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Apple’s first touchscreen MacBook comes at a price
Apple unveiled its first touchscreen MacBook Pro on 28 October, adding direct screen controls to a laptop range that has long relied on a keyboard and trackpad. Starting at $2,899, it marks a significant change in how people can use a Mac, though the high price raises questions about whether touch is worth the upgrade.
The laptop has a tandem OLED display, which Apple says can reach 2,000 nits of peak brightness, a 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio and refresh rates up to 120Hz. It also has an antireflective coating, an optional nano-texture finish and a redesigned hinge to steady the screen when tapped. It remains a conventional laptop: it does not fold into a tablet or support Apple Pencil.
In short
- Apple’s first touchscreen MacBook Pro starts at $2,899.
- Its tandem OLED screen offers up to 2,000 nits of brightness.
- It remains a laptop, without tablet folding or Apple Pencil support.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A touchscreen could make common tasks more direct, especially when selecting, scrolling or working with visual content, while the MacBook retains the keyboard and trackpad for traditional laptop use. The bright, high-contrast display and steadier hinge may make touch practical, and some users may consider the premium worthwhile if it improves their daily workflow.
The case against
Touch may add little for people who already work comfortably with a keyboard and trackpad, particularly since the laptop does not fold into a tablet or support Apple Pencil. At a starting price of $2,899, buyers may reasonably question whether direct screen controls justify the cost, especially if they would rarely use them.
Explained simply
MacBook Pro is Apple’s higher-performance laptop, used for tasks such as creative work and software development. Until now, people have controlled Macs mainly with a keyboard and trackpad, while Apple’s iPad range has offered touchscreens and stylus input.
The new model adds touch controls to the laptop’s display but remains a standard clamshell computer, without a folding tablet design or Apple Pencil support. Its starting price is $2,899, so the change matters to people weighing whether touch input and the new screen features justify choosing it over other Macs or a separate tablet.