Laptops

How to upgrade your sluggish laptop

Faster performance without spending too much

Published

September 7, 2020

Vincenz

People I know would describe me as an ultimate “techie” for knowing bits and pieces of both software and hardware. Ever since the pandemic started, almost all of them ask me the same question: “what’s the best budget laptop I can buy?” — either for their Zoom-powered online classes or basic WFH (Work From Home) setup. I always respond with “how much is your budget?” and that already gives me an idea what’s the closest laptop model I can recommend for them.

But here’s what I’ve observed. Most of them can only afford laptops that are priced below US$ 500 (around PhP 25,000 or INR 38,000). The problem is clear. Despite the need for it, not everyone has the resources to spend on a shiny new laptop.

An Acer laptop I upgraded running an old Intel chipset

In certain Facebook groups, Twitter threads, and comments sections, I’ve been seeing a lot of people posting “minimum laptop specifications” as a handy buyer’s guide for those who need it. But the thing is, buying a lower-end 10th Generation Intel Core i3 or the latest AMD Ryzen chipset would still cost an arm and a leg for most consumers.

Others even refer to high-spec professional and/or gaming laptops — which most people don’t even need since they’re only going to do basic tasks. The thought of helping is there but those who are not particularly into tech still wouldn’t understand the differences between these chipset models, as well as how RAM and storage devices are different from one another.

Fortunately, laptops (and PCs) are not like smartphones that need to be replaced once the performance degrades. If you have a laptop that still works even if it’s already sluggish, this article might help you in saving money instead of buying a completely new one. In my case, I decided to upgrade our 2011 Samsung RF511 that’s become as slow as a snail over the years.

SSD is the key

Upgrading to SSD (Solid State Drive) is a big factor in making your ultra-slow laptop run faster. Most laptops are still equipped with old Hard Disk Drives (HDDs). Here’s our SSD vs HDD explainer if you really want to dive into the specifics of it.

Basically, SSD is a better option since the Operating System (OS) directly runs in that drive. A high-capacity 512GB SSD might cost more than a 1TB HDD — which sums up the logic that essential OS files and apps should be stored in lower-capacity SSDs while most of your files should still be in a larger HDD capacity since they don’t need to be run as frequent as the OS and apps.

Also, SSD is a lot slimmer and lighter, runs cooler, and is quieter than the thick and heavy HDDs that always rely on spinning disks instead of a non-volatile set of chips.

With the ongoing demand for SSDs, a 120GB SSD can now be bought for as low as US$ 20 / PhP 1,300 / INR 2290 — particularly a SanDisk SSD. It’s the pure nature of commerce that the bigger capacity you get, the more you need to pay for it.

There are other cheaper brand options out there like Kingston, Silicon Power, PNY, ADATA, while the likes of WD/Western Digital (SanDisk’s mother brand) and Samsung lean more into the pricier side. Buying a more expensive drive might mean you’ll get better disk speeds (especially if you’re a gamer or a power user) but for an everyday consumer, the cheapest options will just be alright for the basic tasks you do.

Not all SSDs are made equal

I’m not talking about unequal storage size options. In our explainer, it wasn’t mentioned that there are several types of SSD connectors — but most of the common ones are either SATA and m.2 SSDs. So what’s the difference?

In layman’s term, 2.5″ SATA SSDs are those that are shaped like regular hard disk drives — that’s why it can still be used on older laptops and PCs. There’s even a smaller version called mSATA that runs on the same SATA interface.

For newer laptops, motherboards, and gaming rigs, they use a smaller, thinner, and more space-efficient m.2 SSD (almost the same size as a chewing gum stick) that runs even faster than a regular SATA SSD. But here’s the catch! There are two subtypes of m.2 SSDs that are different in the shape of connectors:

m.2 SATA SSD has both B and M connectors; while
m.2 NVMe SSD only has an M connector at the end

Since this is an article meant for people who have slow laptops, I wouldn’t dive deeper into the nitty-gritty of these types of SSDs. But for visual comparison, here’s how you can differentiate them in different sizes and connector shapes.

