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Hands-on with the first touchscreen MacBook Pro | Mac & i Podcast

DevicesOctober 30, 20261 min read

Apple has announced its first Mac with a touchscreen, the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display. In a podcast episode, two hosts share their hands-on impressions and discuss what touch could mean for the Mac.

What happened

Apple has launched the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display. It is the first Mac with a touchscreen. It is the most expensive model in the MacBook Pro line. The Mac & i podcast host Malte Kirchner shares his hands-on experience with it in Episode 134. He and co-host Leo Becker also talk about Apple's other hardware news from that week.

Key facts and prices

Starting price: at least 3,300 euros.
That is 400 euros more than the MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro chip.
No new chip, no mobile connection, and no Face ID.
New features include an OLED display, Dynamic Island, and a lower weight.

Some context

The MacBook Pro is Apple's high-end laptop line. Until now, Macs did not have touchscreens, while iPads did. The podcast says the lines between Apple's product families are slowly fading. The hosts also ask where the iPad still fits in.

Why it matters

A touchscreen on a Mac could change how people use their laptop and how apps are built. The hosts discuss which uses for touch make sense and which do not. They also look at what this could mean for macOS and Mac apps over the long run.

What to watch

Which everyday tasks really benefit from touch on a Mac.
How macOS and Mac apps change to support touch.
Whether the iPad keeps a clear role next to a touch Mac.
How other Apple laptops and tablets develop as the product lines blend.

Glossary

PROLED XDR Display: Apple's name for the new screen in this MacBook Pro model. It is an OLED-type display.
OLED: A screen type where each pixel makes its own light, often used for sharp colors and deep blacks.
Dynamic Island: A small area at the top of the screen that shows alerts and activity, first seen on iPhones.
Face ID: Apple's face-scanning system that unlocks a device by recognizing the user's face.
M5 Pro: A chip made by Apple that powers the MacBook Pro model that costs 400 euros less.
macOS: The operating system that runs on Apple's Mac computers.

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