Apple just unleashed most powerful MacBook Pro yet that 'unlock capabilities that no other laptop can do'

But that's changed with this M5 generation.

Apple is using a new packaging method, dubbed Fusion Architecture, to combine pairs of the M5 into a single system-on-a-chip. Squeezed into two 3-nanometre dies, Apple has managed to include a powerful new CPU — with what it has called "with the world’s fastest CPU core", scalable GPU, Media Engine with support for hardware-accelerated H.264 and HEVC, AV1 decode, and ProRes encode and decode engines, a unified memory controller, Neural Engine with a higher bandwidth connection to memory to accelerate on-device Artifcial Intelligence (AI) features, and a custom-designed controller for each Thunderbolt 5 port.

Or, to put it another way, this sounds like a supremely capable system-on-a-chip that'll shrug off the sorts of taxing workflows that Hollywood editors, medical researchers, video game designers, spreadsheet crunchers, photographers, and professional musicians throw at the Pro-grade versions of Apple's MacBook lineup all the time. Keep in mind, a single M5 is enough to provide best-ever performance in a MacBook Air.

With up to 30% faster performance than M4 Pro, Apple says "M5 Pro is designed for users running complex workflows, like coders optimising algorithms and photographers processing massive image libraries, while M5 Max is for those pushing the absolute limits, such as engineers running rigorous simulations."

Since these boosted new chipsets are based on the M5 generation, which already offers significant gains for AI processes, Apple claims that M5 Pro and M5 Max deliver up to 4x faster LLM prompt processing than M4 Pro and M4 Max, and up to 8x AI image generation than M1 Pro and M1 Max.

“M5 Pro and M5 Max are a monumental leap forward for Apple silicon, leveraging our new Fusion Architecture to scale the capabilities of Apple silicon while preserving its core tenets of performance, power efficiency, and unified memory architecture,” said Johny Srouji, Apple Senior vice president of Hardware Technologies.

"Both chips underscore our relentless pace of innovation, integrating the world’s fastest CPU cores, a next-generation GPU with Neural Accelerators, a faster Neural Engine, and high-bandwidth, high-capacity memory — resulting in an unparalleled combination of performance, efficiency, and incredible on-device AI capabilities for MacBook Pro."

Aside from the fiery new chipsets, Apple has included its custom-designed N1 wireless networking chip to enable Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 to the MacBook Pro. And there's also up to 2x faster SSD performance on both of these laptops, with the entry-level model starting with 1TB of storage for M5 Pro, and a whopping 2TB for M5 Max.

That's a lot of computer.

As you might expect, 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro starts from £2,199, while bumping up to the M5 Max will set you back £3,599. The larger 16-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro starts from £2,699, while the M5 Max variant costs £3,899. Preorders will be available today, with the first laptops shipping on March 11, 2026.

Aside from the new M5 Pro and M5 Max silicon, custom N1 wireless networking chip, and the boosted SSDs, everything else about the refreshed 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops is identical to last time around.

That means you'll still benefit from up to 24 hours of battery life, a 120Hz ProMotion high refresh-rate Liquid Retina XDR display with optional nano-texture to cut unwanted glare, a 12MP Centre Stage camera that keeps you in-frame during video calls, an immersive six-speaker sound system with support for Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, Touch ID fingerprint scanner to unlock and authenticate payments, and the latest version of macOS Tahoe.

On the sides of the laptop, you'll find 3x Thunderbolt 5 ports for high-speed data transfer, an HDMI that supports up to 8K resolution, an SDXC card slot for quick media import, and MagSafe 3 with fast-charge capability. The new MacBook Pro models are available in your choice of Space Black or Silver.

Discussing its latest launch, Apple Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus said: "MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max redefines what’s possible on a pro laptop, now up to 4x faster than the previous generation. With Neural Accelerators in the GPU, the new MacBook Pro enables professionals to run advanced LLMs on device and unlock capabilities that no other laptop can do — all while maintaining exceptional battery life. Combined with even faster unified memory and storage, it empowers users to take their work even further, unleashing new possibilities and pushing the boundaries of what they can do."