Apple’s touchscreen MacBook to use M5 chips, not M6

Apple ↗ 2.19% is set to launch its long-anticipated touchscreen MacBook with existing M5 Pro and M5 Max chips rather than next-generation silicon, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, as the company reshapes its chip roadmap to prioritize on-device artificial intelligence.

OLED MacBook Sticks With Current Chips

The new high-end MacBook, available in 14-inch and 16-inch configurations code-named "K114" and "K116," will arrive between late 2026 and early 2027 powered by the same M5 Pro and M5 Max processors already shipping in current MacBook Pro models. The device will feature an OLED touchscreen display, a Dynamic Island replacing the current notch, and a redesigned industrial form factor — marking multiple firsts for the Mac lineup.appleinsider+1

The machine is expected to carry a price premium over the existing M5 Pro MacBook Pro, which starts at $1,999 following Apple's recent price increases.macrumors

Apple Skips M6 Pro and Max, Fast-Tracks M7

In a separate but related shift reported on Wednesday, Gurman revealed that Apple will not release M6 Pro or M6 Max chip variants at all — a first since Apple Silicon debuted in 2020. While a base M6 chip remains on track for entry-level Macs later this year with improved memory bandwidth of up to 200 gigabytes per second, the company is instead accelerating development of its M7 generation.appleinsider+3

The M7 chips, code-named Delos, are designed around intensive AI workloads with upgraded neural accelerators and memory bandwidth of approximately 240 gigabytes per second. The base M7 could arrive as early as the first half of 2027, with M7 Pro and M7 Max following by the end of that year and an M7 Ultra in 2028.macworld+2

A Touch-First Strategy Years in the Making

The touchscreen MacBook represents a reversal of Apple's longstanding position that laptops do not need touch input, a stance dating back to Steve Jobs. According to earlier Bloomberg reporting, macOS will adapt its interface contextually — presenting touch-friendly menus and supporting gestures like pinch-to-zoom when users interact with the display directly, while retaining the traditional cursor-optimized interface for trackpad use.thurrott+2

Apple is also still developing an M5 Ultra chip, expected to debut in a new Mac Studio as early as later this year.9to5mac+1