a laptop? Surely, a portable workstation is always good, but you could keep your still-decent laptop and get a desktop instead.
You can save big money and buy a Mac Mini (and give it some upgrades), for example. Another option is shelling out the same amount you already intended to and treat yourself to a Mac Studio. If a built-in screen is indispensable, similarly-specced iMacs and MacBook Pros cost about the same.
How Urgent Is Your Case?
My first MacBook withered slowly in front (and because) of me over the years. I spent most of my “computer money” on upgrades, and couldn’t afford many repairs back then. The battery also swelled, I took it off and only used it plugged in. When the keyboard stopped working, I got a cheap Bluetooth one. When the trackpad cracked, I didn’t care, because I preferred mice anyway. And when it didn’t power on anymore, I was caught “by surprise”, and had to get a Windows computer instead.
Urgency is relative, but you may want to avoid situations like mine. If your current Mac is in good shape, keeping your wallet shut for a bit can be a better move. Even if you decide against buying a M5 MacBook Pro, you can find a great deal on an M4 model. However, if your computer is (more or less literally) falling apart, why wait until it breaks completely? This may even give you avoidable headaches, like being unable to use Migration Assistant to move apps, files, and settings.
There are a lot of aspects to consider when shopping for a new MacBook. So many, in fact, that it wouldn’t be unexcusable if you forgot to think about some of them. Guides like this exist precisely to help you with that. After all, whether you get an M5 MacBook Pro, an M4, or none, you want to avoid regretting your purchase.