When to buy a Mac: Should you buy a Mac or MacBook now?

Whether you are updating your old MacBook laptop or planning to buy your first Mac part of the decision of which model to buy should be based on timing. Before you part with your money you should check that the model you are buying isn’t about to be upgraded by Apple. There is nothing worse than buying a new MacBook Air only to see Apple update the models a month later. Luckily you are here reading this article so the chance of you making a mistake like that is slim (although you should check the date this article was last updated!)

In this article, we’ll tell you the best time to buy a MacBook, when to buy a Mac, at what time of year Apple usually updates its Macs, and whether an update is expected soon. We’ll also mention if there are any particular configurations to avoid.

We will run through each Mac and MacBook Apple currently sells and assess whether now is a good time to buy one based on educated guesses as to when the next one will launch. Sometimes if you wait a month or two you can get more for your money – provided Apple keeps its prices the same.

Before you make the decision of which Mac to buy you should also check out our Mac buying guide and our MacBook buying guide.

When will Apple launch new Macs?

There are a couple of things that can help when predicting when a new model might land. One is to be aware of when Apple last updated the range. The other is to note when Apple has previously announced updates to that range.

Apple updated the MacBook Pro and iMac at an event in October 2023. We don’t anticipate any more Mac updates until spring 2024. take a look at our article about Apple Events and the new products expected from Apple to check that the outlook hasn’t changed.

Most recent/current launches:

14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max – November 2023
24-inch iMac, M3 – November 2023
Mac Studio, M2 Max and M2 Ultra – June 2023
Mac Pro, M2 Ultra – June 2023
15-inch MacBook Air, M2 – June 2023
Mac mini, M2 and M2 Pro – January 2023
13-inch MacBook Pro, M2 – July 2022 (discontinued November 2023)
13-inch MacBook Air, M2 – July 2022

As for the times when a Mac launch is most likely. In the past, the most likely times to see Mac updates were: WWDC in June for professional Mac models (e.g. Mac Studio, 14-& 16-inch MacBook Pro and Mac Pro) and October for consumer-focused Macs (e.g. MacBook Air and Mac mini). However, as you will see when you read on, this is not a rule that Apple abides by particularly, nor does Apple always launch new Macs at special events: it often just takes the Apple Store offline for a few hours and then when it returns new Mac models are available.

It used to be easier to predict when Apple would launch new Macs because updates were often tied to the launch of the next generation of Intel processors. Now that Apple has transitioned from Intel to its own series of processors, it is no longer tied to Intel’s upgrade cycle. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the updates happen more frequently though.

We do, however, think that updates for the following Macs are likely to arrive in the next few months.

Mac mini, M3: Now the iMac and MacBook Pro have been updated to M3 it’s likely that the Mac mini will also gain the new chip. And following the arrival of the M3 Pro we can expect to see that in the pro version of the Mac mini soon. See: New Mac mini M3. Expected launch: Spring 2024.
13- & 15-inch MacBook Air: Now that the MacBook Pro has an M3 chip the MacBook Air is looking less impressive next to it. We expect that the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air will get an update soon. See: MacBook Air rumors. Expected launch: Spring 2024.
Mac Studio: The Mac Studio go the M2 Max and M2 Ultra in June 2023, so expect an M3-Max/Ultra update about the same time in 2024.
Mac Pro: Like the Mac Studio, we expect a update in June 2024.
iMac Pro: Apple discontinued the larger-screened 27-inch iMac when the Mac Studio was introduced, but there are rumors that it could make a comeback. Read about the new iMac Pro. Expected launch: 2024-2025.

Should I wait for Black Friday deals?

If you are thinking of buying a new Mac and the last few months of the year are approaching, you should hold on to take advantage of deals season. From October onwards is when we tend to see the most deals, with everyone saving their best discounts for the weeks around Black Friday at the end of November. If you are wondering whether to wait until Black Friday itself or take advantage of an early deal that’s marked as being ‘early Black Friday’ or similar, our advice is to just go for it! In the past lots of retailers have started their Black Fridays sales a long time before the day itself and promised that prices won’t go any lower on Black Friday itself.

