Why MacBook Pro is Disappearing from Stores: New Models Are Coming

Order an MacBook Pro today, and you may never get it at all. But it’s not some horrible scam — Apple is very close to introducing new models, and it knows you probably won’t want the ones available today once the new ones are out. That’s why the wait times on many MacBook Pro models with M4 Pro and M4 Max stretch out well into February. It gives buyers time to change their orders. MacBook Pro in short supply as new model is imminent It’s a first-world problem, but ordering an expensive new computer just days before a better model comes out is hair-pullingly frustrating. Apple is trying to save you from that. If you buy a new MacBook Pro today with the M4 Pro and M4 Max processor, you’ll feel mighty exasperated if the replacement with the M5 Pro and M5 Max launches before you even get all the software installed on the one you just got. Especially as the newer one will probably cost the same. Apple has your back. Orders placed today on the US online Apple Store for the base model 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M4 chip won’t be delivered until February 13. There are none in retail stores, either. The same goes for the MBP with the M4 Max. With such a long wait, shoppers have plenty of opportunity to switch their order to a MacBook Pro with the new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips after Apple announces them. It’s a smart move for Apple, too. It doesn’t want angry customers, plus there’s a good chance you’ll just return the M4 model to the store and buy the newer one. Preventing either is simply good business. It’s a terrible day to order a MacBook Pro To be clear, the Apple M5 Pro and M5 Max processors have not yet been announced, nor has Apple said a word about putting these chips into the MacBook Pro. Nevertheless, that’s widely expected to happen any day now. No product launch event has been scheduled, but the latest macOS notebook is likely to be unveiled via an early morning press release. As for the specific date, the recently announced Apple Creator Studio launches on January 28. There’s speculation that the new MVP will come out on the same date. But it could be any day between now and the first week of February. The new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to bring significant performance gains over the current M4 Pro/Max models, particularly in graphics and AI-heavy workflows. That said, this will be a “chip and ship” update. The overall design of the MVP is not expected to change, with the same 15-inch and 16-inch options as the M4 models. The refreshed model will complement the already released M5-powered base MacBook Pro, which is available only in a 14-inch variant.