New Report Suggests MacBook Ultra Could Carry a Higher Price Than Expected

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that Apple would bring certain design elements of the MacBook Ultra to the base MacBook Pro with the future M7 chip, which made the Ultra branding seem less likely. However, a new report from display research firm Omdia indicates that Apple will keep current miniLED display panels in production through 2028.

That disclosure carries two implications: the existing MacBook Pro models are likely to remain in the lineup, and the redesigned model will probably command a significant price premium. The shift also strengthens the case for naming the new high-end device MacBook Ultra.

According to the reported roadmap, the MacBook lineup over the next year would include the MacBook Neo with an A18 Pro chip, MacBook Air models with M5, existing MacBook Pro models with miniLED displays and M5 Pro/M5 Max chips, and MacBook Ultra models with OLED displays and the same M5 Pro/M5 Max chips. In spring 2027, the lineup could add a MacBook Pro with an M7 chip and OLED display while the miniLED Pro models continue.

If this plan holds, Apple's MacBook lineup would be larger than ever. The older miniLED MacBook Pro models remaining in the lineup might be a short-lived strategy to keep entry prices lower, as Apple has done in the past. In that scenario, the miniLED MacBook Pros could stay at a starting price of $2,499, while the MacBook Ultra would start even higher, potentially at $2,999.

The report does not come from Apple, and the company has not confirmed any of these plans. Pricing and product names remain speculative until an official announcement.