MacBook Pro with OLED display delays could push the revamped machine’s launch from ‘soon’ to ‘years away’ — so should you wait for the next-gen model?

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By Gerald Lynch
published

You’re going to have to wait a lot longer for a MacBook Pro with OLED display than previously thought

M3 MacBook Pro review
(Image credit: Future)

It may be some time until the long-rumored MacBook Pro with OLED redesign launches, if a new report is to be believed.

A new MacBook Pro revision taking advantage of the high-end screen tech was previously tipped for a 2025 launch. However, according to a new report from The Elec (via translation), we may not actually see the model revealed until 2027.

Samsung, which is expected to provide the OLED screens through its Samsung Display arm, is said to have entered into an agreement with Dell and HP to put the screens into Dell and HP machines “ahead of Apple”. Samsung is investing in a new manufacturing line that will be ready in the second half of 2025, states the report. And while it may have initially been considered “a line exclusively for Apple,” it will in fact be shared among Apple’s industry rivals, with Dell and HP seemingly pipping Apple to the post. 

It seems then that the next major revision for the best MacBook models on the market may be some way off.

Picking between a great screen, or an already great screen - iMore’s take

I’ve always found the fervor surrounding a potential OLED-equipped MacBook Pro a bit strange. Aren’t the displays on the existing MacBook Pro lineup already best-in-class, beating out the quality of even existing OLED laptop rivals?

OLED definitely has benefits that mini-LED can’t quite match. The per-pixel lighting means they offer the richest contrast and black levels in the business, while that same system results in a more efficient display, too. It’s also possible to make incredibly slim OLED displays. So, from the perspective that OLED tech could lead to sleeker form factors and a potential battery life bump… sure. Its inclusion could be great.

But would it be game-changing? I find that harder to believe. Mini-LED screens are already rich and color-accurate enough for professional artists to use and have super-smooth refresh rates. There’s a reason they’re considered the best in the business, to the point where I think the average user won’t see a huge difference. The MacBook Pro is, however, aimed at the most demanding users, so perhaps that last point is moot — but unless an OLED screen affords some other design overhaul that we’re yet to anticipate, picking up a current model is going to bag you a truly wonderful machine regardless.

If you’re currently in the market for a new MacBook Pro, check out our MacBook Pro 16-inch M3 Max review — it’s a model we heartily recommend.

As for other potential OLED-equipped Apple gear, the next OLED Apple product might actually be just a few weeks away, with an OLED iPad with an M3 chip tipped for launch at an event as early as March.

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Gerald Lynch
Gerald Lynch
Editor in Chief

Gerald Lynch is the Editor-in-Chief of iMore, keeping careful watch over the site's editorial output and commercial campaigns, ensuring iMore delivers the in-depth, accurate and timely Apple content its readership deservedly expects. You'll never see him without his iPad Pro, and he loves gaming sessions with his buddies via Apple Arcade on his iPhone 15 Pro, but don't expect him to play with you at home unless your Apple TV is hooked up to a 4K HDR screen and a 7.1 surround system. 

Living in London in the UK, Gerald was previously Editor of Gizmodo UK, and Executive Editor of TechRadar, and has covered international trade shows including Apple's WWDC, MWC, CES and IFA. If it has an acronym and an app, he's probably been there, on the front lines reporting on the latest tech innovations. Gerald is also a contributing tech pundit for BBC Radio and has written for various other publications, including T3 magazine, GamesRadar, Space.com, Real Homes, MacFormat, music bible DIY, Tech Digest, TopTenReviews, Mirror.co.uk, Brandish, Kotaku, Shiny Shiny and Lifehacker. Gerald is also the author of 'Get Technology: Upgrade Your Future', published by Aurum Press, and also holds a Guinness world record on Tetris. For real.