Apple's March 4 Event: What to Expect From New MacBooks and iPads [2025]
Apple's keeping the momentum going right into spring. After a relatively quiet start to 2025, the company just sent out invites for a hardware event on March 4 in New York City. And yeah, we're analyzing every pixel of that invitation like it's a cryptic treasure map.
Here's the thing about Apple events in early March: they're historically second-tier announcements. Think iPad refreshes, MacBook updates, maybe some peripheral news. The company saves the real blockbuster stuff for September and the occasional October surprise. But that doesn't mean March 4 is boring. In fact, there's a solid chance Apple's about to show us something we've been asking for since 2015.
The invitation itself is already telling us stories. That lemon-and-lime color palette? That's not accidental. Apple's design team doesn't pick colors on a whim. And if the rumors are anywhere near accurate, we're looking at a pretty significant shift in how Apple thinks about its computer lineup.
Let's break down everything we're expecting, what we're hoping for, and what might actually surprise us when those doors open in Midtown Manhattan.
The MacBook Pro M5 Series: Bigger, Faster, Mostly Familiar
The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are definitely getting refreshed. These aren't brand-new products, mind you. Apple updated the Pro line pretty recently, so March 4 is really about putting the latest chip inside the same design we already know. According to Macworld, the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are the successors to the current M4 lineup, and they're following Apple's typical annual cadence of modest-but-real performance improvements. The M5 Pro will probably deliver around 15 to 20 percent faster CPU performance compared to the M4 Pro, with GPU gains in a similar range. The M5 Max will follow suit, potentially offering up to 5 percent more performance than we saw with the M4 Max.
That might sound incremental, but here's the reality: app developers have finally started optimizing for Apple Silicon properly. Apps that were running through translation layers are getting native rewrites. Final Cut Pro, Photoshop, Ableton Live, Da Vinci Resolve—these tools are now truly native. Which means that 15 percent chip performance boost actually translates to something you'll feel when you're working.
The real question is what's actually new beyond the chips. The industrial design? Probably unchanged. The ports? Likely staying the same. Apple's been remarkably consistent with the Pro design since the 2021 redesign, and there's no indication they're throwing that away in March.
What might change is the starting configuration. There's a decent chance Apple bumps the base RAM from 8GB to 16GB on the M5 Pro models. This would finally push the entire Pro lineup above the minimum 8GB spec that's becoming increasingly inadequate. Don't expect a price drop, though. Apple historically uses these chip updates to maintain margins, not to make machines cheaper.
The battery life claims will probably stay in the "up to 17 hours" range for the 16-inch. Real-world battery life on the M4 MacBook Pro already hits 14 to 15 hours under moderate use, so the M5 might push that to 15 to 16 hours if we're lucky, as noted by CNET.
One thing worth watching: will Apple finally fix the speaker situation? The current MacBook Pro speakers are embarrassingly bad for a machine that costs $2,500. They're tinny, they distort at higher volumes, and they're worse than you'd find on a MacBook Air. It's been a weird oversight in the Pro line for years. But we're not holding our breath for a change.
Will There Be New Colors?
That invitation design is really nagging at people. The lime-green and lemon-yellow tones are leading to speculation that Apple might bring colorful MacBooks back. But let's be realistic about what this probably means.
Apple's not going to make every MacBook Pro in five colors. The Pro line is too serious for that. But Apple might offer limited color options in the MacBook Air line, which makes a ton of sense from a marketing perspective. The Air is the "accessible" Mac, the one that sits between the budget Mac Mini and the powerful Pro.
If anyone's getting new colors, it's the Air. And honestly, that would be a smart move. The current MacBook Air color lineup is fine but forgettable. Adding warmth with new finish options would make the lineup more appealing to people who don't need the power of a Pro machine but want something that doesn't look exactly like everyone else's laptop.
The Pro models, though? They'll probably stick with Space Black, Silver, and maybe Midnight. That's the pattern Apple's established, and it works.
Entry-Level MacBooks: The Real Wild Card
Here's where things get actually interesting. The invitation's color palette has sparked serious speculation about a completely new entry-level MacBook line. Not the Air, not the Pro. Something simpler. Something colorful.
