Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M5)
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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The M5 MacBook Pro starts at $1,599 and comes in Silver and Space Black.
- It features the latest M5 chipset for enhanced performance and efficiency.
- Users who crave more power should wait for the M5 Pro and Max variants.
more buying choices
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I spent my weekend doing three things: Raking in the last bit of leaves from my neighbor’s neglected tree, being disappointed by the New York Giants (again), and benchmarking the latest 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro<!–>.
Of course, that last task was the least stressful, as Apple made the reason to upgrade to the hot, new MacBook Pro this year as straightforward as ever. If your current system isn’t holding up, you can buy the trustee MacBook Pro, with its polished aluminum design, smooth-as-ever ProMotion display, and an updated M5 chipset, all for the same price as last year’s model – and the year before.
Also: How much RAM do you need in 2025? My expert advice for Windows and Mac users
In fact, the M5 MacBook Pro looks identical to the M4 variant that I reviewed last year; as I was benchmarking the two, I had to look closely at the keyboards for any glistening left by millions of fingertaps to distinguish the M4 model. After several rounds of performance testing, here’s how the M5 fared with older Macs, including my $2,500 M1 Max MacBook Pro from just three years ago.
For starters, beyond the M5 chipset, the new 14-inch MacBook Pro features the same core of internal hardware as the M4 model, from the cooling fans to the placement of memory and battery.
However, subtle capacity changes make a noticeable difference to performance, from faster unified memory bandwidth (153 GB/s from 120 GB/s) to faster SSD speeds to up to twice the storage cap (4TB from 2TB). Each of the 10 GPU cores also receives Neural Accelerators for faster AI/ML processing.
While the highest configuration for the M5 chip seems excessive, it may be months until Apple releases the Pro and Max variants of the processor, so it’s worth considering for power users looking for an upgrade today. For most people’s workflows, though, the base configuration will serve you perfectly fine. It has for me.
Also: Should you upgrade to M5 MacBook Pro from an M1? How the numbers add up
Now, for the benchmark results.
It should surprise no one that the M5 just barely edges past the M4 MacBook. The bigger story is how closely it matches the Mac Studio running on an M1 Ultra processor. That’s a $4,000 computer that was released just three years ago. So the idea of a $1,600 MacBook achieving similar performance numbers is worth applauding. (Let’s also just skip past how the M5 MacBook laps my $2,500 M1 Max MacBook.)
The M5 MacBook Pro also sets a new record across all of Apple’s Mac models when it comes to single-core scores. It’s something I felt right away when boosting up Cyberpunk 2077 on both it and my M1 Max — the latter of which took much longer to get past the start-up screen and maintain a stable frame rate.
Single-core scores are also a good indicator of how responsive these systems are, as opening applications, browsing, and loading the general user interface are often single-threaded. My daily workflow involves having dozens of tabs open across three spaces, one for running local apps like Adobe Premiere Pro and Lightroom, one for ZDNET’s content management system, and another for researching and playing music. It’s a complicated dance of processes that the M5 has handled gracefully thus far.
Also: Leaving Windows 10 behind? Apple’s rumored $599 MacBook might be just for you
While Apple’s 24-hour battery life claim remains to be tested, I’ve already found myself charging my M5 MacBook less frequently than when I used the M4 model.
Previously, I found myself topping up my laptop at around 1 p.m. every day since I power a 34-inch monitor with it, too. But with the new MacBook, I’m reaching for the charger closer to around 3 p.m. I’ll run a more thorough stress test this week, so stay tuned for the update.
ZDNET’s buying advice (for now)
It’s only been days since I switched to the M5 MacBook Pro–>, but it’s undeniably one of the best laptops you can buy right now. It’s the M4 MacBook Pro, but better. The starting configuration, which gets you 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage for $1,599, should be just enough for most users.
But if you’re in the mood to spend more, I’ve found the $150 upcharge for the nano-texture display to be worth it. It’s dramatically better than the cheap snap-on screen protectors you can find online, and it doesn’t reduce contrast levels to the extent that it disrupts photo edits and color-grading videos. At least not for me.
However, if you can wait things out, or you’ve never found the base M-series chipsets capable enough to power your workflow, then the expected M5 Pro and Max variants may be a better fit. Those will also likely come in 16-inch sizes, if you prefer the larger screen and typing space. Regardless, Apple just added another fantastic option to its lineup of Macs, and you’ll be able to pick it up as soon as tomorrow.
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