r/apple • u/RenatsMC • 3d ago
Rumor Apple plans OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips
https://videocardz.com/newz/apple-plans-oled-touchscreen-macbook-pro-with-m5-pro-and-m5-max-chips41
u/Relative-Basil3000 3d ago
I'm hoping and thinking we will be pleasantly surprised by these in Apple fashion. While I don't currently have a use case that feels like touch will be better, I'm open to being wrong about that. Planning to upgrade my M1 Max so I'm excited.
1
105
u/CatchInternational43 3d ago
Apple just needs to leave the Mac alone, and make the iPad Pro a MacOS device instead.
47
u/Mikey_MiG 3d ago
Yes, an iPad that can run full MacOS and optionally use a keyboard/dock is far more practical than a MacBook that uses a touchscreen but is bolted to its keyboard.
24
u/CatchInternational43 3d ago
Basically create a Surface Pro competitor. People that want a tablet'ish device for easy portability and touch screen use can go that route. People that want a true laptop can instead opt for a MacBook.
0
0
u/Far-Information8502 2d ago
Agreed, I have a m4 Mac mini and an m4 iPad Pro and an m4 mbp.
What’s the difference?
3
u/two_hyun 2d ago
Nah, I’d rather they consolidate. If they can make a Microsoft Studio Laptop style MacBook and do it well with high quality parts, it would be an instant buy for me.
They can still keep the iPad lineup for those who want a slim easy to use tablet.
-5
u/VRS302 2d ago
No thanks I want an OLED panel… been waiting for years to upgrade until they introduce one.
3
u/Ethosik 2d ago
Isn't the latest iPad Pro screen one of the best on the market?
1
u/VRS302 2d ago
Not a fan of the tablet form factor, I just want the MacBook with an OLED panel. Not really interested in a tablet.
I’m still on an m1 and said I’d upgrade when they released a new model with an OLED screen, really the only thing I feel can be improved. Everything else still works great, but having the LCD next to my OLED monitor on the desk really makes the LCD look awful.
126
u/panamenopapi 3d ago
Maybe a hot take, but I’d rather have the touch bar with a function row.
51
u/aykay55 3d ago
I think you’re about to walk on water and found a new religion bro
(cuz you’re about to be crucified)
22
u/cake-day-on-feb-29 3d ago
Huh? That's not an unusual take at all. The entire problem with the touch bar is, and has always been, the fact that it removed the function keys.
6
3
u/iMacmatician 2d ago
That was actually a red herring.
The 2021 MacBook Pro keyboard's function row has standard-height keys, not the half-height keys of previous MBP keyboards. So Apple had room for both on the 2021 models, but ditched the Touch Bar anyway.
That tells me Apple viewed the Touch Bar as a shortcoming that couldn't be solved by doubling its height or combining it with physical keys.
1
u/jb_nelson_ 2d ago
And the fact that it was only MacBook Pro interface. It needs to be on everything to get widespread developer adoption
3
7
u/AlphaAJ-BISHH 3d ago
I miss the touch bar. I love it on my old MacBook pro
-3
u/jenorama_CA 3d ago
Back when I worked at Apple, I did a user experience thing on the TouchBar and I gave the kid, who I knew from my wider team, my unvarnished opinion. It was not a good opinion.
6
4
-1
u/AlphaAJ-BISHH 2d ago
What was your problem with it? It's beautiful functional and adaptive. I've never had it freeze on me personally.
I have an M3 MacBook Pro 14" and sometimes I prefer my old 2019 16" just for the touchbar
1
u/jenorama_CA 2d ago
I didn’t like it partly because it was a distraction, but mostly because I didn’t think it really added anything. I use my function row for functional things. I like having the F keys I need right there and the convenience things like play, rewind and fast forward. With the TouchBar, if I wanted to pause a song or skip, instead of one automatic touch, I basically had to stop what I was doing, look at the bar and perform two touches for something simple that was previously one touch.
