Apple's first touchscreen MacBook Pro starts at $2,899, with US preorders opening October 28 and availability beginning November 6. It arrives alongside the $1,999 non-touch M6 MacBook Pro, giving buyers two quite different reasons to replace a laptop.
The PROLED model combines a tandem OLED screen with M5 Pro or M5 Max chips. The less expensive M6 model keeps a mini-LED Liquid Retina XDR display. The $900 difference between their starting prices therefore includes a different processor tier as well as the screen and chassis redesign.
Compare the starting prices
Apple's October 28 announcement lists four PROLED starting prices. Memory, storage and other upgrades can raise the bill.
| Model | US starting price |
|---|---|
| 14-inch M6, non-touch | $1,999 |
| 14-inch PROLED, M5 Pro | $2,899 |
| 16-inch PROLED, M5 Pro | $3,399 |
| 14-inch PROLED, M5 Max | $4,499 |
| 16-inch PROLED, M5 Max | $4,799 |
The 14-inch M6 starts with 16GB of memory and 1TB of storage. Apple's PROLED specifications list M5 Pro memory options beginning at 24GB, with storage starting at 1TB; M5 Max configurations begin at 36GB and 2TB. The advertised maximum of 128GB is tied to the 40-core GPU M5 Max, and 16TB storage is an M5 Max option. Neither maximum describes the $2,899 starting machine.
For an existing M5 Pro owner, the relevant comparison is with the same chip, memory and storage in the new enclosure. Comparing that machine only with base M6 would mix a display decision with a processor decision. Our M6 comparison covers the separate base-chip upgrade and its pricing history.
What the screen changes
Apple's product description explains that tandem OLED uses two self-illuminating pixel layers. Pixels can turn off beside bright areas, avoiding the backlight blooming that can appear around bright objects on a dark background. Apple adds Adobe RGB alongside P3 color support, which gives photography and print work a more specific reason to consider the display than ordinary document editing.
The brightness figures need their conditions attached. PROLED is rated for up to 1,000 nits sustained across the full screen and 2,000 nits peak, with the SDR peak applying outdoors. The full-screen figure has a temperature condition below 25 degrees Celsius. It is not a promise of 2,000-nit full-screen brightness throughout a working day.
The non-touch model's specifications list up to 1,600 nits peak HDR brightness and P3 color. Both families offer refresh rates up to 120Hz and a nano-texture option, so neither feature alone distinguishes PROLED.
Touch support has a launch limit
Apple says existing apps can translate a screen tap into a click. Its announcement lists touch-optimized versions of Word, Excel, Lightroom, DaVinci Resolve, Blender and other apps, but the footnote places those releases later this year. A familiar app accepting taps is different from its promised optimized version being ready on November 6.
The Verge's hands-on report found that macOS enlarges some menus and window controls for fingers, while firm taps near the top can still make the screen wobble. Its reporters also noted the lack of Apple Pencil support. Buyers expecting a pen-based drawing tablet should account for that limitation before ordering.
Ports, weight and battery life
PROLED retains HDMI, an SDXC slot, MagSafe and a headphone jack. Its three Thunderbolt 5 ports and support for up to three external displays with M5 Pro, or four with M5 Max, may matter more at a desk than touch. Base M6 has three Thunderbolt 4 ports and supports up to two external displays. Existing non-touch M5 Pro and Max machines already offer Thunderbolt 5, so those ports are not exclusive to the new screen.
For travel, the 14-inch PROLED M5 Pro weighs 3.0 pounds against 3.4 pounds for M6. Battery ratings move the other way: Apple lists up to 22 hours of streaming and 14 hours of web browsing for that PROLED model, versus 24 and 16 hours for M6. The headline 24-hour PROLED claim applies to the 16-inch M5 Pro. Choose the size and chip before comparing battery figures.
