Apple also plans a special "Apple Experience" party in Los Angeles next week, with the tech world on edge. Set for Jan. 27 to Jan. 29, the event has already catalysed the rumor mill as many believe they will see a surprise reveal of new high-end M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models.
The Evidence: Why January 27?
Some “stars” are lining up, hinting that a hardware news is approaching:
- The Creator Event: Apple has been sending top-tier content creators exclusive invitations for an event in LA. It isn’t uncommon for Apple to congregate creators, but typically it’s to demonstrate high-performance hardware.
- Creator Studio Launch: Apple’s new Creator Studio a subscription package that includes Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Pixelmator Pro will officially debut on Wednesday, January 28. A “Pro” software launch is a great match for “Pro” hardware.
- Earnings Call Synergy: Apple’s quarterly earnings call is scheduled for January 29. The company regularly releases product press releases 24–48 hours before those calls to bolster investor confidence.
- Shipping Delays: Delivery estimates on existing M4 Pro and M4 Max configurations have plummeted and are often a tell-tale sign that inventory is being cleared for a refresh.
BREAKING: Apple has invited the press to a special Apple Experience next week on Jan 27-29th, which is the rumored launch date for Apple's New M5 Pro & M5 Max MacBook Pros!
— Vadim Yuryev (@VadimYuryev) January 23, 2026
This coincides with the Apple Creator Studio release date on 28th.
Yes, this is legit! (check insta) https://t.co/rAyLigLccy
What to Expect: The M5 Pro & M5 Max
Leaks say the M5 Pro and M5 Max is not just a clock-speed bump. These chips are anticipated to be the earliest and first to serve as "AI-first" professional processors from Apple and the first Apple processors to feature:
- Neural Accelerators: Rumors indicate that every GPU core has a dedicated “Neural Accelerator,” this is to dramatically enhance on-product Large Language Model (LLM) performance on device.
- Architecture Shift: The high-end chips could relocate to an enhanced 3nm (N3P) process, providing 25–30% boost to the performance of the M4 generation.
- Thunderbolt 5: All Pro/Max units will have full support for Thunderbolt 5, offering data transfer speeds up to 120Gbps.
- Unified Memory: Aspects of the M5 Max that would take things a step further with the ability to support up to 192GB of unified memory in top-end configurations.
Design: Not So Old (Yet)
If you’re waiting for some thin-and-light redesign or OLED display option, you can expect to have to wait until 2027. Most of the insiders agree that the M5 generation will keep with the current industrial look. The purported “big” visual redesign — including the rumored hole-punch camera and touchscreen capabilities — is apparently only expected to be available in the M6 generation.
Pricing & Availability
If history has any lessons to suggest, Apple will continue to maintain its current pricing arrangement:
- 14-inch MacBook Pro (M5 Pro): Begins at $1,999
- 16-inch MacBook Pro (M5 Pro): $2,499 for a starting price.
The announcement would then be released via press release on Monday or Tuesday (Jan 26/27), with pre-orders set to be available immediately and in-store availability as early as February 6.
