MacBook Ultra coming soon: 5 features to get excited about

Since the beginning of this year, rumours about Apple’s next big MacBook have been around. The company is reportedly working on a completely new MacBook Pro model that could bring some major changes to the entire lineup. From a touchscreen and OLED display to a thinner design and a new way of handling the camera cutout, there is reportedly enough to look forward to. Let’s take a look at the features that could make the MacBook Ultra one of Apple’s most interesting laptops yet.

While Apple is yet to officially announce the laptop, reports have given us a fairly good idea of what could be coming. Here are some of the features that could make the MacBook Ultra interesting.

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1. A completely new design

According to reports, Apple is working on a MacBook that will be thinner and lighter than the current MacBook Pro models. So, the upcoming laptop is expected to come with a major redesign rather than just another refresh with a new processor.

According to a MacRumours report, Apple could also change the number of ports on the laptop to make the thinner design possible. However, it is still unclear whether the company will actually go too far with this approach. Since the MacBook Ultra is expected to appeal to users who want a more powerful machine, Apple may still retain enough connectivity for professional users.

2. Touchscreen display

For years, Apple has offered touchscreen displays on the iPhone and iPad but has refused to put one on a MacBook. Back in 2010, Steve Jobs was seen calling the idea of touchscreen on a MacBook ‘ergonomically terrible’. But now, Apple might take a U-Turn to that approach.

Reports suggest that the MacBook Ultra will be the first Mac to support touch input. However, Apple is not expected to turn macOS into an iPad-style operating system. Instead, the touchscreen is reportedly being added as another way to interact with the laptop, alongside the keyboard and trackpad.

Apple is also said to be making changes to macOS to make certain controls easier to use with touch. This could make the feature more useful without forcing users to abandon the traditional MacBook experience.

3. OLED could be a major upgrade

The MacBook Ultra is expected to feature an OLED panel, which would make it the first Mac to use the display technology.

OLED displays can produce deeper blacks and higher contrast because individual pixels can be turned off completely. They can also offer better viewing angles and potentially improve power efficiency.

Apple has already moved its iPhone lineup to OLED and introduced advanced OLED technology on the iPad Pro. Bringing it to the MacBook therefore looks like the next major step in the company’s display strategy.

4. Dynamic Island instead of the MacBook notch

Apple could also get rid of the notch that was introduced with the redesigned MacBook Pro.

Instead, reports suggest the MacBook Ultra could use a smaller hole-punch camera cutout. The interesting part is that Apple could pair this hardware change with a software feature similar to the Dynamic Island on the iPhone.

The Dynamic Island could sit around the camera cutout and display useful information or notifications. It could also become a place for Siri and other AI-related features.

This would give Apple a way to make the camera cutout part of the user interface instead of simply hiding it in the display.

5. M5 Pro and M5 Max chips

The processor situation is a little different from what earlier rumours suggested. The MacBook Ultra was initially expected to arrive with Apple’s next-generation M6 Pro and M6 Max chips.

However, recent reports claim that Apple has changed its plans and has instead accelerated development of higher-end M7 chips. Because of this, the upcoming MacBook Ultra could use the existing M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.

This may sound disappointing on paper, but the M5 Pro and M5 Max are still high-end chips designed for demanding workloads. The bigger story here could therefore be the laptop’s new design and features rather than a completely new generation of processor.

When could the MacBook Ultra launch?

Apple has not officially announced the MacBook Ultra. So, any information relating to it must be taken with a pinch of salt. As of now, reports suggest that the laptop could either launch in October this year, or early 2027. 

There is also the question of the name. Apple could call it the MacBook Ultra, as current rumours suggest, but the company could still use the MacBook Pro branding.

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