Every few months, the rumor mill spins up a fresh batch of MacBook Pro gossip, and this time the internet is convinced the company is about to address the single most annoying thing about its premium laptops.
According to the usual constellation of supply chain leakers and analysts who have an uncanny track record of being right about half the time, the next MacBook Pro refresh could swap the much-maligned camera cutout for a punch-hole design like modern phones.
That means more usable screen real estate and fewer memes about a forehead on your laptop.
But hold your horses, because nothing is confirmed until Tim Cook walks on stage in a slightly-too-casual sweater.
Apple has been milking the current MacBook Pro chassis since 2021, and a redesign is overdue by Apple's own glacial standards.
The M-series chips keep getting faster, but the body has basically been collecting dust.
The bigger question is whether this refresh is worth your money.
If you bought a MacBook Pro in the last two years, you're probably fine.
Apple's silicon is so far ahead of the competition that even a three-year-old machine still runs circles around most Windows laptops.
The real upgrades people actually want are more RAM in the base model, a better webcam, and maybe some ports that don't require a $70 dongle.
Speaking of which, the rumor mill also suggests Apple might finally bump the base RAM.
In 2024, shipping a "Pro" laptop with 8GB of memory is a bit like selling a sports car with a lawnmower engine.
But your Chrome tabs are going to have opinions.
There's also chatter about OLED displays coming to the MacBook Pro line, which would be a genuine leap forward for anyone who edits photos or watches movies on their laptop.
Mini-LED is nice, but OLED is the kind of upgrade that makes you go "oh, that's why I paid two grand." Expect that to arrive alongside a price bump, because of course.
If you need a laptop right now, the current MacBook Pro is still one of the best machines you can buy, notch and all.
If you can wait six to nine months, you might get a sleeker design and a screen that makes your friends jealous.
Either way, Apple wins, and your wallet loses. **The Verdict:** Apple's next MacBook Pro will probably be great, and you'll probably want one, and that's exactly the problem.
The notch fix is welcome, but let's be honest, it should have never existed in the first place.
Final Thoughts
Buy the current model on sale or wait for the shiny new thing.