Apple announced a redesigned MacBook Pro with an OLED display and touch input for the first time on a Mac, with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, prices from $2,899 and shipping from November 6.
Apple announced on October 28 a redesigned MacBook Pro that, for the first time on a Mac, supports touch input. Ars Technica describes it as the company's first major MacBook Pro redesign in more than five years. The laptop uses an OLED panel that Apple calls PROLED XDR, which Ars reports reaches 2,000 nits of peak brightness with a 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio and keeps the 120 Hz variable refresh rate. The camera notch is replaced by a small cutout Apple calls the Dynamic Island, and the 14-inch model weighs about 3 pounds, roughly half a pound less than before. It runs on M5 Pro or M5 Max chips, with memory up to 128GB and storage options up to 16TB.
Pricing is the main talking point. The 14-inch model with an M5 Pro starts at $2,899 and the 16-inch at $3,399, while M5 Max versions start at $4,499 and $4,799, according to Ars Technica. The Verge and TechCrunch report that a fully upgraded 16-inch model reaches $14,549 and the 14-inch $14,249, compared with $10,149 for the previous top 16-inch configuration. Most of the jump comes from the new 16TB storage tier, which adds $7,000, and 128GB of memory adds $2,000. TechCrunch points to the ongoing memory shortage and AI-driven hardware demand as pricing pressure. Both outlets say the laptops reach customers on November 6.
The launch marks a notable reversal: Ars Technica notes that Steve Jobs was famously opposed to touchscreen laptops, and TechCrunch recalls that Apple abandoned its earlier Touch Bar experiment. The video attached to this article is Apple's official promotional film for the product, so it shows how Apple wants the touch features to look rather than independent testing. Ars notes that Apple referenced burn-in protection but has not yet detailed its approach. Apple's M6 chip appeared in a separate, entry-level MacBook Pro and iMac refresh reported the day before, while this model keeps the M5 generation of chips.
