Early reviews of the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display are absolutely gushing with praise for the active OLED screen, the first in an Apple laptop. Reactions to the touchscreen are much more muted, despite how much attention the feature drew before the product’s release.
Here’s what some reviewers said about the new computer.
Ask Apple CEO John Ternus, and he’ll tell you his company didn’t just introduce the first touchscreen MacBook Pro. No, they made a MacBook with a beautiful tandem OLED display that also has touch support. The distinction matters.
Still, there were good reasons to add limited touch support to the notebook, as company executives explained in a new interview. Also, if you strongly object to the inclusion of a touchscreen in a MacBook, you’re simply not the target market. Apple execs spelled out who was asking for the feature.
The new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display is the first with a Dynamic Island. The interactive, pill-shaped module is borrowed from the iPhone, but where’s the iPhone’s Face ID? Apple left it out — and some Mac fans are mad.
On the iPhone, the Dynamic Island wraps around the TrueDepth camera that powers Face ID. But not on this pricey MacBook Pro — Touch ID still handles login authentication. Instead of the laptop unlocking magically when users look at it, they will need to give it the finger instead.
The MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display just announced by Apple will be remembered for many years… for good or ill. Users will undoubtedly love the beautiful OLED display and the lighter weight, but only time will tell whether its touchscreen will catch on — there’s a great deal of pre-launch resistance to a touch-enabled Mac.
The device is thinner and lighter, and includes a Dynamic Island in place of the screen notch and even a glowing Apple logo. But the eye-watering price is also likely to draw criticism.
Apple is very upbeat about the device, of course.
“The new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display is a monumental step forward for the Mac,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s chief hardware officer, in a statement. “PROLED XDR is the world’s best laptop display. It pairs state-of-the-art tandem OLED technology with advanced algorithms in our display engine to deliver the kind of visual fidelity pros have been dreaming of. And with the magic of Touch coming to MacBook Pro, combined with the game-changing performance of M5 Pro and M5 Max, we’ve created a whole new way for pros to interact with their content, taking their workflows to a completely new level. The new MacBook Pro is the result of the deep integration between Apple silicon, hardware, and software, and there’s simply nothing else like it.”
With the iPad mini 8, Apple is giving its smallest iPad its biggest upgrade ever. It not only gets a new display technology, but also a faster chip, a thinner chassis and updated connectivity options.
But all these upgrades also come with a $100 higher starting price. So, does the OLED iPad Mini 8 come with enough changes to justify this price hike?
Apple introduced the first iPad mini with a larger OLED display on Monday. The upgrade delivers better contrast and richer colors than the LCD screen in the previous model.
In addition, the redesigned tablet features a faster A20 processor, improved water and dust protection … and a considerable jump in price.
“iPad mini is beloved for its fantastic portability, performance, and display by a wide range of users, from creators and small business owners to doctors, field service workers, and gamers,” said Dave Pakula, Apple’s vice president of hardware engineering, in a press release. “With a remarkably thinner and lighter design, a stunning new OLED display, the incredibly powerful A20 Pro, and water and dust resistance, the new iPad mini is a huge leap forward for users who love having the full iPad experience in the palm of their hand.”
Apple’s OLED iPad mini is closing in on release. A fresh report says the redesigned tablet would reach store shelves by the end of October.
Expect a sharper, brighter screen as well as a faster chip built for Apple Intelligence. Apple is also said to be reworking the tablet’s shell for better water resistance.
Read on for everything to expect in the OLED iPad mini.
Future MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and iMac models look set to gain OLED displays with dramatically richer color, according to a new report Monday. That’s because upcoming Apple OLED panels target a wider color gamut, a new industry standard that makes today’s screens look narrow by comparison.
Apple’s long-anticipated high-end MacBook — the OLED-display machine, possibly with touchscreen, that many expect Apple to call the MacBook Ultra — could arrive a lot sooner than expected, according to a new report Thursday. As in, possibly as soon as 3Q 2026, which probably means September.
Apple’s first desktop Mac with an OLED screen is in early development, according to a report coming out of the company’s supply chain in Asia. That would give the all-in-one desktop a truly beautiful display.
At this point, OLED screens typically go into Apple’s premium models. It’s not clear if that’ll hold true for the iMac, however.
There’s good news Tuesday for those excited about the first MacBook Pro with an OLED display: A new report pegs the laptop’s launch for this fall. Some previous leaks indicated the device might not reach customers until next year.
