If September is the month of the iPhone, October in Cupertino is the month traditionally dedicated to new products desktop and tablet side. Instead of the event scheduled according to some rumors for October 28, Apple has decided to anticipate the times and present to the public the latest evolution of the chips designed by the Californian company. The M5 chips it promises a leap in terms of performance, energy efficiency but above all in the ability to process artificial intelligence workloads. This new one system-on-chip will be present immediately on both the new model iPad Pro than on the new ones MacBook Pro 14 inches. More than a simple improvement over the M4, Apple hopes that this new chip, the result of an innovative philosophy, will serve to regain positions in the battle ofTo thewhich, at the moment, sees the apple bitten behind the competition.
A fundamental chip for Apple
Judging by the tone used when addressing the press, Apple’s management is banking heavily on this chip to regain leadership in the battle forartificial intelligence. According to Johnny Srouji, SVP for hardware technologies at the Cupertino company, “M5 marks a big leap forward in AI performance for Apple chips. With the introduction of Neural Accelerators in the GPU, M5 gives a huge boost to AI workflows. Along with the big improvement in graphics performance, the world’s fastest CPU core, a faster Neural Engine, and even greater unified memory bandwidth, M5 brings MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and Apple Vision Pro superior performance and capacity”. The chip, made by TSMC with third-generation 3-nanometer technology, promises a clear improvement in terms of all-round performance: each of the 10 cores has a Neural Accelerator, which translates into peak computing power in AI-related applications four times higher to what we saw in the M4.
According to tests carried out by Apple, the four performance cores of the M5 are the fastest in the world while the GPU with third generation ray tracing guarantees graphics performance 45% higher than the M4 chip. Every aspect of the chip, from the 16-core Neural Engine to the media encoding section to the memory bandwidth, has been revised, resulting in major performance increases. It doesn’t take long, however, to understand how Apple is eager to highlight the leap forward in computer optimization.artificial intelligencewhich he says is integral to the architecture of the new chip. The difference compared to the competition is that Apple aims to make language models that operate locally even more efficient, without transferring data outside your device. The advantages from the point of view of privacy and cybersecurity are evident and, at least according to Apple, should guarantee an important advantage over rivals. To improve efficiency in graphics but also AI applications, the basic memory has been doubled to 32 GBa fundamental difference for those who want to use these devices professionally.
The new iPad Pro, even more powerful
As has been the case for a few years, the first Apple device that will mount the new M5 chip will be the flagship model of the Californian company’s tablet family, theiPad Pro. The new model promises, according to Apple’s tests, Ai performance 3.5 times higher than the previous model and a leap forward in graphics capabilities, now capable of handling even more complex projects. The presence of the new network and cellular chips guarantees a 50% increase for those who want to work in 5G and better energy efficiency. The new iPad Pro will be available in traditional black and silver colors and in 11- and 13-inch sizes, both with the Ultra Retina XDR display and a series of updated accessories designed for use on the move.
According to John Ternus, Apple’s SVP of hardware engineering, “the new iPad Pro offers the most advanced and versatile iPad experience ever”once again redefining the boundaries of professional tablets “Thanks to a huge leap forward in AI performance and a huge improvement in graphics, ultra-fast wireless connectivity and innovative features of iPadOS 26”. Glass with nanotexture, contrary to what some rumors have stated, will be available only as optional which will further increase the already significant price of this tablet. The 11” iPad Pro starts at €1,119 for the Wi-Fi model while the 13-inch model with 5G will reach 1,719 euros.
An increasingly Pro MacBook?
Contrary to what has happened in previous years, Apple has decided to present only the basic version of the M5 chip, delaying the launch of the Pro and Max versions until a later date. This explains why today we wanted to present only the basic 14-inch MacBook Pro, a model that has not enjoyed great success in the past, given that professional users prefer to invest in more powerful chips. In addition to the performance advantages of the M5 chip and the increase in base memory to 32 GB, Apple has worked on the battery, capable of guaranteeing 24 hours of battery life but also on the internal SSD, which should be more performing.
In reality, the new features of the new MacBook Pro M5 end more or less here: no new colors, the usual display with optional nanotexture, the excellent 12 megapixel Center Stage camera and all the features already appreciated in the past. If John Ternus says that “MacBook Pro continues to be the best professional laptop in the world”many users who work in the creative field will prefer to wait for the versions equipped with the Pro or Max chips. The price of the basic model continues to be quite high: starting from 1,849 euros, which becomes 1.
729 for those who can take advantage of the discount dedicated to students or teachers. Apple aims to convince owners of MacBook Pro M1 or Intel to change their laptops: we will see in the coming weeks if it will be enough to convince these users to open their wallets.
