Touchscreen MacBook Pro, the OLED model goes up to $14,549

Applepresented a MacBook Pro with an OLED screen and touchscreen controls, marking an important change in interaction with macOS. However, the novelty arrives together with decidedly high US prices: the 16-inch model can reach 14,549 dollars with all options selected. The most expensive configurations combine M5 Max chips, 128GB of unified storage, and 16TB SSD. To evaluate the actual increase compared to the previous generation it is essential to distinguish the increase in price of comparable models from the cost of new expansion possibilities.

How much does the touchscreen MacBook Pro cost in the United States

Touchscreen MacBook Pro - Starting prices shown by MacRumorsconcern the US market. The 14-inch model with the M5 Pro costs $2,899 and includes a 15-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 24GB of unified storage, and a 1TB SSD. For the 16-inch with M5 Pro it starts at $3,399, with 18-core CPU, 20-core GPU, 24GB of memory and 1TB SSD.

The M5 Max versions instead start from $4,499 for the 14-inch and from $4,799 for the 16-inch. In both cases the initial M5 Max configuration includes 18-core CPU, 32-core GPU, 36GB of unified memory and 2TB SSD. Compared to the price lists immediately preceding the announcement, each of the four starting configurations increases by $400. The increases correspond to approximately 16% and 13% for the 14- and 16-inch M5 Pro models, and 10% and 9% for the M5 Max models.

These comparisons refer to the prices of previous non-touchscreen models shortly before the launch, not their original launch prices. The sources do not provide the corresponding Italian price lists: it would therefore not be correct to directly convert the amounts into euros and present them as sales prices in Italy.

How do you get to $14,549

The maximum expected by the configurator reaches 14,249 dollars on the 14 inch and 14,549 dollars on the 16 inch. Both feature M5 Max with 18-core CPU and 40-core GPU, 128GB of unified memory, 16TB SSD and nano-texture glass. It is above all the expansion of storage space that affects the total.

Starting with the 2TB SSD of the highest-end M5 Max configuration, upgrading to 4TB requires an additional $1,000; choosing 8TB carries a surcharge of $3,000, while the 16TB option adds $7,000. Increasing the unified storage from 48GB to 128GB costs another $2,000, and the nano-texture glass adds $150.

The previous 16-inch MacBook Pro retailed for $10,149 with 128GB of memory, 8TB SSD, and nano-texture glass. However, the difference of $4,400 compared to the new maximum, equal to approximately 43%, does not represent a comparison with the same features: the new model offers double the storage space. With 8TB SSD, the new 16-inch costs $10,549, which is $400 more. The comparison therefore distinguishes the increase in the price list from the effect of the maximum capacity now available.

OLED screen and tactile interaction

The change isn't just about price. As Ars Technica reports from the presentation in Los Angeles,appleshowed the first major rethink of the MacBook Pro in over five years. The OLED panel, called PROLED

In demonstrations, users are seen dragging files directly onto the screen and using multitouch gestures, including pinch-to-zoom. The sequences show a laptop in traditional configuration, not a 2-in-1 convertible device. Apple mentioned protections against OLED display burn-in, but did not describe the method used in the reported materials.

Some external elements also change: the camera notch leaves room for the Dynamic Island, while the Apple logo on the back of the lid lights up again. According to data disclosed during the announcement, the 14-inch model weighs 3 pounds, about half a pound less than the previous generation depending on the configuration. The general structure remains similar to the one already known.

M5 chip and availability calendar

For this review Apple uses the M5 Pro and M5 Max, rather than switching to the M6 ​​series already mentioned by Ars Technica for other Macs. The maximum memory remains at 128GB, while the storage capacity rises up to 16TB. The previous report by 9to5Mac, which recalled Bloomberg, had anticipated the choice of the M5 Pro and M5 Max processors: the presentation described by subsequent sources confirms their use.

In the absence of further clarifications, it is appropriate to distinguish this discrepancy without assigning a single pre-order opening date.

Editorial source consulted:TechCrunch.