Apple's best MacBook Pro decision this week had nothing to do with touch

from Apple the new touch MacBook Pro brings plenty of welcome upgrades, but one of the best things about this week’s launch is what the company decided to do No alter.

Apple’s decision to keep the old Macs feels like a welcome glitch in the system

Have I longed for a touch Mac? Not particularly. But I can see how it can be useful for many users and I’m glad that their day has finally come. Or will he come starting November 6.

But I longed for a new Mac. While my 16-inch MacBook Pro 2023 M2 Pro is still a great machine, its 16GB of RAM is getting a little cramped. Last time I knew it was a mistake.

With the prospect of an upgraded MacBook Pro just around the corner, I’ve spent the last few weeks excited about biting the bullet and splurging on a new one, even though there have been wildly conflicting rumors about what chips it will pack.

While I wholeheartedly agreed with the idea that the new touchscreen MacBook Pro would have the same chips as the current non-touchscreen line, I was also holding out hope that Apple would throw in some performance boosts to sweeten the rumored $400 premium it would carry.

Right? Right?

Well, no.

In terms of performance, the new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR display is identical to the non-touch screen models, although it should be noted that its redesigned thermal system he could to run faster despite using the same chip, although the changes seem to be aimed at keeping the display cool rather than improving heat dissipation. Time and reviews will tell.

This makes Apple’s decision to keep the non-touch M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro for sale all the more welcome and unexpected.

Even though Apple introduced the Touch Bar in 2016, the only non-touch panel option left was the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro. If you wanted a more powerful Mac or a 15-inch model, you had to get into the program and shell out an extra $300 for the 13-inch model with Touch Bar or $400 for the redesigned 15-inch model.

Yes, there’s a lot new on the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR display. The tandem OLED display, improved thermal performance, thinner and lighter design, slimmer bezels, redesigned audio system, Dynamic Island (controversial to some, I know) and even the return of the glowing Apple logo (woo!) on the lid are all welcome additions. Oh yeah, and “it has a touch too.”

Add it all up and the $400 premium probably isn’t that unreasonable.

But if, like me, those improvements are secondary to the performance gains you prioritize with this particular upgrade, getting the same specs for effectively $400 less (or using that $400 for better specs!) will be a pretty good deal for all parties involved, including my future self.

Will I prefer to wait for the M7 generation in the future? Maybe. But then again, waiting for the perfect moment to upgrade is what got me into this situation in the first place, recent price hikes and all.