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Apple has announced its first touchscreen MacBook Pro during its “Pro and Tell” event in Los Angeles, maintaining the familiar feel of the line while introducing significant hardware updates. The new laptops are available in standard 14-inch and 16-inch screen sizes, with the 14-inch model weighing three pounds and the 16-inch model weighing four pounds.
Design and Hardware Improvements
Alongside the reduction in weight, Apple kept the port selection unchanged on the new models. The keyboard and trackpad also remain consistent with the reliable designs introduced in the 2021 MacBook Pro overhaul.
The laptops feature a PROLED XDR Display utilizing OLED technology, which delivers deep black levels. Touch functionality operates similarly to expectations, allowing users to swipe through images, execute multi-touch gestures like panning and zooming, draw in applications such as Pixelmator, and adjust sliders in the Photos app.
Touch Performance and Interface
The user interface has not undergone major alterations, though window management buttons expand slightly upon contact. While touch response is generally solid, occasional stutters occurred during transitions between Spaces and full-screen applications, which may relate to unfamiliarity with macOS touch controls.
Users can utilize familiar trackpad gestures, such as three-finger swipes to navigate between full-screen apps, directly on the screen. Additionally, apps can be flicked to different sides of the display to organize window layouts, mirroring functionality currently available on the iPad.
Pricing and Additional Features
The new MacBook Pro models carry a $400 premium over non-OLED versions, influenced by ongoing storage and RAM market conditions. The design also marks the return of the glowing logo on the device’s lid.
