Apple just announced the M5 MacBook Pro, the latest iteration in their silicon revolution. Faster chip, better AI performance, familiar design. The question is whether faster still matters when last year’s model was already fast enough.
What’s New#
The M5 chip brings predictable improvements: better CPU performance, enhanced GPU capabilities, more efficient power consumption. Apple’s marketing emphasizes AI and machine learning performance, positioning the M5 as essential for on-device AI workloads.
The design remains mostly unchanged. Same ports, same form factor, same philosophy. Apple knows what works and isn’t interested in reinventing the MacBook every cycle.
The Performance Plateau#
Here’s the thing: the M1 was revolutionary. The M2 was impressive. The M3 was still meaningful. By the M5, we’re in incremental territory. Most users won’t notice the difference between M4 and M5 in daily work.
That’s not criticism. It’s reality. We’ve hit a point where “faster” doesn’t translate to “better experience” for typical use. Opening apps instantly, editing 4K video smoothly, running multiple VMs without thermal throttling. The M3 already did that.
The AI Angle#
Apple’s emphasizing AI capabilities because it’s the one area where more performance still matters. Larger language models, faster image generation, real-time video processing. These workloads can use every bit of compute you throw at them.
But how many MacBook Pro buyers are running local AI models? How many will in the next two years? Apple’s betting on that use case becoming mainstream. Maybe they’re right. Maybe they’re building capacity ahead of demand.
Who Should Upgrade#
If you’re on an M1 or Intel MacBook, the M5 is a meaningful upgrade. If you’re on M3 or M4? Probably not, unless you’re doing specific workloads that benefit from the latest silicon.
The truth is, Apple’s chips are so good that their main problem is making people feel like they need to upgrade. That’s a nice problem to have.
Learn more: Check out the M5 MacBook Pro specs on Apple’s site.