Delays to MacBook M4 Max orders suggest M5 Pro and M5 Max models are on the way

• New MacBook Pro M4 Max orders are being delayed by up to two months
• Orders for the 128GB RAM configuration placed today won’t ship until March
• It’s likely due to the impending launch of M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBooks, which are rumored for early 2026

The PC hardware market is in a state of turmoil due to the RAM crisis, with prices skyrocketing across the board, but while this doesn’t seem to have impacted Apple just yet, some people ordering a new MacBook are facing delays for an altogether different reason.

As reported by MacRumors, new MacBook Pro M4 Max orders are seeing delays of up to two months, particularly in the US, with estimated delivery for the 36GB RAM and higher configurations showing as early February. Customers ordering the 128GB memory configuration are facing the longest delays, with these orders showing March delivery dates.

While it might appears that these delays could be due to the ongoing RAM crisis, it’s more likely due to Apple’s focus on the M5 Pro and M5 Max, and the MacBooks running them. Apple may have curtailed or halted production on M4 MacBook Pros to allow stocks to run down ahead of the new models’ launch.

Both chips are scheduled to launch in the first half of this year, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, which would explain why delivery dates for M4 Max MacBook Pro models are delayed.

Now, that’s not to say Apple is immune to any potential impact from rising prices and component shortages due to RAM. However, Apple is expected to absorb DRAM costs in 2026 to avoid increasing prices for customers, and hopefully that extends to the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBooks once they launch.

Apple’s MacBooks also use unified memory, which is on the same chip as the GPU and CPU, so while this doesn’t mean the company is immune to the current instability, it’s certainly safer than manufacturers who are having to make major compromises on hardware.

Analysis: Apple might be safe, but other PC manufacturers are in trouble

It looks like this RAM crisis may indeed run on throughout 2026, as the focus on AI is showing little to no signs of slowing down. I’m glad Apple is safe for now, because MacBook Pros are already costly as it is – but the rest of the PC hardware market is in such an unstable state.

It’s worth noting that Nvidia hasn’t completely abandoned its efforts to provide for RTX GPU users, especially with the recent launch of DLSS 4.5. However, the shift to a focus on AI is very evident, and the same goes for third-party manufacturers.

Desktop and laptop GPUs are one thing, but Micron recently shut down its popular brand, Crucial, to focus on selling RAM to AI companies. While that doesn’t mean Crucial RAM is forever gone, it’s an indication that the AI bubble is massive, and it seems as though some manufacturers will stop at nothing to profit from it.

I still fear that the longer this crisis continues, the more collateral damage will continue, and that’s not great news for any consumer.

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Isaiah is a Staff Writer for the Computing channel at TechRadar. He’s spent over two years writing about all things tech, specifically games on PC, consoles, and handhelds. He started off at GameRant in 2022 after graduating from Birmingham City University in the same year, before writing at PC Guide which included work on deals articles, reviews, and news on PC products such as GPUs, CPUs, monitors, and more. He spends most of his time finding out about the exciting new features of upcoming GPUs, and is passionate about new game releases on PC, hoping that the ports aren’t a complete mess.