MacBook Ultra: the first Mac with a touchscreen, arriving between late 2026 and early 2027

MacBook Ultra: the first Mac with a touchscreen, arriving between late 2026 and early 2027

Apple is preparing the most significant overhaul of its laptop since 2021. The new machine, described in reports as the MacBook Ultra, is set to bring an OLED display, the first touchscreen in the history of the Mac, and an iPhone-style Dynamic Island.

• The first Mac with a touchscreen and the first with an OLED panel, in 14 and 16-inch sizes

• Timing: between late 2026 and early 2027, with the memory shortage pointing towards the later date

• M5 Pro and M5 Max chips rather than the previously expected M6 series

• The existing miniLED MacBook Pro stays in the range, as Apple keeps panel production running through 2028

• The Ultra name is not yet confirmed

If you are hunting for deals on Apple kit and more, take a look at our promotions section. On electronics at this price level, timing often matters more than which shop you use.

What is known about the build

The new laptop is expected to be thinner than the current MacBook Pro and to come in two display sizes, 14 and 16 inches. The internal codenames are K114 and K116.

The headline change is an OLED panel with touch support, the first in Mac history. Samsung Display is expected to supply the panels. Alongside it comes a Dynamic Island, the iPhone solution replacing the current notch.

The hardware is being tested on macOS 27.1, due for release at the end of October 2026. That aligns with Apple's usual window for Mac launches.

The chips: the turn nobody expected

Early reports pointed to M6 Pro and M6 Max. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple changed course and will use the current M5 Pro and M5 Max, the same silicon already inside the MacBook Pro on sale today.

The reason is more interesting than the change itself. Apple is skipping the M6 generation in Pro and Max form entirely in order to bring forward the M7 series built around artificial intelligence workloads, with upgraded neural accelerators. M7 Pro and M7 Max models are expected around the turn of 2027 into 2028.

On a machine carrying an Ultra badge, year-old processors read oddly, and they say a good deal about what this laptop is meant to be: a showcase for the new display rather than a leap in performance.

Two lines instead of one

The most telling signal came from the analyst firm Omdia. Apple will keep miniLED panel production running through 2028, which means the existing MacBook Pro is not going anywhere.

That points to a deliberate split. The OLED touchscreen model sits at the top as the luxury tier, while the miniLED version stays on as the working machine at a lower price. For professional users that is good news, because the entry point does not rise with the launch.

Gurman also reports that some of the Ultra's design elements will filter down to the standard MacBook Pro with an M7 chip, planned for spring 2027.

What it is likely to cost

Care is needed here, because different figures are circulating.

Apple raised the price of every Mac in June 2026, with the MacBook Pro going up by $300. Currently the 14-inch Pro with M5 Pro starts at $2,499 and the 16-inch at $2,999. Those are the prices of today's machines, not the new one.

The new laptop is expected to cost more. Supply-chain estimates point to a premium of around 20 percent over the current Pro models, which would take it past the three-thousand-dollar mark. Sterling pricing cannot sensibly be estimated yet, since Apple sets it separately for each market.

What remains unclear

The date. Gurman describes a window running from late 2026 into early 2027. The DRAM shortage is pushing mass production back, and several sources regard early 2027 as the more realistic outcome.

The name. Ultra appears throughout the reporting, but Gurman himself notes he does not know whether Apple will use it or stay with Pro.

The modem. Built-in cellular connectivity via a C2 modem has been mentioned, but that remains rumour.

It is also worth noting what will not appear. According to Omdia, Apple has cancelled both a foldable MacBook and a larger OLED Pro model.

Where to buy a MacBook

The new model is not on sale yet, but the current MacBook Pro and Air are available from the retailers below, and buying through Soleback returns part of the order value:

• Ebuyer

• Selfridges

• Debenhams

The click through Soleback has to be the last one before the shop, and cashback clears once the returns window closes.

Is it worth waiting

If you need a laptop now, waiting carries risk. The launch window is wide, stretching into early 2027, and the memory shortage could push it further still.

If you can wait and the display is what matters to you, the calculation changes. An OLED touchscreen is not something you can add later, and since the current MacBook Pro stays in the range, even after launch there will be a choice between the new display and the lower price.

One thing is certain: this is the biggest MacBook overhaul in five years, and every report so far remains unofficial.