Apple Unveils First MacBook Pro with OLED Display and Touchscreen

Apple announced the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display – the brand's first laptop with an OLED panel and touch input. Rumors about such a model have been circulating for over three years. According to Apple, the new product has become the lightest laptop in the Pro lineup, the most functional Mac, and at the same time the most expensive MacBook ever. Additionally, the glowing Apple logo has returned to the lid, which was removed several generations ago.

Screen and Dynamic Island

The ProLED XDR display is built on self-emitting diodes: each pixel lights up on its own and can be completely turned off. Apple claims a peak brightness of up to 2,000 nits in both HDR and SDR and a contrast ratio of 10,000,000:1. Previous mini LED panels had backlighting divided into zones, causing halos around bright objects on a dark background; OLED does not have this problem. The new design eliminated the notch, which had been criticized since 2021. Around the 12-megapixel webcam is now a Dynamic Island, like on current iPhones: the capsule expands and shows Live Activities, music playback, and background tasks.

Touchscreen and body

The introduction of a touchscreen on the Mac is a sharp turn in Apple's policy: the company has been against touch screens in laptops for many years, and the leadership, including Tim Cook, was cautious about this idea. Now touch input has become one of the main features of the new product. Engineers redesigned the layout to reduce weight: the 14-inch model weighs about 1.36 kg, the 16-inch model about 1.81 kg. Both versions are approximately 230 grams lighter than their predecessors. The audio system still consists of six speakers, but according to Apple, the bass is 50% deeper.

Performance and ports

A significant performance leap is not expected: the base version received the M5 Pro, which debuted in the Mac in March, and the top version runs on the M5 Max. According to sources, the M5 Max has not yet been surpassed in benchmarks, despite attempts by competitors, including Nvidia. Both models can be configured with unified memory up to 128 GB and SSD up to 16 TB. The set of ports includes: three Thunderbolt 5, full-size HDMI, SDXC slot, 3.5 mm audio jack, and MagSafe. Apple promises charging up to 50% in 30 minutes and battery life up to 24 hours.

Prices and availability

The 14-inch version with M5 Pro starts at $2,899, the 16-inch version at $3,399, the 14-inch with M5 Max at $4,449, and the 16-inch with M5 Max at $4,799. An additional $150 is required for the screen with nanotexture coating. For comparison: the 14-inch MacBook Pro on M6, presented on October 27, starts at $1,999. Pre-orders opened on October 28, with sales starting on November 6. The laptop is available in "space black" and silver colors, running on macOS 27 Golden Gate.