RAM upgrade is an essential but not a requirement

During the quarantine period, I received several laptop repairs by replacing their old disk drives and upgrading their laptops’ memory sticks. In one instance, I ordered both SSD and RAM upgrades. The SSD was delivered ahead of time and just by replacing the hard disk drive alone did a lot in speeding up the laptop — even with just 2GB of RAM.

That being said, RAM is still essential, especially when opening multiple apps at once without totally closing other apps that are minimized/in idle. If you’re the type of power user who always multitasks, you will gain more with a RAM upgrade. The higher the capacity, the more apps you can open at once — of course with the help of your laptop’s processor.

Just like SSDs, not all RAM modules are the same

In the case of SSDs, it’s easy to tell which is which just by looking at the size and connector type. For RAM modules, it’s different. These RAM sticks all have similar connectors, but it doesn’t mean all of them will work on older machines. In my case, the old Samsung laptop I have indicates that it runs “DDR3 ONLY”. There are even different types of RAM bandwidth ranging from the slow 1600MHz all the way to a maximum of 3200MHz. Here’s a quick summary:

DDR2 configuration runs on older laptops manufactured 2007 (or earlier)
DDR3 configuration runs on older laptops manufactured 2013 (or earlier)
DDR3L configuration is a re-configured DDR3 module that’s found on newer low-end laptops but can still run on older laptops with DDR3 slots (but not vice versa);
and DDR4 configuration runs on most latest laptops manufactured 2014 onwards.

You can further check the configuration based on the labels on the module.

Know your laptop’s specific requirements before buying

I have to mention this for the nth time: NOT all laptops are created equal. Just because there’s an 8GB or 16GB memory available around, it doesn’t mean you can immediately buy it for your aging laptop.

There aren’t many restrictions when upgrading storage capacities aside from the type of hard drive connector your laptop (or PC build) has. I even cautioned about not all RAM modules being alike — and that also means not all laptops support higher RAM capacities.

I recently upgraded an acquaintance’s laptop. It may look new but the thing is, it only supports a maximum RAM capacity of 8GB. Most newer laptops support higher than that, which means it’s not totally based on the year of release. This is also why it’s crucial to know your laptop’s specifications.

Speaking of, the quickest workaround I can think of is by visiting Crucial’s website where you can search your laptop’s exact model and it will give you the closest and most compatible types of RAM and storage options which can be your source of reference.

From there, you can quickly go ahead and find a cheaper alternative to an online shopping app that’s closest to your heart — whether that may be Lazada, Shopee, Amazon, or AliExpress, as long as they sell legit PC parts. And oh! Don’t forget to see product reviews before adding it to your cart and checking out.

I bought the right parts, so what now?

Option 1: DIY upgrade

With the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, it’s hard to go out of your home just to go to the nearest repair shop in your area. If you’ve read my DIY iPhone repair before, upgrading laptop parts isn’t as complex as that one which requires a lot of tools just to open one.

When opening laptops, I just use a single, regular-sized Phillips screwdriver (the ones you can see in your dad’s toolbox) — not the smaller ones and not the bigger screw head for furniture. If you can’t find one, you can just buy a toolset in online shops and hardware stores.

What I’ve encountered when fixing laptops is that there are differences in the way they are opened. Most laptop screws are found at the bottom part of the laptop — and it’s the easiest way to replace hard drives and RAM modules.

But in another example, we also have an old Dell Inspiron N4050 laptop. I was able to add more RAM sticks by completely pulling and opening it up through a tedious keyboard removal. To make it harder, I removed the laptop’s outer shell and several flex cables just to get access to the hard drive itself found beneath the metal enclosure.

Anyhow, when you’ve decided to do the upgrade by yourself, just make sure you know how to completely unscrew and disassemble your laptop. Tutorials online (particularly in YouTube) are always helpful.