Apple hasn't had a basic MacBook model in years. There was the 12-inch MacBook in rose gold and space gray, but Apple discontinued it in 2019. Since then, the Air has been the entry point, starting at $1,199. That's a lot of money if all you need is a machine for email, browsing, and Zoom calls.
A truly entry-level MacBook—something with an M4 base chip, maybe 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, in a small form factor with colorful options—could start around $899. That's aggressive pricing that would actually compete with high-end Chromebooks and Windows laptops in the consumer space. According to 9to5Mac, this approach could make Apple's lineup more competitive.
The catch? It would probably have a smaller screen. Maybe 13 inches. Maybe even 11 inches if Apple's feeling bold. The industrial design would be simpler. Fewer ports. Minimal thermal design. But it would run macOS, which is the key differentiator. You'd get a real operating system, not a browser-based environment.
Would Apple actually do this? The margins would be razor-thin, but the marketing value of having a $899 Mac would be substantial. It would undercut the Air, sure, but it would also create a clear ladder: Entry-level Mac for students and basic users, Air for creators, Pro for professionals.
If this happens, expect the colors to be prominent in the marketing. Vibrant, trendy colors. The kind of thing that would make you want to actually show off your laptop instead of hiding it in your bag.
The iPad Angle
Apple's also probably refreshing the iPad lineup. The iPad Air and iPad Pro models are due for updates. The Air might get a slight screen bump (from 11 inches to 12 inches) and the M2 chip. The Pro line is probably getting new panels, possibly with OLED technology, and updated chips, as mentioned in AppleInsider.
None of this is particularly exciting unless Apple adds something new to iPadOS. The problem with iPads right now is that the hardware has lapped the software. You've got machines with incredible processing power and beautiful displays, but they're still running an OS that feels constrained by Apple's insistence on touch-first interaction.
A real file manager? That's been months away for three years. Real multitasking that doesn't feel like a workaround? Still not there. The iPad Pro costs as much as a MacBook Pro, but it can't do basic tasks that your Mac handled in 2008.
So even if the new iPad Pro is stunning—and it probably will be—it'll still feel limited. Apple's hardware engineers are incredibly talented. Apple's software engineers on the Mac are too. But iPadOS feels like it's being held back by philosophical choices that don't serve the modern user.
The Tech Industry's Morning After
Apple's event isn't happening in a vacuum. The tech industry is moving fast right now, and Apple has to navigate some tricky terrain.
Google just announced the Pixel 10a, which launches March 5—literally the day after Apple's event. The timing is either coincidental or brilliantly strategic. Google's Android flagship is getting aggressive on price and features. The 10a will be $500 with a 120 Hz OLED screen and a genuinely impressive camera. Apple's iPhone lineup doesn't compete at that price point, but the implied message is clear: value matters more now, as reported by CNET.
Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event is scheduled for February 25, just days before Apple's March 4 announcement. That means Samsung will show off whatever the Galaxy S26 is (presumably called something else), and then Apple gets to respond immediately with its own announcements. It's a carefully choreographed dance, as noted by Global Banking & Finance.
Meanwhile, Meta's throwing money at the metaverse again. Tesla's dropping Autopilot upselling in California. Netflix is streaming live MMA. The tech world is in constant motion, and Apple's March 4 event is just one move in a much larger game.
The Competitive Landscape
Apple's laptop lineup needs to stay ahead of Windows machines, which have gotten genuinely good. The latest Intel Core Ultra and AMD Ryzen AI processors are respectable chips. The design of modern Windows laptops—from Dell's XPS line to Asus's ROG models—is creative and appealing.
But Apple's still ahead on battery life, integration, and ecosystem lock-in. The M4 MacBook Air gets 15 hours of real-world battery life. Compare that to most Windows laptops, which hit 10 to 12 hours if you're lucky. And once you're in the Apple ecosystem—iPhone, iPad, Mac—it's genuinely hard to leave. Handoff, Universal Clipboard, AirDrop, Continuity Cameras, Sidecar—these features just work, and they save time every single day.
The M5 refresh is Apple's way of saying, "We're not resting." But it's also somewhat defensive. Apple's not introducing revolutionary features. It's maintaining its lead through iteration and consistency, as highlighted by Ars Technica.
New Ecosystem Play: What About Accessories?
