Best time to buy a Mac: Should you buy a Mac or MacBook now?

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• Last update: March 2025
• Next update: 2026

The MacBook Air comes in two sizes, the 13-inch model and the 15-inch model. Both were updated in March 2025 and feature the M4 chip.

This is the MacBook Air design that arrived in the summer of 2022, with MagSafe charging port, improved display and thinner bezels. There are some significant improvements with this generation: you can now plug in two or more external displays thanks to Thunderbolt 4 support, there’s a new Sky Blue color, and prices start at $999 for the current generation model (in the past the entry-level model was the previous generation).

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

It’s going to be a while before the MacBook Air gets an M5 chip so it’s a good time to buy one. The M4 MacBook Air is an excellent machine and, starting at $999, is the cheapest Mac laptop. You could get a cheaper Mac – the Mac mini costs $599, but for most of us a laptop is what we need.

If you can, we recommend spending the $200 extra to get double the storage and better graphics. If you want to buy a MacBook Air check out our round-up of the Best MacBook Air deals and save money, beware that the previous generation cost $100 more for a comparable Mac, so if you are considering a discount on an older models take the new prices into consideration.

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• Last update: March 2025
• Next update: 2026

There is another MacBook Air to consider. The 15-inch MacBook Air is exactly like the 13-inch MacBook Air only with a bigger display and better speakers.

It offers better battery life than the smaller model and offers a larger screen, and while it costs a bit more than the 13-inch model, it is much less than the other Mac laptops with larger screens. The 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,599/£1,599, while the 15-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,199/£1,199, the lowest price the 15-inch MacBook Air has ever started at.

If you prefer larger laptops then the 15-inch MacBook Air will save you thousands compared to the 16-inch MacBook Pro and even the 14-inch MacBook Pro.

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

Apple launched the 15-inch MacBook Air with M4 in March 2025 and we expect Apple won’t update it again until 2026.

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• Last update: October 2024
• Next update: October 2025

Apple upgraded the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max in October 2024. We don’t expect to see another update until at least the fall of 2025.

When we reviewed the MacBook Pro M4 model we found it offered a good performance boost over the MacBook Pro M3. The boost from 8GB to 16GB unified memory is one benefit, another gain comes in the form of an extra Thunderbolt/USB 4 port. In our review we described the M4 MacBook Pro as: “a package bursting with value. It no longer feels like a compromised laptop, and you get a lot of performance and features for the price”.

If you are a pro user who needs a little more oomph then the M4 Pro or M4 Max models offer more ports (including Thunderbolt 5) and superior power. In our review of the M4 Pro models we said they “have what it takes to conquer your processing demands”. Read our review here: 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 review.

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

At $1,599/£1,599 the price of the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 is a high compared to the 15-inch MacBook Air, which you can get for $1,299/£1,299, but the latter still only offers the M3 chip and the M4 in the MacBook Pro is leaps ahead. So or recommendation right now is to buy the MacBook Pro if you see a good deal. If you find a deal on the older M3 MacBook Pro we would advise against it because that model has less RAM.

If it’s the M4 Pro or M4 Max edition you are after, our recommendation is buy one, you won’t be disappointed. If you want to get the best price for a new MacBook Pro check out our round-up of the Best MacBook Pro deals.

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• Last update: October 2024
• Next update: October 2025

Alongside the 14-inch MacBook Pro, in October 2024, Apple introduced a 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro or M4 Max. When we reviewed the M4 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro model we described it as “a powerful workstation and Apple makes the package even better with Thunderbolt 5, the 12MP Center Stage camera, and the Nano-texture glass display option”.

If you need the ultimate in processing muscle, you really want an M4 Max chip, but if a $3,499/£3,499 laptop is out of your budget, the M4 Pro models have what it takes to conquer your processing demands.

The larger 16-inch model costs more than it’s smaller sibling, but if you need more battery life and a bigger screen then this is the model for you.

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 October 2024, so we don’t expect another update for some time. If you can find a good deal then definitely buy one.

If it’s power you need and portability isn’t a factor, you may also want to consider the M4 Pro in the Mac mini and a display as a much cheaper option than the 16-inch MacBook Pro.

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• Last update: October 2024
• Next update: Late 2025/2026

The 24-inch iMac is eye-catching, both in terms of the quality of the 4.5K display and the colorful case. The M4 model arrived in October 2024 with each model available in blue, green, orange, pink, purple, yellow, and silver, with all but silver offering a bold tone on the back that is complemented by a paler version on the front.

