Apple unveils its first touchscreen MacBook Pro with an OLED display

Apple announced its first touchscreen Mac on Wednesday: a new high-end MacBook Pro with what it calls a PROLED XDR display, available in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes. Preorders are open now, and the laptops arrive on Friday, Nov. 6, according to Apple and MacRumors.

The move breaks with Apple’s long resistance to touch on the Mac, and it set off instant debate among longtime fans.

How much does the new MacBook Pro cost?

MacRumors reported pricing starts at 2,899 dollars for the 14-inch model and 3,399 dollars for the 16-inch model.

Does the new MacBook Pro have a touch screen?

Yes. MacRumors reported the touch sensor is built directly into the display panel, so there is no added latency. Users can swipe to scroll, pinch to zoom, drag items between apps and double-tap a window to fill the screen. A redesigned hinge adds stability while touching the screen, and macOS automatically translates touch into clicks, so many existing apps work with touch right away, Apple said.

What’s new about the display?

The PROLED XDR panel uses tandem OLED, which Apple calls the “world’s best display in a pro laptop.” MacRumors listed up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness for HDR and SDR, a 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio and ProMotion refresh rates from 10Hz to 120Hz, with an optional nano-texture finish. Thinner bezels push the screens to 14.2 and 16.3 inches. The notch is gone, replaced by a Mac version of the iPhone’s Dynamic Island that houses Spotlight, Live Activities and Siri.

Specs: chips, ports and battery

The new models use the same M5 Pro and M5 Max chips as the MacBook Pro models announced in March, with a redesigned cooling system, up to 128GB of memory and up to 16TB of storage, according to MacRumors. They are up to 1mm slimmer and weigh about three pounds (14-inch) and four pounds (16-inch). Ports include three Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, an SDXC slot, MagSafe and a headphone jack, and fast charging reaches 50% in 30 minutes.

Is the old MacBook Pro going away?

No. MacRumors reported Apple will keep selling the existing mini-LED models alongside the OLED version, plus a new M6 14-inch MacBook Pro.

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