Apple introduced its first touch-screen laptops on October 27, 2026, launching 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros equipped with PROLED XDR displays and touch-enabled screens. The release marks a hardware shift for the company after an era during which Apple executives regularly dismissed the idea of touchscreen Macs.
From Steve Jobs’ Ergonomic Rejection to the New PROLED Hardware
Back in 2010, Steve Jobs famously dismissed laptop touchscreens by arguing that touch surfaces do not want to be vertical because arm fatigue sets in quickly. Sixteen years after those remarks, the newly announced hardware introduces touch functionality that works alongside traditional keyboard shortcuts and trackpad gestures. John Ternus described the addition simply by stating, “Oh yeah, it has touch as well.”
The newly unveiled machines rely on advanced PROLED XDR panels. Apple highlighted that these displays achieve up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness and a 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio.
Pricing Tiers and Pre-Order Schedules
Pre-orders for the new touch-enabled laptops opened immediately following the announcement. The devices are scheduled to begin shipping on November 6, 2026. The 14-inch model starts at $2,899, while the 16-inch configuration begins at $3,399. High-end configurations outfitted with 128GB of RAM and 16TB of storage can reach up to $14,549.
A fully loaded MacBook Pro with PROLED Display is $14,549 pic.twitter.com/womnAvBwld
For buyers seeking an alternative, an entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro powered by the M6 chip remains available at $1,999. This model provides enhanced connectivity like Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, but it lacks a touch-enabled screen.
Planned Phase-Out of Non-Touch Premium Models
Apple plans to eliminate non-touch premium MacBook Pro models from its lineup by 2027 when it introduces second-generation touch systems featuring M7 Pro and M7 Max chips, Bloomberg reported via its “Power On” newsletter. Without changes to baseline pricing, consumers facing the upgrade path will encounter a $900 price jump between the entry-level non-touch MacBook Pro and the baseline touch-enabled configuration.
