Apple has announced an internal refresh of its 14-inch MacBook Pro, equipping the entry-level model with the new M5 chip. The update, detailed in a press release this morning, leaves the laptop’s physical design untouched but delivers significant performance boosts, particularly in AI and graphics workloads.
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Pre-orders are open now, with units expected to be available starting Wednesday, October 22nd. The base configuration retains its $1,599 price tag, featuring the 10-core CPU/10-core GPU M5 chip, 16GB of unified memory, and a 512GB SSD.
The new M5 chip is the centrepiece of the upgrade, built using third-generation 3-nanometer technology. Apple is heavily marketing the chip’s enhanced Neural Engine and new GPU architecture, which includes a dedicated Neural Accelerator in each core.
Key performance improvements over the M4 chip include:
- AI Performance: Up to 3.5x faster at AI tasks.
- Graphics: Up to 1.6x faster graphics performance and up to 1.6x higher frame rates in games.
- CPU: Multithreaded performance sees a respectable 20% increase.
- Memory Bandwidth: Unified memory bandwidth has been increased from 120Gbps in the M4 to 153Gbps in the M5 model.
Furthermore, Apple has doubled the top storage option for this baseline model. Users can now configure the machine with up to a 4TB SSD, a capacity previously reserved for models with the M4 Pro chip or higher. However, this high-capacity storage option comes at a premium, adding a significant $1,200 to the starting price.
Aside from the processor and faster SSD speeds, the new M5 14-inch MacBook Pro is aesthetically and functionally identical to its M4 predecessor.
This means the machine retains all the features introduced in the previous generation, including the same Liquid Retina XDR display, six-speaker sound system, port array (which includes three Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI, and an SDXC slot), and 12MP Centre Stage webcam. The battery life is claimed to last up to an impressive 24 hours of video playback on a single charge.
The retained design is not a drawback, as the M4 generation delivered a substantial quality-of-life update over the M3—notably by adding a third USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 port and introducing an anti-glare display option. The 14-inch MacBook Pro remains a powerful and portable option, particularly favoured by students and content creators.