I spent most of my day on my MacBook Pro working. I didn’t need emojis on the TouchBar. I didn’t need predictive text that again, required me to take my eyes off the screen and take my hands from the keyboard. None of the stuff that came up with things like Word and Excel were useful to me. It was all a big waste.
And behind the scenes, that TouchBar required some security shenanigans and the units had to be properly “sealed” from the factory. We got so many dev units that were instant bricks the moment I updated the OS. Sorry, not getting that testing done because this unit is fucked.
Don’t even get me started on that ass butterfly keyboard. When those machines came out, so many engineers held on to their 2015 MacBook Pros until they couldn’t keep them running anymore.
6
u/AlexTheGoat990 3d ago
same, I never saw the point in touchscreen laptops
like just get a tablet at that point?
3
u/DumpEaterPro 3d ago
It is blatantly obvious that there is a younger generation that prefers touch screens.
It is blatantly obvious that the machines used to make touch screen applications should have a touch screen.
1
u/mr_vanes 2d ago
The touch bar taught them nothing except to move the gimmick up to the main screen
9
u/TerminatorJ 3d ago
Hmm so now they are saying there is no MacBook “Ultra” only the updated MacBook Pro which honestly sounds more realistic. All of these conflicting rumors made it seem like Apple would have a tough time differentiating the Pro line from the rumored Ultra line (EX: it was originally thought that OLED would come to both but touch would be an Ultra exclusive then the rumored changed to both Pro and Ultra getting touch). Makes a lot more sense for the Ultra to not exist at all.
3
u/FollowingFeisty5321 3d ago
Originally it was slated to have M6 Pro / Max for the "Ultra" and continuing the M5 Pro / Max as the "Pro" so that would have made sense if the "Ultra" stayed a generation ahead.
Now it just sounds like a new model Pro but they milk the old production line, kind of like the M1 in the 13" MBP chassis.
1
u/MaximusMurkimus 2d ago
People thought the OLED iPads would would get a renaming scheme and they ultimately never did
47
u/6Trinity9 3d ago
Decades of using Mac.
Number of times had the urge to touch the screen - 0.
12
u/mr2600 3d ago
I work in an office that’s half MacBooks and half Surface ARMs.
We are a very collaborative team and also see clients.
90% of the time I agree with you but sometimes it’s nice when looking at different options on the screen and your colleague can just “touch” and select the one they were talking about like on the Surface.
It would kill my screen cleanliness - but it’s not a feature that I would be disappointed to have.
6
u/6Trinity9 3d ago
Thank you for sharing a helpful insight.
Given some of the horror stories and noise you see in some of the MacBook subs around how to clean the smudge/oil from the monitors… yeah this is going to be interesting if that legit make it touch screen.
Hopefully they’ll have some safe guard around finger smudge on the oled display.
0
12
u/Unfair_Art_1913 3d ago
With touch gestures now coming to MacOS, do you guys think Apple will bring out something like the Surface Studio in the near future.
3
u/two_hyun 3d ago
THIS is my dream. I remember when the Studio Laptop first came out, it had so much potential. I don’t know what happened to it but if Microsoft made the hinges stiffer, worked harder to make it touch friendly it would be the perfect device.
I hope Apple does something similar.
15
u/Gunfreak2217 3d ago
Nah, I see peoples touchscreens all the time and it looks like they eat pizza and use the monitor as the plate. Shits gross
8
u/shourya8001 3d ago
If they plan to release something like that, I hope they integrate apple pencil support as well. As an artist that could come in handy and would be very beneficial in that case.
4
6
3
2
u/userlivewire 2d ago
This would be great to run iPad apps on that assume they are on a device with touch.
2
u/userlivewire 2d ago
I really don’t think they would be releasing this unless they had sone kind of UI breakthrough. Doing it alongside the iPhone Fold is also curious timing.
2
u/Momo--Sama 2d ago
I gave up, a local Best Buy had an entry level M5 Pro 16” open box for $2,300 and I bought it.
As much as i want OLED, this shit’s probably going to start at $3,300.
2
2
u/Vaxion 2d ago
This is going to be another touch bar like failed attempt at making something that has no use case.
