Originally published on The Daily Flare.
Apple has introduced its first MacBook Pro with a touchscreen, pairing OLED displays and M5 Pro or M5 Max chips with starting prices of $2,899.
Touch arrives on the Mac without replacing the trackpad
The new MacBook Pro comes in 14-inch and 16-inch versions, which Apple calls MacBook Pro with ProLED XDR Display. TechCrunch reports that the 14-inch model starts at $2,899 and the 16-inch at $3,399. Both are available with M5 Pro or M5 Max processors, with memory configurations up to 128GB and storage options reaching 16TB.
Apple’s touchscreen does not turn the laptop into a folding tablet. Ars Technica reported that the company’s demonstration showed people reaching up to use the display while the computer remained in its usual laptop position. The keyboard and trackpad remain available, and the device runs macOS rather than iPadOS or iOS.
CNBC, which tried both screen sizes at Apple’s Los Angeles event, reported that touch is optional and that the operating system still looks much as it did before. Apple’s software translates taps into clicks, allowing existing clickable controls to respond even if an app has not been specifically adapted for touch. Apple says developers can update their apps to make buttons and other touch targets easier to use with a finger.
CNBC found the feature usable for actions such as scrolling through pages and documents. The outlet also noted an accessibility option that lets users pinch to enlarge parts of the interface. Apple says the display has an oleophobic coating intended to reduce fingerprints, and CNBC reported seeing few marks during its hands-on test.
OLED display, redesigned details and high-end pricing
The tandem OLED screen is a central part of the upgrade. Apple’s ProLED XDR display reaches up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness and has a stated contrast ratio of 10,000,000:1. The Verge reported that the screen supports a refresh rate of up to 120Hz and that Apple says its touch sensor is integrated into the display panel to reduce latency.
The laptop also replaces the familiar camera notch with a Dynamic Island-style cutout. According to CNBC, the feature can expand to show items such as live activities and Siri. Apple has redesigned the hinge to help steady the screen when someone taps it, though CNBC’s hands-on account said the hinge felt much like those on earlier MacBook Pro models.
Other changes include a glowing Apple logo on the lid, a six-speaker sound system and lighter bodies. TechCrunch puts the 14-inch model at 3 pounds and the 16-inch at 4 pounds. The Verge reported that the new screens measure 14.2 inches and 16.3 inches, respectively, and that Apple advertises up to 24 hours of battery life.
Both sizes have three Thunderbolt 5 ports, HDMI, an SDXC card slot, MagSafe and a headphone jack. The M5 Pro version supports up to three external displays, while the M5 Max model can connect to as many as four, according to TechCrunch. Ars Technica reported that M5 Max configurations start at $4,499 for the 14-inch model and $4,799 for the 16-inch, before optional memory or storage upgrades.
A departure from Apple’s long resistance to touch laptops
The launch marks a change for a company whose former leaders publicly questioned the usefulness of touchscreens on laptops. The Verge recalled that Steve Jobs described the concept as ergonomically poor in 2010, while Tim Cook compared combining laptops and tablets to combining a toaster and refrigerator in 2012.
Apple’s earlier attempt to add touch controls to the MacBook Pro took a different form. The company introduced the Touch Bar in 2016 in place of the function keys, then returned to physical function keys with a later redesign and discontinued the Touch Bar in 2023, according to The Verge. This new model instead adds touch directly to the main display while keeping the traditional laptop layout.
The touchscreen MacBook Pro is due to reach customers on November 6, TechCrunch reported. Its arrival comes amid a busy run of Mac announcements: TechCrunch said Apple introduced a standard 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M6 chip the day before, while the touchscreen models use M5 Pro and M5 Max processors.
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