It’s unlikely that Apple will offer any discounts for Black Friday though. The company tends to offer vouchers with qualifying sales around Black Friday, and we don’t expect that to change: here’s what Apple is likely to be doing for Black Friday 2023. So don’t expect Apple to offer discounts on Black Friday, but you might be able to get money off Apple products from another reseller. We see many resellers offering Black Friday deals on Apple products, so come back around Black Friday and check out our best Apple Black Friday deals to see how much you can save.

But we don’t only see prices cut for Black Friday, we see deals on Apple products all year round – so don’t assume you can’t get money off a new Apple product when you need to buy one. Check out our round-ups of the best Apple deals:

There are other ways to save money too:

Is it a good time to buy a Mac or MacBook?

Let’s take a look at each Mac and MacBook on the market and assess if you should consider buying it now. Check the date at the top of the article to see when we last updated this information.

Should I buy a 13-inch MacBook Air now or wait?

Price When Reviewed:

â¹1,19,900

Last update: June 2022
Next update: Spring 2024

There are three versions of the MacBook Air available to buy right now. There are two 13-inch models: one with an M1 chip that launched in November 2020 and one with an M2 chip that went on sale in July 2022. There is also a 15-inch MacBook Air with M2 that joined the lineup in June 2023 which we discuss below.

In our review of the M1 MacBook Air 2020 we said: There is no doubt at all that the M1 MacBook Air offers a significant improvement compared to its predecessor in every way that matters, the highlights being much better battery life, software improvements to the FaceTime camera, and the significantly faster operation. There are still some areas that let it down though, for example, the fact that you can’t plug in more than one other monitor (unless you read this: How to connect two or more external displays to Apple Silicon Macs).

The M2 MacBook Air, with its brand-new design, arrived in the summer of 2022. It has the same issue with plugging in external monitors, but it does at least gain a MagSafe charging port, so two USB-C ports are available. In our 13-inch M2 MacBook Air review we described it as “just right for nearly every user” thanks to its improved display with thinner bezels, full-size function row, killer battery life and outstanding performance in its class.

Is now a good time to buy a 13-inch MacBook Air?

The M1 MacBook Air is an excellent machine and it is the cheapest Mac laptop right now. However, the 13-inch MacBook Air with M2 chip only costs $100/£150 more now that Apple has dropped the price on that model, so our advice would be to pay a little extra for the newer design and better specs.

The main point against buying a MacBook Air right now is that Apple has just updated the MacBook Pro with M3 chip, so it’s likely that the MacBook Air will get a similar update soon. That said, the MacBook Pro with M3 now costs much more than the M2 model did, making the MacBook Air more desirable than ever. Our main concern is that it could see a price hike when the M3 chip does arrive. Although, if you are outside the U.S. Apple may reduce prices after the price hikes of the past couple of years, as it has done with the iPhone 15.

We go into more detail about whether to buy a MacBook Air here: Should I buy a MacBook Air now?

Our recommendation is that if you can find a good discount on the price of the M2 MacBook Air right now then it’s a great time to buy, but be aware that the M3 MacBook Air is likely to launch in the near future.

Read our full

Apple 13-inch MacBook Air (M2, 2022) review

Should I buy a 15-inch MacBook Air now or wait?

Last update: June 2023
Next update: Spring 2024

Now there is another MacBook Air to consider. A larger MacBook Air arrived in June 2023 and in our review of the 15-inch MacBook Air we said that the 15-inch MacBook Air is “exactly like the 13-inch MacBook Air introduced last year, only with a bigger display (and thus chassis) and better speakers”. But if you prefer larger laptops then the 15-inch MacBook Air will save you thousands compared to the 16-inch MacBook Pro.

If you prefer a larger screen then the 15-inch MacBook Air costs a bit more than the 13-inch model, but less than the other Mac laptops with larger screens, although the 14-inch MacBook Pro now starts at $1,599/£1,699 (down from $1,999/£2,149) while the 15-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,299/£1,399.

