Apple introduced the MacBook Pro with ProLED XDR Display on Wednesday. It is the first touch screen laptop Apple has ever released despite the prevalence and success of the form factor in the PC market. Back in 2010, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs said he thought vertical touch surfaces were "ergonomically terrible," and the company has held off on putting touch screens in its laptops until now.The computer is also powered by the M5 Pro or M5 Max chip and is available in both 14 inch and 16 inch options.
Customers can start preordering the new laptop today or pick it up in stores on Nov. 6.
There's one important detail that may temper consumers' enthusiasm, however, and that is the price. The touch screen MacBook Pro starts at a whopping $2,899. That is $900 more than the $1,999 starting price of the new 14-inch MacBook Pro with the newer M6 chip Apple unveiled earlier this week alongside new M6-powered iMacs. The most expensive version of the new laptop will cost a staggering $14,399.
The primary reason for the hefty price tag is the new POLED XDR display. OLED screens are more difficult to manufacture, but offer superior pixel density, consume less power, and provide a significantly better viewing experience, especially in bright conditions. Apple has long used OLED panels in its top-shelf iPhones and iPads for these very reasons.
There's also the continued issue of surging memory costs. Memory is in such high demand that supply is constrained, lifting costs for equipment manufacturers and leading them to raise prices to offset margin headwinds. Apple has raised prices on many of its products already this year to help preserve its product margins.
Today's announcement is the latest in a string of recent product launches from the world's largest consumer electronics maker.
The touch screen MacBook Pro marks the third major product launch from Apple in less than two months. The first foldable iPhone, the Duo, went on sale last Friday. And last month, Apple unveiled a new collection of smart home hardware, including its first smart home hub, the HomeView.
This renewed cadence signals a strong start for CEO John Ternus, who started in the role on Sept. 1. Ternus was previously a senior vice president of hardware engineering at Apple. Ternus is known as a "product guy," and investors will be watching to see how these new products sell, and whether the decision to hold non-Pro iPhone updates for the spring pays off rather than releasing them alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.
The company also announced this week that it was updating the iPad mini with a thinner design and A20 Pro chip. For comparison, the MacBook Neo laptop is powered by an A18 Pro chip.
Underlying each of these new products is Apple's efforts to improve its artificial-intelligence software, Apple Intelligence. Apple wants to capitalize on how much personal info an iPhone contains to deliver personalized AI to its customers while also offering an ecosystem of products that work not only seamlessly together, but protect users' privacy. To date, Apple has largely stayed out of the hyperscalers' Capex-driven battle for AI dominance, relying instead on licensing deals and slower, in-house development of its AI capabilities.
Wall Street seems pleased with this strategy. Apple stock is up 27% this year, outperforming the 13% gain of the S&P 500. We'll get a further sense of the market sentiment on Nov. 2 when Apple reports its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings.
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