Apple’s first touchscreen Mac is coming, and it’s arriving on chips you can already buy today. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the long-rumored touchscreen MacBook will ship with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips rather than the next-generation M7 silicon many expected. The 14-inch and 16-inch models are targeting a release window between late 2026 and early 2027.
Why M5 Pro and M5 Max instead of M7?
Gurman reports that Apple is skipping the M6 Pro and M6 Max entirely, moving straight from M5 to M7 for its high-end laptop silicon. With those high-end M6 chips gone, many assumed the touchscreen MacBook would wait for M7. Instead, Apple reportedly decided to launch it on the M5 Pro and M5 Max it released earlier this year. That means the first touchscreen MacBook will run on chips that are already proven in the current MacBook Pro lineup rather than waiting for a new fabrication node or architecture.
We covered the broader implications of this chip roadmap shift earlier in Apple Cancels M6 Pro and M6 Max, MacBook Ultra Delayed.
More than just a touchscreen
The touchscreen is the headline feature, but Gurman’s report paints a fuller picture of what this device will bring. The new MacBook is expected to include an OLED display, a first for the Mac lineup.
Apple will also bring the Dynamic Island from the iPhone to the Mac, adapting the pill-shaped interface for macOS. The chassis is reportedly getting a redesign to accommodate the new display hardware and the touch layer.
This would be the first touchscreen Mac ever, reversing the stance Steve Jobs set in 2010 when he famously called the concept “ergonomically terrible.” The company has slowly softened that position over the years, first by blurring the iPad-Mac line with features like Sidecar and Universal Control, then through rumors of an actual touchscreen Mac that have persisted since at least 2023. We flagged this shift as inevitable back in March.
What we know about the M5 Pro and M5 Max
The M5 Pro and M5 Max launched earlier this year in the 2026 MacBook Pro lineup. They feature an up-to-18-core CPU with six super cores, a radically redesigned GPU architecture, and a dedicated AI engine optimized for on-device machine learning workloads. The M5 Max doubles the GPU cores over the M5 Pro and supports up to 128 GB of unified memory.
These aren’t entry-level parts. The M5 Max 14-inch starts north of $3,000 and climbs quickly from there. Expect the touchscreen model to command a significant premium over the non-touch versions, pushing a well-equipped build even higher.
Where it fits
The touchscreen MacBook Ultra (if that’s what Apple calls it) would go head-to-head with Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Studio and high-end Windows convertibles from HP, Dell, and Lenovo. Those devices have had touchscreens and stylus support for years.
Apple’s answer arrives late, but the M5 Pro and M5 Max performance advantage and the Apple ecosystem lock-in could make it a compelling option for creative professionals who have wanted a Mac they can directly interact with.
The question is whether most Mac users actually want a touchscreen. The Windows world has spoken with its wallet there: touchscreen laptops remain a niche, representing roughly 15 to 20 percent of the premium laptop market depending on the quarter. Apple’s bet seems to be that the right implementation matters, and that an OLED Mac with a purpose-built touch interface could convert skeptics where Windows OEMs haven’t.
Timeline and what comes next
Gurman says the touchscreen MacBook could arrive as soon as late 2026, though early 2027 is also possible. That lines up with earlier reports from both Bloomberg and supply chain analysts.
For buyers deciding between a MacBook Pro today and holding out for the touch model: the M5 Pro and Max are excellent chips, and the current MacBook Pro is among the best laptops Apple has ever built.
If you need a machine now, buy with confidence. If you can hold out and want to tap your screen, the moment is finally close.
HP 14" Everyday Laptop • Copilot AI • Latest Intel 4-Core N150 Processor • 128GB SSD + 1TB Cloud Storage • 2026 Edition • Windows 11 • Microsoft 365 • Thin & Portable • w/o Mouse
(as of June 30, 2026 17:21 GMT -05:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
