Apple Unveils M5 Chip with Major Performance Upgrades for MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro
Apple introduced its new M5 chip, significantly boosting AI and graphics performance across updated MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro devices, now available for preorder.
Overview
- Apple launched its new M5 chip, integrating it into the updated 14-inch MacBook Pro, iPad Pro models, and the Vision Pro headset, promising enhanced capabilities across its flagship products.
- The M5 chip features 10 CPU cores, 10 GPU cores, and a neural accelerator, built on a 3-nanometer process, delivering up to four times the GPU's computational power for AI tasks.
- This new processor provides a significant 45 percent boost in graphics performance and 30 percent increased memory bandwidth, making devices like the iPad Pro and MacBook Pro considerably faster.
- The updated iPad Pro, starting at $999, is thinner and includes C1X and N1 modem chips, while the MacBook Pro starts at $1,599 with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage.
- Preorders are now open for the M5 MacBook and M5 Apple Vision Pro, which also gets a 120Hz display refresh rate and improved comfort, with shipping commencing in a week.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover Apple's M5 chip announcement neutrally, focusing on factual reporting of technical specifications and claimed improvements. They avoid loaded language or overt editorial spin, presenting the information directly as released by Apple. The coverage includes details on AI and graphics enhancements, allowing readers to form their own conclusions based on the data provided.
"The new devices are now available for preorder, with shipping and in-store availability expected on October 22."
TechCrunch"The improvements to the architecture over the M4 seem to mirror those that Apple made to its A19 Pro chip for the iPhone 17 Pro, especially targeting AI and graphics performance in addition to the usual year-over-year bumps."
CNET"The new iPad Pros, powered by Apple's also-new M5 chip, use the same basic designs as the M4 iPad Pros from last year and are compatible with the same cases and accessories."
ARS Technica"the M5 Vision Pro is shaping up to be the best, most performant one you can buy."
Gizmodo"The new M5 iPad Pro is thin—even slimmer than the latest iPad Air—and it packs the same tandem OLED display and 11- and 13-inch flavors."
Gizmodo"The chip's biggest upgrade is a leap in memory bandwidth, from 120GB/s for the M4 to 153GB/s for the M5."
ARS Technica"Apple isn’t quite ready to release its top-end MacBooks yet."
Gizmodo"With no design changes or price drop, today's MacBook Pro news amounts to a minor update."
CNET"The M5 upgrades look impressive, though."
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FAQ
The M5 chip delivers roughly 10% faster single-core performance and 15–20% better multi-core performance compared to the M4, based on early Geekbench results[4].
The M5 GPU includes Neural Accelerators (tensor cores) and delivers up to 30% higher performance compared to the M4 GPU, with an improved ray tracing engine offering up to 45% higher performance, which together significantly boost AI and graphics capabilities[2].
The M5 chip is built on TSMC's third-generation 3nm process (N3P), which enhances performance and efficiency.
The updated iPad Pro starts at $999 and features a thinner design with C1X and N1 modem chips. The new 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 chip starts at $1,599, offering 16GB RAM and 512GB storage[3].
In addition to performance gains, the new MacBook Pro offers double the SSD speeds, and the Apple Vision Pro now has a 120Hz display refresh rate, improved comfort, and new modem chips in the iPad Pro[3].
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