Apple has launched the new M5 MacBook Pros and Airs, featuring enhanced performance, long-awaited storage upgrades, and a $100 price increase, with shipping starting March 11. Picture: Apple,ChatGPT
Image: Apple,ChatGPT
Though they were first expected to be released at the end of January, Apple has finally released the workhorse 14” and 16” M5 MacBook Pros on Tuesday.
In addition, the new MacBook Air models received a significant upgrade, but more on that later.
While all the new models will begin shipping on March 11, they have, however, come with price increases. Each new device will cost $100 more than its predecessor. Though this works out to around R1,654, the increase in South Africa will be substantially more once import costs are factored in. It could therefore be an increase of between R2,500 and R3,500.
While the base model M5 MacBook Pro was released last year, these high-end devices were delayed by several months, with Apple not disclosing the reason. It’s misleading, but the MacBook Pro 14”, does not actually have an M5 Pro chip, and only the new releases will have the new processors.
With no design changes to either the 14” or 16”, all the upgrades have been made to the hardware.
Here are the main tech spec upgrades for the 14” M5 Pro compared to the M4 Pro in brackets:
CPU cores: 15 (12)
GPU cores: 16 (16)
Memory: 24GB (24GB)
Storage: 1TB (512GB)
Here are the main tech spec upgrades for the 16” M5 Pro compared to the M4 Pro in brackets:
CPU cores: 18 (14)
GPU cores: 20 (20)
Memory: 24GB (24GB)
Storage: 1TB (512GB)
For the even higher-end user, there are new MacBook Pro Max models also available in the M5 variant, but these are directed at hardcore coders and studio production sound and video editors, which make up a tiny percentage of users.
The M5 MacBook Air, though, is probably the best value announcement that came out of the announcement. Though they will also feature around the same price increase, the major upgrade is in base storage from 256GB to 512GB. This was the only sticking point when deciding between an Air and a Pro for most users, but now the Air is definitely good enough for 99% of users in my opinion (myself included).
It may have taken Apple a few years to make this standard upgrade, but it’s finally a device that almost every professional desperately needed. Even a basic video editor can now use these Airs as a daily driver, as 256GB was not enough since 4K video became standard.
In fact, the storage is the only major upgrade with the Air, as all the 10-core CPU and 8-core GPU remain unchanged in the 13”. Of course, the M5 chip will also offer a significant performance upgrade (between 30% and 45% faster graphics and around 15% to 20% CPU performance).
It will also feature four times faster AI performance.
The 15” models will also have the exact same upgrades, again with the only actual increase coming in the base storage from 256GB to 512GB.
The new budget MacBook is the last product which is expected to be announced this week, later on Wednesday.