Apple Launches First MacBook Pro With Touchscreen After Years of Resistance
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
Apple has launched its first MacBook Pro with a touchscreen, starting at $2,899, after years of executive opposition. The new laptop, available in 14- and 16-inch sizes with M5 Pro or M5 Max chips, goes on sale November 6 in the U.S. Apple also introduced new MacBook Pro and iMac models with the M6 chip, and an iPad mini with an OLED display, all featuring enhanced AI capabilities.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Apple released its first MacBook Pro with a touchscreen, starting at $2,899.
- The new MacBook Pro features M5 Pro or M5 Max chips and is available in 14- and 16-inch sizes.
- This launch follows years of Apple executives, including Steve Jobs, opposing touchscreens on laptops.
- Apple also unveiled new MacBook Pro and iMac models powered by the M6 chip.
- A new iPad mini with an OLED display and A20 Pro chip was also announced.
- Sales for the new MacBook Pro and iMac begin November 6 in the U.S.
Apple has unveiled its first MacBook Pro featuring a touchscreen, marking a significant shift after years of executive opposition to the concept. The new laptop, available in two sizes, is powered by M5 Pro or M5 Max chips and starts at $2,899, with pre-orders opening soon and sales commencing November 6 in the U.S. Higher-end configurations can reach $14,549.
This move comes despite past statements from Apple leaders, including Steve Jobs, who described touchscreens on laptops as "ergonomically terrible," and Tim Cook, who also expressed reservations. Rumors of such a device had circulated for nearly three years. This follows Apple's previous attempt to integrate touch with the now-discontinued Touch Bar on MacBook Pros nearly a decade ago.
The new MacBook Pro boasts a full touchscreen display, available in 14- and 16-inch sizes, featuring PROLED XDR technology. It offers up to 128GB of unified memory and 16TB of storage, with peak brightness of 2,000 nits for HDR and SDR content. The display includes a stabilized hinge and a dynamic island-style cutout instead of a notch. The device also features an enhanced six-speaker system.
Weighing 1.38kg for the smaller model and 1.82kg for the larger, both are lighter than their predecessors. Connectivity includes three Thunderbolt 5 ports, HDMI, an SDXC card slot, MagSafe, and a headphone jack. The M5 Pro version supports up to three external displays, while the M5 Max supports up to four.
Apple also announced a standard MacBook Pro with the new M6 chip, an updated iMac, and a new iPad mini with an OLED display. The M6-equipped MacBook Pro starts at $1,999, offering up to 24 hours of battery life and Wi-Fi 7 support. The M6 chip features a 12-core CPU and 12-core GPU, promising significant performance gains in AI and general tasks compared to previous generations. The new iMac also features the M6 chip, enhancing performance for everyday tasks and creative workflows.
The iPad mini now sports a larger 8.3-inch OLED display and the A20 Pro chip, with a starting price of $699. It offers improved brightness, contrast, and a thinner, lighter design. The device will launch with the next generation of Apple Intelligence and AI-powered Siri, capable of leveraging personal context for assistance.
