# MacBook Pro's OLED screen shines, but timing is uncertain > Apple's new MacBook Pro delivers an exceptional display and touchscreen, but high prices and rapid AI development make this a complicated time to buy. - Title: MacBook Pro's OLED screen shines, but timing is uncertain - Summary: Apple's new MacBook Pro delivers an exceptional display and touchscreen, but high prices and rapid AI development make this a complicated time to buy. - Keywords: macbook pro, apple, oled display, touchscreen, m5 pro, m5 max, laptop review, ai workflows, dynamic island, Ars Technica - Source: Ars Technica — https://arstechnica.com/apple/2026/11/its-a-weird-time-to-buy-a-laptop-but-the-new-macbook-pro-doesnt-skimp-on-quality - Published: 2026-11-06T15:28:07+00:00 - Read time: 3 min - Topics: macbook pro, apple, oled display, touchscreen, m5 pro, m5 max, laptop review, ai workflows, dynamic island, technology, science ## The price problem Apple's new MacBook Pro is expensive as hell.The configuration reviewed here, a sixteen-inch M5 Max with one hundred twenty-eight gigabytes of RAM and two terabytes of storage, retails for seven thousand three hundred ninety-nine dollars. > Apple's new MacBook Pro is expensive as hell. ## A complicated time to buy We're in a time of great uncertainty when it comes to buying a computer.Prices are at levels we've not seen in recent history, and they may well keep climbing. ## Specs stay largely the same The new MacBook Pro promises twenty-four hours of battery life, has the same ports as before, and offers the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. ## AI is the weak spot The M5 Pro and M5 Max are strong enough for now, but AI inference is where they may be less future-proof. The field is evolving rapidly, and significant improvements are expected in future chips. ## M7 chip coming in 2027 According to Bloomberg, Apple is skipping Pro and Max versions of the M6 chip to focus on a significant rework for the M7 due in twenty twenty-seven. > The M7 line is designed primarily around major advancements to on-device AI processing. ## Wait if you focus on AI It might be worth waiting another year if you're focused on AI workflows or even three-D applications, especially given the high cost of these machines. ## The display is exceptional The display on the MacBook Pro is the best ever used in a laptop.Apple calls it a tandem OLED display, meaning a panel with two emissive layers. > The display on the MacBook Pro is the best I have ever used in a laptop. ## Brightness and contrast The new display can achieve up to two thousand nits of peak brightness on HDR highlights, but it's rated for one thousand nits of sustained brightness. ## Screen sizes and options The MacBook Pro comes in roughly fourteen-inch at three thousand twenty-four by one thousand nine hundred eighty-six pixels and sixteen-inch at three thousand four hundred seventy-two by two thousand two hundred twenty-six pixels. ## Design looks familiar With its lid closed, the new MacBook Pro looks identical to its predecessor.The dimensions are largely the same. ## Lighter by half a pound Pick it up and you'll find the new MacBook Pro is noticeably lighter than the last model, by about half a pound. ## Apple logo glows again Open the MacBook Pro and you'll see the Apple logo on the lid now lights up, as it did on MacBooks of yore. It's arguably a little tacky, but it's also neat and nostalgic. ## Dynamic Island replaces notch The top-of-screen camera notch has been replaced by a cutout just like the Dynamic Island Apple introduced on the iPhone. ## Touchscreen finally arrives Apple has finally added a touchscreen to the MacBook Pro.The laptop has the same form factor as the previous model with no tablet mode or Pencil support. > Apple has finally added a touchscreen to the MacBook Pro. ## Touch implementation is solid Apple has re-engineered the hinge so the screen is not particularly wobbly when you touch it.It's fast, accurate, and responsive.It supports multi-touch gestures like pinch-to-zoom or swiping with three fingers to switch desktop spaces. ## Touch feels like a missed opportunity The touchscreen lacks tablet mode or Apple Pencil support that many imagined. Some creative apps have implemented touch features, but there's nothing you can do at the OS level that you can't do just as… ## Who should buy this If you're a creative professional or display enthusiast who wants the best laptop screen, you won't be disappointed. ## Developers face a dilemma For developers working at the frontier of AI workflows, the recommendation is tricky. So much about how those workflows will evolve and what they'll demand from hardware is still up in the air that a… ## Value proposition unclear For the vast majority of buyers, the pre-OLED version still in Apple's lineup or another MacBook altogether will offer more bang for your buck. ## Key takeaway Apple's new MacBook Pro offers an outstanding OLED display and touchscreen, but its high cost and uncertain AI future make it a risky purchase for most buyers.