Apple has finally done what Mac users have been waiting years for: the MacBook Pro now has a touchscreen. Announced at the “Pro and Tell” special event on October 28, the all-new MacBook Pro introduces a tandem OLED display, a Dynamic Island, a glowing Apple logo, and a thinner, lighter design. It also brings touch-based controls to macOS for the first time.
But there’s a catch. The redesigned 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,899, while the 16-inch model starts at $3,399. So Apple is clearly positioning these laptops as premium machines for professionals. Pre-orders opened on October 28, 2026, and the first units arrive on Friday, November 6.
Meet the new touchscreen MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR display
The biggest upgrade is Apple’s new PROLED XDR display, which replaces the previous MacBook Pro’s mini-LED technology with a tandem OLED panel.
Apple says the display combines advanced tandem OLED technology, sophisticated display-engine algorithms, and factory calibration to deliver “exceptional brightness, striking contrast, and vivid true-to-life colors.”
Here are the key display specifications:
- Tandem OLED technology: Delivers deep blacks, rich colors, and exceptional contrast.
- Up to 2,000 nits of peak HDR and SDR brightness: Helps keep content visible in demanding lighting conditions.
- 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio: Improves the distinction between bright highlights and dark shadows.
- 10Hz to 120Hz variable refresh rate: Makes scrolling, animations, and supported creative workflows feel smoother.
- P3 and Adobe RGB color spaces: Supports color-critical work across photography, HDR video, and print design.
- Optional nano-texture glass: Reduces reflections and glare, with the nano-texture precisely etched into the cover glass.
These features back Apple’s claim that the new MacBook Pro has the “world’s best display in a pro laptop.”
The first touchscreen Mac changes how you use macOS
For years, Apple has kept touch input on the iPhone and iPad while relying on a keyboard, trackpad, and mouse for the Mac. That changes with the new MacBook Pro.
Apple has integrated the touch sensor directly into the display panel, which the company says helps reduce latency. macOS 27 automatically translates touches into clicks, so existing apps work without needing to be updated first.
Here are some of the new touch interactions:
- Swipe naturally through webpages and other content.
- Pinch to zoom into photos and images.
- Drag and drop slides between presentations.
- Double-tap a window to fill the screen.
- Flick a window into position to tile it.
- Draw and manipulate designs directly on the display.
Apple has also redesigned the laptop’s hinge to support touchscreen use, helping keep the display stable when users tap and swipe.
Dynamic Island replaces the notch
Another major design change is the removal of the familiar MacBook Pro notch.
Apple has introduced a smaller Dynamic Island that brings an iPhone-inspired interface to the Mac. It serves as a central place to access Spotlight, Live Activities, and Siri AI. Users can search their Mac, ask questions, check ongoing activities, and control music from this interactive area.
The change also gives the redesigned laptop a more modern appearance, with the Dynamic Island taking up less space than the previous notch.
A thinner, lighter design with a glowing Apple logo
Apple has redesigned the MacBook Pro’s chassis to make it more portable without compromising its professional capabilities. Apple says the 16-inch model is nearly 1mm thinner than the existing design, and the 14-inch model is about half a millimeter thinner.
The new 14-inch model weighs just 3 pounds, while the 16-inch version weighs 4 pounds. Apple says those figures represent reductions of half a pound and 0.7 pounds, respectively, compared with their predecessors.
The redesigned laptop also brings back the glowing Apple logo, a feature that many MacBook fans will remember from older models.
Apple has updated the audio system, too. The laptop features six speakers, an all-new woofer design, and updated tweeters. The company says the system delivers 50% deeper bass and clearer sound.
M5 Pro and M5 Max power the new MacBook Pro
Despite the extensive redesign, Apple hasn’t introduced a new processor generation for these models. The new MacBook Pro uses the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, which Apple describes as its most powerful chips built for a professional laptop. Apple’s newer M6 chip is instead going into the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 and the iMac with M6 chip, neither of which has a touchscreen.
The available configurations support:
- Up to 128GB of unified memory (M5 Max; up to 64GB with M5 Pro).
- Up to 16TB of storage (M5 Max).
- Hardware and software capabilities designed for demanding professional and AI workloads.
The combination of Apple silicon, unified memory, and macOS 27 is designed to handle complex projects, including video editing, graphics work, development, and machine-learning tasks.
Connectivity, camera, audio, and battery life
The redesigned MacBook Pro includes a broad range of hardware features for professionals who need to connect accessories and work away from a desk.
Here’s what else Apple has confirmed:
- Battery life: Up to 24 hours on the 16-inch M5 Pro model (up to 22 hours on the 14-inch M5 Pro model), according to Apple.
- Camera: A 12MP Center Stage camera.
- Microphones: Studio-quality microphones.
- Ports: Three Thunderbolt 5 ports, HDMI, an SDXC card slot, MagSafe charging, and a headphone jack.
- Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, powered by Apple’s N1 wireless chip.
- Security: Touch ID for convenient and secure authentication.
- External displays: Up to three with M5 Pro and up to four with M5 Max.
This feature set is particularly useful for photographers, video editors, and other professionals who regularly connect external storage, cameras, and displays.
MacBook Pro price and availability
The new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR is available in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes, with M5 Pro and M5 Max configurations. Buyers can choose Silver or Space Black finishes, with standard or nano-texture display configurations.
Here’s the full US starting-price breakdown:
| Configuration | Starting price |
|---|---|
| 14-inch with M5 Pro | $2,899 |
| 16-inch with M5 Pro | $3,399 |
| 14-inch with M5 Max | $4,499 |
| 16-inch with M5 Max | $4,799 |
Apple also lists education pricing of $2,749 for the 14-inch M5 Pro model, $3,199 for the 16-inch M5 Pro model, $4,199 for the 14-inch M5 Max model, and $4,499 for the 16-inch M5 Max model. Opting for nano-texture glass adds $150 in the US.
Pre-orders opened on October 28, 2026, and the new MacBook Pro is scheduled to begin arriving to customers, and in Apple Store locations and authorized resellers, on Friday, November 6.
