MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display and Touch

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Apple’s new high-end MacBook Pro with an OLED “PROLED XDR” touchscreen and M5 Pro/Max chips is drawing mixed reactions, balancing enthusiasm for its lighter chassis, improved display, and revived glowing logo against sharp criticism of its price and modest performance bump over recent models. Many question the ergonomics and practicality of a vertical touchscreen without a 360° hinge or Apple Pencil support, citing fingerprints, “gorilla arm” fatigue, and fears that macOS UI will be degraded to accommodate touch. Others argue that touch is now an expected input method for younger users and for niches like mobile and AR app testing, seeing this as part of a broader, sometimes uncomfortable convergence between Macs, iPads, and touch-centric computing.

Chips and performance roadmap

  • Many are disappointed it ships with M5 Pro/Max instead of newer M6 chips, though others note M5 Pro/Max are higher tier than base M6.
  • Rumors discussed: Apple may skip M6 Pro/Max entirely and jump to M7 Pro/Max focused on local AI/LLM performance.
  • Some plan to wait for M7; others on M1/M2/M3 say they see little reason to upgrade now.

OLED / PROLED XDR display, thermals, and weight

  • OLED is widely welcomed, especially for contrast, HDR, and eye comfort; some worry about text rendering and burn‑in but others cite long-running OLED devices as counterexamples.
  • Apple’s tandem OLED and unusual subpixel layouts are mentioned; details linked from Apple’s technical paper.
  • Users are impressed the 14" and 16" models are ~15% lighter while keeping large batteries; some fear thinner chassis could worsen thermals and throttling.

Touchscreen reception & ergonomics

  • This is the most polarizing aspect:
    • Enthusiasts: see touch as “table stakes,” useful for scrolling, occasional tapping, showing content to others, running iOS/iPad apps, simulators, and creative apps.
    • Skeptics: cite “gorilla arm,” fingerprints, awkward vertical reaching, hinge wobble, and lack of clear “killer” workflows (coding, email, general desktop).
  • Some point to kids and non-technical users expecting touch on every screen; others say their touchscreen laptops ended up with touch disabled.

Pen, hinge, and 2‑in‑1 expectations

  • Many expected Pencil support, 180–360° hinges, or detachable/convertible designs; absence of these makes touch feel like a half‑step or gimmick, especially for artists.
  • Piano-keyboard marketing images are widely mocked as unrealistic for “pro” workflows.

Price, RAM, and configurations

  • Pricing is seen as very high: base 14" around $2.9k, 16" around $3.4k, high‑RAM Max builds far higher.
  • The “RAMpocalypse” (high memory prices) is noted; some note older machines with more RAM or cheaper Mac Studios compare favorably.

Local LLMs and high‑RAM use

  • High-end M5 Max with up to 128 GB unified memory and high bandwidth attracts local LLM enthusiasts for privacy, censorship‑free models, and future cost control.
  • Others question economic sense versus cheap API models and suggest desktops (Mac Studio or external GPUs) are better for 24/7 workloads.

macOS UX and touch, and broader Apple direction

  • Concern that touch support will further “inflate” macOS UI (larger padding, rounded corners) and erode keyboard/mouse‑optimized density, similar to Windows 8 era.
  • Others argue touch can remain an optional input, pointing to Windows/Linux laptops where touch is mostly additive.
  • Several comments express broader unease: product naming complexity, perceived loss of clear vision, and a shift toward “me-too” features and monetization over focused UX.