Apple has finally released its very first touchscreen laptop—the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display. I reviewed both the 14- and 16-inch models, and I can tell you that the tandem OLED is easily the best we’ve ever tested. That, along with a thinner and lighter design, blazing-fast M5 Pro/M5 Max performance, and epic battery life, makes it one of the best MacBooks available.
While the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display is undoubtedly great, it’s proving to be one of Apple’s most divisive laptops. That’s not only based on what I’ve seen on social media, but also on what Tom’s Guide readers and followers have told us through polls and in the comments section of our TikTok videos.
To that end, I’ve scoured reactions to our MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display and selected highlights to give you a sense of what folks think.
From price and performance to features, here’s what Tom’s Guide readers and followers have to say about Apple’s new OLED MacBook Pro.
Poll results
After the MacBook Pro with PROLED was announced and our initial hands-on with the laptop, we created a poll asking: Are you sold on the touchscreen MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR? with the four options you see above:
Based on a total 453 votes on our website, 144 votes went with “incredible tech, but $2,899 is way out of my budget,” followed up by 135 votes for “MacBooks don’t need a touchscreen — give me a standard M5/M6 laptop instead.”
“Touch, tandem OLED, and 2,000 nits make it worth the premium” received 131 votes, while “I want to see how third-party apps handle touch first” got 43 votes.
I can’t say I’m surprised by these results, as the MacBook Pro OLED is now the most expensive Apple laptop, with the 14-inch model with M5 Pro starting at $2,899 and the 16-inch model with M5 Max starting at $3,399. And naturally, adding additional RAM, storage, and upgrading to a nano-texture display all significantly boost the price.
The usefulness of a laptop touchscreen is something I discussed in my review. While the touchscreen itself is extremely responsive and intuitive, it’s a feature that some laptop users (such as myself) don’t always need. You can save $900 by purchasing the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6, which starts at $1,999. Yes, that’s expensive too, but it’s still nearly $1,000 less than the starting price of the M5 Pro 14-inch PROLED.
That said, the tandem OLED touchscreen is worth it for some readers. Right now, it’s the brightest laptop display we’ve tested. It can even be much brighter than an OLED TV’s display. The screen is so vivid that others pale in comparison. If you can afford this laptop, I promise you won’t be disappointed by its mesmerizing display.
Many of the third-party apps I use daily, such as those from Google (Docs, Drive, Sheets), work perfectly, but there is still concern about how third-party apps handle touch. This is a fair concern, as developers have to optimize their apps for the touchscreen.
Given that it’s still early days for the PROLED, issues could arise. This is something I plan to cover in greater detail if enough folks complain about their favorite apps not working as intended on Apple’s touchscreen laptops.
Commenters on our TikTok videos featuring the reveal of the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display and our hands-on impressions are just as critical and skeptical about the MacBook Pro’s touchscreen.
User N7 Drones flatly says: “I see zero reason to have a touchscreen on my MacBook Pro!” While tk42121 says that “OLED is fine, but a touchscreen is worthless.” Another user under the handle of Reirei gives scorn and praise, saying that “Apple always late on tech but when they do it 10x better than others.”
I found the comment from Smooth Operator particularly interesting. “Why wouldn’t they do the screen flip to make it easier to touch the screen?” This is something I brought up regarding how comfortable it is to use a touchscreen laptop. A 2-in-1 convertible design would certainly make it easier for taking notes or drawing, though you’d also need Apple Pencil support—a feature the PROLED currently lacks.
While many comments on our TikTok videos weren’t the most positive, they weren’t all negative. For instance, krisnahafara said, “finally the logo [is] back.” Some other posts shared the same sentiment, though user Fernando Callo said: “Please, don’t bring back the light-up logo to the rest of the lineup.” Guess they’re not a fan!
Bottom line
It shouldn’t be surprising that Apple’s first touchscreen laptop isn’t being universally praised.
While I think the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display is the best laptop I’ve ever tested, its steep price point is hard to stomach for all but the most hardcore tech enthusiasts with deep pockets. I also think it’s fair to say that Apple is late to the touchscreen laptop party, even with the seamless integration of that technology.
This is an ongoing discussion, so let us know what you think about the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display. Are you interested, or is the price keeping you away? Sound off below!
- We tested the MacBook Pro PROLED’S battery life — it’s a Windows laptop massacre and Apple Silicon remains untouchable
- I waited years for the iPad mini 8, so why do I feel like Apple is ripping me off?
- I just tried Apple’s new iMac with M6 and this sleek all-in-one is so seamless I’m ready to ditch my Mac mini
