3 Days Left: Should You Buy the M4 Pro Now? Apple's March 4 Event & M5 MacBook Pro Complete Analysis

"The M5 MacBook Pro drops in 3 days — will you regret buying the M4 Pro now?" Even in the early hours of March 1, consumers are picking up MacBooks at the Apple Myeongdong store. The timing has never been this sensitive.

TL;DR

• Apple plans to hold a simultaneous media event on Wednesday, March 4, 2026 across New York, London, and Shanghai
• M5 Pro/Max MacBook Pro 14" & 16" + M5 MacBook Air are widely expected to be announced
• The M4 Pro MacBook Pro is currently selling at ₩4,190,000 (48GB/1TB), with active in-store pickup orders at Myeongdong and other locations
• Performance upgrade from M4 to M5 is estimated at 10–20% — current professionals may find buying now perfectly rational
• However, if you're aiming for price drops or refurbished stock, waiting until after March 4 is recommended

The Facts: What Will Apple Announce on March 4?

Apple will hold a special press event simultaneously in New York, London, and Shanghai on March 4, 2026 (early morning March 5 in Korean time). Apple CEO Tim Cook personally teased the event on X (formerly Twitter), in an 'Apple Presents' format.

Expected product announcements:

The M5 series is built on a 3nm process, with key improvements including increased CPU/GPU core counts, enhanced Neural Engine, and Apple Intelligence optimization.

Why This Topic Is So Hot Right Now

1. M4 Pro inventory race: With the event imminent, M4 Pro model stock is rapidly selling out at Apple Stores and major retailers like E-Mart and Lotte Hi-Mart across Korea.
2. Exchange rate effect: With the KRW/USD rate holding around ₩1,430, the M4 Pro 14" base model starts at ₩3,099,000 (₩4,190,000 for 48GB/1TB). Whether M5 launch will trigger price increases for equivalent configs is a key concern.
3. Apple Intelligence Korean support anticipated: The possibility of an Apple Intelligence Korean-language release in the first half of 2026 has driven a surge in demand for the latest chips.
4. Student/professional education discount season: Education discount purchase demand peaks just before the new semester in March.

Context: M4 vs M5 — What's the Real-World Difference?

Based on historical generation-over-generation performance comparisons:

• M3 → M4: ~15–20% improvement in Geekbench multi-core; ~10% better battery efficiency
• M4 → M5 (estimated): Same 3nm node refinement — 10–18% CPU gains, GPU enhancements in ray tracing and mesh shading
• Real-world feel: Meaningful differences expected in video editing (Final Cut Pro), 3D rendering (Blender), and AI inference workloads. Minimal perceptible difference for documents and web browsing.

MacRumors analysis (2026-02-28): "The M4 Pro MacBook Pro will maintain its best-value position through 2027, even after M5 launches — much like the M1 remained a bestseller for three years after M2 launched."

Buy M4 Pro Now or Wait for M5? — 5 Criteria

✅ When buying the M4 Pro now makes sense

1. You need a computer right now — Waiting until March 4 means an estimated 2–4 week shipping delay after launch
2. Education discount available before M4 Pro stock runs out — Education discount availability for M4 Pro after the event is uncertain
3. Your current MacBook is 5+ years old — The generational leap from your old machine to M4 Pro will feel far more dramatic than M4 to M5

⏳ When waiting for M5 makes sense

1. Targeting M4 Pro price drops or refurbished units — Official M4 Pro refurb prices could drop 10–15% shortly after M5 launches
2. You can afford to wait for Apple Intelligence in Korean — M5 models may be the first generation to support Korean-language Apple Intelligence

Risks

• Misinformation risk: Event details are rumor-based; unexpected products (e.g., an early iPhone 17e announcement) could appear
• Speculative trading: Watch out for inflated M4 Pro prices in the secondhand market driven by short-term speculation
• Inventory scarcity marketing: Some retailers may exaggerate "last units before M5" claims

Checklist

References

• Apple MacBook Pro — Buy (KR)
• MacRumors: New M5 MacBook Pros Could Arrive March 4
• Apple to Launch 'At Least 5 Products' at March 4 Event — QuasarZone
• Reddit: MacBook Pro M4 Pro/Max Value Discussion

Image Credits

Official Apple product images unavailable due to copyright restrictions. Static file URLs for Apple Silicon content on Wikimedia Commons could not be sourced. Will be supplemented in a future update.