MacBook Pro Max Price Drops to All-Time Low Before Apple's Relaunch

Amazon has cut the price of Apple's 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Max chip to $3,499, the lowest price that specific configuration has ever sold for, according to a report from Wired published Oct. 25, 2026. The drop lands one week before Apple is expected to announce new MacBook models, which Wired reports may include a touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro for the first time.

How much has the MacBook Pro Max price dropped?

The 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Max chip, 36 GB of RAM, and 2 TB of storage now sells for $3,499 at Amazon, Wired reported. That is 20 percent off the retail price and $400 cheaper than it was just days earlier, according to the outlet. Wired also noted the new price is $150 below the lowest this configuration has ever sold for, a notable gap since Apple raised prices across the entire MacBook Pro lineup in June.

Amazon is also discounting a step-down configuration with the M5 Max chip to $2,799, 7 percent off, while a separate M5 Pro model is listed at $2,499 directly through Apple, per the report.

Why is this MacBook Pro getting cheaper right now?

Retailers typically clear out current inventory before a manufacturer announces replacement hardware. Wired reports Apple is set to unveil new MacBook models next week, and rumors point to a touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro as the headline change. The outlet says early rumors also indicate the new lineup will keep the same chip options as today's models, meaning another M5 Pro and M5 Max pairing rather than a new chip generation.

Who is the current M5 Max MacBook Pro built for?

Wired's testing found the M5 Max configuration delivers GPU performance the MacBook Pro line has not had before, outperforming both the M4 Max and the M5 Pro chips. In the outlet's own test, Cyberpunk 2077 averaged more than 60 frames per second on the Ultra preset without relying on upscaling, a result Wired says only the new Mac Studio tops among Apple's current lineup.

"For content creators, media professionals, engineers, and AI enthusiasts, this is nearly as good as it gets," Wired's Luke Larsen wrote in the Oct. 25, 2026, report.

Larsen added that buyers who want more headroom for on-device AI work should look at the 64 GB or 128 GB RAM configurations, but those are not sold through Amazon. Shoppers who want more memory have to order directly from Apple, where Wired says the prices run high. The 36 GB model now on sale, Larsen wrote, still has enough power for video editors, designers, musicians, and engineers, plus anyone testing on-device AI tools for the first time.

Should shoppers wait for next week's new MacBooks instead?

Wired does not make a firm call either way. The outlet says it cannot guarantee the $3,499 price will hold, and it does not yet know how the new MacBooks will perform once Apple confirms details. Because rumors suggest the new machines will keep the same M5 Pro and M5 Max chip options already on sale, Wired argues buyers mainly focused on raw performance, rather than the rumored OLED touchscreen, could save money by buying the current M5 Max model now instead of paying for a new design.

What changes for buyers Monday morning?

Shoppers looking at the 16-inch M5 Max MacBook Pro with 36 GB of RAM and 2 TB of storage can buy it today at $3,499 through Amazon, per Wired's report. Those who want more memory than 36 GB will need to order directly from Apple rather than through Amazon, since the retailer does not stock the higher-RAM configurations, according to the outlet. Anyone waiting on Apple's announcement next week should watch for official pricing and specs before assuming the new OLED touchscreen model will cost the same as today's lineup, since Wired's report is based on rumors, not confirmed Apple pricing. Once Apple's event happens, current MacBook Pro inventory and pricing could shift again, so shoppers weighing this deal have a narrow window before next week's announcement to decide.