Apple is preparing its first high-end MacBook redesign in five years. According to leaks, the upcoming MacBook Ultra could arrive between late 2026 and early 2027, bringing a series of firsts for the Mac lineup. Positioned above the MacBook Pro, the device will introduce an OLED display, a touch screen, a hole-punch camera, a Dynamic Island, and a thinner design. Here is everything known so far.
MacBook Ultra: Apple's new flagship tier
Apple is reportedly planning to market two "Ultra" products in the coming year: a foldable iPhone and this laptop, establishing a tier above the MacBook Pro. The MacBook Ultra name is not officially confirmed, but it is highly likely. Given Apple's recent Mac price increases in June, the MacBook Ultra is expected to start well above the current 16-inch MacBook Pro's $2,999 price tag.
OLED display with tandem technology for better colors and lifespan
The MacBook Ultra will be the first Mac with an OLED panel, replacing the mini-LED backlight of current models. The display will deliver true blacks, richer colors, and improved power efficiency since individual pixels turn off instead of dimming. Apple will use hybrid OLED combining an oxide TFT backplane with a two-stack tandem structure, the same approach used in the iPad Pro, ensuring higher brightness and longer panel life. Screen sizes will increase slightly to 14.3 and 16.3 inches due to slimmer bezels, as indicated by Omdia and Bloomberg.
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Touch screen and touch-optimized macOS
For the first time, a Mac will support direct touch input on the display. This marks a shift for Apple, which had long resisted the idea. According to Mark Gurman, the system will be "touch-friendly, not touch-first," allowing users to switch seamlessly between touch, trackpad, and keyboard. The laptop will retain a traditional clamshell design without a detachable hinge. macOS will be reworked to adapt controls based on input method, with larger menu bar buttons, iPad-style gestures like pinch-to-zoom and fast scrolling. The macOS 27 Golden Gate beta already hints at this integration, with pull-to-refresh in Safari and Mail and a pill-shaped Siri interface. Apple will include a reinforced hinge to prevent screen wobble when tapping.
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Hole-punch camera and Dynamic Island like iPhone
The notch will disappear, replaced by a small hole-punch cutout for the camera, similar to recent iPhones. Around the cutout, an interactive Dynamic Island will display notifications and contextual indicators such as Siri, low battery alerts, and AirPods connection status. This frees up menu bar space and moves the design closer to an uninterrupted edge-to-edge display.
M5 Pro and M5 Max chips with later upgrade to M7 in 2027
The first MacBook Ultra will ship with the M5 Pro and M5 Max processors already found in current MacBook Pros, skipping the anticipated M6 series. Apple has reportedly canceled the M6 Pro and M6 Max to leap directly to M7 Pro and M7 Max, optimized for intensive AI workloads with upgraded neural engines and higher memory bandwidth. A second-generation model with M7 chips is planned for late 2027. This means early adopters may see a major upgrade in less than a year, a factor to consider.
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Thinner design and optional cellular connectivity
The MacBook Ultra will be noticeably thinner and lighter than the current MacBook Pro, aided by the switch from mini-LED. Apple does not plan to remove ports like HDMI, MagSafe, or the SD card slot, a wise move after past criticism. The laptop will come in 14-inch and 16-inch variants (codenamed K114 and K116). A first for Macs, built-in cellular connectivity (5G and LTE) using Apple's C1X or C2 modem may be available, though this feature remains uncertain. Meanwhile, the chip market is shifting: Qualcomm has announced price hikes for its Snapdragon chips, and the global memory shortage could affect MacBook Ultra costs. For more on OLED technology, see the Wikipedia page.
Source: https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/24/macbook-ultra-12-new-features