Option 2: Hire a repairman / family member / friend / acquaintance who knows how to fix laptops

If DIY isn’t workable, you can still look for people who’ll do it for you. Just remember to pay appropriately. Most upgrades shouldn’t be as expensive as buying a new 128GB SSD.

Why is it not turning on? Is it defective?

Just like any other fresh storage device, it needs a fresh OS installation. If you know how to install a fresh copy of Windows 10 (which can be directly downloaded from Microsoft’s website), rest assured it will work — and even install faster. Don’t worry, older laptops with low specifications are still supported.

To start the installation process, you just need an 8GB flash drive (or higher) where you can store the needed OS files. To not over-extend this article, watch this step-by-step YouTube tutorial.

For those who are still not capable of doing so, ask someone who can do it for you for a fee (or maybe free for those who are eager to help).

Real-world usage

There are a lot of speed tests and benchmarks out there but most wouldn’t care about specific read and write speeds as they value real-life experiences more. With my usage, the time it takes me to turn it on from clicking the power button going to the Login screen was massively cut from a minute and a half to just around fifteen (15) seconds.

Other than that, there’s little to no lag and freezing when opening apps. In my case, I was able to open apps in a breeze. As this old Samsung laptop runs with an aging second-generation Intel Core i7 chipset, it’s surprising to see that Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator, and Premiere Pro are all running well.

Another testimony to how SSD improves a slow laptop’s performance is when one acquaintance told me how the SSD replacement totally helped him get over with his laggy online class and work setup due to a slower HDD paired with a low-tier Intel Pentium processor.

But where are the Office apps when I need them the most?

Online classes and work tasks require Microsoft Office services. If you can’t find an original copy (since piracy shouldn’t be tolerated), you can sign up for a one (1)-month trial of Office 365 instead. Other options are the freeware OpenOffice or real-time, online-based Google alternatives like Docs (Word), Slides (Powerpoint), and Sheets (Excel).

Older MacBooks can also be upgraded

Although newer MacBooks (Air, Pro, and Retina) cannot be upgraded anymore, older MacBook Pros (2012 or earlier) with non-Retina Display and CD drives can still be upgraded. You have options to replace your clunky HDD with a SATA SSD or even upgrade RAM sticks up to 16GB.

Just like any Windows laptop, be sure to check your Mac’s specific model/manufacturing year before purchasing essential parts. For more help, you can check out this old MacBook Pro list and their max upgradeable options.

Also, macOS / OS X installation is a little different than that of Windows. Here’s a workaround.

Laptops

Yes, you can turn off the MacBook Pro’s touchscreen display

No need to complain anymore.

Published

October 30, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

The launch of the new MacBook Pro is a polarizing one, to say the least. The notebook introduces a new touchscreen feature that isn’t really an automatic hit for fans. Some have even pointed out how Steve Jobs once said that touchscreen MacBooks were a bad idea. If you’re a part of this group, a new discovery might alleviate your worries a little bit. Apparently, you can turn off the new MacBook Pro’s touchscreen functionalities.

According to MacStories’s Federico Viticci, the new MacBook Pro with Touch includes accessibility features that can turn off the touchscreen entirely. Other early testers have also corroborated this option.

A touchscreen notebook isn’t the most popular type of laptop. Though this particular display has been available for quite a while, it hasn’t really taken off. Case in point, Apple’s announcement hasn’t been met with the warmest of fanfare.

It’s also telling that Apple baked in a way to turn this setting off. At the very least, we didn’t have to wait a while. The hullabaloo is reminiscent of the reception to Liquid Glass, another polarizing feature that Apple eventually made configurable for detractors.

Also, this isn’t the first time that Apple tried experimenting with the MacBook. Do you remember the short-lived Touch Bar?

Strangely, it’s such a strong contrast to the MacBook Neo launched earlier this year. Whereas that particular model debuted to applause, the new MacBook Pro attracted more raised eyebrows.

