Apple has introduced its first MacBook Pro with a touchscreen, marking a major shift in the company’s approach to laptop design after years of resisting the idea.
The new model starts at $2,899 and arrives nearly a decade after Apple introduced the Touch Bar, a touch-sensitive strip above the keyboard that it eventually discontinued.
The new MacBook Pro features a PROLED XDR display in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes, with Apple’s M5 Pro and M5 Max chips available as processor options. Buyers can configure the laptop with up to 128GB of unified memory and 16TB of storage. Apple says the display delivers peak HDR and SDR brightness of 2,000 nits and a contrast ratio of 10,000,000:1.
Apple has also redesigned the laptop’s hinge to keep the screen stable when users interact with it by touch. The design is intended to reduce unwanted movement during touchscreen use and help keep the camera steady during video calls.
Another notable change is the introduction of a Dynamic Island-style cutout in place of the notch found on many existing MacBook models. The laptop also features a six-speaker sound system with a redesigned woofer for improved audio.
The 14-inch touchscreen MacBook Pro weighs 3.0 pounds, or around 1.38 kilograms, while the 16-inch version weighs 4.0 pounds, or approximately 1.82 kilograms. Both models are lighter than their non-touch predecessors, according to the announcement.
Connectivity options include three Thunderbolt 5 ports, HDMI, an SDXC card slot, MagSafe charging and a headphone jack. The M5 Pro version supports up to three external displays, while models equipped with the M5 Max chip can connect to as many as four.
Pricing starts at $2,899 for the 14-inch touchscreen MacBook Pro and $3,399 for the 16-inch model. Apple will begin accepting preorders on October 30, with availability scheduled for November 6.
The launch represents another major product introduction under Apple’s new CEO, John Ternus, who also unveiled the company’s first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, in September. The touchscreen MacBook Pro is a notable departure from Apple’s longstanding position on touch-enabled laptops. Former CEO Steve Jobs famously described the idea of touchscreen laptops as ergonomically problematic, while rumors that Apple was developing such a MacBook began circulating several years ago.
The announcement follows Apple’s unveiling of a standard 14-inch MacBook Pro powered by the M6 chip, which starts at $1,999. The new touchscreen models offer a more expensive alternative for users who want direct touch interaction alongside the traditional MacBook keyboard and trackpad.
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