Apple might use the March 4 event to introduce new accessories alongside the hardware. New Magic Keyboards with different finishes to match colorful MacBooks. Maybe an updated Magic Mouse (finally getting rid of that ridiculous bottom-charging design that everyone hates). New color options for AirPods Pro.
Accessories are where Apple makes real money with high margins. A Magic Keyboard costs
Color coordination is a huge part of Apple's strategy. If you're buying a lemon-yellow MacBook, Apple wants you to think about yellow AirPods, a yellow case, yellow keys on your Magic Keyboard. It's the Apple premium experience: everything matching, everything seamless.
The Streaming Question
One detail that's still unclear: will Apple stream the event? The company hasn't confirmed it yet, which is unusual. Apple typically streams major events on their website and YouTube. But for something like a product refresh, sometimes Apple just posts the videos afterward without a live stream.
Streaming has advantages and disadvantages for Apple. A live stream generates real-time engagement, social media buzz, and immediate news coverage. Not streaming means tighter control over the narrative—Apple can edit the videos, polish them, and release them when they're perfect.
Given that this is a March event with mostly iterative updates, we'd guess Apple probably will stream it. But if they don't, don't be surprised. It just means they're confident enough in the products to skip the live-event pressure.
The Mac's Future: Where Is This Heading?
Standing back and looking at the bigger picture, Apple's Mac strategy over the next few years is becoming clear. The company is stratifying the lineup more deliberately:
Entry-level machines for students and casual users will get colorful designs, lower starting prices, and stripped-down specs. These are gateway drugs to the ecosystem. Get someone into macOS, and they might buy an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch later.
Mid-range machines (Air) will be the workhorse. The Air is genuinely the best laptop Apple makes for most users. It's powerful enough for serious work, battery life is incredible, and it's $400 cheaper than the Pro. For designers, developers, and creators who aren't doing insane video rendering or 3D work, the Air is all you need.
Pro machines will stay absurdly powerful and expensive. The M5 Max with 12 CPU cores and 16 GPU cores is overkill for most users. But for the video editors, 3D artists, and machine learning researchers who need it, there's nothing better.
That's a healthy market strategy. Apple's covering the entire range from budget to premium, and each tier has a clear identity.
The bigger question is whether Apple will ever refresh the design. The current MacBook form factor has been essentially unchanged since 2021. It's a good design, but good doesn't stay good forever. At some point—maybe 2026 or 2027—we'll probably see a redesign. New hinges, new chassis, new display bezels, new keyboard mechanism. Apple's not going to repeat the same design for a decade, as suggested by Mashable.
What About Performance in the Real World?
Here's what matters if you're considering a new MacBook: the jump from M4 to M5 is real but not revolutionary.
If you're editing 8K video in Final Cut Pro, the M5 Pro will be noticeably faster. If you're running heavy machine learning models, the improved GPU will help. If you're compiling code in Xcode, the extra CPU cores will make a difference.
But if you're a writer, a teacher, or someone who primarily uses email, Slack, and web browsers, the M5 won't feel meaningfully different from the M4. The jump between M1 and M4 was huge—like, night and day. M4 to M5? That's a 15 percent improvement in how long an already-fast machine takes to do things it was already doing fast.
The sweet spot for upgrading is if you're still on Intel or M1. Those machines are showing their age compared to M4. The RAM situation is also worth considering. If your current Mac only has 8GB of RAM, upgrading to 16GB or 24GB will feel dramatically better than any CPU improvement.
Battery Life Trade-Offs
One thing Apple doesn't always highlight is that performance improvements usually come with battery life costs. The M5 chips are faster, but they also consume slightly more power. Apple will claim the same battery life, but real-world usage will probably show a 5 to 10 percent decrease if you're doing CPU-intensive work.
That's still fine. The M4 MacBook Pro gets 14 to 15 hours of real work done. The M5 will probably get 13 to 14 hours. Nobody's shipping it with four-hour battery life. But it's worth knowing the trade-off.
The Launch Timeline and Availability
Apple typically makes new products available for pre-order a few days after announcing them, with shipping starting one to two weeks later. So if March 4 is the announcement, we'd expect pre-orders to open March 7 or March 8, with actual shipping starting around March 14 or March 21.
That timing is interesting because it's right before spring break. Students buying new laptops for the second half of the semester might be exactly the target. And the entry-level Mac (if it exists) would be priced perfectly for that demographic.