Laptops

What the MacBook should touch on instead

Touchscreen MacBook is a headscratcher

Published

October 29, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Apple just unveiled their brand spanking new MacBook Pro, now with a touchscreen. That’s fine and all, but something about it lacks… imagination.

Apple broke tech and cultural barriers with the iPhone and the iPad. The MacBook, meanwhile, has been a standard-bearer of personal computing for years. Yet Apple’s latest attempt at innovation doesn’t inspire the same sense of possibility.

Tech creators and publications present at the event have shared their thoughts. While they didn’t necessarily say it verbatim, there’s a “Who asked for this?” or “Who needs this?” energy going around.

The argument for the company in Cupertino has always been that while it might join the party late, it arrives with something refined and ready for the spotlight. That feels less certain in 2026.

I digress.

That’s a whole other topic to unpack, so before I go any further, let me shift back to what I wanted to write about in the first place: the innovations I want to see from Apple. Ones that capture the imagination and inspire possibilities.

MacPad or MacPad Pro

Yes, I’m starting with a haymaker.

For years, users have been asking Apple to make the iPad run some hybrid of iPadOS and macOS.

The MacBook Neo and iPad Pro are proof that this isn’t too farfetched. The former runs macOS on an iPhone/iPad chip (A-series) while the latter runs iPadOS on a MacBook chip (M-series). Computing power doesn’t seem to be the issue. Apple is just likely afraid that one device category will cannibalize the other. That’s pure speculation on my part so let’s just continue with the thought exercise.

Assuming we get that macOS and iPadOS hybrid, what will the hardware look like?

Some disclaimer before the fun part. This whole article is a thought exercise and I am inviting all of you to imagine with me. But to make things feel a little more grounded, I will name models from other brands that Apple can take some inspiration from. Just, you know, Apple-fy it.

For the MacPad or MacPad Pro, I’m thinking something like a 2-in-1. The main body is a slab with a display and kickstand. Think Nintendo Switch 2. But instead of provisions for Joycons on the side, you get some form of cooling and the ports.

Let it have an M-series chip for maximum computing power. But to differentiate it from the iPad, have it come with a foldable keyboard and trackpad folio of some sort.

The ROG Flow Z13 but Apple-fied

Now that I think about it, what I’m describing is likely closer to the ROG Flow Z13. But instead of a gaming aesthetic, make it closer to how sleek and streamlined the look of MacBooks and iPads.

Having spent time with the ROG Flow Z13 (2025), I know there’s something genuinely compelling about this form factor. It’s a tablet with the brains of a full-fledged PC, with the keyboard becoming an accessory rather than a permanent fixture.

I traveled with the Flow Z13 and loved how it could serve as my work machine, gaming console, and entertainment device. Detach the keyboard and you have a screen for watching videos. Prop it up and you have a surprisingly capable gaming machine. Connect it to a TV and you have another way to play. It simplified my travel loadout in ways I didn’t expect.

Now imagine that same flexibility with macOS. A MacPad Pro could be a tablet when you want to browse, read, or watch something, then become a proper Mac when it’s time to get serious about work. You wouldn’t need to choose between carrying a MacBook and an iPad because one device could cover both roles.

A detachable design, done right

There’s already a precedent for this, too. The Lenovo Yoga Duet 7i showed how a detachable tablet and keyboard could work together without either feeling like an afterthought. Its Bluetooth keyboard meant you weren’t necessarily tied to the tablet in the same way you would be with a conventional laptop.

That’s the part I’d want Apple to get right. Give the MacPad Pro a proper kickstand, a keyboard that doesn’t feel like a compromise, and enough ports to make it useful beyond the desk. Let people use it as a tablet, a laptop, or a makeshift desktop without having to fight the hardware.

And because this is Apple, I’d expect the accessories to be ridiculously good. If the company can make the Magic Keyboard for iPad feel like a convincing laptop keyboard, imagine what it could do if it built the entire experience around macOS from the start.

