Apple has officially unveiled its most powerful laptops yet: the new MacBook Pro models powered by M5 Pro and M5 Max.
After introducing the new M5 MacBook Air earlier, and refreshed 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5, Apple is now rolling out the high-end configurations professionals have been waiting for. The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models bring major silicon upgrades, faster storage, and next-generation wireless connectivity.
Same design, much more power
Visually, nothing changes. The new MacBook Pro retains the same industrial design introduced in 2021, available in Space Black and Silver. If you’re hoping for a redesign, that’s reportedly coming later this year.
For now, the focus is entirely on performance.
M5 Pro and M5 Max: Apple’s most powerful laptop chips
The new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips push Apple silicon further into high-performance territory.
Each chip offers:
- Up to an 18-core CPU
- Six “super cores,” which Apple says are the fastest CPU cores available
- Up to 12 additional performance cores
- Up to 30% faster overall performance
- 50% better graphics performance
- Neural Accelerators integrated directly into each GPU core
One of the biggest gains comes in AI workloads. Apple says the new MacBook Pro delivers up to 4x faster LLM prompt processing compared to M4 Pro and M4 Max. That’s a major jump for developers, researchers, and creative professionals working with on-device AI models.
Faster SSDs and higher starting storage
Storage gets a meaningful upgrade this generation. Starting configurations now include:
- 1TB storage for M5 and M5 Pro models
- 2TB storage for M5 Max models
That helps justify the higher starting prices. SSD performance also improves, with speeds up to 2x faster than the previous generation.
For professionals moving massive video files, 3D assets, or datasets, this is not a small improvement.
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and the N1 wireless chip
The new MacBook Pro introduces Apple’s N1 wireless chip, which enables:
- Wi-Fi 7
- Bluetooth 6
- Improved wireless reliability
- Better performance for features like AirDrop and Personal Hotspot
This is the same wireless chip that debuted in the iPhone 17 lineup last fall, now making its way to the Mac.
Battery life improvements
Battery life remains largely consistent with the M4 generation, but there are small gains for higher-end models:
- 14-inch M5 Max: Up to 20 hours (vs 18 hours previously)
- 16-inch M5 Max: Up to 22 hours (vs 21 hours previously)
M5 Pro configurations maintain similar battery performance to last year’s models.
Pricing and availability
The new MacBook Pro lineup starts at:
- 14-inch MacBook Pro
- M5 Pro: $2,199
- M5 Max: $3,599
- 16-inch MacBook Pro
- M5 Pro: $2,699
- M5 Max: $3,899
Prices are higher than the previous generation, but the increased base storage plays a role in that shift.
Pre-orders begin March 4 at 6:15 a.m. PT, with availability starting March 11.
Worth upgrading?
This isn’t a redesign year for the MacBook Pro. It’s a power year.
With faster CPUs, stronger GPUs, integrated Neural Accelerators, Wi-Fi 7, and doubled starting storage, the M5 Pro and M5 Max models are clearly aimed at professionals pushing AI workflows, 3D rendering, filmmaking, and heavy development tasks.
If you already own an M4 Pro or M4 Max machine, the upgrade may depend on how much those AI and SSD speed improvements matter to you. But for power users coming from older Intel or early Apple silicon Macs, this is one of the biggest performance leaps yet.