Supply usually won't be an issue. Apple's manufacturing is stable enough that they can typically fulfill demand within a week or two. If there's something truly surprising—like a new revolutionary design or a shocking price drop—then sure, you might have to wait. But for a standard chip refresh? Inventory should be fine.
Meta's Metaverse Is Going Mobile-First: What That Actually Means
While everyone's focusing on Apple, Meta's making a quiet shift in strategy. The company is pivoting toward mobile-first metaverse experiences instead of betting everything on VR headsets.
This is significant because it means Meta is finally acknowledging reality. VR adoption has been glacially slow. The Meta Quest 3 is the best consumer headset available, and it's still a niche product. Meanwhile, billions of people have smartphones. Building the metaverse on mobile makes exponentially more sense than waiting for VR to go mainstream.
What does this mean in practice? Expect social experiences, games, and virtual spaces that work through your phone's camera instead of requiring a headset. Augmented reality instead of virtual reality. Snapchat-style filters that are more sophisticated and interactive.
It's a smart pivot, but it's also an admission that Meta's previous strategy didn't work. The company spent billions on Meta Quest development and acquisition of companies like Within (developer of FitXR). Those investments are still valuable, but the strategic focus is shifting.
Meta's Smartwatch Plans
Alongside the mobile-first pivot, Meta is planning to release a smartwatch. This makes sense as an input device for AR experiences. Smartwatches are already at the wrist, they have sensors, and they can display information.
A Meta smartwatch would probably focus on messaging, fitness tracking, and AR integrations. Think of it as a way to control AR experiences and receive notifications without pulling your phone out. It's not revolutionary, but it fills a gap in Meta's ecosystem.
The challenge is that smartwatch market is crowded. Apple Watch dominates. Garmin, Samsung, and Fitbit all make solid watches. Meta would need differentiation to succeed. That differentiation might come from AR integration—imagine pointing at a building and getting information about it through your watch's display. Or using your watch to control virtual objects in your phone's camera.
Ring's Search Party: Beyond Dogs
Amazon's Ring is exploring expanding its Search Party feature beyond lost dogs. The feature currently helps locate missing pets using alerts sent to people in the area. Expanding it to other categories could be huge.
Imagine Search Party for lost kids, elderly people with dementia, or stolen packages. The infrastructure already exists. The alert network is already deployed. Ring just needs to add new categories and let communities mobilize.
This is the type of feature that makes the Ring ecosystem more valuable without requiring new hardware. It's a software play that increases engagement and loyalty. And it appeals to basic human instincts about helping others.
The privacy implications are worth considering, of course. But Ring's already operating in a gray area with its relationship to law enforcement. Expanding Search Party is probably the least controversial thing Ring could do with its surveillance data.
Netflix's Live MMA Event: A Bold Experiment
Netflix is dipping its toes into live sports, and it's starting with an MMA event on May 16. The match is Ronda Rousey versus Gina Carano, and both fighters are coming out of retirement for it.
This is fascinating from a business perspective. Netflix has a huge audience. Streaming has proven it can handle live events (the success of live comedy specials proves that). But live sports is different. Sports require perfect stream quality, minimal latency, and server infrastructure that can handle millions of concurrent viewers.
The Rousey-Carano fight is smart programming. Both fighters are recognizable to mainstream audiences, not just MMA nerds. Rousey's biggest strength is her name recognition from UFC, Hollywood, and celebrity crossovers. Carano's famous from The Mandalorian and mixed martial arts. It's a celebrity event masquerading as a sport event, which is exactly right for Netflix's positioning.
The involvement of Jake Paul's Most Valuable Productions adds a reality-TV element. Paul's become a polarizing figure who drives engagement (and outrage). His presence guarantees social media buzz.
The real question is whether Netflix can actually stream it without technical problems. Live streaming at scale is hard. There will absolutely be people experiencing buffering, dropped frames, or audio sync issues. Netflix's infrastructure is good but not perfect.
If the stream holds up and the event does decent viewership numbers, expect Netflix to do more live sports. The margins are better than scripted content, and the audience size can be massive. Think about the Super Bowl moving to Netflix. That would be a paradigm shift in media.
Google's Pixel 10a: The Value Play
Google's been quietly dominating the value phone segment with the Pixel A series. The Pixel 10a, launching March 5, continues that tradition.