Heck, they can even go full Apple and do away with the kickstand and just include a flimsy folio in the original packaging. And then sell a Magic Keyboard and Trackpad folio separately for maximum profit. Now that’s truly the Apple way.

Refined MacBook Pro

Look, I love the MacBook Pro. And I’ll take macOS over Windows any day. But every now and again I come upon a Windows machine that has immaculate hardware.

This year, to me, that’s the ASUS ExpertBook Ultra. In terms of overall build, materials, display, and size it’s my favorite work machine that I personally spent significant time with.

Premium finish

It already has that sleek MacBook look. But on top of that, the Nano Ceramic finish elevates it in a way that only experiencing it firsthand can make you understand.

I wrote about this in my original review, but it’s worth repeating: the Nano Ceramic finish is one of those things that sounds like marketing fluff until you actually touch it. It gives the laptop a distinct texture that makes picking it up feel like an experience in itself.

What’s more surprising is that the feeling doesn’t wear off. I got the ExpertBook Ultra back for another stretch of use after ASUS had already collected it, and I still found myself running my hand across the lid before opening it. Thirty days later, I hadn’t outgrown the novelty.

That might sound trivial, but I don’t think it is. We interact with our laptops for hours every day. The materials, textures, weight, and little physical details all contribute to how much we enjoy using them. If a manufacturer can make something as ordinary as opening a laptop feel special, that’s a kind of refinement worth pursuing.

OLED all day

It doesn’t hurt to have STAYC Isa on screen.

The OLED display with matte coating is a feast for the eyes. I regularly worked in cafés beside large windows, and the matte coating helped keep the OLED panel looking magnificent even with all that ambient light.

Deep blacks, crisp colors, and fewer distracting reflections made it a pleasure to work on and an even bigger pleasure to take breaks with.

Tantalizing typing

And the chiclet-style feeling keyboard will have you waxing poetic about an intimate connection found and faded. The spacing is excellent, the travel feels satisfying, and I found myself typing without that awkward adjustment period you sometimes get with a new machine.

Neither feature is revolutionary on its own. That’s precisely the point. The ExpertBook Ultra brings together a collection of thoughtful hardware decisions that make the whole experience feel a little more special. I want that same attention to detail from Apple, even if the MacBook Pro is already one of my favorite laptops.

Imagine that hardware running macOS. One can dream.

Yoga MacBook

I don’t know how Apple will do this without Lenovo suing but for the love of the game, please indulge me.

Imagine the aforementioned macOS and iPadOS hybrid running on a machine that morphs from a regular laptop to one that’s display-facing. That’d make a touchscreen MacBook more compelling to more users.

They’re definitely gonna have to call it something else, but a flexible MacBook is more appealing than the same old clamshell but now with a touchscreen. It has more practical uses that extend beyond developers and heavy-duty multimedia professionals and creatives.

Bend it like Lenovo

Lenovo has been doing this for years with its Yoga series, and there’s a reason it has stuck around for ten generations. A good convertible isn’t just a laptop with a screen that folds backward. It’s a device that can adapt to what you’re doing without requiring you to change devices.

In laptop mode, you have a proper keyboard for writing and getting work done. Fold the display into tent mode and you have a convenient screen for watching videos or following a presentation. Flip it into stand mode and you can use it for video calls or put it in front of you while working with someone else. Fold it all the way back and you have a tablet for reading, browsing, or sketching.

I’ve seen how useful these different configurations can be in practice. They’re not just party tricks for product demonstrations. They offer different ways to use the same machine throughout the day, depending on what you’re doing and where you’re doing it.

Software that adapts

Of course, the hardware is only half the equation. macOS would need to adapt to these different configurations, too. Touch targets should be easier to hit when the laptop is folded into tablet mode, while creative applications should make better use of direct interaction with the display. The interface shouldn’t feel like a desktop operating system that reluctantly tolerates fingers.

This is where a hybrid of macOS and iPadOS could become particularly interesting. Apple wouldn’t have to abandon what makes the Mac good at getting work done. It would simply need to make that experience more adaptable when the keyboard and trackpad aren’t the most convenient ways to interact with the machine.

