After years of resisting the idea, Apple has introduced a MacBook Pro with a full touchscreen, signaling a clear shift in the company’s laptop strategy. The new models come in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes, both equipped with a PROLED XDR Display and the option of M5 Pro or M5 Max chips. Apple says the displays reach 2,000 nits peak brightness for both HDR and SDR and offer a 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio, while the machines support up to 128GB of unified memory and up to 16TB of storage.
Design and display
Apple designed the new hinge to stabilize the screen during touch interactions, a mechanical change intended to make touch input feel natural without wobble. Rather than the familiar notch seen on many current MacBooks, the touchscreen models use a Dynamic Island-style cutout for camera and sensor housing. The displays are offered in two sizes — 14-inch and 16-inch — and Apple emphasizes the high-brightness specification and extreme contrast as key selling points for the PROLED XDR panels.
Performance and configurations
Buyers can choose between the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, and Apple lists configurations that scale up to 128GB of unified memory and 16TB of storage. On the display and GPU side, the company notes support for multiple external monitors: the M5 Pro variant can drive three external displays, while the M5 Max variant supports up to four.
Ports and connectivity
The new touchscreen MacBook Pro maintains a broad set of ports: three Thunderbolt 5 ports, an HDMI port, an SDXC card slot, MagSafe charging, and a headphone jack. These choices preserve the connectivity options that many professional users rely on.
Audio, weight, and ergonomics
Apple has updated the audio system to a six-speaker array with a redesigned woofer intended to deliver better sound. The company also highlights that the touchscreen models are lighter than their non-touch predecessors: the 14-inch weighs 3.0 pounds (1.38 kg) and the 16-inch weighs 4.0 pounds (1.82 kg).
Pricing and availability
The 14-inch touchscreen MacBook Pro starts at $2,899, while the 16-inch starts at $3,399. Preorders open October 30, with availability beginning November 6.
Context within Apple’s product cycle
This touchscreen MacBook Pro is one of two notable recent product introductions from Apple leadership: it follows the company’s foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, introduced in September by CEO John Turnus. The release also comes immediately after Apple unveiled a standard MacBook Pro with the M6 chip — a 14-inch model starting at $1,999 — the day before. Historically, key Apple figures including Steve Jobs and Tim Cook publicly dismissed touchscreen laptops, but rumors that Apple was preparing a touch variant circulated for nearly three years prior to today’s launch.
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