Apple’s new MacBook Ultra could be exactly what I’ve been wanting

Earlier today, a new report said Apple’s forthcoming MacBook Pro overhaul will actually be called the MacBook Ultra. Here’s why the new Mac sounds like the exact kind of model I’ve been wanting.

MacBook Pro redesign now rumored to be called ‘MacBook Ultra’ when it launches

Last month, Mark Gurman hinted that Apple’s M6 MacBook Pro with a new design, touchscreen, OLED, and more might be called the MacBook Ultra.

It seemed like mere speculation, but today Macworld reported that Apple is indeed planning to call its new high-end laptop the ‘MacBook Ultra.’

I was already very excited for the new model, but naming it Ultra makes it seem even more likely to be the right computer for me.

It’s been a long time since the Mac was my primary computer. When the first iPad Pro launched in 2015, I switched to an iPad-first computing setup.

A big motivator for me was the Mac not getting the level of investment it deserved.

I love the Mac, but for a while Apple seemed content letting it languish. macOS changed very little each year, regularly lagging behind iOS and iPadOS when it came to new features, apps, and innovation.

Mac hardware went through an especially rough patch in the pre-Apple silicon era. But despite Apple turning that around in recent years, the Mac still lacks several important hardware features that I love on my iPad.

• no touchscreen
• no OLED
• no Face ID
• no cellular option

When several of these features were rumored for the M6 MacBook Pro, I got excited for the new model. But if Apple positions this product as a MacBook Ultra, I think it could be an even better fit for me. Here’s why.

Why ‘MacBook Ultra’ makes more sense for me than a new MacBook Pro

Apple silicon has made every Mac impressively powerful, and as a result, the MacBook Pro has arguably become more niche.

My computing needs are pretty straightforward: I write for a living, do a little photo editing, and use apps like Slack, Messages, Safari, and other ‘basic’ computing apps.

MacBook Air and even MacBook Neo would easily meet those needs. But I was excited for the M6 MacBook Pro, not because of its power, but rather its innovative features.

And I suspect that’s what Apple’s new wave of ‘Ultra’ devices is all about.

If iPhone Ultra and MacBook Ultra are indeed coming, I think Apple will be using ‘Ultra’ to highlight innovation more than sheer capabilities.

The iPhone Ultra, in some ways, will be inferior to iPhone 18 Pro. But because it will offer unique, cutting edge features, it will be ‘Ultra.’

MacBook Ultra will reportedly be thinner and lighter than the current MacBook Pro. While I’m sure it will still have Pro and Max-level chips, “thinner” doesn’t exactly indicate Apple will make it more powerful than the MacBook Pro.

Instead, ‘Ultra’ might be used to signify the most innovative, cutting-edge Mac you can get. It will be the first model with touch support, OLED, a new Dynamic Island cutout, and perhaps even a C2 cellular modem.

Used in this sense, MacBook Ultra is exactly what I want. I don’t need a machine that’s insanely powerful. I just want a Mac that pushes the platform forward in significant ways.

Obviously I don’t expect MacBook Ultra to lag behind the MacBook Pro. But whereas the MacBook Pro these days seems more targeted to “pro” use cases, what I really want is a high-end Mac that performs well, sure, but also has the modern features I’ve grown used to having on iPad.

The idea of ‘Ultra’ pricing isn’t very appealing. But everything else about this new model has me excited.

What are your thoughts on Apple launching a ‘MacBook Ultra’? Let us know in the comments.

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