Beyond the OLED screen — which should make the display noticeably better-looking — the 2026 MacBook Pro is rumored to feature a significant redesign, including a touchscreen.
Apple will improve the MacBook line in multiple ways during 2026. We’re not talking the usual “chip and ship” updates — major changes are on the way. Really, there’s never been a better time to be in the market for a macOS laptop.
We can look forward to a complete redesign, possibly including a touchscreen. Plus, the most affordable MacBook ever is also reportedly coming next year.
An iMac with an OLED display is in development, according to a fresh supply-chain leak. This would bring a significant upgrade to the look of Apple’s all-in-one desktop computer for the consumer market.
The report comes shortly after a new professional-grade iMac was rumored. Clearly, it’s a big week for Apple desktops.
Apple is undoubtedly working to upgrade the LCD in its MacBook Pro line with a beautiful OLED display. Rumors differ on exactly what that’ll happen though, and the wait stretches out years.
As someone who already uses another Apple computer with a large OLED, I have to say there’s no reason for Apple to hurry. MacBook Pro users really should not feel impatient.
A recently launched Kickstarter project aims to breathe fresh life into Apple’s discontinued Touch Bar concept, offering a more versatile and customizable solution for both Mac and Windows users. Flexbar, developed by Hong Kong startup Eniac Technology, reimagines the controversial MacBook Pro feature as a standalone accessory that promises to deliver on the Touch Bar’s original potential.
“The discontinuation of the original Touch Bar didn’t mean the concept was flawed — it simply wasn’t taken far enough to reach its full [potential],” the Eniac team said. “There’s something undeniable [about the idea]: the potential for a customizable, adaptive interface that could streamline workflows was immense. We decided to step in.”
Update: Eniac sent out a reminder Tuesday that Flexbar’s Kickstarter campaign ends Thursday (January 2, 2025), so time to participate is waning. You can still pledge to get one Flexbar for $179 $149, two for $358 $219 or three for $537 $299. And it appears the device will most likely go into regular production, as funding reached $284,612 by Tuesday, well over the campaign’s goal of $2,576.
Apple intends to introduce its first MacBooks with an OLED screen in 2026, according to industry analysts. And the iPad mini will allegedly go OLED that same year. Apple’s full transition to OLED will take until 2028, though.
And that’s supposedly the same year the company will introduce a computer with an 18.8-inch foldable display.
The predictions of a MacBook Air in 2027 could turn out to be optimistic, according to sources in the screen panel industry. Prices for the OLED display are high, and there’s reason to question demand for the new type of screen.
An OLED MacBook Pro is expected sooner, however.
Apple’s switch from LCD to OLED in its MacBook line isn’t moving quickly. A pair of respected industry analysts agree that it won’t happen before 2026.
The change should improve the performance of the display, but might also drive up the price of macOS notebooks.
An iPad Air with an OLED display rather than the current LCD seems a safe bet considering the number of leaks indicating one is in development. But sources can’t agree on when — the latest report says 2026.
That said, Apple already has an OLED tablet for those who want one now.
A MacBook with an OLED display in place of the LCD could be on the market in 2026, according to an industry analyst.
This should noticeably improve on the already excellent displays used in macOS notebooks.
An OLED screen intended for iPad mini is active development, according to an unconfirmed report coming out of Asia. Apple’s smallest tablet will get the improved display in a couple of years.
The news comes on the heels of the launch of the M4 iPad Pro, the first in this line of tablets with an OLED screen.
Apple is reportedly still working on the version of iPadOS needed for the first iPad Pro with a OLED screen. The software development process might delay the launch until well into April.
Previous leaks previously pointed at a March debut, and that’s still possible. But those eager for Apple’s next premium tablet should also be prepared to wait as much as another month.
And apparently the launch date won’t be March 26, despite a recent rumor.
While the first iPad Pro with an OLED display is expected any day now, iPad Air fans will have a much longer wait. Possibly until 2028. That’s what an analyst predicted, anyway.
However, this contradicts a previous report that said an OLED iPad Air would be out in 2026.
Apple reportedly ordered 8.5 million OLED screens for the iPad Pro models it’s expected to launch soon. More of these panels are for the 13-inch version of the tablet than they are for the 11-inch one.
Leaks indicate the next generation iPad Pro will reach store shelves later this month. Possibly even next week.
Plans to transition Apple Watch Ultra to a micro LED display have been dropped, according to a trusted source of insider Apple information.
Beyond that, Apple seems to have lost interest in micro LED screens entirely.