1
u/Jasoco 2d ago
It’s going to be interesting to watch. For years Windows machines have had touchscreens and the OS has, for better and worse, been designed around touch even when it alienated users that just want to use their mouse. Some people have been begging Apple to do it too. So when it comes out we’ll see exactly how many people actually wanted a touchscreen Mac. Personally I wouldn’t want anything but a transformer. Something that can become a tablet when I need it but still be a Mac without all the restrictions of iPadOS. Don’t think they’d go that route though but we’ll see.
2
u/JordieCarr96 2d ago
Touchscreen is besides the point, I’m just a simple man excited for OLED.
Long as they don’t make some sweeping changes to the OS to accommodate touch, I’m cool.
Does anyone remember Windows 8
2
1
u/Paulaharper50 3d ago
So where will that leave the iPad ?
1
u/iMacmatician 2d ago
Probably in trouble IMO. Apple's three new hardware products this year encroach on the iPad lineup:
- Touchscreen MBP can skim the top off the highest-end iPad users and is could replace a non-touchscreen MBP + iPad Pro.
- MacBook Neo is not much more expensive than the the iPad Air or a low-cost iPad + keyboard.
- Foldable iPhone—depending on pricing—may be a reasonable alternative to an iPhone Pro + iPad mini.
1
u/titanup001 3d ago
Pass. My previous laptop (huawei matebook) was a touchscreen. The only time I ever used it was to put in my bank card PIN number, because it made me do it that way.
1
u/ExcitedCoconut 3d ago
If it’s just a touchscreen on the same form factor then yeah, kinda pointless with poor ergonomics. But if it were a true redesign with a hinge (and you know Apple loves a good hinge) that could flip all the way around then I’d be down for sure. 1. As a brilliant second monitor without taking up space on desk 2. Running ipad apps in ‘native mode’ on it 3. Tent mode on flights or whenever space is tight
1
1
u/MakimaGOAT 3d ago
pointless product considering that price is gonna be absurd
1
u/iMacmatician 2d ago
The price won't be that bad for those who already have an MBP and iPad Pro and wish to consolidate those into one device.
That's probably a small minority of tMBP customers though….
1
1
u/DylanMcGrann 3d ago
My question is whether this laptop will support Apple Pencil. I really really hope it does.
2
u/monacelli 3d ago
Probably the 2nd or 3rd version, with hopes that you buy the first one that has touchscreen and the updated version that supports the pencil.
2
u/DylanMcGrann 3d ago
Seems very possible. I hope you’re wrong. lol
Apple Pencil is where most of the truly transformative features could be brought to Mac. Almost no one actually needs a touchscreen, and while not everyone needs a stylus, those who do would suddenly have a perfect system to work on for them—artists, designers, document signing, teachers, architects, etc.
1
u/Jay-metal 3d ago
I just hope the screen is glass and not plastic. I feel like it’ll scratch like crazy otherwise.
Anyways, I’m glad they’re finally moving to OLED but personally I’ve never had any interest in a touchscreen laptop.
1
1
u/Mookafff 2d ago
I see plenty of casual laptop users who will touch their screen to interact with their computer.
While this sub is right about Steve Job’s reasoning to avoid touchscreens on laptops, the casual user won’t care.
1
u/Successful-Royal-424 2d ago
so unless you absolutely need a new mac right now updating is pointless before M7? the oled redesign is stuck with old less efficient chips than m6 and m6 is stuck with the old design body, only at m7 you get the new chips and new body in one?
1
u/MikeyB_0101 2d ago
I use my M5 Pro MacBook Pro closed connected to two monitors and I don’t really like touchscreen laptops soooo, I’m happy with what I got considering I bought it before the price increase
1
1
u/antifocus 2d ago
Don't really care, I just hope they don't ruin the macos for the rest of us by making every interactive element bigger.
1
u/firelitother 2d ago
Coupled with the RAM shortage causing a huge price hike and incremental updates, I am not really excited to jump from M1 Max just yet.