Is now a good time to buy a 15-inch MacBook Air?

Apple launched the 15-inch MacBook Air in June 2023 so it’s relatively new, however, the M2 chip that powers this MacBook Air is the same one that launched in the 13.6-inch MacBook Air in July 2022, so if you want a more powerful chip you may prefer to wait for the arrival of the M3 MacBook Air, which could happen in spring 2024.

If you live outside the U.S. our advice is to wait until Apple updates the range as we anticipate that the company will also reduce prices back to the pre-price hike levels of a couple of years ago, as it has done with the iPhone 15.

Read our full

Apple 15-inch MacBook Air (M2, 2023) review

Should I buy a 13-inch MacBook Pro now or wait?

Last update: June 2022
Next update: Discontinued

For a long while we’ve been thinking the days of the 13-inch MacBook Pro were numbered and they were. Apple discontinued that model in October 2023. However, we are going to leave it in this guide for a little while as there will undoubtedly be stock still to sell off from various resellers, who may be offering it at a good price – and if you find one at a good price it gets our recommendation.

What it has that the MacBook Air hasn’t is a fan, so the laptop can cope a bit better with processor-intensive applications. It also features the Touch Bar (which is something some people love, and others hate). Battery life runs to 20 hours, compared to the 18 hours of the MacBook Air models. But there are things the 13-inch MacBook Pro lacks that the MacBook Air has: The Air has a better FaceTime camera and better speakers, is lighter, and has a MagSafe charging port.

When we reviewed the M2 MacBook Pro we found that, as expected the M2 provides speed and graphics boosts and we noted that the build-in fan means this Mac can sustain performance better than the MacBook Air, but we noted that other MacBooks have displays with better quality and smaller bezels and we felt the mediocre 720p FaceTime camera isn’t good enough.

Is now a good time to buy a 13-inch MacBook Pro?

Yes (if you can find one at a good price)

The M2 MacBook Pro is a good laptop and we recommend it if the kind of applications you use will benefit from the improved cooling provided by the fan. Now we know that there will be no 13-inch MacBook Pro, while stocks last this will be the last opportunity to buy this model, so, if you can find one at a good price it’s worth buying one. Unless you need something more powerful, or that supports more RAM, in which case the 14-inch MacBook Pro is a better option.

Read our full

Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro (M2, 2022) review

Should I buy a 14-inch MacBook Pro now or wait?

Last update: November 2023
Next update: Fall 2024

Apple introduced the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro (or M1 Max as a build-to-order option) in October 2021 and then upgraded it with the M2 Pro and M2 Max in January 2023 and the M3, M3 Pro and M3 Max in November 2023. We don’t expect to see another update until at least the fall of 2024, but early 2025 is probably more realistic.

When we reviewed the MacBook Pro M3 Max model we found it offered a good performance boost over its predecessor. We said: “is a laptop that gets it all right, from the design, ports, and display to the power of the chip inside and the battery life.” Our main criticism is still that the FaceTime camera lacks Centre Stage, but that isn’t really a big deal. Read our review here: 16-inch MacBook Pro (M3 Max) review.

Is now a good time to buy a 14-inch MacBook Pro?

Yes (for the M3 Pro and M3 Max models)

The only disappointment with the 14-inch MacBook Pro is the fact that the starting price is a little high. You might be looking at the price and thinking that it’s lower than it was earlier in 2023, but the price drop for the 14-inch MacBook Pro is a result of the removal of the 13-inch MacBook Pro from the lineup. The M3 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,599/£1,699, which is less than the 14-inch used to cost $1,999/£2,149, but a lot more than the 13-inch MacBook Pro starting price that was $1,299/£1,349. That’s a leap of $300/£350 to get a MacBook Pro.

