Earlier this year, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman revealed that Apple has a new M7-powered entry level MacBook Pro in the pipeline for spring 2027. This isn’t an ordinary MacBook Pro refresh though. It’ll bring the upcoming redesign down to the entry level, something that previously wasn’t expected.
Normally, when Apple introduces a new MacBook Pro design, it takes a while to trickle down. For instance, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro and M1 Max was introduced in 2021, but the base model MacBook Pro stuck with the 13-inch design until 2023, when it gained the 14-inch chassis with the M3 chip.
Similarly, when Apple redesigned the MacBook Pro in 2016, it wasn’t until 2019 that the entry level model gained the Touch Bar. There’s also a similar story for the 2012 retina MacBook Pro redesign.
This time around though, there’ll only be a roughly 6 month gap before the redesign comes to the entry level.
M7 entry-level with redesign
According to Bloomberg, Apple will be introducing the redesign to the entry level MacBook Pro in early 2027, shortly after debuting it in the high end MacBook Pros, rumored to be called MacBook Ultra. From the report:
Apple is also preparing a revamped entry-level MacBook Pro, code-named K104, for as early as the first half of next year. The 14-inch laptop will adopt a new design in line with what Apple is preparing for higher-end MacBooks with touch screens due between the end of this year and early next year.
It’s worth noting that there’ll also be another entry level MacBook Pro with the current design and the M6 chip, which is currently on track to debut this fall alongside the redesigned high-end MacBook Pros.
To make things even weirder, those redesigned high-end MacBook Pros are also expected to debut with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, instead of M6 generation chips. Apple recently made a decision to abandon its plans for high end M6 chips to instead accelerate M7.
In short, it’ll look like this:
- Fall 2026: Entry-level MacBook Pro with M6/old design, high-end with M5 Pro/Max and new design
- Spring 2027: Entry-level MacBook Pro with M7 and new design
- Fall 2027: High-end MacBook Pro refresh with M7 Pro/M7 Max
Of course, the redesign is expected to feature a slightly thinner chassis, OLED displays with touch support, and possibly even come with a Dynamic Island.
Wrap up
With the recent price hikes, this is excellent news for some people. I’m sure the redesigned 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro will likely cost over $2500, so if you’re looking to get something more in budget with the M7 chip and the redesign, you’ll only have to wait until the following spring.
It’s certainly unfortunate that the $1,999 price point of the entry level MacBook Pro today is what the Pro chip versions cost just under a year ago, but that’s the inevitable reality of this memory shortage.
Are you looking forward to the M7 MacBook Pro with the redesign? Let us know in the comments.
My favorite Apple accessory recommendations:
Follow Michael: X/Twitter, Bluesky, Instagram
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.