MacBook Pro PROLED XDR Matches Mini-LED Speed in Geekbench 7
Apple's MacBook Pro PROLED XDR models score almost the same as mini-LED versions in Geekbench 7 multi-core tests, 34,904 against 34,988. Early owners are also noting rounded bottom display corners, a four-screw bottom cover and a lit Apple logo on the lid.
The MacBook Pro PROLED XDR models perform almost exactly like the mini-LED versions, according to Geekbench 7 benchmark results, as the first laptops reach customers. Both display types use the same chips, and the numbers show it.
Apple's new models are available with the same M5 Pro and M5 Max chips that power the mini-LED laptops. Similar speed was expected. The benchmark database confirms it.
Geekbench 7 scores
The average multi-core CPU score for the 16-inch MacBook Pro with a mini-LED display and an M5 Max chip is 34,988. The 16-inch PROLED XDR model with the same chip averages 34,904.
The chip has an 18-core CPU in both models. For buyers, the choice of screen does not appear to change processing speed.
Details from early owners
Deliveries are still under way, and smaller changes keep surfacing. The YouTube channel Max Tech noted that the bottom cover has slightly recessed feet. Only four pentalobe screws hold it in place, compared with eight on previous models.
Larger speakers sit under that cover. Apple says they provide 50% deeper bass.
The display shape has changed too. The bottom corners are now rounded on the new models, while the mini-LED screens round only the top corners. The change gives the laptop a more uniform design.
The lit Apple logo returns
The Apple logo on the lid is illuminated again. John Gruber of Daring Fireball confirmed that it uses a custom light source, seemingly a white LED.
On MacBooks released in 2015 and earlier, the LCD's backlight lit the logo. OLED displays do not have a backlight, so the new models need a separate light.
Gruber also shared Apple's explanation for bringing the feature back. An Apple representative told him: "Because it's awesome."
Reaction so far
Apple announced an OLED MacBook Pro with a touch display, alongside a new 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M6 chip. Reader reaction to the PROLED XDR details has been mixed.
One commenter said the design "feels more modern." Another complained of "still not a word about PWM and text fringing," calling it extremely disappointing. PWM is a flicker technique some OLED screens use to dim; text fringing refers to colored edges around letters.
The Geekbench 7 figures are averages from the benchmark database, and more results will accumulate as deliveries continue.
