Apple Touchscreen MacBook Pro Introduces Tandem OLED Display and Dynamic Island

Apple has finally delivered a touchscreen MacBook Pro, a fundamental departure in the company's laptop design approach. The new MacBooks finally add touch functionality Apple has avoided for years, along with a revamped display, better speakers, a slimmer, lighter chassis, and the return of the luminous Apple logo. The new MacBook Pro models come in 14-inch or 16-inch sizes and pair Apple's M5 Pro and M5 Max chips with major hardware and design changes.

Tandem OLED Display Is a Huge Visual Upgrade

The major highlight of the new MacBook Pro is its dual OLED display. It offers a 10 million-to-one contrast ratio, 10 times that of the ordinary MacBook Pro with deeper blacks and richer colors. The display can hit 2,000 nits of peak brightness for HDR and SDR content. The ProMotion technology dynamically shifts refresh rates from 10Hz to 120Hz. The display also supports P3 and Adobe RGB color gamuts.

The display bezels have been trimmed down by 15% and all four corners are rounded, making the laptop look cleaner.

Touchscreen Support Opens New Ways to Interact

Touchscreen functionality is another big addition. The display supports multi-touch, allowing users another way to engage with apps and move through the operating system. For some workflows, especially 3D work, tapping the screen can be more convenient. For instance, you may find it easier to rotate objects directly on the display rather than using the trackpad exclusively.

The hinge is also stiffer, so the screen wobbles less when you touch it. The oleophobic coating also helps resist fingerprints, making them less visible even after frequent use. It also offers a nano-texture display option.

Dynamic Island Replaces the Traditional Display Notch

Another significant change is the introduction of Dynamic Island. Instead of the traditional display notch, the new MacBook Pro features an interactive Dynamic Island that lets users control music playback and adjust settings such as brightness. However, Face ID remains absent. Apple continues to rely on its familiar Touch ID system, although Face ID integration would have been a welcome addition.

M5 Pro and M5 Max Power the New MacBook Pro

Under the hood, the new models feature either Apple's M5 Pro or M5 Max processors. There is no M6 configuration for the PROLED XDR display version. Users can configure the laptop with up to 128GB of unified memory and 16TB of storage. However, selecting the maximum storage capacity could add approximately $7,000 to the overall price.

Glowing Apple Logo Returns With a Lighter Design

One nostalgic feature making a comeback is the glowing Apple logo. It has been more than 10 years since the MacBook Pro featured an illuminated logo, making its return a noticeable design change.

The Space Black version makes the glowing logo particularly prominent compared to Silver. Both 14-inch and 16-inch models are also thinner and approximately 14% lighter than their regular counterparts. The 14-inch version weighs around 1.38kg.

Despite the reduced weight and thickness, Apple has maintained the same battery life. The speakers have also improved, delivering 50% better bass, with initial testing suggesting impressive audio quality.

MacBook Pro Pricing Reaches Nearly $15,000

The 14-inch MacBook Pro with the Pro LED display starts at approximately$2,900, while the regular 14-inch model starts around $2,000 with the M6 chip. Compared with an equivalent M5 Pro configuration, the new display and redesigned chassis cost approximately $400 extra.

The 16-inch version starts at about $3,400, while a fully configured laptop can cost up to $14,549. Interestingly, customers in the UK will not receive a power adapter, despite the premium price.

Overall, the tandem OLED display, touchscreen support, lighter chassis, improved speakers, and returning glowing Apple logo make the new MacBook Pro an interesting upgrade. While touchscreen functionality may not be essential for everyone, the display improvements alone make these models particularly noteworthy.