For $500, the 10a offers a 6.3-inch OLED display with 120 Hz refresh rate and 3,000 nits peak brightness. That's flagship-level display technology at a mid-range price. The processor is slightly lower-tier than the flagship Pixel 10, but it's plenty fast for everyday use. Eight gigabytes of RAM with 128GB of storage standard.
The camera system is where Google flexes. A 48MP main sensor paired with a 13MP ultra-wide lens. No telephoto lens, which is the trade-off at this price point. But the computational photography is insane. Google's night mode, magic eraser, face unblur, and real tone processing are years ahead of competitors.
The most impressive detail: no camera bump. The lenses are flush with the body. That might sound minor, but it's a design choice that shows confidence. Most manufacturers hide their cameras behind ugly protrusions. Google's saying, "We don't need to hide anything."
Where the Pixel 10a comes up short is durability and charging. There's no IP rating for water resistance (the flagship does), and the charging is 20W instead of the fast charging other phones offer. It's also missing wireless charging entirely.
The real question with the 10a is whether it steals sales from Apple's iPhone SE or Samsung's Galaxy A series. If you're looking to spend $500 on a phone, the 10a is genuinely the best value proposition available. Better camera than the iPhone SE. Better software than the Galaxy A. Better battery life than most competitors.
Google's strategy with the A series has always been smart: let Samsung and Apple fight over flagship space. Dominate the middle. That's where most phone sales actually happen.
The Pixel Ecosystem Effect
What makes the Pixel 10a compelling isn't just the hardware. It's integration with Google's ecosystem. Android has always been more open than iOS, but Pixel phones get special treatment. They get new AI features first. They get software updates guaranteed for longer. They integrate with Google services seamlessly.
If you're using Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Maps, and YouTube—and statistically, you are—a Pixel phone just works better. It's not as tightly integrated as iPhone with iCloud, but it's closer than other Android phones.
That's the network effect that keeps people buying Pixels. Not the specs. Not the design. The software experience.
Tesla Drops Autopilot Upselling in California
Tesla's made an interesting business decision by stopping its aggressive Autopilot upselling in California. The company was pushing
Why the change? Regulatory pressure. California's been increasingly skeptical of Tesla's marketing language around "Full Self-Driving" and "Autopilot." The state's actual self-driving rules are tightening, and Tesla realized it was easier to stop the upselling than to fight the regulators.
This signals something important: even Tesla recognizes it can't keep making claims about autonomous driving that exceed the reality. The capabilities are real but limited. Autopilot is a good driver assistance system. Full Self-Driving is more aspiration than achievement.
The move is actually smart from a business perspective. It reduces liability risk and avoids costly regulatory battles. And the customers who truly want these features will still buy them based on the roadmap, not the hype.
Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked February 25: What to Expect
Samsung's event on February 25 will likely showcase the new flagship phone (probably called Galaxy S26 or something Samsung-invented), new foldable phones, and possibly new wearables.
The pattern is always the same: Samsung announces, Apple responds. This year is no different. Samsung will make bold claims about AI integration, display technology, and camera innovation. Then Apple will refine the same features and market them as revolutionary.
It's a working formula for both companies. Samsung appeals to specs enthusiasts. Apple appeals to the ecosystem. They don't actually compete for the same customers, despite what the marketing suggests.
The Broader Context: Why March Matters
March is genuinely important for tech despite being overshadowed by September. It's when educational institutions are buying new computers for the spring semester. It's when tax returns hit and people have extra money. It's when people start traveling again after winter and realize their laptop is slow.
Apple knows this. The March event timing is deliberate. Launch new Macs in March, let them ramp through spring, and you've got a solid baseline of installed machines by summer.
The competitive landscape at this moment is healthy. Apple's pushing performance. Google's pushing value. Samsung's pushing innovation. Meta's pivoting strategy. Everyone's competing hard, which means consumers get genuinely good options at various price points.
What Not to Expect on March 4
Let's be clear about what probably won't happen:
No iPhone announcement. The iPhone 17 is almost certainly not coming in March. Apple's committed to September for iPhone launches, and there's no indication that's changing.
No Mac Studio refresh. The Mac Studio is a professional machine that gets updates sporadically. March is too soon.
