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Apple's MacBook Pro gets a touchscreen: $2,899 start, M5 chips, not M6

Apple's MacBook Pro gets a touchscreen: $2,899 start, M5 chips, not M6 — Newsmesis editorial illustration
— Newsmesis illustration

What happened

Apple unveiled a redesigned MacBook Pro on October 28 at its "Pro and Tell" event in Los Angeles, with an OLED display it calls PROLED XDR and, for the first time on a Mac, a touchscreen. The 14-inch M5 Pro model starts at $2,899 and the 16-inch at $3,399; M5 Max versions start at $4,499 and $4,799. Preorders are open and shipments begin November 6. Apple chose the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, even though Ars Technica reports M6-series chips have already reached other Macs.

What we know

Ars Technicaarstechnica.comEngadgetengadget.com9to5Mac×212Wiredwired.com
  • Apple says the OLED panel reaches 2,000 nits peak brightness with a 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio and keeps the 120 Hz variable refresh rate, per Ars Technica.
  • Pricing starts at $2,899 (14-inch, M5 Pro), $3,399 (16-inch, M5 Pro), $4,499 (14-inch, M5 Max) and $4,799 (16-inch, M5 Max), before RAM or storage upgrades, per Ars Technica.
  • The 14-inch model weighs 3 pounds, about half a pound less than its predecessor, and the 16-inch weighs 4 pounds, per Ars Technica and Engadget.
  • Memory tops out at 128GB on M5 Max configurations, while storage can now reach 16TB, per Ars Technica.
  • Engadget's hands-on found touch gestures such as pinch-to-zoom, panning and drawing in apps worked well, with occasional stutters when switching Spaces or full-screen apps; the reviewer attributed this partly to unfamiliarity.
  • The notch is replaced by a Dynamic Island cutout, and the Apple logo on the lid glows again, per Ars Technica and 9to5Mac.

What we don't know yet

  • Which burn-in protection method Apple uses on the OLED panel. Ars Technica says Apple referenced protection but did not give details.
  • Whether the lighter chassis holds up thermally under sustained loads. Engadget notes earlier thin-and-light MacBook Pros struggled with cooling and says in-depth testing is still needed.
  • Why Apple kept M5-generation chips. Ars Technica cites earlier reports that Apple may wait for the M7 series; Apple has not confirmed this.
  • How macOS touch behaves in everyday use beyond brief demo sessions, since Engadget's impressions came from a short hands-on.

Why it matters

Buyers of Apple's most expensive laptops now pay $2,899 to $4,799 and up for a touchscreen and OLED panel on last-generation chips, and developers building Mac apps will need to account for touch input for the first time.

Claims

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Why you can trust this story

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Source map · 4 outlets / 5 articles

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  • 4 independent origins / 5 sources
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Verification ledger · 8

  • Claim: Apple announced a MacBook Pro with an OLED display and a touchscreen, its first touchscreen Mac.
    Status: ConfirmedVerification trailVerifiedChecked by verification engine

    At least one checkable detail was matched against the full text of the cited source.

  • Claim: The 14-inch M5 Pro model starts at $2,899.
    Status: ConfirmedVerification trailVerifiedChecked by verification engine

    At least one checkable detail was matched against the full text of the cited source.

  • Claim: The M5 Max 16-inch model starts at $4,799.
    Status: ConfirmedVerification trailVerifiedChecked by verification engine

    At least one checkable detail was matched against the full text of the cited source.

  • Claim: The display reaches 2,000 nits maximum brightness with a 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio, according to Apple.
    Status: ConfirmedVerification trailVerifiedChecked by verification engine

    At least one checkable detail was matched against the full text of the cited source.

  • Claim: The 14-inch model weighs 3 pounds and the 16-inch weighs 4 pounds.
    Status: ConfirmedVerification trailVerifiedChecked by verification engine

    At least one checkable detail was matched against the full text of the cited source.

  • Claim: The new MacBook Pro ships to consumers on November 6, with preorders open.
    Status: ConfirmedVerification trailVerifiedChecked by verification engine

    At least one checkable detail was matched against the full text of the cited source.

  • Claim: The MacBook Pro uses M5 Pro and M5 Max chips rather than the M6 series.
    Status: ConfirmedVerification trailVerifiedChecked by verification engine

    At least one checkable detail was matched against the full text of the cited source.

  • Claim: Apple has not disclosed which burn-in protection method the OLED display uses.
    Status: UnconfirmedVerification trailUnverifiedChecked by verification engine

    No automated check against the source text is available.

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