Apple unveils first touchscreen MacBook Pro with OLED display

Apple has unveiled its first touchscreen MacBook Pro, ending the company’s long resistance to putting touch input on its traditional laptop line. The new 14-inch and 16-inch models combine a tandem OLED display with Apple’s M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.

At an Apple event in Los Angeles, CEO John Ternus demonstrated the MacBook Pro’s touch capabilities. Reuters reported that Apple also plans to bring back a glowing logo on the back of the laptops.

A premium first for the Mac

The 14-inch model with M5 Pro starts at $2,899 in the United States. Configurations rise to $4,799 for a 16-inch model with M5 Max. Apple said pre-orders opened October 28, with the laptops scheduled to go on sale November 6.

Apple’s official specifications describe the display as a PROLED XDR panel using tandem OLED technology, with up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness and a 120Hz variable refresh rate. The company says the laptops can deliver up to 24 hours of battery life and support up to 128GB of unified memory and 16TB of storage.

Lighter design, new interaction model

The 16-inch model weighs 0.7 pounds less than its non-touch predecessor, according to Apple. The company says Touch is designed to work alongside the keyboard and trackpad, allowing users to scroll, zoom and manipulate creative software directly on the display.

The launch marks a significant change for Apple’s oldest major product line. Touchscreens have long been common on Windows devices, while Apple previously directed users seeking touch interaction toward the iPad. Reuters reported that analyst Anshel Sag of Moor Insights & Strategy called the shift an inevitable response to changing customer expectations.

Source: Reuters; product specifications from Apple.