Apple Announces New 14-Inch MacBook Pro With M5 Chip

[mlayer]

Not including a charger in the box on a “Pro” machine just smacks of cheapness. Or hubris. Maybe both.

Whenever I passed along an old laptop I always passed the charger that came with it. Why? Within a set period of time without a charger it becomes a brick. It’s a de facto necessary piece of equipment to make your over $1,000 (or Euro) purchase actually functional.

I guess I get some people don’t have a problem with it. But I would. The computer won’t run without an adapter. It’s not some sort of optional equipment.

This is Tim, at the absolute cheapest. Apple keeps this crap up and the they’ll lose customers. A lot of people will feel that way. It just smacks of cheapness.

A “Pro” laptop is a PREMIUM product. I shouldn’t have to pay à la carte for the things I need to make it work.

USB-C has been in shipping laptops since 2015. Apple was late to the party with iPhones, eventually getting there with the 12 series 5 years ago. They also stopped including power adapters with iPhones at that time. Now laptops will have a longer grace period before transitioning because of the less frequent need for charging and the less stringent standards put in place regarding cheap barrel plug connectors. But it's not hard to envision a near future where at your desk, instead of a power outlet for your laptop, you'll get a USB-C port instead and a Qi2 charging pad for your phone. And if you need 120 W or more, you can supply your own or request it from your IT staff.

If you want to yell at anyone, Cook and Lisa Jackson can share the blame with the bureaucracies that keep promoting the elimination of electronic and plastic waste. All of that was made possible by the "Universal" Serial Bus. This was one of their goals!

 

[Allen_Wentz]

With support for Macs not going past the 10 year mark, is it really worth using these for file storage vs just buying an external one?

Folks who pay the high cost of internal storage usually do it for convenience when mobile.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

USB-C has been in shipping laptops since 2015. Apple was late to the party with iPhones, eventually getting there with the 12 series 5 years ago. They also stopped including power adapters with iPhones at that time. Now laptops will have a longer grace period before transitioning because of the less frequent need for charging and the less stringent standards put in place regarding cheap barrel plug connectors. But it's not hard to envision a near future where at your desk, instead of a power outlet for your laptop, you'll get a USB-C port instead and a Qi2 charging pad for your phone. And if you need 120 W or more, you can supply your own or request it from your IT staff.

If you want to yell at anyone, Cook and Lisa Jackson can share the blame with the bureaucracies that keep promoting the elimination of electronic and plastic waste. All of that was made possible by the "Universal" Serial Bus. This was one of their goals!

And in 20 years we will still be on USB-C instead of evolving to some better tech thanks to the EU <sigh>.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

After a very brief dalliance with idea of upgrading my 14"MBPro, I decided the cost to do so is not worth it (cost - trade in for my not quite 1 year old 14" M4 MBPro = $1000), unsurprisingly. I am not the target market for this machine. So we will see what next years version brings with the rumored redesigned case and, perhaps, an OLED display. Then it might be worth it, meanwhile my 14" MBPro serves me very well.

Wow. I am on M2 and would not even consider trading up so quickly. The nano-texture display is calling to me however...

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Why no FaceID on Mac yet?

Because laptops lend themselves well to use of touch ID and face ID is poor security, unacceptable in many environments.

 

[CWallace]

Why no FaceID on Mac yet?

A mix of cost (it would likely add hundreds to the MSRP) and the module would require a thicker (and heavier) front lid to contain it.

They don't even have a full M5 lineup, they are using M4 Pro and M4 Max still?

Because the M5 Pro and M5 Max are using a different design and fabrication process than previous Pro and Max chips and TSMC is still working out the kinks to get consistent yields. They are expected to arrive in Q1 2026.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

Was really hoping this would get Thunderbolt 5. I guess that will be limited to the Pro and Max for at least another generation.

It makes sense. Anyone that needs more than TB4 also should get more than a base level chip.

 

[Galley]

I bought the M4 MacBook Pro a few weeks ago, knowing the M5 was due soon. The performance boost doesn’t really matter to me, and the M4 was $300 off at Costco.

 

[tim@ipad]

Finally. Just did a comparison to my M1Pro 16“ and an M4Pro. Yes, is is great to see finally 4 TB (and the slightly reduced price) for the base M5. Memory Bandwidth and the Lack of TB5 makes think twice. I dont need so much power as its mainly LR I do but pro best to wait for the M5Pro (i need the 4TB option in any case)

Hmmmm… also no word for a new Apple Studio Display.

 

[joeblow7777]

I bit disappointed. Nothing is new but M5 CPU, and a bit faster RAM.

What do you expect when they release a new model every single year?

 

[neuropsychguy]

• ❌ WiFi 7
• ❌ Bluetooth 6
• ❌ AV1 encode engine
• ❌ Thunderbolt 5 / USB4 v2.0 (PCIe 4.0)
• ❌ OLED screen

Copying a post from Reddit?

 

[neuropsychguy]

For general information about the lack of a bundled charger in the EU. The EU's 2022 law went into effect late last year and will go into effect in 2026 for laptops but Apple is getting ahead of the curve. It requires an option to buy a device without a charger: "Manufacturers will be required to offer consumers the choice of purchasing a new electronic device without a new charger." That's not the EU banning Apple from including a charger though like some people are claiming.

EU Portable Electronic Devices Change Requirements

In June 2022, the European Union passed a law mandating a single common charger for all electronic devices.

www.trade.gov

Apple is taking that approach with the release of this laptop. People might disagree with the implementation (base price is without a charger rather than base price - X amount for computer without charger), but Apple is following the EU's law. Apple is doing this earlier than required but considering the challenges between them and the EU, that's a good decision.

