Following the recent release of the 14-inch M6 MacBook Pro, Apple has expanded its professional lineup by introducing touch functionality to its Mac series. The new devices, available in 14-inch and 16-inch configurations, start at $2,899 and feature a PROLED XDR display, significant performance upgrades, and enhanced portability.
The laptops are powered by Apple's M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, supporting up to 64GB of unified memory, or 128GB on the M5 Max model. Storage options reach up to 16TB. According to Apple, the M5 Max chip is capable of running large language models with hundreds of billions of parameters entirely on-device. The shift to an OLED display has allowed for a thinner design; the 14-inch model measures 0.59 inches thick, while the 16-inch version is 0.63 inches. Weighing in at 3 pounds and 4 pounds respectively, these models are lighter than their non-touch equivalents.
A key feature of this release is the integration of touch directly into the display panel rather than as a separate layer, which Apple states reduces latency for a more direct interaction experience. The operating system, macOS 27, augments the traditional interface with gestures such as swiping to scroll, pinching to zoom, and flicking windows to tile them. While existing applications will automatically support touch through OS translation, developers can also utilize new APIs. Apple confirmed that major software including Microsoft Office suite, Adobe Lightroom, DaVinci Resolve, Blender, and Cinema 4D will receive touch enablement later this year.
The PROLED XDR display utilizes a tandem OLED panel with a peak brightness of 2,000 nits and a sustained brightness of 1,000 nits for both HDR and SDR content. It boasts a contrast ratio of 10,000,000:1 and a variable refresh rate between 10Hz and 120Hz. The screen supports Adobe RGB, P3, and DICOM medical imaging reference modes, along with genlock for virtual production. A nano-texture glass option is available for the 14.2-inch and 16.3-inch diagonal screens.
Battery life reaches up to 24 hours on the 16-inch model and 22 hours on the 14-inch version, depending on usage and configuration. Fast charging capabilities allow the battery to reach 50% in 30 minutes. To maintain stability during touch interaction, Apple has implemented a new hinge mechanism that prevents display wobble, a design element reportedly developed alongside the iPhone Duo. The laptops also feature a Dynamic Island for Spotlight, Live Activities, and Siri AI, as well as an audio system with six speakers and a new woofer design.
Francisco Jeronimo, vice president of worldwide devices at IDC, noted that Apple's entry into this segment signals the end of the debate regarding touch on notebooks. With IDC projecting that one in five notebooks will feature touch by 2030, Jeronimo stated that the focus has shifted to which company builds the best implementation. The new MacBook Pro models are available for order now and will be shipped starting November 6. Pricing ranges from $2,899 for the 14-inch M5 Pro model to $4,799 for the 16-inch M5 Max configuration.
Sources: Computerworld.