The MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display: A Refined Evolution

A Refined Design

The MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display is a lighter, thinner, and more refined iteration of Apple's flagship laptop. While it introduces a touchscreen, the feature is subtle and does not fundamentally alter the core macOS experience.

The touchscreen MacBook Pro is a winner

The MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display is a lighter, thinner, and all-around better laptop. Oh, and sure, there’s a touchscreen.

The inclusion of touch support does not redefine the laptop; rather, it serves as a mouse emulator. While it offers occasional utility for specific tasks like zooming into photos or quick interactions, it remains a secondary input method compared to the trackpad.

The device performs as expected for its price point, offering a seamless experience for power users. The combination of the new display, thinner chassis, and touch capabilities marks a new generation for the MacBook Pro lineup.

Performance and Display

Gorgeous OLED screen

Lighter and thinner

Excellent performance

The Bad

Big bump in Pro price

I don’t love the speakers

The 14-inch model starts at $2,899, while the 16-inch version begins at $3,399. These units carry a premium over standard configurations, but the hardware upgrades justify the cost for professional users.

Benchmark tests indicate that the M5 Pro chip delivers robust performance, particularly in complex graphical and local AI-driven tasks, brute-forcing its way through intensive workloads effectively.

Apple redesigned the internal thermals to accommodate the thinner chassis and protect the OLED display from heat degradation. The cooling system is proactive, with fans engaging early during heavy tasks.

The reduced bezels and the Dynamic Island enhance the visual experience, making the screen feel more immersive.

The OLED panel offers high contrast, deep blacks, and excellent color fidelity, making it a standout feature for visual professionals and media consumption.

The transition to OLED has enabled a significant reduction in weight and thickness. The 14-inch model is notably lighter, approaching the portability of the MacBook Air while maintaining a dense, premium build quality.

The integrated speakers are the only notable drawback, exhibiting a bass-heavy, hollow sound profile that feels less balanced than previous iterations.

Connectivity remains consistent with previous models, featuring three Thunderbolt 5 ports, HDMI, an SD card slot, and a headphone jack. Battery life is reliable, easily lasting through a demanding workday.

The OLED display and refined design are significant upgrades that will likely define the future of the MacBook Pro lineup.

Touchscreen Functionality

The touchscreen acts primarily as a mouse emulator. While it works for most interactions, it lacks the specialized touch-first optimizations found on tablets, such as specific gestures for text manipulation or advanced app-specific controls.

macOS has seen minor adjustments for touch, such as larger window controls, but the system remains fundamentally designed for cursor-based navigation.

While concerns about small buttons and touch inaccuracy exist, they are largely irrelevant as the trackpad remains the superior tool for primary navigation.

Features like the Dynamic Island are present, but they are more efficiently managed via the trackpad than through direct touch input.

The touchscreen is most useful for specific tasks like zooming in on images, managing media playback, or collaborative work where tapping is more intuitive than trackpad gestures.

The device is not a touch-first machine. It lacks native support for features like on-screen keyboards or advanced stylus input, confirming its role as a traditional laptop with an added touch layer.

Ultimately, the PROLED MacBook Pro is a traditional laptop that happens to include a touchscreen, rather than a hybrid device.

Final Verdict

For those using older M1-era machines, this model represents a significant and worthwhile upgrade. It offers a glimpse into the future of Apple's portable computing, providing a high-performance experience regardless of whether the user chooses to utilize the touchscreen.

Specifications