By Ahmed Abdelsalam
Apple has launched its first touchscreen MacBook, the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display, at an event in Los Angeles. The laptop starts at £2,899 and features an OLED display, Dynamic Island, lighter weight, and a glowing Apple logo.
Display and Design Changes
The PROLED XDR Display uses OLED technology for the first time in a Mac laptop, delivering true blacks, high brightness, and exceptional contrast. The redesign also brings a Dynamic Island at the top of the screen, a lighter chassis, and the return of the glowing Apple logo on the lid.
Touchscreen Experience
The touchscreen works but feels secondary; macOS shows no obvious touch affordances. Users can tap, scroll, and zoom, but the system remains designed for indirect input. More compelling uses include expressive musical instrument play and testing iPhone apps during development. Small buttons expand when pressed to aid accuracy.
Drawbacks: Fingerprints and Screen Bounce
Fingerprints appear but are less visible when the screen is on, and a cleaning cloth is included. Tapping the screen causes slight hinge bounce, though Apple strengthened the hinge to reduce it; in practice, the bounce is barely noticeable during normal use.
Verdict
The touchscreen may prove a minor addition rather than a transformation. The laptop's standout feature remains its display, which is the best ever on a MacBook, alongside improvements in weight and size. Whether touch becomes more significant depends on future app development.
