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I'm a bit curious myself. Wondering how the M5 compares. My M1 pro 14" has held up well I don't use it for much more than just a daily driver and watch youtube and movies on. I have it on AppleCare One so wondering what happens if it keeps getting older and needs replacement.
To me it's my work remote computer and connects to the Studio Display, also on AppleCare+. For most tasks, I just use the M4 iPad Pro. To be honest, I rather have something smaller footprint (aka 12-inch MacBook) and connects an external display. I haven't upgraded it to macOS Tahoe after not so happy performance on the M1 MacBook Air.
 
Except its not. There is a reason why the russian youtube has only the M5 models. Apple will just release those version and I would even dare to say that it will be a press release. You can bookmark this comment and revisit later when it turns out true.

When the software itself 'leaks' the roadmap you can bet on it being spot on.

Just another fake leak to bait out leakers.
Just like the iPhone 17 price chart that turned out to be dead wrong.
 
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It's pretty frustrating as one of the relatively few people who is willing to spend $2-3K on a laptop to see the flagship chips go into iPads and lower-end Mac laptops. But I guess they sell more that way.
There flagship chips are the Pro and Max version, not the base version. No iPad has a flagship chip, and the only "low end" computer with a flagship chip is the Mac Min when configured with a M4 Pro. And even then, I'd argue the true flagship is the Max chip, or the Ultra when it's available.
 
I wonder if the 26.3 updates will introduce the new Siri, rather than 26.4. It still fits Apple’s time frame (actually, slightly better) and launching these new chips with it would be a fantastic marketing opportunity.
 
5 is one number higher than 4!!!!
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Apple's strategy is basically, release when it's ready. There's no reason to hold back M5 just because the Pro/Max versions aren't not yet ready.
Seems beneficial. The top M4 Pro/Max will still outperform it in multi core/GPU scores.

Apple isn't punishing the lower buyers by making them wait for the pro chips to come out. That's... a positive.
 
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Apple's strategy is basically, release when it's ready. There's no reason to hold back M5 just because the Pro/Max versions aren't not yet ready.
There could be issues with infrastructure, binning, or even something as simple has getting the more complicated Pro/Max connections to be stable through manufacturing.
M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are believed to to use TSMC's new SoIC-MH advanced packaging so that may be taking longer for TSMC to scale supply to support a formal launch of those SoCs.

The base M4 MacBook Pro is a pretty decent machine, so updating it to M5 in the holiday season could help secure sales from new Mac customers as well as upgrades from those running MacBook Pros with M1-M3 Pro SoCs who would find performance of the base SoC acceptable without needing to go to the M5 Pro.
Makes sense.
It's pretty frustrating as one of the relatively few people who is willing to spend $2-3K on a laptop to see the flagship chips go into iPads and lower-end Mac laptops. But I guess they sell more that way.
How are you going to spend $2K to $3K on any Apple laptop?
The M5 MBPs are just a minor and the last stopgap before the big design overhaul introducing OLED. Very excited for that.
They're more than "just minor". From the article,

"An early unboxing video for the next iPad Pro already revealed that the M5 chip will offer up to 12% faster multi-core CPU performance, and up to 36% faster graphics performance, compared to the M4 chip in the current iPad Pro."

I don't care how you figure it, a 12% and 36% improvement in CPU and GPU is definitely NOT "minor".
Everyone is saying the M6 is the next big thing, so why would anyone go for an M5 unless they had to? Since Macs don’t break anymore, the machine will run forever if it lasts a month.
See the quote I made above. That's 12% and 36% improvement for those moving from M4 to M5. If somebody's coming from an M1 or M2, their improvement will be even greater. And that's not a waste.
I would like to replace my M1 Pro but it seems only the M6 Pro will be worth it, with 50-75% single core, 2-2.5x multicore and 2x graphics performance with more base RAM (making $200 upgrade less important).
On this point, my plan is similar to yours. I'm holding out for the M6 Pro/Max. But only because I don't have any other motivating factors at this point in time to make me rush moving off of my M1. It's not because I think the M5 isn't "good enough".
They must have forgotten their strategy when they released the disaster called iOS 26.
I just upgraded to iOS 26, and the only thing I hate is all the prompts asking me to do this or decide on that. The OS is otherwise fine, and I like the liquid glass thing, even though I know Apple will probably remove it in a future version. Kind of like how Microsoft gave us "Aero Glass" and then removed it a year or two later.
You're the only person I've ever seen complain about this. I really recommend you go with HP at this point if they're so flawless. Choose to be happy.
I agree, I've not seen any complaints other than his either.
Eh, if M5 is the last on this chassis I can see going for it - the bugs are worked out and you don't have to worry about any potential early-adopter issues on a new chassis with possible OLED for M6.
Yes. If I was running an art or design studio using MacBook Pros, I would probably make everybody order an M4 or M5 if they wanted any upgrade. To avoid losing steam, I might even make my team wait on M6, with a management moratorium, even.
So they are going to launch the Pro without a Pro before they launch the Pro with a Pro.
Yes, of course. See, you WERE paying attention in the staff meeting!
It's a shame they don't do that with their OS releases.
Their OS releases have mostly been fine.
 


