Apple has announced its first touchscreen MacBook Pro, adding finger input and tandem OLED to its professional laptops. Preorders opened October 28, with deliveries and store availability beginning November 6. The US starting price is $2,899.
Both sizes use M5 Pro or M5 Max. 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 respectively. Those are US starting prices, not fully configured systems or education discounts.
Touch supplements the keyboard and trackpad rather than replacing them. Users can scroll, pinch to zoom and manipulate content directly. Apple says macOS 27 translates touches into clicks for many existing apps, while developers can add interactions specifically designed for touch.
Apple’s announcement describes PROLED XDR as a tandem OLED panel with two self-illuminating pixel layers. The company specifies peak HDR and SDR brightness up to 2,000 nits and adaptive refresh rates from 10Hz to 120Hz. These are manufacturer specifications, not measurements from an Eastern Herald test.
In its initial hands-on, Engadget found that familiar trackpad gestures carried over and some controls expanded when touched. Reviewer Nathan Ingraham also noticed occasional stutters when switching Spaces or full-screen apps. His report reflects a brief launch-event demonstration, not a final assessment of everyday reliability.
Touch is new to the Mac, not to the laptop market. Microsoft’s earlier Surface Laptop Ultra announcement put a 15-inch touchscreen machine at a US starting price of $2,599. Different processors, panels and configurations make that market context, not a like-for-like performance or value comparison.
Apple also advertises its Apple Upgrade leasing option for eligible US customers. A monthly lease quote is not the laptop’s cash purchase price; the arrangement and its conditions are separate from buying the machine outright.
