M5 MacBook Pro: Four real upgrades over the M4

M5 MacBook Pro — what really changed from the M4

Apple’s new M5 MacBook Pro looks familiar next to last year’s M4 model. The biggest updates are under the hood: chip tweaks, more memory bandwidth, faster SSDs and a new 4TB storage option. If you expected a dramatic redesign, this isn’t it — but there are meaningful gains for certain workloads.

Chip upgrade: Apple M5, but not wildly different

The M5 MacBook Pro ships with the Apple M5 chip that still offers a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine — the same core counts as the M4 model. Apple says the M5’s CPU is a moderate upgrade, offering up to 20 percent faster multithreaded performance for tasks like code compiling and heavy multitasking.

The GPU is the headline: Neural Accelerators inside each GPU core boost AI work and graphics-heavy jobs. Apple claims the M5 delivers up to 3.5x the AI performance, up to 1.6x faster graphics in pro apps, and up to 1.6x higher frame rates in games. The Neural Engine is also improved, though Apple gives no specific numbers beyond saying AI tasks run “faster.”

M5 MacBook Pro: higher memory bandwidth matters

One clear hardware win for the M5 is memory bandwidth. The new model offers 153 GB/s of unified memory bandwidth versus up to 120 GB/s on the M4 — roughly a 30 percent uplift. Apple says that higher bandwidth “accelerates everything from launching apps to running large language models (LLMs) on device,” so workflows that move lots of data will see the biggest benefit.

Faster SSDs and a bigger top-end option

Storage is another area Apple improved. The M5 MacBook Pro’s SSD is “up to 2x faster” than the M4’s, which helps with heavy tasks like importing RAW photos or exporting large video files. Apple also bumped the maximum storage: the M5 now offers a 4TB option versus the M4’s 2TB max. That 4TB choice costs an extra $1,200 — $600 more than the 2TB upgrade.

Four key differences summed up

Chip: M5 with modest CPU gains and much larger AI/graphics boosts.
Memory bandwidth: 153 GB/s (M5) vs 120 GB/s (M4).
SSD: Up to 2x faster storage performance on the M5.
Storage cap: New 4TB option (costs +$1,200).

Not an M4-to-M5 must-have

Apple’s trio of M5 products includes bigger upgrades elsewhere (the M5 iPad Pro and the Vision Pro saw larger jumps). The M5 MacBook Pro is the smallest of the bunch, and Apple doesn’t seem to pitch it as an upgrade for last year’s M4 buyers. The M5 is more compelling for users on Intel, M1, M2 or maybe M3 machines — M4 owners are less likely to feel a big push to switch.