Apple's touchscreen MacBook Pro tops out at $14,549

Apple has introduced its first touchscreen MacBook Pro, with pricing that pushes the line to a new ceiling. The base model starts at $2,899, while the fully loaded configuration costs around $14,549, according to Apple’s own configurator, as MacRumors first reported. The top-tier 14-inch model prices out at $14,249; the 16-inch version reaches $14,549. Both carry Apple’s M5 Max chip, with an 18-core CPU and a 40-core GPU.

Several upgrades drive that total higher:

• Storage: a 4TB SSD adds $1,000; 8TB adds $3,000; the new 16TB option adds $7,000.
• Memory: 128GB adds $2,000.
• Finish: nano-texture glass adds $150.

The ongoing memory shortage and AI’s growing appetite for hardware components are likely driving some of that pricing pressure. By comparison, the prior 16-inch MacBook Pro maxed out at $10,149, meaning the new flagship configuration costs $4,400 more.

The launch comes nearly a decade after Apple first experimented with the Touch Bar, a touch-sensitive strip on the keyboard that the company later abandoned. Apple will take preorders starting October 30, with the laptops reaching customers on November 6.

Why it matters

The pricing underscores how memory costs and AI-driven component demand are pushing premium hardware prices higher across the industry, even as Apple bets a touchscreen can justify a five-figure laptop.