Apple has introduced its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models on Wednesday, marking a significant strategic shift away from the company’s long-standing approach to laptop design. While iPhones and iPads have long featured touch interfaces, Apple had previously maintained a strict separation between touch devices and computers operated exclusively via keyboards and trackpads.
The newly redesigned lineup includes 14-inch and 16-inch models equipped with M5 Pro and M5 Max processors. Users can now interact directly with the hardware by scrolling through webpages, zooming in on images, and navigating applications straight from the display, while traditional keyboards and trackpads remain part of the design.
Along with touch functionality, Apple replaced previous display technology with new OLED screens. The company states that the updated panels deliver improved brightness, contrast, and color accuracy. The new machines also incorporate the Dynamic Island interface, a notification and status feature previously deployed on iPhone models.
Despite the hardware changes, the new laptops retain a maximum battery life of up to 24 hours, matching the performance advertised for the preceding generation.
The redesign brings higher starting prices across the upgraded tier. The 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M5 Pro starts at $2,899, compared to the $2,199 starting price of the previous model introduced in March. The 16-inch version starts at $3,399, up from its predecessor’s $2,699 starting price. Models configured with the higher-tier M5 Max processor carry steeper base prices: the 14-inch M5 Max starts at $4,499 compared to $3,599 previously, while the 16-inch M5 Max starts at $4,799, up from $3,899. Apple noted that these price comparisons reflect advertised starting figures for base configurations rather than direct comparisons of identical hardware specifications.
In addition to the touchscreen variants, Apple is offering a 14-inch MacBook Pro powered by an M6 processor starting at $1,999, though this lower-priced model omits the touchscreen and OLED display features found on the higher-end configurations.
Preorders for the new touchscreen MacBook Pro lineup begin Wednesday, Oct. 28, with formal retail availability scheduled for Nov. 6.