 

[Black_Mage]

and it remains limited to Wi-Fi 6E, rather than Wi-Fi 7.

Then I will remain limited to my M1 Pro MacBook Pro. All they had to do was include Wi-Fi 7, and I would have bought it. *sigh* I hope they don't screw up the MacBook Pro with the rumored redesign in 2026.

 

[hans1972]

Jesus christ, i just registered on MacRumors to say, that they have the AUDACITY to freaking remove the charger, roflmao!

They're following the goals of EU who wants do unbundle the device and the charger.

 

[dotnet]

Why would anybody buy this over macbook air 15?

Gruber said it best:

The base 14-inch model, with the no-adjective M-series chip, is for people who probably would be better served with a MacBook Air but who wrongly believe they “need” a laptop with “Pro” in its name.

 

[Black_Mage]

So now it looks like the M5 Pro and M5 Max Macbook Pro will be coming in early 2026. It seems that the rumoured delay was right to a certain extent.

Oh! This is just for the M5 MacBook Pros not the M5 Pro or M5 Max. Maybe the M5 Pro versions will have Wi-Fi 7? 🫰

 

[dotnet]

I don't get it. What's the point of this update? Why not wait until they have the whole M5 line up and do it right? The M4 Pro is better than the M5. The 16" gets nothing. That's ridiculous.

The M5 is ready right now, the M5 Pro and Max are not.

It's a bit like with this post of yours. You wrote the above because that's what you could come up with right now. Instead, you could have waited till next year for your mind to evolve a bit more, and posted something more sensible.

 

[Alloween]

As for the power adaptor in Europe: I think it’s fine. I haven‘t touched the (more powerful) adaptor of my M4 Pro Chip MB - still using the old one from my M1. During the years I collected so many Apple power supplies, I can basically put one into ever socket in the house I‘ll pass on this gen unless I get a new one from work. But even the I‘ll weit until there are Pro and Max Models.

 

[dotnet]

No charger…. There is no uk legistaion that says there can’t be

Here is what ChatGPT found for you:

Key Legislation & Rules​

1. WEEE Regulations (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2013, as amended)
   
   • These are the core laws covering e-waste in the UK.
   • They require “producers” (manufacturers, importers, re-branders, etc.) to register, report how much electrical/electronic equipment (EEE) they place on the market, fund the collection, treatment, recycling and disposal of e-waste.
   • Distributors/retailers also have obligations: offering free take-back for like-for-like products when selling new ones; accepting small WEEE from households under certain conditions.
2. Producer Responsibility Regulations
   
   • Broadly, the UK has “producer responsibility” laws that cover packaging, batteries, end of life vehicles, and electronics (WEEE). The idea is the “polluter pays” / lifecycle responsibility model.
   • These push tech firms and electronics producers to design for reuse / recyclability, reduce hazardous substances, ensure proper treatment of waste, etc.
3. Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS)
   
   • Limits certain toxic materials (e.g. lead, mercury, cadmium) in electronics, which helps reduce environmental harm when devices reach end-of-life.
4. International Waste Shipments Regulations (Transboundary Waste)
   
   • Newer regulations (including 2024’s amendments) that make exporting/importing waste including e-waste more tightly controlled, to avoid dumping or mis-handling abroad.

 

[SpotOnT]

It makes sense. Anyone that needs more than TB4 also should get more than a base level chip.

Generalizations like that never get a person very far.

I just want TB5 to be able to run a 5k or 6k display with ProMotion. I know there are plenty of other people in the same boat.

 

[AndyDiamond]

Don't get the 8GB of RAM is plenty in 2025 folks started. They are fine checking emails in one email app and having two Chrome tabs open at once. 😂

Funnily enough, I am working on an M1 MacBook Air 8GB/256 right now.
It's a stop-gap machine as my 2018 Intel 16" died so I'm using the MBA until I get a new machine.

Have to say the MBA is super fast and capable, even with 8GB RAM.
I have two dozen tabs open in Safari, Photoshop, InDesign, Acrobat, Numbers, Pages, Mail and a few other apps all open at once and am having no issues at all.
What a neat little machine.

I do need a 16" though so will likely pick up a fully loaded M1 Max from somewhere like Back Market which will do everything I need for about the same price as the base M5 14".

 

[whitby]

Wow. I am on M2 and would not even consider trading up so quickly. The nano-texture display is calling to me however...

Neither would I normally, but I wondered whether the M5 might have something worth trading up for like TB 5. And it does not. So the answer was 'don't be daft' and stay where you are. I tend to keep my machines for 4 to 5 years.

 

[robfoll]

Aaaannndddd right on cue, the people who are never happy no matter what Apple does slink out of the woodwork to offer their complaints. It's really quite tiresome.....

The usual MacRumours whinefest.

 

[robfoll]

No Wifi 7 here means no Wifi 7 for the M5 Pro and M5 Max next year, which is a bad joke. So they're waiting to put Wifi 7 on the OLED M6. Damn.

WE WANT WIFI 8. BLOODY TIM COOK!!!!!!

 

[zonai]

I recently sold my M1 Pro and got an M4 Pro. But I had to include my old charger when I shipped it out per Swappa's terms. It would be a problem if Apple starts dropping the charger and we still have to include one in the box when selling or trading in. I know Best Buy also requires a charger for trade-ins.