Apple’s touchscreen MacBook to use M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, not M6: report

Source Domain: 9to5mac.com

Apple’s upcoming touchscreen MacBook lineup will be powered by the existing M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, according to a new report from Bloomberg.

A surprising update on the touchscreen Mac

According to today’s report, the revamped MacBook models are on track to “arrive between late this year and early next year.” They will mark Apple’s first-ever touchscreen Mac, an idea that the company has refuted for years.

These new MacBooks will also have OLED screens, marking another first for the Mac, and will come in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes. Apple is also bringing the Dynamic Island to the Mac for the first time, replacing the existing notch design.

“The devices will also sport an updated industrial design, marking the first visual change to high-end MacBooks since 2021,” according to the report.

Today’s report follows a separate story from Mark Gurman yesterday, which said revealed Apple’s plans to skip higher-end chips in the forthcoming M6 generation. This, of course, led to much consternation about the status of the new touchscreen MacBook line, which was previously expected to use M6 Pro and M6 Max chips.

Bloomberg also reports that Apple is in “advanced testing” of the follow-up to these new MacBook models powered by M7 Pro and M7 Max chips. That update is “planned for as early as the end of 2027.”

You can read the full report over at Bloomberg.

9to5Mac’s Take

One thing I’m particularly interested in is how Apple will brand this new touchscreen MacBook, especially given that it will use the same chip as the current MacBook Pro lineup.

If I had to bet on it, I’d say MacBook Ultra is the leading candidate right now.