That’s the kind of touchscreen MacBook I’d get excited about. Not just a MacBook that lets me poke at the screen, but one that gives me a reason to use it differently.

Dream bigger, refine better

To be clear, I’m not asking Apple to reinvent every product in its lineup every year. That would be ridiculous, and not every new idea needs to become a commercial product. But I’d love to see the company take more chances on what its products could become, rather than simply adding another feature to what already exists.

I just miss the Apple that truly turns heads when it enters a room. Right now, it feels to me like the company is banking on the cultural cachet it earned decades ago.

The iPhone Duo and touchscreen MacBook show that Apple is still willing to experiment. Now I’d love to see it push those experiments further. It might as well go all in and Think Different.

Laptops

Apple unveils MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR display and Touch

Apple brings Touch to MacBook Pro

Published

October 29, 2026

Rodneil Quiteles

Apple has unveiled its new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display, introducing tandem OLED technology and touchscreen capabilities to the Mac for the first time.

Available in 14-inch and 16-inch models, the new MacBook Pro combines a redesigned display with Apple’s M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. It also introduces the Dynamic Island to Mac, alongside improvements to graphics performance, on-device AI, and battery life.

Apple says the new MacBook Pro delivers up to 2,000 nits of peak HDR and SDR brightness, a 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio, and a 120Hz variable refresh rate. The laptop also offers up to 24 hours of battery life in a thinner and lighter design.

The new models are designed for professionals working in video production, photography, graphic design, software development, 3D rendering, and other demanding workflows.

PROLED XDR brings tandem OLED to MacBook Pro

The new MacBook Pro introduces Apple’s PROLED XDR display, which uses tandem OLED technology to improve brightness, contrast, and color accuracy.

Unlike conventional OLED designs, the display uses two self-illuminating pixel layers. Apple says this approach helps maintain brightness and grayscale uniformity while minimizing internal reflections.

The display delivers up to 2,000 nits of peak HDR and SDR brightness and a 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio. It also supports ProMotion, with adaptive refresh rates ranging from 10Hz to 120Hz.

These features should benefit professionals who need precise control over colors, shadows, and highlights when editing photos, grading HDR video, or designing print materials.

The display supports both the P3 and Adobe RGB color spaces, with more than 80 percent coverage of the Rec. 2020 color space for HDR video editing and color grading.

Apple also offers an optional nano-texture finish, which is etched directly into the cover glass to reduce glare and reflections. This should make the laptop easier to use in bright environments.

For professionals who need consistent color reproduction, Apple includes display calibration and reference modes for cinematic production, photography, print, and design. New DICOM medical imaging reference modes also support medical image review for research and educational purposes, but not diagnostic use.

Touch arrives on MacBook Pro

For the first time, MacBook Pro users can interact directly with the display using Touch.

The touchscreen supports familiar gestures, including swiping through webpages, pinching to zoom in on photos, and dragging and dropping content between windows. Users can also double-tap windows to expand them or flick them into a tiled layout.

Apple has integrated the touch sensor directly into the display panel rather than layering it on top. This design aims to reduce latency and make interactions feel more immediate.

Touch also introduces new possibilities for creative work. Graphic designers can manipulate their designs directly on the screen, while musicians can play software instruments using a Multi-Touch keyboard and onscreen chord and drum pads.

Apple’s own applications are optimized for Touch, while macOS automatically translates touch input into clicks for many existing applications.

Third-party applications will also benefit from the feature. Apple lists productivity and collaboration tools such as Notion, Canva, Zoom, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, alongside creative applications such as Adobe Lightroom, DaVinci Resolve, Blender, Cinema 4D, ZBrush, Shapr3D, and Algoriddim djay Pro.

Touch works alongside the keyboard and trackpad rather than replacing them. Apple has also redesigned the hinge to provide greater stability when users interact with the display.

Dynamic Island comes to Mac

The Dynamic Island makes its Mac debut on the new MacBook Pro.