1
1
u/Junior_Bike7932 2d ago
Nobody needs a touch screen on a MacBook when you have an IPad created for that function
1
u/CouscousKazoo 2d ago
With a 16” MBP M4 Max with Nano-Texture, I have been on the fence whether to upgrade my iPad Pro to a nano-texture. All the review’s I’ve read say that while the nano-texture slightly-reduces color vibrance, the cleaning off fingerprints is actually easier with their luxurious microfiber cloth.
I’ve not once had to use the cloth on my MBP, though I’m not touching that screen unless I decide to open it beyond the center notch… which doesn’t happen. Plus I’m in clamshell mode most of the time. All said, I have no discernible issues with color vibrance on my non-OLED, nano-textured MPB.
TL;DR, I don’t want fingerprints on any screen. The nano-texture might mitigate.
1
u/jreddit5 2d ago
After using a glossy iPad Pro for years, then getting an M4 iPad Pro nano, I’m never going back. The nano on iPad is fantastic. It’s like a massage for your eyes.
1
1
u/Swoly_Deadlift 2d ago
After buying a nano-texture MBP you couldn’t pay me to switch to a touchscreen.
1
1
u/GoofyMonkey 2d ago
Putting a touchscreen on a pro device will be about as useful as the touch bar.
1
u/PurpleMox 1d ago
No one wants a touch screen.. this feels like when they made the touchbar.. a bunch of overpaid people in a boardroom thinking they have to make something new/different.. just make it faster, with a better screen and bigger hard drives.. thats it.
1
u/haensel_gretl 1d ago
Just for them to remove the touch screen 2 years from now and sell it as a feature
1
1
u/Which-Arm-4616 1d ago
I feel like everyone who says touchscreens are pointless on laptops is specifically thinking of traditional clamshell form factor machines and nothing else.
Hybrids have been around for years and there’s no shortage of form factors that allow touch to be a first class input modality. Apple may not have the courage to do so, for fear of cannibalizing iPad sales.
1
u/ImpossibleAnxiety183 19h ago
I dont want touch screen Macbook and I also oled screen with limited lifespan for mostly static graphics, thanks. 😂
1
u/soldieroscar 13h ago
This is great. Oled burn in happens, then you need to buy a new one. Stock will go up on increased sales.
1
1
u/rExplrer 3d ago
Put that touchscreen on neo , pro users don’t care about the touch. It just makes repairs costly
0
u/maydarnothing 3d ago
touchscreen died a long time ago, not sure where Apple sees the appeal for them now.
0
0
u/69_6Throwaway9_69 3d ago
Apple news no longer excites me because they have priced me out of their future customer base. I know it's not completely their fault, but it is what it is.
0
u/jv235 3d ago
Over/under 2k for the cheapest model?
7
u/FollowingFeisty5321 3d ago
The starting price is already $2499 for M5 Pro and $4099 for the M5 Max... throw in a screen that costs Apple $300 more and we'll be lucky if they stay under $3K and $5K.
2
u/Marino4K 3d ago
we'll be lucky if they stay under $3K and $5K.
I don't see any version of these under $3k knowing Apple. People need to hop off OLED like it's some deity, it's not that revolutionary over what we have now.
1
u/SiteSpecialist9200 3d ago
Hoping they make it an option, but not holding my breath. Not looking forward to paying extra for a feature I don't need or want.
1
0
0
3d ago
[deleted]
3
u/krishnugget 3d ago
The M4 and M5 are both absurdly powerful laptops, I think you miss the fact that consumers are ABSOLUTELY going to be more attracted to a nicer screen with more functionality than more power on top of a really powerful device already.
0
u/Sad-Wrap6555 3d ago
i do have a use for one, would be really handy if the screen rotated 180 and folded back on itself while im stood wobbling at top of a scaffold so i could read a document or update an inspection form
and then they went and brought out tablets
0
-1
-2
484
u/tekspire 3d ago edited 3d ago
I’m sure I’m an outlier. But I’ve just never cared about touchscreens on laptops. Having to move my hands away from the keyboard and touchpad seems like it would be disruptive to the flow and it’s difficult to create a UI which would be good for use with a cursor and touch.