11th November 2026

Is the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR display worth the upgrade?

Source: Apple

The new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display landed in households and offices last week after its landmark announcement at Apple’s Pro and Tell event. That’s the new touchscreen one, if you didn’t already know! 

As Apple’s most premium MacBook, you might be wondering whether it’s worth the price jump from the regular Pro, and for many, it will probably come down to how good the touch experience really is for creatives and professionals.

From fingerprints to app integrations, here’s what we know so far…

A new touch philosophy

As with most new MacBook models, improvements such as extended battery life, a thinner, lighter design, and a better audio system are expected. You’ll get all of that with this new MacBook Pro. The OLED display is an obvious visual performance jump, and the new illuminated Apple logo is a nice aesthetic touch, too. Realistically though, it’s the touch technology that will determine its popularity.

Back in June, we recognised Steve Jobs’ and Tim Cook’s previous aversions to a touchscreen MacBook, and laptops in general. “Ergonically terrible” was one memorable phrase used! That being said, technology has advanced since then, and so has Apple’s philosophy, but what about the fingerprints?!

Is the new MacBook Pro anti-fingerprint?

Whilst Apple has made progress in the battle against mucky paws on screens, they haven’t won the war. Like with the latest iPads and iPhones, Apple have added an oleophobic (oil-repelling) coating to the display. Yes, it does reduce the visibility of smudges, but as reviewers have confirmed, it’s not totally anti-fingerprint. 

However, on a device this powerful, the potential that an intuitive touch experience brings for creatives and professionals might outweigh a few wipeable smudges. The height of that potential will depend on how well it integrates with apps.

How do apps integrate the touch technology?

Ultimately, app development around the touch-tech will make or break this device for businesses. Here’s what Apple have already integrated right off the bat:

  • Every single one of Apple’s built-in macOS apps instantly supports touch input. That includes apps such as Logic Pro, Final Cut Pro, and Pixelmator Pro, which received dedicated touch controls via an Apple Creator Studio update. 
  • For third-party apps, macOS translates a finger tap into a mouse click for standard apps, allowing most software to work with touch.

Here’s what you can expect before the end of the year:

  • Native touch optimisations for fourteen third-party apps including: 
    • Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
    • Notion, Canva, and Zoom
    • Adobe Lightroom and DaVinci Resolve
    • Blender, Maxon Cinema 4D, ZBrush, and Shapr3D
    • Algoriddim djay Pro

From office and productivity to creative, video, and design – the world’s leading applications have made their stance clear: the MacBook Pro’s touch technology can be a serious elevator for businesses and professionals, not just a novelty.   

Is it worth the extra cost?

There’s a lot of noise around the price hike, and there’s obviously an increase, but it’s not ‘stupidly’ more expensive for what you get. The 16-inch model, with M5 Pro and standard configurations, is around £400 more than the regular MacBook Pro if you were to buy it outright from Apple.

Naturally, you’ll want to know how much you can lease it for, so we won’t beat around the bush…

How much is the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display with Lease Loop?

Size Specs Lease Loop price
14-inch
  • M5 Pro 
  • 15‑Core CPU and 16‑Core GPU 
  • 24GB RAM with 1TB Storage
  • Flexscription:
    £18.57 per week + VAT
  • Flex:
    £25.20 per week + VAT
14-inch
  • M5 Pro 
  • 18‑Core CPU and 20‑Core GPU 
  • 48GB RAM with 1TB Storage
  • Flexscription:
    £23.17 per week + VAT 
  • Flex:
    £32.15 per week + VAT
14-inch
  • M5 Max 
  • 18‑Core CPU and 32‑Core GPU 
  • 36GB RAM with 2TB Storage
  • Flexscription:
    £27.79 per week + VAT
  • Flex:
    £39.15 per week + VAT
16-inch
  • M5 Pro 
  • 18‑Core CPU and 20‑Core GPU 
  • 24GB RAM with 1TB Storage
  • Flexscription:
    £21.47 per week + VAT
  • Flex:
    £29.55 per week + VAT
16-inch
  • M5 Pro 
  • 18‑Core CPU and 20‑Core GPU 
  • 48GB RAM with 1TB Storage
  • Flexscription:
    £21.47 per week + VAT
  • Flex:
    £24.93 per week + VAT
16-inch
  • M5 Max 
  • 18‑Core CPU and 32‑Core GPU 
  • 36GB RAM with 2TB Storage
  • Flexscription:
    £29.54 per week + VAT
  • Flex:
    £41.75 per week + VAT
16-inch
  • M5 Max 
  • 18‑Core CPU and 40‑Core GPU 
  • 48GB RAM with 2TB Storage
  • Flexscription:
    £33.00 per week + VAT
  • Flex:
    £46.95 per week + VAT

 

Discover our full range of MacBook Pro models here.

Upgrade to the latest MacBook Pro with Lease Loop

The touch technology has vast potential for businesses and creatives, but the true success of the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display will be judged by how well app developers integrate with it. As you can see, a swathe of leading applications are already well on their way.

Ready to make the jump towards Apple’s latest invention? Whether you’re boosting your current operations or sweetening your onboarding process, we can bring it to your business with flexible leasing solutions that protect your cash flow. 

Want to chat through your options? Give us a call on 01952 876928, email sales@leaseloop.co or fill out our online contact form.