Apple is planning to release a base MacBook Pro with a standard M5 chip before higher-end models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, according to AppleInsider's sources with "knowledge of macOS Tahoe development and hardware testing."

Apple-MacBook-Pro-M4-hero.jpg

The report said a MacBook Pro with an M5 chip is "nearing release," and Apple has apparently been testing this model with an unreleased macOS 26.0.2 version.

14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to follow in early 2026, with macOS 26.3 preinstalled, the report added. Following beta testing, macOS 26.3 will likely be released in January.

There is precedent for a decoupled launch. Apple updated the 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 chip in November 2020, but 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips did not debut until October 2021. Then, the 13-inch MacBook Pro was updated with the M2 chip in June 2022, with 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips following in January 2023.

That trend stopped once the 13-inch MacBook Pro was discontinued. The entire 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro lineup was updated with M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips all at once in October 2023, and 14-inch and 16-inch models with M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips debuted simultaneously in October 2024.

Last month, U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) documents surfaced for only a single unreleased MacBook Pro model, which further suggests that Apple might be planning to release a base 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M5 chip soon, followed by higher-end models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips early next year.

In fact, this split launch could explain why rumors flip flopped between late 2025 and early 2026 timeframes. Ultimately, it sounds like it will be both.

Other devices expected to be updated with the M5 chip this year include the iPad Pro and the Vision Pro. It is still not clear if Apple plans to host an October event, or if it will announce new products with press releases and shorter videos only.

An early unboxing video for the next iPad Pro already revealed that the M5 chip will offer up to 12% faster multi-core CPU performance, and up to 36% faster graphics performance, compared to the M4 chip in the current iPad Pro. The chip still has a 9-core CPU, and it is manufactured with TSMC's third-generation 3nm process.

Bigger changes to the MacBook Pro are expected with the two-generations-away models, with rumored upgrades including an OLED display, touchscreen capabilities, a thinner design, built-in cellular connectivity, and M6 chips manufactured with TSMC's advanced 2nm process, for even greater year-over-year performance gains.

New models of the MacBook Air, iMac, Mac mini, and Mac Studio are not expected to launch until next year, but the report did not mention the Mac Pro desktop tower.

Article Link: Apple Rumored to Launch MacBook Pro With M5 Chip Before M5 Pro and M5 Max Models
Please lower the iPad Pro Price to 799 USD like they used to. Since apple switched to OLED, the price raised 200, more than 25%! So ridiculous.
 
M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are believed to to use TSMC's new SoIC-MH advanced packaging so that may be taking longer for TSMC to scale supply to support a formal launch of those SoCs.

The base M4 MacBook Pro is a pretty decent machine, so updating it to M5 in the holiday season could help secure sales from new Mac customers as well as upgrades from those running MacBook Pros with M1-M3 Pro SoCs who would find performance of the base SoC acceptable without needing to go to the M5 Pro.
I suspect you’re right that this is the real reason the M5 will be announced a few months before the M5 Pro/Max/Ultra chips. The new packaging allows them to separate the CPU and GPU cores, and I think RAM amounts, too, separately so that Apple can be more flexible on configurations for the higher end MBP’s. No longer would you have to get the maximum number of CPU cores just to get the GPU cores you want.

It’s just a far more sophisticated packaging, essentially ditching the vaunted System-on-a-Chip design. The new packaging allows separate CPU and GPU cores to co-exist in the same package, giving benefits for improved performance and energy efficiency. With the Pro/Max/Ultra, they will be separate chips but tightly bound together so you still get all the benefits of an SoC.

Since it’s the first time they’re using this process, it is probably just taking longer. The M5, however, is designed the old fashioned SoC way.
 
Fix the microscratches and dents Apple manufactures with their Apple Macbook Pros. Its outrageous that they keep selling it with these damages while HP making ten times cheaper screens are flawless.

Maybe some media outlet needs to call them out for this.
Apples QC has been dismissed for years. This won’t be any different, and nothing will change. Also most people don’t even care about whether their $9k laptop is in pristine condition or not.
 
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