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It is relatively easy to choose a Laptop model to buy from Applewhether your biggest constraint is budget (which is what… MacBook Neo is l), weight (MacBook Air) or need to MacBook ProPower and communications. Once you narrow it down that much, figuring out how to configure it can get confusing.
As far as I can tell, there is More than 50 combinations of applicable options For CPU, memory and storage only on 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, 33 for 14-inch and 21 for 16-inch. Your purchasing decision may be complicated by the limitations it imposes SoC design, especially with regard to memoryas well as typical configuration limitations, such as having to go up the processor class from what you would need — or want to pay for — if you wanted 8TB of storage or 64GB of memory.
Watch this: New MacBooks with M5, M5 Pro and M5 Max chips arrive
Both sizes have the same design and generally share the same features — display, communications, and wireless — but different processors support different generations of some features as well as the expected performance differences. More specifically, just 14 inches The model has M5 configuration options, as well as the M5 Pro and M5 Max, and the M5 is a generation behind the other two in terms of wireless and Thunderbolt connectivity. These things can be important: In my experience, Wi-Fi 7 It is more stable than the 6E when connected to 6GHz channels, and supports Thunderbolt 5 DisplayPort 2.1 as well as faster data transfer speeds compared to the previous generation.
Available options
| M5 | M5 Pro | M5 Max | |
|---|---|---|---|
| used in | MacBook Pro 14 ($1,699-$2,699) | MacBook Pro 14 ($2,199-$3,799), MacBook Pro 16 ($2,699-$4,299) | MacBook Pro 14 ($3,599 – $6,899), MacBook Pro 16 ($3,899 – $7,199) |
| Chipset configurations (CPU/GPU) | 10/10 | 15/16 or 18/20 (+$200) | 18/32 or 18/40 (+$300) |
| Memory options | 16GB, 24GB ($200+), 32GB ($400+) | 24GB, 48GB (400+), 64GB (18C only, $600+) | 32C 36GB GPU (no upgrade options); GPU 40C 48GB, 64GB ($200+), 128GB ($1000+) |
| Storage options | 1TB, 2TB ($400+), 4TB ($1000+) | 1TB, 2TB ($400+), 4TB ($1000+) | 2TB, 4TB ($600+), 8TB ($1800+) |
| Ports | 3 x Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, SDXC, 3.5mm audio | 3 x Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, SDXC, 3.5mm audio | 3 x Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, SDXC, 3.5mm audio |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 |
| External displays are supported | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Released | Late 2025 | Early 2026 | Early 2026 |
There are a few other things to consider when pricing your system. First, the screen’s $150 nano-texture option, which makes it matte and non-reflective, is worth the extra money if reflections are an issue in your environment. I find it easier on the eyes. Second, they all come with different capacity power adapters — 70W for the M5 and M5 Pro (96W optional) and 96W for the M5 Max — but fast charging requires 96W if that’s what you’re concerned about, and a $20 upgrade if it’s not included.
Matching needs with specifications can be difficult, not only because you need to know how applications use different components (and guess which applications will use them three years from now), but because performance is about balance. For example, when we refer to an application or task as “GPU-intensive,” we mean that most of the work is done by the GPU — but that doesn’t necessarily mean the GPU is or should be your primary concern.
Sample of recommended configurations
| General and creative productivity | Creative pro | Professional, high-resolution creative | Generative AI is intensive | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| good | MacBook Pro 14, M5, 16GB, 1TB | MacBook Pro 16, M5 Pro 20c, 48GB, 2TB | MacBook Pro 16, M5 Max 32c, 36GB, 4TB | MacBook Pro 14, M5 Max 32c, 36GB, 2TB |
| better | MacBook Pro 14, M5, 32GB, 1TB | MacBook Pro 16, M5 Pro 20c, 64GB, 4TB | MacBook Pro 16, M5 Max 40c, 64GB, 4TB | MacBook Pro 14 or 16, M5 Max 40c, 64GB, 2TB |
| better | MacBook Pro 14, M5 Pro 15c, 48GB, 1TB | MacBook Pro 16, M5 Max 40c, 128GB, 4TB | MacBook Pro 16, M5 Max 40c, 128GB, 8TB | MacBook Pro 14 or 16, M5 Max 40c, 128GB, 4TB |
Probably 90% of what the GPU does is render the elements on the screen in your 3D design application, and the final high-quality rendering is done by the CPU. A powerful GPU but low-core CPU might make your design and preview experience smooth, but it might also make you wait an annoyingly long time for the final rendering — especially if you have to iterate through different variations.
