Apple MacBook PROLED XDR review: A total touch of class

The MacBook Pro has received some seriously powerful upgrades in recent years, but most have focused on making things faster and more efficient rather than delivering a radical redesign. That’s finally changed. Apple has completely revamped its professional laptop, introducing features never before seen on a MacBook, including a stunning OLED touchscreen. Yes, you can finally interact with a Mac just like you do with an iPhone or iPad. But are these upgrades really groundbreaking, and is the latest MacBook worth its wallet-busting £2,899 starting price?

As a long-time MacBook user, this is one update I’ve been particularly excited to get my hands on. And after putting the all-new 16-inch Pro through its paces, I can safely say it doesn’t disappoint.

Let’s start with that new PROLED XDR display because it’s an absolute beauty. Not only is it seriously bright, but the Tandem OLED technology delivers wonderfully rich blacks, punchy colours and incredible contrast. It makes everything from blockbuster movies to everyday work look fantastic.

But this isn’t simply about making Netflix binges look a little more glossy. The screen now supports a wider colour gamut, including both P3 and Adobe RGB. That’s a particularly important upgrade for professionals working with photography, video and graphic design, where colour accuracy is essential.

Tandem OLED also uses two electroluminescent layers working together to deliver higher peak brightness, improved power efficiency and a longer panel lifespan.

Whether you’re editing photos, watching movies or playing games, this display is a joy to use. And there’s another big first: it’s now touch-enabled.

This is quite a shift for Apple. Many will remember the firm’s late founder, Steve Jobs, famously questioning the idea of touchscreen laptops during a keynote in 2010, saying: “We’ve done tons of user testing on this, and it turns out it doesn’t work.”

With almost every Windows laptop now offering touch, perhaps Apple finally decided it couldn’t hold off joining the party any longer

It’s certainly a welcome addition, although Steve Jobs might have had a point. I’ve found myself reaching for the screen far less than I expected.

That could simply be because I’m so used to whizzing around macOS using Apple’s excellent Force Touch trackpad. Old habits die hard.

Still, there’s no denying that zooming into photos, tapping menus and swiping between desktops feels fast and fluid. Apple has clearly put plenty of thought into making touch work properly.

The display features an oleophobic coating to help keep greasy fingerprints at bay, while the screen also seems easier to clean. The hinge has been stiffened to reduce annoying wobble when tapping, and the Centre Stage camera has image stabilisation to keep you looking steady during video calls.

Multitouch is another nice addition, allowing you to use several fingers on the screen at once.

Even the iPhone’s Dynamic Island has made its way to the MacBook. It provides a handy shortcut for answering calls, accepting AirDrops and controlling music, all with a quick tap.

Spotlight search also gets a new home in the Dynamic Island, giving professionals a quicker way to find things on their Mac and access the latest Siri AI features.

It’s also smaller than the notch found on previous MacBooks, which should please anyone who has never been particularly fond of that design.

There’s no doubt this new display makes a huge difference, but Apple hasn’t stopped there. The overall design has also received a welcome refresh.

At first glance, you might struggle to spot what’s changed, but the new OLED MacBook is thinner and lighter than its predecessor.

Pick up the old and new models and the difference becomes much more noticeable. It makes the Pro feel less bulky when slipping it into a backpack or carrying it around all day.

As a guide, the 2025 MacBook Pro weighs 2.14Kg, compared with 1.82Kg for the latest model.

Another design detail I absolutely love is the return of the glowing Apple logo on the lid. Apple ditched this much-loved feature back in 2016, so it’s fantastic to see it make a comeback. It even adjusts its brightness to match the display.

Under that aluminium chassis sits Apple’s M5 processor range, with buyers able to choose between the M5 Pro and M5 Max. These chips are carried over from last year’s Pro models, but that’s hardly a disaster. They’re still seriously powerful and more than capable of handling demanding workloads. What is slightly surprising, though, is that Apple’s ultimate laptop hasn’t arrived with new M6 Pro and M6 Max processors.

Perhaps those upgrades will come next year, so anyone desperate for the very latest processing power might want to hold off. For everyone else, I have absolutely no complaints about the performance on offer here.

Video editing, photo retouching, gaming and running multiple apps simultaneously are all handled without breaking a sweat. You’ll need to push this machine incredibly hard before it starts showing any signs of struggle.

The audio is another standout feature. Apple has redesigned the six-speaker system, which now includes four force-cancelling woofers. The previous MacBook Pro already sounded impressive, but this takes things to another level.

Battery life is equally impressive. Apple promises up to 24 hours on a single charge with lighter use, while I’ve comfortably managed more than 10 hours during my more demanding tests without worrying about reaching for the charger.

When the battery eventually runs flat, MagSafe makes plugging in simple, while fast charging can take the laptop from empty to 50% in about 30 minutes. Connectivity is well covered, too, with Thunderbolt 5, USB, HDMI, a 3.5mm headphone jack and an SD card slot. There’s also speedy Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and the familiar Touch ID fingerprint scanner for quickly unlocking the laptop.

Honestly, there’s very little to dislike about this new MacBook Pro. But at this price, it really does need to deliver something special.

The 14-inch model starts at £2,899, while opting for the larger 16-inch screen, additional storage, the faster M5 Max processor, and a Nano-texture display coating can push the price beyond £6,000.

That’s an eye-watering amount of money.

Aside from the cost, my other gripes are relatively minor. There’s still no Face ID, despite the feature being available on Apple’s iPhones and iPads, and it’s disappointing that the latest Pro hasn’t received that new M6 silicon.

After years of waiting, the MacBook Pro has finally received one of its biggest upgrades in years – and it doesn’t disappoint. The OLED screen is stunning, touch finally makes an appearance and the whole machine is thinner and lighter than before.

The return of the glowing Apple logo is a lovely nostalgic touch, while the Dynamic Island, incredible speakers, epic battery life and fast charging make this a seriously impressive package.

Although there’s no M6 Pro or Max option just yet, the M5 processors still deliver more than enough power for even demanding users.

The biggest reason to think twice is the price. You can currently pick up last year’s 16-inch MacBook Pro for £2,999, while Apple has also recently refreshed its standard 14-inch model. That now comes with an M6 processor and costs £1,999.

That’s a sizeable saving if you don’t need all the bells and whistles.

But if you’ll genuinely make use of that gorgeous touchscreen, want a Pro that’s thinner and lighter, and love the return of the illuminated Apple logo, there’s plenty to get excited about here. Just remember that there are cheaper MacBooks out there that remain brilliant machines in their own right.

The Mac is definitely back, and this blockbuster update makes Apple’s best laptop better than ever.