Apple has officially launched its latest 14-inch MacBook Pro, and the story this year is all about what's under the hood. While many users were hoping for a new design, an OLED screen, or even a touchscreen, this 2025 update is singularly focused on the new M5 chip.
The result is a laptop that pushes performance boundaries, especially in graphics and AI, but wraps it all in the same chassis we've known since 2021. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what’s new and what’s not.
The M5 Chip: A New Performance Benchmark
The M5 is the only significant change in this generation, and it's an impressive one. Built on the third-generation 3-nanometer process, the M5 chip continues Apple's steady march of performance gains.
In benchmark tests like Cinebench 2024, the M5 is the first chip to hit a 200 single-core score, marking an 11% increase over the M4. Multi-core performance sees an even larger 17% improvement without adding more cores. While day-to-day tasks might not feel dramatically different, this power is crucial for demanding applications.
Storage speed has also seen a massive upgrade to the PCIe Gen 5 standard. This delivers SSD read/write speeds of around 6,500 MB/s and 6,728 MB/s, respectively—twice as fast as the previous generation and even slightly faster than the M4 Pro models.
For thermal management, the M5 MacBook Pro still uses a single-fan system. While the fan can be loud under a heavy load, it does an excellent job. In testing, CPU temperatures never exceeded 89 degrees Celsius, a great sign for sustained performance.
A Major Push in AI and Graphics
The biggest leaps for the M5 are in its graphics and AI capabilities. Apple is clearly focusing on local, on-device AI processing.
The M5's Neural Engine, which handles background AI tasks like Apple Intelligence, is 29% faster than the M4's and 40% faster than the M3's.
Furthermore, the M5's GPU cores now include Neural Accelerators (similar to Nvidia's Tensor Cores). This feature, first seen in the A19 chip, is designed to speed up heavy, one-time AI workloads, especially in creative software.
GPU Performance: A Surprise Gaming Contender?
The M5's 10-core GPU delivers a 1.6x speed increase over the M4. Its performance is now nearly on par with the M3 Pro chip, which is a remarkable achievement for a base-model chip.
This translates to viable gaming performance. In tests with Cyberpunk 2077 at 1920x1200 resolution, the M5 achieved a playable 39 frames per second (fps) on Medium settings and 51 fps on Low.
While this doesn't compete with a dedicated gaming laptop (an RTX 5050 is over 50% faster), the M5 MacBook Pro has a key advantage: it stays relatively cool and quiet. You can play demanding games without the "jet engine" fan noise typical of gaming laptops, making for a much more pleasant experience.
The Same Old (But Still Great) Story
Outside of the M5 chip, this MacBook Pro is identical to its predecessor. It features the same 2021 chassis, including the screen notch. The 14.2-inch Mini-LED display is still one of the best on the market—sharp (254 ppi), bright, and colorful—but it's not the OLED upgrade some were anticipating.
The port selection also remains excellent, with three Thunderbolt ports, HDMI 2.1, an SD card slot, and MagSafe 3. However, it lacks the latest standards like Thunderbolt 5 and Wi-Fi 7, which are likely being reserved for the upcoming M5 Pro and M5 Max models.
Finally, the extras are still world-class. The six-speaker audio system offers full, bassy, and clear sound, and the 1080p webcam continues to be one of the better webcams available on any laptop.
.png)
The Verdict: Who Should Buy the M5 MacBook Pro?
The 2025 M5 MacBook Pro is a powerhouse, but it's not for everyone. Its position in the lineup is very specific.
For Power Users: If you're a professional video editor or 3D artist, you are better off waiting for the M5 Pro and M5 Max models, which will offer significantly more multi-core and graphics power.
For Casual Users: If your tasks are limited to web browsing, email, and streaming, the current M4 MacBook Air is more than enough laptop and offers better value.
For the "Prosumer": This M5 MacBook Pro is the perfect machine for the "prosumer" or hobbyist. If you are a photographer, a part-time video editor, or a casual gamer who wants the premium display, speakers, and ports of a Pro machine without the full Pro-chip price, this is the laptop for you.
It's a "prosumer" device that perfectly balances work, school, and high-end creative projects.