Go Pro (or Max)?
The M5 lags significantly behind the rest of the line, according to my tests, mostly because CPU and GPU performance is mostly about multipliers: The individual cores in the M5 may perform the same across the line, but there are still plenty of them in the high-end chips, making the chips generally faster for the tasks they use.
Single-core performance is roughly the same across all three, because all chips have the same supercores — formerly known as “performance” cores. The same goes for the neural engine, which is used for basic on-device AI such as document summaries or generative writing, and is identical to the three chips.
Cinebench 2026 CPU (single core)
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5, 10C/10C) Low Power 358Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max 18C/40C) Low Power 488Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro 18C/20C) Low Power 490Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro 18C/20C) 732Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max 18C/40C) 732Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5, 10C/10C) 736
Cinebench 2026 CPU (Multi-Core)
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5, 10C/10C) Low Power 2,914Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro 18C/20C) Low Power 3,732Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max 18C/40C) Low Power 4,015Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5, 10C/10C) 4,418Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro 18C/20C) 8,770Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max 18C/40C) 8,849
Geekbench AI (Neural Engine Quantitative Score)
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5, 10C/10C) Low Power 35,593Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro 18C/20C) Low Power 42,080Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max 18C/40C) Low Power 42,522Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5, 10C/10C) 57,528Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro 18C/20C) 57,599Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max 18C/40C) 57,015
As with previous generations, more GPU cores can make the difference between average (or unplayable) gaming frame rates and good to excellent ones: when I tested Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1920 x 1200 resolution, frame rates increased from 56 fps for the M5 to 96 fps (10 cores) on the M5 Pro (20 cores) to 150 fps on the M5 Max (40 cores). New neural accelerators on the GPU could be a performance boon for enhancing precise AI-driven processes like generative photography, video, machine learning, and cryptography. However, one potential weakness of the entire M5 line may be its lack of native support for the new Arithmetic data typessuch as FP8 and FP4, which provide improved speed over high-precision types but better accuracy than faster integers.
Cinebench 2026 GPU
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5, 10C/10C) Low Power 18,613Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5, 10C/10C) 24,011Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro 18C/20C) Low Power 33,514Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max 18C/40C) Low Power 45,595Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro 18C/20C) 54,169Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max 18C/40C) 94,338
Procyon Stable Deployment XL
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5, 10C/10C) Low Power 132Low Power Mode for Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro 18C/20C). 323Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M5, 10C/10C) 326Low Power Mode for Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Max 18C/40C). 456Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5 Pro 18C/20C) 696Apple MacBook 16 (M5 Max 18C/40) 1,083
Multi-core performance widens the CPU gap between the M5 and the other two, not just because of the multiplier, but because of the mix of cores in the Pro and Max. They replace the M5’s lower power efficiency cores with new, more balanced trade-off performance cores, which give the M5 Pro and Max a boost when running at maximum power.
One advantage the M5 Max has specifically for HD video editing, beyond just the number of GPU cores, is its Pro Res accelerators. It helps speed up encryption and decryption.
Memory and storage
Since you can’t upgrade the memory after purchase, but you can always add external storage, getting as much memory as possible and thinking you’ll need it eventually is key. In fact, if you think you’ll need more than 32GB, the amount will determine the minimum processor you can get: 48GB requires the lower M5 Pro, 64GB requires the higher-end M5 Pro, and the M5 Max model only supports 128GB.
However, determining how much memory you need is easier said than done, because it depends on the mix of applications you use, the size and complexity of the files or AI models you are working with and how many at a time, and more. Apple’s unified memory architecture, which shares system memory between the CPU and GPU, also complicates this calculation.
The 14- and 16-inch models have the same set of connections
How much MacOS can tweak or compress things is also important. For example, at the moment, I only have Chrome, Slack, and Notes open now, but 14GB of my 16GB memory is in use — lots of Chrome tabs and large multi-tab Google Sheets will do. It doesn’t affect performance, but during CES I had so many windows and tabs open in Chrome that my system slowed down noticeably.
On the other hand, it’s easier to judge storage capacity, not only because you can add more but because you know clearly whether the amount you have now is enough or not. If not, go for doubling the capacity. If that’s not enough, consider the next level of dual level.
However, keep in mind that external storage — especially fast external storage, like Thunderbolt 5-attached drives — isn’t necessarily a cheaper solution than an internal SSD, and internal will always be faster, which is important for tasks like machine learning and video editing. Likewise, as you move up the chip line, memory bandwidth also grows, providing a boost to memory-intensive tasks like machine learning, inference, and high-resolution video editing.