No major software announcements. WWDC in June is where Apple announces new macOS features. March is hardware.
No price cuts. Apple might raise some prices slightly. It won't cut them.
No revolutionary design changes. The MacBook form factor is stable. Any major redesign is probably years away.
No official metaverse or VR announcements from Apple. The company's been quietly working on Vision Pro, but March events typically focus on Macs and iPads.
How to Prepare for the Announcement
If you're considering a new Mac or iPad, here's what you should do:
First, decide what you actually need. Don't buy based on what's announced. Buy based on what solves your problem. If your current Mac is working fine, a 15 percent speed bump isn't worth $1,500. If your Mac is struggling with video editing or music production, an upgrade makes sense.
Second, wait for real-world reviews. The hardware media will have these machines for 24 to 48 hours after the announcement. They'll publish detailed benchmarks, battery tests, and real-world performance metrics. That's when you'll know if the M5 is worth the upgrade from your M4.
Third, consider refurbished or previous-generation models. Apple's refurbished machines are excellent and include the same warranty as new. If M5 pricing is high, an M4 MacBook Air refurbished might be the smarter buy.
Fourth, bundle your purchases with AppleCare. MacBooks are reliable, but when they fail, repairs are expensive. AppleCare+ is
The Long-Term View: What's Coming Next
Looking beyond March, Apple's likely roadmap includes:
M6 chips in 2026. The company maintains a roughly annual cadence for new chips, and the performance improvements are predictable. M6 will probably bring similar gains as M5: 15 to 20 percent faster, slightly better efficiency, same design.
A new Mac mini with more ports and power. The current Mac mini is solid but underpowered for its price. A refreshed version could challenge the Mac Studio's positioning.
Possible iPad Pro OLED display upgrade. OLED is coming to iPad eventually. It brings better contrast, faster response times, and better power efficiency.
More focus on AI features in macOS. Apple's been quiet about AI while competitors have been loudly announcing ChatGPT integrations. That's going to change. Expect macOS to get more intelligent features that work locally without sending data to the cloud.
Maybe, just maybe, a return to colorful Mac designs. That invitation suggests Apple's thinking about design fun again, not just premium minimalism.
The March 4 Event in 9 Bullet Points
Let's summarize what we actually know:
- Apple's holding an event in New York City on March 4 at 9AM ET
- New 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are extremely likely
- A 2026 MacBook Air update with M5 base chip is probable
- New iPad Air and iPad Pro models might be announced
- The invitation's color palette suggests possible new MacBook colors, especially for entry-level machines
- An all-new entry-level MacBook priced around $899 is speculative but increasingly believable
- New Magic Keyboard and accessory colors will probably coordinate with hardware announcements
- Performance improvements will be iterative, not revolutionary
- iPad announcements will likely frustrate creatives who want better iPadOS features
- Real-world availability will probably start in mid-to-late March
Making Your Decision: When to Upgrade
If you're on the fence about whether to wait for March 4 or buy now, here's the logic:
If your current Mac was made before 2022 (Intel-based or M1), wait for March. The M5 update will give you a wider selection, and you'll see significant real-world improvements. Coming from Intel is a massive jump.
If your Mac is M2 or M3 and working fine, don't upgrade. The M5 won't provide enough performance gain to justify the cost. Use that $1,500 for something else.
If your Mac is M4 and struggling, upgrading to M5 is incremental and probably not worth it unless you're hitting CPU or GPU limits in your work.
If you need a Mac and don't have one, March 4 is a good time to buy because you'll get the newest technology and longest time before the next upgrade cycle.
FAQ
What can I expect from the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips?
The M5 Pro will deliver approximately 15 to 20 percent faster CPU and GPU performance compared to M4 Pro, with similar improvements to the M5 Max. These are iterative upgrades rather than revolutionary changes. Real-world performance improvements will be most noticeable for video editing, 3D rendering, machine learning, and code compilation. For everyday tasks like email, web browsing, and word processing, the difference will be barely perceptible.
Will there be a colorful MacBook announced?
It's highly speculative, but the invitation's lime-and-lemon color palette suggests Apple might introduce colorful options, probably in an entry-level MacBook or MacBook Air rather than the Pro line. The Pro has maintained a conservative color palette for years, so any new colors would more likely appear in the Air or a new budget-focused MacBook designed for students and casual users.