The price looks even less attractive next to the 15-inch MacBook Air, which you can get for $1,299/£1,399. In the past we’d have said that you get a lot for your money because the 14-inch MacBook Pro is a powerful pro Mac that will leave the MacBook Air for dust, but don’t forget we are talking about the M3 chip at the entry-level now, not the M3 Pro (which allows for more RAM and has other benefits). It will be hard to justify spending the extra $300/£300 to get a similarly specced machine once the M3 MacBook Air launches, which may well be why that model hasn’t launched yet.

If it’s the M3 Pro or M2 Max edition you are after, though, our recommendation is buy one, you won’t be disappointed.

If you are buying now, don’t pay full price: we saw some great deals for the 14-inch M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pro and there we expect to see deals for the new models as well. Check out our round-up of the Best MacBook Pro deals.

Should I buy a 16-inch MacBook Pro now or wait?

Last update: November 2023
Next update: Fall 2024

Alongside the 14-inch MacBook Pro, in November 2023, Apple introduced a 16-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Pro or M3 Max. When we reviewed it was said that the M3 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro was “an elegant monster”. We also said that “Three generations into the M-series chips, and the MacBook Pro continues its winning ways. This is a laptop that gets it all right, from the design, ports, and display to the power of the chip inside and the battery life.” If you’re still using an Intel-based MacBook Pro, it’s time to upgrade.

For more advice read our comparison of all the MacBook Pro models.

Is now a good time to buy a 16-inch MacBook Pro?

The 16-inch MacBook Pro was updated in November 2023, so we don’t expect another update for some time. If you can find a good deal then definitely buy one. If you find a good deal on the M2 Pro or M2 Max model that would be a good investment too. Make sure to check out our round-up of the Best MacBook Pro deals.

If it’s power you need and portability isn’t a factor, you may also want to consider the M2 Max in the Mac Studio or the M2 Pro in the Mac mini as a much cheaper option than the 16-inch MacBook Pro. Although those models are also due updates in 2024, so you may want to wait for them.

Should I buy a 24-inch iMac now or wait?

Last update: November 2023
Next update: 2025

Not much has changed with the arrival of the M3 iMac, compared to the M1 iMac. The 24-inch iMac is eye-catching, both in terms of the quality of the 4.5K display and the colorful case. There’s a choice of seven different colors, with pink, blue, green, orange, yellow, purple and silver on offer, with all but silver offering a bold tone on the back that is complemented by a paler version on the front.

The iMac’s screen is not quite the 24-inches that Apple insinuates by the name: this iMac has a 23.5-inch screen compared to the previous generation’s 21.5-inch display.

The M3 chip inside is the same as you can find in the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro. The iMac is slightly less expensive starting at $1,499/£1,599 compared to $1,599/£1,699 for the MacBook Pro. The MacBook PRo is slightly better equipped though, with a 10-core GPU, rather than the 8-core GPU found in that entry-level iMac. There’s also double the storage in the MacBook (512GB compared to 256GB). So it’s not really worth the $100/£100 saving.

Is now a good time to buy a 24-inch iMac?

Only if you are desperate for an iMac

It took Apple more than two years to update the 24-inch iMac which probably says a lot about the status of the machine. We still feel that it is overpriced, but we accept that there are places for which the iMac is ideal–reception desks, living rooms, and so on. If If you’re looking for a new, complete Mac setup– a computer, display, and input devices–the M3 iMac is a great choice.

If you do want to buy one then do not pay full price, check our round-up of the best iMac deals.

If you need an iMac that is designed with creative pros in mind you should look at the Mac mini with M2 Pro, the Mac Studio with M2 Max, or wait to see if Apple revives the 27-inch iMac/iMac Pro.

Read our full

Apple 24-inch iMac (M3, 2023) review

Should I buy a Mac mini now or wait?

Last update: January 2023
Next update: Spring 2024

Apple introduced the M2 Mac mini and M2 Pro Mac mini in January 2023. The Mac mini with M2 is a great successor to the M1 Mac mini, but the big news was the arrival of the M2 Pro version, which sits nicely between the Mac mini and the Mac Studio. This is a pro version of the Mac mini that fills the gap left by the removal of the 27-inch iMac.