On the inside the differences are impressive. As we said in our review, “the new 16GB RAM standard, the implementation of Thunderbolt across the board, the improved FaceTime camera, and the Nano-texture glass option are all winning moves by Apple.”

The M4 chip inside is the same as you can find in the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro and Mac mini. The iMac is less expensive than the MacBook Pro, starting at $1,299/£1,299 compared to $1,599/£1,599 for the MacBook Pro, but the MacBook Pro is better equipped, 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). If you are looking for the best value though, the Mac mini is much cheaper than the iMac, starting at $599/£599 for the same spec.

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

While we feel that it is overpriced, 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 M4 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 M4 Pro.

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• Last update: October 2024
• Next update: Late 2025/2026

Apple introduced the M4 Mac mini and M4 Pro Mac mini in October 2024. The Mac mini with M4 or M4 Pro is the long awaited successor to the M2 Mac mini and M2 Pro version.

The Mac mini is now even smaller, but it’s just as powerful as any other M4 equipped Mac. The performance and value on offer for just $599/£599 is excellent, if you are trying to spec up a machine to meet higher demands we found that can be expensive, but that is the case with all of Apple’s build-to-order options.

The pro version of the Mac mini does much to fill the gap left by the removal of the 27-inch iMac, as long as you have a decent monitor you can use.

Is now a good time to buy a Mac mini?

We recommend the M4 Mac mini. It offers the same specs as the other M4 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 M4 Pro Mac mini is a great option for anyone who needs affordable power. The only reason to hold off buying is if you want to wait for Apple to update the Mac Studio with M2 Max and M2 Ultra. However, the Mac Studio starts at $1,999/£2,099, while the M2 Pro Mac mini offers much better value at $1,299/£1,299.

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

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Last update: March 2025
Next update: 2026

The Mac Studio arrived in March 2022, was then updated in June 2023, and has now been updated again for 2025. We have always been impressed by the Mac Studio’s processing power, port flexibility and price, and feel that for many it is a suitable replacement for an Intel Mac Pro.

The only point of contention with the Mac Studio in 2025 is the slightly confusing existence of the M3 Ultra and M4 Max together in the line up at the same time. Rather than introducing a M4 Ultra Apple is selling a M3 Ultra version. This is still going to be more powerful than the M4 Max, but it won’t be as powerful as the M4 Ultra, which we assume will eventually turn up in the Mac Pro.

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”.

Is now a good time to buy a Mac Studio?

After a long wait Apple updated the Mac Studio in March 2025. The M4 Max model is a fraction of the price of the M4 Max MacBook Pro, so we recommend it if you need a powerful Mac and don’t need to carry it around with you.

If you need a powerful Mac and don’t want to wait for Apple to update the Mac Pro then the M3 Ultra version is sure to meet your needs, and it will cost a lot less than the Mac Pro will when Apple updates it with an M4 Ultra chip.

Take advantage of the Best Mac Studio deals, because we do see some big discounts on these models.

WAIT

• Last update: June 2023
• Next update: June 2025

Apple launched the Mac Pro M2 Ultra 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!) It’s getting on for two years since the last update to the Mac Pro, which given Apple’s track record isn’t that bad…

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 offered the exact same spec as the Mac Studio for less money. In March 2025 Apple shook this situation up by updating the Mac Studio with an M4 Max and M3 Ultra chip, suggesting that when the M4 Ultra Mac Pro does eventually launch there will be a clearer distinction between it and the Mac Studio.

For now, the Mac Pro brings an extra fan, more ports and there is a rack-mounted option, but until Apple updates it the Mac Pro is not the company’s fastest Mac.

Is now a good time to buy a Mac Pro?

The disadvantage is that Apple hasn’t updated the Mac Pro since mid 2023. Since then the M4 Pro has more than caught up with the M2 Max, the M4 Max has edged ahead of the M2 Ultra, and now the M3 Ultra has arrived on the Mac Studio taking the Mac Pro’s prize as the most powerful Mac.

If you need power then the Mac Pro isn’t looking as attractive next to its siblings right now.

When the Mac Pro is finally updated we expect it to leap ahead, so our recommendation it to wait. We expect an update at, or before, WWDC.