Apple may eventually stop making high-end MacBook Pro laptops without touchscreens as the company streamlines its premium computer lineup, according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman.
Writing in his “Power On” newsletter, Gurman questioned whether Apple would continue updating traditional versions of its flagship notebook alongside newly announced touch models. The tech giant revealed its first touchscreen MacBook Pros on Oct. 28, pairing the feature with upgraded tandem OLED displays while retaining non-touch options in its store for $400 less.
The Cost of Dual Product Lines
Supporting two parallel tracks for high-end notebooks presents significant operational friction across engineering, production, and marketing, Gurman noted. Because maintaining separate lines consumes substantial internal resources, he predicted that the offerings will ultimately converge into a single touch-focused family, though he did not outline a specific deadline for phasing out the traditional versions.
The shift follows a significant revamp of the professional Mac lineup. Apple’s new touchscreen MacBook Pro starts at $2,899 for a 14-inch model with an M5 Pro chip, while the 16-inch version begins at $3,399, Fox News reported. Upgrading to the higher-tier M5 Max processor pushes starting prices to $4,499 for the 14-inch variant and $4,799 for the 16-inch edition. The touch-enabled notebooks become available in stores on Nov. 6.
For buyers who do not need touch capabilities, Apple still sells non-touch M5 Pro and M5 Max configurations using mini-LED panels. The company also introduced a base 14-inch MacBook Pro powered by an M6 chip on Oct. 27, priced at $1,999 with a standard non-touch display, according to Fox News.
Redesigns and M7 Chips on the Horizon
Gurman reported that Apple is already plotting its next wave of notebook hardware. The company plans to release a subsequent generation of touchscreen MacBook Pros in 2027 featuring M7 Pro and M7 Max processors. Those future chips will include expanded hardware capabilities specifically tailored for artificial intelligence tasks, with an arrival expected toward late 2027.
Apple also intends to extend the physical redesign to its entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro, Gurman said. That budget-friendly pro laptop is projected to receive an M7 processor, reduced weight, a slimmer aluminum casing, and narrower screen borders, potentially arriving in the first half of 2027.
A Leap in Display Technology
While the touchscreen adds direct finger gestures to macOS, reviewers noted that the screen technology represents an equally major shift. The laptop incorporates Apple’s new PROLED XDR tandem OLED panel, which boasts up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness, a 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio, and a redesigned hinge engineered to stop screen wobble during taps, Fox News reported.
The laptop is also only the second Apple device to support Apple CMF 2026 color-matching standards alongside the Studio Display XDR, according to The Verge and Macworld. The specification helps standardize visual appearance across different display technologies to resolve perceptual differences that occur under the older CIE 1931 standard.
It remains unclear how quickly creative professionals and enterprise customers will embrace the higher starting prices, or when Apple will officially end production of high-end notebooks without touch input.
