Apple is expected to announce touch screen OLED versions of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro on Wednesday, Oct. 28, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in his Oct. 25 Power On newsletter. MacRumors summarizes the report. Apple has confirmed the Oct. 28 event, but not the product or any price.

The new part is the price. Gurman reportedly expects the models to cost more, and the buying question is whether that changes what you do this week.

The reported price

  • Today, 14-inch: the MacBook Pro with M5 Pro starts at $2,499 on Apple's US store.
  • Today, 16-inch: the M5 Pro starts at $2,999 on the same page.
  • Reported new models: starting prices "could be up to $500 higher" (Gurman, as reported).
  • What that would mean: a ceiling of roughly $2,999 for the 14-inch and $3,499 for the 16-inch. That is our arithmetic on the reported figure, not a number from Gurman.

The reported reason is the display. OLED is costlier than the mini-LED panels in today's models, so the new MacBook Pro is expected to be more expensive. "Up to" means the rise could be smaller. Apple has announced no price.

What else the newsletter reportedly says

  • Look and weight: similar to current models, but lighter, with a Dynamic Island instead of a notch.
  • Chips: the existing M5 Pro and M5 Max, released in March. Gurman reported this earlier.
  • Software: macOS Golden Gate is said to get a "dynamic interface" for touch, with controls that depend on whether you are touching the screen or using the trackpad.
  • Current models: the mini-LED MacBook Pro stays in the lineup for now and is eventually discontinued.
  • Announcement: a press release on Oct. 28, then hands-on time at Apple's "Pro and tell" media experience in Los Angeles at 10 a.m. Pacific.

What is new here

Our Oct. 27 report covers the earlier timing and launch-event reports, and our Nov. 6 story covers the possible on-sale date. This story adds Gurman's price expectation, the Oct. 28 announcement plan and the plan to keep the current models on sale. Earlier reports put on-sale around Nov. 6; the Oct. 25 report gives no date.

Who should wait, who can buy now

  • Wait three days if you want touch, OLED, a lighter laptop or the Dynamic Island. Those are the reported differences, and the price is the open question.
  • Wait three days if you are buying a 14-inch or 16-inch M5 Pro anyway and have no deadline. Apple's announcement would give a real price to compare with today's.
  • Buying now makes sense if you need the performance and not the new screen. The chip is reportedly the same, and the reported price rise applies to the new models, not the current ones.
  • No reason to upgrade if you already own an M5 Pro. The performance case does not change.

If you buy a current model, you are buying one Apple is reported to keep selling for now. Whether its price moves after Oct. 28 is not part of the report.

Current models and deals

Our tracked 16-inch M5 Max deal is a current-model option. Amazon's delivery estimates on that listing start Nov. 13. Check the live price before you rely on it.

Apple's other reported October product is covered in our OLED iPad mini price report.

Why it matters

Waiting costs little if the reported date holds, since Apple would show the real price within days. The trade-off is that a higher OLED price, if reported correctly, makes the current mini-LED models the cheaper way into the same chips. Paying more would buy the screen and weight changes, not speed.

What is not known

Apple has confirmed the Oct. 28 event but has not announced the product or any price. The "up to $500" figure is the reported estimate. The report does not say when the new models would be on sale, or what happens to current-model prices.