Ever since Apple ditched Intel and started using its M-series chips for all Macs and MacBooks, laptops have been different. Overnight, full-day battery and desktop-like performance turned from a dream for most laptops to something almost every MacBook could provide. Apparently that’s not enough, and Apple may go even a step further.
Apple may launch an M5 Ultra-powered MacBook in mere weeks
Apple is expected to launch M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro laptops along with macOS 26.3 later this month or in early March. However, MacRumors reports that the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate includes code that references the M5 Pro and M5 Ultra chips. Is Apple about to launch the first MacBook Pro with an Ultra processor ever?
That’s just speculation, as the references don’t explicitly mention the commercial names of the upcoming chips. Instead, there’s information about the model numbers and platform names of the chips. The code mentions the H17C and H17D platform names, which refer to the M5 family. The base M5 is marked as H17G, while the letters C and D usually refer to Max and Ultra chips. What’s missing is the letter S, which is typically used for Pro chips.
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Something new is coming, for sure
Regardless of the chips, the upcoming MacBook Pro models are unlikely to look differently. | Image Credit – Apple
One reason for the mixed platform names could be a change in Apple’s coding system. If that’s not the case, the company is apparently testing a Mac with an M5 Ultra chip.
The last Ultra-powered Mac Studio launched in March 2024, but instead of an M4 Ultra, it came with an M3 Ultra chip. Of course, the mentioned chip could end up in a new Mac Studio, but we haven’t heard any rumors about such a launch.
Would you buy an M5 Ultra MacBook Pro?
Of course, there’s a chance that Apple left the M5 Pro reference out of the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate and will add it with the final release of the software.
Hoping for the best
I can hardly invent an excuse to update to an M5-powered MacBook, and I rarely do anything challenging enough to need even an M5 Max laptop. Regardless of that, I’m just a tech-obsessed person who’d love to have a truly maxed-out M5 Ultra laptop and see how fast it could go. That’s why I hope this is more than just a speculation.
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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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