Performance jumps again with the Apple MacBook Pro M5, featuring enhanced AI capability, longer battery life, and the latest macOS Tahoe experience.
Apple MacBook Pro M5
Apple has added the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 chip to its line-up, marking the first Mac released with its latest silicon.
It arrived without a keynote, along with the new iPad Pro M5, as an incremental update rather than a complete redesign. The hardware looks familiar, but Apple says the new chip brings a significant lift in AI performance, storage speed and battery life.
The company claims the M5 delivers up to 3.5 times faster AI performance than the M4 and roughly six times faster than the original M1.
Features Apple MacBook Pro M5
Each GPU core now includes a built-in Neural Accelerator, designed to improve the kind of on-device AI tasks used in image generation, transcription and large language models. A new 10-core GPU and what Apple calls its fastest CPU core yet handle creative and professional workloads more efficiently.
Storage performance has doubled, thanks to SSD speeds that enable large media files to move faster, and users can now configure up to 4TB of space. Battery life extends to a claimed 24 hours, which Apple says is the longest ever for a Mac laptop.
Fast charging still reaches 50 per cent in about 30 minutes when using a 96W or higher USB-C adapter.
For those upgrading from older hardware, Apple’s comparisons are striking. Against Intel-based MacBooks, it reports up to 86 times faster AI performance and 30 times better GPU results with ray tracing. Users of the first M1 systems, Apple says, should still expect roughly double the CPU power and up to six times faster AI capability.
All of these claims come from Apple’s own testing.
More of the same
The rest of the design remains unchanged. The 14-inch Liquid Retina XDR display continues to offer up to 1,600 nits of HDR brightness and 1,000 nits for SDR, with the optional nano-texture finish still available for those working under bright lights.
The six-speaker audio system with Spatial Audio, the 12-megapixel Centre Stage camera and studio-grade microphones all carry over. Connectivity remains consistent with HDMI, an SDXC card reader and three Thunderbolt ports.
macOS Tahoe comes pre-installed and introduces a handful of software updates. Apple says Spotlight now performs quick actions directly from search, and live Activities from an iPhone display real-time updates such as flight status or meeting alerts.
The redesigned Control Centre and widget customisation add more personalisation. Apple Intelligence, the company’s privacy-focused AI layer, expands across Messages, FaceTime and Shortcuts.
Specifications Apple MacBook Pro M5
| Features | Apple MacBook Pro M5 (14-inch) |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 15×312×221mm |
| Weight | Approx. 1.6 kg |
| Colour Options | Space Black Silver |
| Display | 14-inch Liquid Retina XDR 1,600 nits HDR peak brightness 1,000 nits SDR sustained Nano-texture glass option |
| Processor | Apple M5 Chip |
| Connectivity | HDMI Port SDXC Card Slot 3 × Thunderbolt Ports Wi-Fi 6E Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Storage Options | 512 GB SSD 1 TB SSD 2 TB SSD 4 TB SSD |
| Battery Life | Up to 24 hours |
| Operating System | macOS Tahoe |
| Camera | 12 MP Centre Stage camera |
| Audio | Six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio |
| In the Box | 14-inch MacBook Pro USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable 96W Power Adapter (ex EU & UK) |
| Website | apple.com |
Price & Availability Apple MacBook Pro M5
The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 is available in space black and silver. Pre-orders are live now, with deliveries and in-store stock expected from Wednesday, 22 October. Prices start at $1,599/£1,599 on apple.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Apple MacBook Pro M5 introduces the latest M5 chip with up to 3.5 times faster AI performance, double the SSD speed and a battery life increase to 24 hours. The overall design, display and ports remain unchanged.
No. The Apple MacBook Pro M5 keeps the same 14-inch chassis, Liquid Retina XDR display and familiar selection of ports. The only internal change is the move to the M5 chip and its associated performance and efficiency improvements.
Apple says the M5 chip brings major AI improvements, including faster rendering, image generation and code compiling. Each GPU core features a Neural Accelerator, and the enhanced Neural Engine boosts performance for creative and data-driven tasks.
Buyers can choose between 512GB, 1TB, 2TB and 4TB SSD configurations. Apple also says SSD performance is up to twice as fast as before, allowing quicker imports and exports of large files.
Apple claims the Apple MacBook Pro M5 can run for up to 24 hours on a single charge, its longest battery life yet. Charging uses the included 96W USB-C power adapter and MagSafe 3 cable.
macOS Tahoe introduces new Spotlight actions, a dedicated Phone app for calls and voicemail, and Live Activities from iPhone. It also expands Apple Intelligence tools such as Live Translation and improved automation in Shortcuts.
Pre-orders for the Apple MacBook Pro M5 are open now on Apple’s website, with delivery and retail availability set for Wednesday 22 October 2025. It comes in space black or silver.
