Apple MacBook Pro 14 M5 review: the best just got better

The MacBook Pro is Apple’s flagship laptop, and it spans a range of prices and performance that covers all levels of professionals. At its entry point is the new MacBook Pro 14-inch model, which features the brand-new M5 chip. Higher-performance versions of the 14-inch model and the larger 16-inch model use either the M4 Pro or M4 Max chips, which, despite the M4 designation, are still some of the fastest on the market.

Apple has taken to staggering the release of its new silicon chips, releasing the standard M-series model first, followed by the Pro and Max versions and then, often a year later, the Ultra version. In simple terms, the M5 is faster than the M4, and the M4 Pro is faster than the M3 Pro, but it may take a few generations for a standard or Pro to be faster than a Max. For example, an M2 Max is still faster than an M4 chip in most cases.

There are rumours that a bigger reinvention of the MacBook Pro could be coming next year, and this could coincide with the release of M5 Pro and M5 Max versions. This could finally bring touchscreen to the MacBook, or at least the tandem OLED display seen on the latest iPad Pro M5 model.

In contrast, this new 14-inch M5 version has changed little from the MacBook Pro M4, aside from that chip. It has the same screen, the same shell and even the same battery. Given that the previous version was one of the best laptops we’ve ever tested, though, that’s no bad thing. Why change something if it doesn't need changing?

I used the MacBook Pro M4 for a good portion of last year, before swapping to the larger screen MacBook Air M4 15-inch. Using the MacBook Pro once more, I’m reminded what a workhorse this machine can be, and why it remains the choice of creative professionals around the globe. As to whether you need to upgrade just yet, that really depends.

How much is the MacBook Pro M5?

The new M5 MacBook Pro starts from £1599 / $1599, which is AU$2499 in Australia and €1799 in Europe. There are three standard spec options available: either 16GB memory with 512GB SSD storage or 1TB SSD storage, or 24GB memory with 1TB storage. Each of these can be further customised, though, with up to 32GB of memory and up to 4TB of SSD storage.

Further options allow you to swap to a Nano-texture display and add either a 70W or 96W USB-C power adapter – as only the cable now comes in the box (in the UK and Europe). So, fully specced with the 70W power adapter, the machine can cost you up to £3408 / $3408 / AU$5129 / €4054.

A similarly specced MacBook Air 13-inch is around £400/$400 cheaper than the MacBook Pro, while the larger 15-inch Air is around £200/$200 cheaper. Interestingly, though, the MacBook Pro M5 is cheaper than the iPad Pro 13-inch when you add the Magic Keyboard, or just £100/$100 more without.

The new model was first announced on 15 October 2025 and went on sale on 22 October 2025. The version I tested featured 32GB memory and 1TB of SSD storage, plus the Nano-texture display and a 70W charger at £2408.

What's new on the MacBook Pro M5?

The MacBook Pro 14-inch is available in a choice of Space Black and Silver. The Space Black was once limited to only certain specs, but has now become an option across the board for the MacBook Pro, which is great because it looks really stylish. As much as I like the classic silver, the black feels more modern.

What always impresses me with this device is that it now fits a 14-inch screen into a body that’s no bigger than the old 13-inch version, which featured up to the M2 in 2022. Like the M4, this model is 31.26 cm (12.31 inches) x 22.12 cm (8.71 inches) x 1.55 cm (0.61 inches) and weighs 1.55kg (3.4 lbs).

Unlike the Air, the MacBook Pro retains a number of ports, including an HDMI and SDXC card slot in addition to the 3.5mm audio, the MagSafe charging port and three USB-C (Thunderbolt 4) ports. The return to MagSafe charging has been divisive, but I really like the feature – as I’ve tripped on many a power cable in the past and pulled it loose. I do like that the laptop will also still charge if you plug a USB-C lead in too.

MacBook Pro M5 display

The display remains one of the reasons why people choose the MacBook Pro over the Air. This 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR unit is a mini-LED display with 3024 x 1964 pixels and a peak brightness of 1600 nits (HDR). It also features Apple’s ProMotion technology, which means adaptive refresh rates of up to 120Hz, and True Tone technology for accurate colour.

Another great feature of the latest MacBook Pro is the option to have a nano-texture display. This matte finish display does an excellent job at reducing glare and reflection on the screen in bright conditions. You can clearly see the difference when you shine a light on both the standard and nano-texture versions. In fact, you don’t need to shine a light to notice the difference, even indoors.

While the display remains unchanged from the M4 model, it is an excellent screen and makes all content look incredible. I tried watching Apple TV’s latest series, Pluribus, and it looks better than most TVs. The colours have more of an OLED feel to them rather than the overly bright images you might expect from a mini-LED backlight.

