Apple’s MacBook Ultra is said to offer much more than ordinary MacBooks

Apple is planning a new flagship for the laptop market with the MacBook Ultra. The device is said to offer an OLED screen and touch for the first time. A thinner design and the Dynamic Island are also celebrating their premiere. However, there is a fly in the ointment.

New flagship with OLED and touch

A lot is happening at Apple at the moment. iOS 27, which is about to be released, will finally start the AI ​​era on the iPhone, the iPhone Ultra, the first folding smartphone from Cupertino, is scheduled to appear in the fall and there will probably be a number of new Macs and MacBooks by 2028. This also includes the MacBook Ultra, which is intended to position itself as a new premium device above the previous Pro models and will have a number of features that have never been available on an Apple laptop before.

The focus is, among other things, on an OLED screen. The technology offers deeper black levels, richer colors and significantly better energy efficiency compared to conventional LCD panels. The latter is a decisive advantage for battery life, especially on mobile devices. In addition, the screen edges are reportedly narrower. This creates space for slightly enlarged displays with a diagonal of 14.3 and 16.3 inches.

As Mac Rumors summarized, the MacBook Ultra should also have touch operation for the first time. This would mean that Apple would deviate from its previous line. Former CEO Steve Jobs once rejected touchscreens in the Mac series because it would cause arm fatigue. CEO Tim Cook and his designated successor John Ternus probably see things differently. To prevent wobbling when typing, Apple is said to have even installed a specially reinforced hinge.

Camera and cell phone

The previous cutout at the top of the screen is now giving way to a small camera hole. Around this, Apple integrates the Dynamic Island known from the iPhone to display system messages directly. Other planned innovations include a thinner housing thanks to the new screen technology and an optional 5G modem for independent cellular connections. Despite the slimmer design, Apple apparently does not plan to delete established interfaces.

This was often a major point of criticism from users when changing models in the past. Ports such as HDMI and MagSafe are therefore retained. According to the report, the integration of your own mobile phone modem is currently still an unconfirmed rumor. However, such a function would make working on the go much easier and reduce dependence on public Wi-Fi networks.

‘Old’ chips and high price

However, a potential disadvantage for buyers is the built-in processors. The MacBook Ultra will not be equipped with the next generation, but will use the already known M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. A successor with the more powerful M7 processors for complex AI applications could follow as early as a year later, which makes the first MacBook Ultra models seem somewhat unattractive. In addition, the price is likely to be high since the device is positioned above the current Pro models. The MacBook Pro currently starts at 2200 euros.

Buyers are therefore faced with the decision of spending a lot of money on a completely new design with slightly older chips or waiting for the second generation of ultra laptops. The start of sales is planned for the end of 2026 or beginning of 2027. Although Apple is reportedly already testing the first prototypes internally with the MacOS 27.1 operating system, next year’s date still seems more likely due to a global shortage of memory chips. Asian suppliers are currently struggling to provide the capacity they need, which is why prices for other Macs, MacBooks and iPads have already been increased. A touchscreen on the Mac and older processors to start with.