For more than a decade, Apple said touchscreen laptops were a bad idea. In 2010, Steve Jobs called them "ergonomically terrible." In 2012 Tim Cook compared the idea to merging a toaster with a refrigerator. On Wednesday, at an event it called "Pro and tell," Apple launched one anyway.
The new MacBook Pro has what Apple calls a PROLED XDR display, a tandem OLED panel. It reaches 2,000 nits peak brightness, refreshes at up to 120Hz, and has a 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio. Apple says the touch sensor is part of the display panel itself rather than a layer on top, which cuts down on lag. You can scroll, pinch to zoom, drag slides between files, or play instruments on the screen. Apple also says developers will get a new API to add touch to their own apps.
The iPhone's Dynamic Island now appears on the Mac too, where it holds Spotlight, Live Activities and Siri. The glowing Apple logo is back on the lid. The 14-inch model weighs 3 pounds, and the 16-inch weighs 4. Both are slightly thinner, and slimmer bezels make the screens a bit bigger. Apple rates the battery at up to 24 hours. Ports include an SD card slot, HDMI, MagSafe, and three Thunderbolt 5 ports.
It isn't cheap. Prices start at $2,899 for the 14-inch with the M5 Pro chip and $3,399 for the 16-inch. M5 Max versions run $4,499 and $4,799. A regular 14-inch MacBook Pro with the newer M6 chip, which Apple announced a day earlier, starts at $1,999.
Preorders opened Wednesday, and the laptops arrive November 6. This is also Apple's second attempt at touch on a Mac. The Touch Bar arrived in 2016 and was fully dropped by 2023.
