Mac Updates for Creatives: What to Expect in 2025
MacBook Air
Expected release date: Early 2025
Good for: Portable, lightweight working
While the MacBook Pro now comes equipped with Apple’s M4 chip, the MacBook Air hasn’t yet made the cut – but that’s expected to change early this year. The M4 MacBook Air will be the first new Mac of 2025, with the chip being the headline addition to one of the company’s most popular laptops.
Unfortunately, there’s not much else expected for Apple’s lightest laptop – no design changes and no new screen, for instance. We don’t anticipate Apple giving it the M4 Pro chip either, as the MacBook Air has traditionally only had the entry-level chip in the range. That means it’ll probably be best for light work that won’t require too much exertion. Its portability is its main strength, and if you need something beefier, the MacBook Pro might be your best bet.
Mac Studio
Expected release date: March to June 2025
Good for: Heavy-duty tasks
Apple’s Mac Studio is, unsurprisingly, designed for studio work, and that means it can handle more intense workloads than many of Apple’s other computers. This year, it’s predicted to be updated with M4 Max and M4 Ultra chips, which should take its capabilities to another level.
We already know what the M4 Max can do, as it is present in the current MacBook Pro. Compared to the M2 Max in the Mac Studio, it’ll be a huge step up, with more cores, sturdier performance, and whisper-quiet acoustics.
The M4 Ultra is more of a mystery, but there are some clues we can ascertain. For one thing, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman believes it’ll have up to 32 CPU cores and up to 80 GPU cores, which is up from the M2 Mac Studio’s top-end configuration that comes with a 24-core CPU and a 76-core GPU. Gurman also says the M4 Ultra could bring up to a "half-terabyte of memory," which is far more than the current 192GB maximum.
That all suggests that the Mac Studio will get a sizeable performance improvement, which should be welcome news if you need a Mac that can handle all of your most demanding creative work.
Mac Pro
Expected release date: Late 2025
Good for: The most heavyweight workloads
The Mac Pro is Apple’s most powerful desktop computer, and it goes beyond the capabilities of even the Mac Studio thanks to its large range of PCI expansion slots, wide selection of ports, and superior cooling. It’s one of the best Macs for video editing and certainly doesn’t come cheap, but it’s ideal if you need the best of the best.
Like the Mac Studio, the Mac Pro skipped the M3 generation, but it’s expected to get the M4 Ultra chip in late 2025. That should bring it right up to date and enable it to plough through the most taxing of creative workloads without breaking a sweat. It’s not for entry-level work, but anyone working in professional video rendering, motion graphics, artificial intelligence, and data analysis will feel the benefits.
MacBook Pro
Expected release date: Late 2025
Good for: Working on the go
If the rumoured timelines are correct, no sooner will Apple be fresh off launching the Mac Pro than the MacBook Pro – complete with next-generation M5 chip – will be revealed. This will come with M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max variants, giving you a range of choices depending on your needs.
There’s unlikely to be a new design this year, but the M5 chip generation is rumoured to bring performance increases of between 15% and 25% over its M4 predecessors. Thunderbolt 5 might also come to the entry-level model.
While it’s a little too early to know much in the way of specifics about the M5 chip generation, there have been rumours that next year’s M6 MacBook Pro will feature a new design and OLED displays in 2026. If you primarily need a MacBook Pro for creative work and are interested in those features, it might be an idea to wait. But if you want something sooner than that, the M5 chip should still bring plenty of benefits to the MacBook Pro this year.
Vision Pro 2
Expected release date: Late 2025 or early 2026
Good for: Working in 3D space
OK, the Vision Pro isn’t technically a Mac, but it can act as an extension of one, and Apple’s spatial computing concept means there’s some overlap with the company’s computers. And it has a specific use case that can benefit creatives: its ability to let you work in 3D space, which can be helpful in a range of creative industries.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has predicted that the Vision Pro 2 could launch as soon as late 2025, although don’t be surprised if it slips back to 2026. The new model could come with an M5 chip for better, more efficient performance. We’re also hoping for longer battery life and decreased weight, which would allow you to work on it for longer without starting to feel the strain.
Everything Else
There are a few other products that could come this year, although that’s by no means certain. The first is a new Pro Display XDR, which is one of the best monitors for graphic artists. Apple launched this high-spec display in 2019 and it hasn’t been changed since, so it’s well overdue an update. Rumours are scarce at the moment – it’s not even certain if a new model will launch alongside this year’s Mac Pro – so we’ll have to keep our eyes peeled.
The second product is the iMac Pro. Apple’s pro-focused all-in-one was unceremoniously discontinued a couple of years ago, but there have been consistent rumours that it’s going to make a comeback. If you love the iMac but feel it’s not powerful enough for your creative work, a resurrected iMac Pro with stronger chips and better performance could be just what you need. Like the Pro Display XDR, its release date (and existence) is uncertain, so watch this space.
Conclusion
2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year for creatives, with a range of new Macs on the horizon. Whether you’re a studio artist, video editor, or motion graphics designer, there’s likely to be a Mac that’s right for you. From the powerful Mac Pro to the portable MacBook Air, there’s never been a better time to invest in a Mac.
FAQs
Q: What’s the expected release date for the MacBook Air?
A: Early 2025
Q: What’s the good for the MacBook Air?
A: Portable, lightweight working
Q: What’s the expected release date for the Mac Studio?
A: March to June 2025
Q: What’s the good for the Mac Studio?
A: Heavy-duty tasks
Q: What’s the expected release date for the Mac Pro?
A: Late 2025
Q: What’s the good for the Mac Pro?
A: The most heavyweight workloads
Q: What’s the expected release date for the MacBook Pro?
A: Late 2025
Q: What’s the good for the MacBook Pro?
A: Working on the go
Q: What’s the expected release date for the Vision Pro 2?
A: Late 2025 or early 2026
Q: What’s the good for the Vision Pro 2?
A: Working in 3D space
