Apple just launched a new 14-inch MacBook Pro – and it’s all about the M5 chip

MacBook Pro 14-inch with M5 specs:

• 16 GB or 24 GB (configurable to: 24 GB or 32 GB)
• 512 GB or 1 TB storage
• 14.2-inch (diagonal) Liquid Retina XDR display
• ProMotion technology for adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz
• 72.4-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery
• 70W USB-C Power Adapter
• Three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports
• HDMI port
• 3.5 mm headphone jack
• SDXC card slot
• MagSafe 3 port
• Wi-Fi 6E
• Bluetooth 5.3

M5 makes the MacBook Pro faster, cooler, and smarter

The star of the show, the M5 chip, brings serious upgrades. It’s built with a next-generation GPU that includes a Neural Accelerator in each core, offering up to 3.5x faster AI performance and up to 1.6x better graphics than the M4.

Apple says this new 10-core design also delivers up to 6x faster performance than M1, while being more efficient across the board. The chip includes a faster CPU, an enhanced Neural Engine, and higher memory bandwidth, speeding up everything from launching heavy apps to running large language models (LLMs) directly on your device.

Battery life still leads the pack – up to 24 hours on a single charge – which means pro users can easily take their workflows anywhere without hunting for an outlet. SSD speeds have also improved, making large file imports and exports faster than ever.

The M5’s faster 16-core Neural Engine also supercharges on-device AI tasks and generative features that power Apple Intelligence, while deep learning, data modeling, and AI-enhanced video processing get a nice performance boost, too.

Apple says users will notice faster text-to-image generation when running diffusion models in apps like Draw Things, and LLMs will now run smoother in LM Studio.

And when it comes to graphics, the M5’s upgraded GPU delivers up to 1.6x higher frame rates in games and 1.6x faster graphics performance in pro apps compared to the M4. Apple also calls the M5 CPU “the world’s fastest CPU core”, claiming 20% faster multithreaded performance – perfect for developers, designers, and multitaskers alike.

Here’s what that all translates to in real-world use:

The new MacBook Pro runs on macOS Tahoe, which brings a mix of design polish and smarter tools to the Mac.

Spotlight now helps you find apps and files faster – and take actions directly, like emailing or creating notes right from the search bar. Continuity adds a new Phone app, letting users access recents, contacts, and voicemails straight from the Mac, while Live Activities from iPhone help you stay updated in real time on things like flights or deliveries.

The OS also introduces Liquid Glass design, which gives more personalization options with custom folder colors, new app icons, and widgets. The menu bar is now transparent, making the display feel even more immersive. But if you have already updated to macOS Tahoe or to iOS 26, you should be familiar with the new design.

Apple Intelligence expands, too – bringing Live Translation across Messages, FaceTime, and Phone apps for real-time multilingual chats. Shortcuts get smarter, now integrating directly with Apple Intelligence to automate complex tasks like sorting photos or managing documents. Developers can also tap into these AI models through the Foundations Model framework, enabling specialized on-device intelligence for their own apps.

A solid step forward – even if not a major redesign

While the new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 doesn’t completely reinvent the wheel, it’s still a meaningful leap forward in AI performance, graphics, and efficiency. The price staying the same at $1,599 makes it even more appealing for those upgrading from older models.

Sure, it’s not a dramatic jump over the M4 version, but once Apple rolls out the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, the real power-users will likely take notice.

Should you upgrade?

If you’re currently using a MacBook Pro with M4 or even M3, you can safely wait – those machines are still incredibly capable. The M5 model improves performance, but not enough to justify an immediate upgrade for most.

However, if you’re coming from an M1 MacBook Pro, that’s a different story. The jump in speed, AI performance, and efficiency will be instantly noticeable – and this new MacBook might just be the right time to make that move.

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