During its “Pro and Tell” event in Los Angeles, Apple introduced its inaugural touchscreen MacBook Pro, signaling a significant pivot in the company’s laptop strategy. This new iteration merges a touch-sensitive OLED screen with Apple’s M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, giving users the ability to navigate macOS via touch and gestures in addition to the conventional keyboard and trackpad.
This release comes after years of Apple declining to make touchscreen laptops. The firm is now introducing touch capabilities to its professional computer range to meet growing user demand for more adaptable workflows.
OLED Display Brings Touch to MacBook Pro
The updated MacBook Pro incorporates Apple’s PROLED XDR screen built with tandem OLED technology. This panel delivers a 120Hz maximum refresh rate, a peak brightness of 2,000 nits, and a 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio.
To minimize latency, Apple built the touch sensor straight into the display panel itself. Customers can use their fingers to browse web pages, magnify photos, and utilize compatible software.
Furthermore, the screen incorporates a Dynamic Island for displaying alerts and Live Activities. Apple has also refreshed its developer software development kits to enable third-party app developers to incorporate touch functionality.
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M5 Pro and M5 Max Power the New Laptop
Distinct from the M6-driven MacBook Pro models revealed earlier in the week, these touch-enabled machines run on Apple’s M5 Pro and M5 Max silicon. Offered in 14-inch and 16-inch form factors, the computers feature narrower bezels that expand the overall viewing space.
Apple states that battery life can reach up to 24 hours. Physical connections consist of three Thunderbolt 5 ports, an HDMI port, MagSafe 3 power connectors, an SD card slot, and a headphone port. These notebooks can drive up to three external monitors, or up to four monitors when configured with the M5 Max chip.
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Pricing and Availability
In the United States, pricing for the touchscreen MacBook Pro begins at USD 2,899 for the 14-inch variant and USD 3,399 for the 16-inch variant. Pre-orders commenced on October 28, with retail shipments set to launch on November 6.
This debut marks a major departure for Apple, whose former chief executive, Steve Jobs, famously dismissed touchscreen portables as ergonomically flawed. Previously, the company tested the Touch Bar before reverting to standard physical function keys.