Should I wait for March 4 to buy a new Mac?
It depends on your current machine. If you're using Intel or M1, definitely wait for March to see the full selection and pricing. If you're on M2 or M3, your Mac is still current enough that M5 upgrades won't provide meaningful benefits. If you absolutely need a Mac right now and don't have one, buying immediately makes sense since production will be limited until inventory stabilizes after launch.
Will Apple stream the event?
Apple hasn't confirmed streaming plans, which is slightly unusual. The company typically streams hardware events on their website and YouTube. For a product refresh event like March 4, there's a decent chance Apple will stream it, though there's also precedent for Apple to skip streaming for events focused on iterative updates and release videos afterward instead.
How much will new MacBooks cost?
Pricing will almost certainly remain unchanged from current M4 models. The 14-inch MacBook Pro will probably start at
When will the new Macs actually ship?
Historically, Apple makes products available for pre-order within a few days of announcing them and shipping begins one to two weeks later. If March 4 is the announcement, expect pre-orders starting March 7 or March 8, with shipping probably beginning March 14 to March 21. Supply should be relatively stable since these are chip refreshes, not revolutionary new designs that require manufacturing ramp-up.
What about iPad announcements?
New iPad Air and iPad Pro models with updated displays and chips are likely. The Air might get a screen size bump and M2 chip, while the Pro could see OLED display technology and updated processors. However, iPadOS limitations will remain frustrating for creative professionals who want real multitasking, proper file management, and features that leverage the hardware's power. Software improvements are needed more urgently than hardware improvements.
Is the M5 worth upgrading from M4?
For most users, absolutely not. The 15 percent performance improvement is real but not noticeable in daily use. Performance-sensitive professionals like video editors, 3D artists, and machine learning engineers will see tangible improvements. Everyone else should wait for M6 or later, or should have upgraded from Intel years ago. The sweet spot for upgrading is jumping from Intel or M1 to M5, not from M4 to M5.
What about the other tech news this week?
Meta's pivoting toward mobile-first metaverse instead of VR headsets, which is a smart acknowledgment that VR adoption remains limited. Netflix is streaming live MMA on May 16 with Ronda Rousey versus Gina Carano, which is bold experimentation in live sports. Google's Pixel 10a launches March 5 at $500 with an excellent display and camera system. Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked is February 25. Tesla is stopping aggressive Autopilot upselling in California. All of these are moving the industry forward in different directions.
Should I buy MacBook Pro or MacBook Air?
Most people should buy the Air. It's faster than you need, has incredible battery life, and costs $400 less than the Pro. You should only buy Pro if you do something specific that maxes out the Air—like professional video editing, 3D rendering, or machine learning. The Air with M5 base chip will be the best computing value Apple offers in March 2025.
What's the endgame here for Apple?
Apple is stratifying its Mac lineup to capture every market segment: budget-conscious users with a colorful entry-level MacBook, mainstream creatives with the Air, and professionals with the Pro. The M5 update is simply maintaining Apple's hardware lead while software improvements (macOS AI features, better iPadOS) come later. March 4 is incremental but competent—exactly what we've come to expect from Apple's secondary events.
Bottom Line: What This All Means
Apple's March 4 event is important not because it's revolutionary but because it's consistent. The company is maintaining its lead through careful iteration, smart pricing, and ecosystem lock-in. The M5 chips are faster. The designs are refined. The colors are (maybe) more fun. It's not exciting in the way the first ARM-based Mac was. But it's solid engineering aimed at keeping current users happy and attracting new ones.
The broader context matters too. Google's pushing value with Pixel phones. Meta's reconsidering the metaverse. Samsung's still making flagships. Netflix's experimenting with live sports. The tech industry is moving in multiple directions simultaneously, and March is when we get clarity on where Apple fits in that landscape.
For anyone considering a new Mac, here's the simple advice: if you need a computer now, March 4 is worth the wait. If your Mac is working fine, don't rush to upgrade. If you're coming from Intel, March 4 is the perfect time to finally make the switch. And if you're hoping for revolutionary design or major price drops, you're probably going to be disappointed.
Apple's not in the business of disrupting itself every quarter. The company disrupts the market every few years and refines in between. March 4 is a refinement event. A good one. But a refinement nonetheless.
