Apple has announced the latest 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptop models. They are powered by the all-new M5 Pro and M5 Max which promise “game-changing” performance and AI capabilities.
M5 Pro and M5 Max
Apple’s M5 Pro and M5 Max are built using the new Apple-designed Fusion Architecture. The design combines two dies into a single system on a chip to deliver impressive performance boosts. M5 Pro and M5 Max also feature a new up-to-18-core CPU with 6 super cores, the world’s fastest CPU core, and 12 all-new performance cores. Apple says these are optimized for power-efficient, multithreaded workloads and combine to deliver up to 30 percent faster performance.
Improved performance
M5 Pro and M5 Max scale up the performance from the M5 chip. They also offer the same GPU architecture with a Neural Accelerator in each core. As a result, M5 Pro and M5 Max deliver up to 4x faster LLM prompt processing than M4 Pro and M4 Max. Compared to M1 Pro and M1 Max, the new chips also give you up to 8x faster AI image generation. In addition, you can expect a 50% percent increase in graphics performance compared to M4 Pro and M4 Max. Apple says that the MacBook Pro with M5 Max delivers 3.5x faster AI video-enhancing performance in Topaz Video compared to the M4 Max model.
AI capabilities
Apple says that M5 Pro and M5 Max have been “engineered from the ground up for AI”. With a faster and more power-efficient Neural Engine, as well as higher unified memory bandwidth, the new MacBook Pro promises “incredible” on-device AI capabilities. M5 Pro supports up to 64GB of unified memory with up to 307 GB/s of memory bandwidth.
The M5 Max supports up to 128 GB of unified memory with up to 614 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The increase in unified memory bandwidth enables complex workflows like intensive AI model training and massive video projects.
Better storage
The new MacBook Pro delivers up to 2x faster read/write performance compared to the previous generation, reaching speeds of up to 14.5GB/s. This is ideal for working with 4K and 8K video projects. MacBook Pro with M5 Pro also now includes 1TB of storage as standard, while MacBook Pro with M5 Max starts at 2TB.
Other features
The new MacBook Pro feature a Liquid Retina XDR display with 1600 nits peak HDR brightness and up to 1000 nits for SDR content. You also get up to 24 hours of battery life. When you need to recharge, it takes just 30 minutes to reach 50% using a 96W or higher USB-C power adapter.
Also, the new MacBook Pro includes three Thunderbolt 5 ports, HDMI that supports up to 8K resolution, and an SDXC card slot for quick media import. You also get a 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View support and studio-quality mics for great video and audio.
macOS Tahoe
The new MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max run on macOS Tahoe. This features a new design with Liquid Glass that you can personalize in the updated Control Center.
Major updates to Spotlight make it easier to find relevant apps and files and immediately take action right from the search bar. There are also lots of new features based on Apple Intelligence. Live Translation is integrated into Messages, FaceTime, and the Phone app to help you easily translate text and audio. Shortcuts are more powerful with intelligent actions and the ability to tap directly into Apple Intelligence models as well.
What we think
With each new generation of its M-series chips, Apple delivers massive performance boosts. The M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro laptops promise similar improvements across a range of tasks. For video editors who need to work on the go, the new MacBook Pro is an ideal choice. In addition, the increased storage and faster unified memory should make your workflow even easier when working with high resolution video clips. The new MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max are a significant investment. However, if you work with video, the advantages they offer make them worth serious consideration.
Pricing and availability
You can pre-order the new MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max models now. Delivery is scheduled to begin from Wednesday, March 11. Pricing for the 14‑inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro starts at $2,199 and $2,699, respectively. If you want the MacBook Pro with M5 Max, the 14-inch model starts at $3,599 and the 16-inch costs from $3,899. All models are available in space black and silver.