It looks incredible for gaming, too. I tried the latest version of Cyberpunk 2077, which now plays on the MacBook Pro through the Steam app. This really benefits from the Ray Tracing, which is selectable in the settings, and makes the scenes look more real than ever.

You still get that notch at the top of the display here, as with the M4 version. This is for the 12MP Centre Stage camera, which gives 1080P video recording and video conferencing functionality. It’s a shame that FaceID hasn’t made its way onto Macs yet, but I suspect that will come in a future generation.

Performance and battery life

Principally, the upgrade to this MacBook Pro is all about the processor. The standard M4 gets an update to the new M5 version. The other improvements are largely a result of this more powerful and more efficient processor.

The M5 chip features a 10-core CPU and a 10-core GPU, like the M4, but the big difference is the neural accelerators in the GPU, which are designed to increase the speed of AI operation, making everything from large language models, like ChatGPT, to AI image correction in photo and video editors, faster.

Another benefit here is 3D rendering, which sees a 6.8x performance increase over the M4. This provides impressive Ray Tracing abilities, which can be seen clearly in the gaming performance. This was evident in the detail of Cyberpunk 2077.

In terms of memory, the MacBook Pro M5 comes with either 16GB or 24GB as standard, with an option to upgrade to either 24GB or 32GB in the buying process. The model I tested featured the maximum 32GB option.

General performance of the MacBook Pro feels extremely fast, with programs opening almost instantly and even memory-heavy tasks, such as video output and generative edits, taking only a few seconds. To put a more measurable figure on this performance, I ran the Geekbench 6 benchmarking tool, the same one I used on my test of the MacBook Pro M4. Geekbench also holds a league table of all previously tested Macs.

For the CPU tests, the M5 model I was reviewing scored 4311 in the single-core test and 17,815 in the multi-core test. This is around a 15% increase in single-core and a 19% increase in multi-core performance over the M4. This is a similar performance to the M3 Max chip in multi-core terms.

In terms of graphics performance, the M5 MacBook Pro scored 75,555 in the Metal test, which is around a 30% increase over the M4 version. That puts it in similar territory to the M2 Pro models. The M4 Pro version previously scored a 112,033 score, so is still superior for general graphics. However, specific tasks, like AI, are likely to be as good if not better on the newer M5.

When it comes to battery life, the performance is unchanged from the M4. The MacBook Pro has one of the best battery figures on the market, with up to 24 hours of video streaming and 16 hours of web use over WiFi. It’s certainly one thing I noticed using it, that I never had to think about carrying around a charger. While I usually kept the charger in my bag, it was only after a couple of days that I actually had to plug it in.

For the UK and European models, the 70W USB-C is optional and costs an extra £59 / €65. Alternatively, you can purchase the 96W USB-C power adapter for faster charging. In the US, the MacBook Pro M5 comes with the 70W power adapter in the box. The power adapter features the MagSafe adapter, which avoids damage should you stand on the lead and pull it out. However, the machine will charge perfectly well using any 70W or above USB charger.

MacOS Tahoe 26

The latest operating system on the MacBook Pro is macOS Tahoe 26. The macOS retains its naming convention, this time name-checking the popular lake on the California-Nevada border, known for its skiing and beaches. Tahoe brings the ‘liquid glass’ design to the Mac and integrates the Apple Intelligence features deeper into the operating system.

Whether it’s creating your own images with Image Playground or Genmoji, reworking text with the writing tools or Live Translation, all the AI tools are well integrated but not in your face. Live activities now show in the menu bar, as they do in the Dynamic Island of the iPhone, and gaming now gets its own app.

My favourite feature of the OS, though, is how it works seamlessly with other devices. Placing the MacBook Pro on my desk, I can easily drag and drop files from my Mac Studio device, or between the Mac and an iPad, even turning the iPad into a second screen.

Another handy feature is the ability to mirror your iPhone on the screen, allowing you to access all of the features without having to pick your phone up – or get it out of your pocket. I find this particularly handy while working on the move, as it saves leaving your phone exposed on the table.

Should I buy the MacBook Pro M5?

The MacBook Pro is an extremely impressive machine, and for many, this 14-inch M5 version will be the sweet spot. It’s very powerful and yet compact and unassuming at the same time. The larger, 16-inch models offer the faster chips, which may suit some creatives, but for those wanting something to fit into a bag, the 14-inch would always be my preference.

While this is very much an iterative upgrade from the M4 model, the new M5 chip is a significant power increase for both processing and graphics. If you need serious power – especially for AI operations – the new M5 chip is incredible.

There is a rumour that a bigger upgrade is coming for the MacBook Pro in 2026, which will likely be for the higher spec models. I would love to see touchscreen displays come to the MacBook Pro, but that could still be further off. For now, though, the MacBook Pro 14-inch M5 is the model to buy.