Now that the M3 and M3 Pro chips have arrived it is surely only a matter of time before they make their way into the Mac mini. Probably in the spring of 2024.

Is now a good time to buy a Mac mini?

Mac mini M2 & M2 Pro: No (unless you find a good deal)

While we recommend the M2 Mac mini, it is likely to be updated in early 2024, so our advice would be to wait for the M3 model. If you can’t wait the M2 is still a good option as it offers the same specs as the other M2 Macs for much less money, the only difference being the absence of a screen. But since you can buy a decent 4K display for less than £300/$300 we don’t think that is a big problem. See our round-up of the best monitors for Mac.

The M2 Pro Mac mini is a great option for anyone who needs affordable power. There is some competition from the Mac Studio with M2 Max and M2 Ultra, which starts at $1,999/£2,099 compared to the M2 Pro Mac mini at $1,299/£1,399. That’s quite a large $700 to jump up to the M2 Max from the M2 Pro. Because the M2 Pro isn’t likely to arrive until spring 2024 if you can wait until then you should.

If you want to buy a Mac mini now check out our round-up of the Best Mac mini deals.

Read our full

Apple Mac mini (M2, 2023) review

Should I buy a Mac Studio now or wait?

Last update: June 2023
Next update: Mid 2024/2025

The Mac Studio arrived in March 2022 and we were impressed by its processing power, port flexibility and price. In our review we said “The Mac Studio offers exciting processing prowess,” and added: “It may even be a suitable replacement for an Intel Mac Pro in certain situations.” That model has now been replaced by a Mac Studio with M2 Max or M2 Ultra which is better than ever.

In our review of the model that arrived in June 2023, we said that: “The Mac Studio is the ideal Mac–it’s powerful, priced appropriately, has lots of ports for connecting devices, and it won’t take up a lot of desk space,” and described it as a “complete package of processing power, features, and design”. An HDMI upgrade fixes one of our biggest problems with the original Mac Studio, bringing 8K display support and support for more displays overall.

Is now a good time to buy a Mac Studio?

The Mac Studio with M2 Max and M2 Ultra arrived in June 2023 so it’s likely that there will be a wait before Apple updates this Mac again. We probably won’t see a new Mac Studio until mid-2024, maybe even later.

Therefore if you want to buy a Mac Studio it is a good time to do so. Your only consideration is really whether to spend less and get a Mac mini with M2 Pro, or spend more for a Mac Pro with M2 Ultra. Our testing showed that the M2 Max Mac Studio and the M2 Pro Mac mini have similar CPU performance, so if the apps you use are CPU-dependent then you will probably be ok with the Mac mini. If you use GPU-dependent software then the Mac Studio is the better choice.

If you want to buy one now, take advantage of the Best Mac Studio deals. But, as we keep saying, if you are outside the U.S. wait for Apple to reduce prices.

Read our full

Apple Mac Studio (M2 Max, 2023) review

Should I buy a Mac Pro now or wait?

Last update: June 2023
Next update: Mid 2024/2025

Apple launched the current Mac Pro in June 2023, three and a half years after the range was last updated in December 2019. That was the first update since December 2013 (which was a wait of six years!)

The main benefit of the 2019 Mac Pro design is shared by the design of the 2023 Mac Pro: it offers PCIe expansion slots (seven in total) and its modular design should mean that there is the potential for SSD upgrades down the line (although RAM won’t be upgradable and nor will the GPU or CPU).

The Mac Pro has a lot of competition in the form of the Mac Studio, which offers the exact same spec as the Mac Studio and is cheaper. The Mac Pro brings an extra fan, more ports and there is a rack-mounted option.

Is now a good time to buy a Mac Pro?

It’s was a long wait but in June 2023 Apple finally updated the Mac Pro to run on its own silicon. It’s very likely we won’t see an update for a while, so now is a good time to buy, as long as it is what you need. To save money you could look at the Mac Studio.