It serves as a central location for Spotlight, Live Activities, and Siri AI, allowing users to search their computers, access real-time updates, and interact with the assistant.

Users can also perform quick actions directly through the Dynamic Island, such as accepting an AirDrop request, controlling music playback, or responding to a phone call.

The feature brings an interface familiar to iPhone users to the Mac, making selected notifications and interactions more accessible without requiring users to navigate away from their current tasks.

The new MacBook Pro runs macOS 27, which integrates Apple’s latest software features and AI capabilities.

M5 Pro and M5 Max power demanding workflows

The new MacBook Pro comes with Apple’s M5 Pro or M5 Max chip, depending on the configuration.

Apple positions M5 Pro for professionals who need high performance for software development, scientific computing, and creative production. M5 Max targets users with more demanding requirements, including 3D artists, AI developers, and film composers.

Both chips feature enhanced CPU performance, faster unified memory, and GPUs with Neural Accelerators in every core. They also include enhanced shader cores and a third-generation ray-tracing engine.

These improvements accelerate graphics-intensive tasks such as 3D rendering, animation, and gaming. They also help with AI workloads, including running large language models locally.

Apple says the M5 Max can run large language models with hundreds of billions of parameters entirely on the device, depending on the model and configuration. This enables demanding AI workflows without relying entirely on cloud processing.

The new MacBook Pro supports up to 128GB of unified memory and up to 16TB of storage, giving professionals more room for large projects, high-resolution media, and complex datasets.

Thinner, lighter design with up to 24 hours of battery life

Despite its upgraded display and performance, the new MacBook Pro is thinner and lighter than its predecessor.

The 14-inch model weighs 3 pounds, or approximately 1.36kg, while the 16-inch model weighs 4 pounds, or approximately 1.81kg.

The 14-inch model is half a pound lighter, while the 16-inch model is 0.7 pounds lighter than the previous generation.

Apple has also redesigned the thermal architecture to maintain sustained performance while directing warm air away from the display.

Battery life reaches up to 24 hours, giving professionals more flexibility when working away from a power outlet.

The new MacBook Pro also features an enhanced six-speaker sound system. Its redesigned woofers deliver 50 percent deeper bass, while updated tweeters improve clarity. The system supports Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos.

For calls and recordings, the laptop includes studio-quality microphones and a 12-megapixel Center Stage camera.

Connectivity includes Thunderbolt 5 and a range of ports for external displays, storage, and other peripherals. The laptop also supports Apple’s broader ecosystem of accessories and services.

MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR pricing and availability

In the United States, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display starts at US$2,899 with M5 Pro, while the 16-inch model starts at US$3,399. Education pricing starts at US$2,749 and US$3,199, respectively.

For customers who need more computing power, the 14-inch model with M5 Max starts at US$4,499, while the 16-inch model starts at US$4,799. Education pricing starts at US$4,199 for the 14-inch model and US$4,499 for the 16-inch model.

In the Philippines, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro starts at PHP 214,990, with education pricing at PHP 203,990. The 16-inch model starts at PHP 249,990, with education pricing at PHP 234,990.

The M5 Max configurations start at PHP 329,990 for the 14-inch model and PHP 344,990 for the 16-inch model. Education pricing is PHP 307,990 and PHP 322,990, respectively.

In Singapore, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro starts at SGD 3,999, with education pricing at SGD 3,789. The 16-inch model starts at SGD 4,499, with education pricing at SGD 4,229.

For M5 Max configurations, the 14-inch model starts at SGD 6,299, with education pricing at SGD 5,869. The 16-inch model starts at SGD 6,499, with education pricing at SGD 6,089.

Pre-orders in the United States began on October 28, 2026, while pre-orders in Singapore began on October 29. The new MacBook Pro will begin arriving at customers’ doors and Apple Store locations on November 6.

In the Philippines, the new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display will be available soon through the Apple Store online and Apple Authorized Resellers.