Apple launches first touchscreen MacBook Pro models with OLED displays

Apple chief executive officer John Ternus announced the company’s first touchscreen MacBook Pro models at an event in Los Angeles on Oct. 28. The new 14-inch and 16-inch laptops are equipped with OLED displays that the company says offer high contrast, sharpness and brightness, and are powered by the latest M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.

The 14-inch model starts at US$2,899, while the 16-inch version begins at US$4,799 and is 0.7 pounds lighter than the previous non-touchscreen version. Apple indicated that the devices are aimed at creators such as designers and photographers who are accustomed to touch interfaces on phones and tablets.

To address OLED burn-in concerns, Apple redesigned the chassis to channel warm air away from the screen and uses the M5 chips to refresh the display regularly. "You can expect an OLED to last as long as your typical LCD screen," said Tom Mainelli, head of IDC’s Device & Consumer Research Group.

Analysts noted that the touchscreen laptop market is growing, with PC makers shipping 33.4 million touchscreen notebooks in 2025, an increase of 22% from the prior year. However, the average selling price of those devices, about US$1,009, is considerably lower than Apple’s pricing. The cheapest touchscreen MacBook Pro still costs more than an entry-level iPhone, MacBook, iPad, Apple Watch and AirPods combined.

Pre-orders for the new MacBook Pro began on Oct. 28, and the laptops are scheduled to be available for purchase on Nov. 6.