Apple has introduced its M5 chip, describing it as the next step in Ai workloads across the MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and Apple Vision Pro lines.
M5 Targets Ai Workloads
Apple said the chip brings improvements across the GPU, CPU, Neural Engine and unified memory architecture.
Built on third-generation 3-nanometre technology, M5 includes a 10-core GPU with a Neural Accelerator in every core. Apple stated this enables more efficient execution of Ai models and offers over 4x peak GPU compute compared to M4.
Johny Srouji, Apple Senior Vice President of Hardware Technologies, said the company focused on expanding the chip’s capabilities for emerging workloads.
“M5 ushers in the next big leap in Ai performance for Apple silicon,” Srouji said. “With the introduction of Neural Accelerators in the GPU, M5 delivers a huge boost to Ai workloads. Combined with a big increase in graphics performance, the world’s fastest CPU core, a faster Neural Engine and even higher unified memory bandwidth, M5 brings far more performance and capabilities to MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and Apple Vision Pro.”
GPU Architecture Focused On Ai And Graphics
Apple said the GPU is designed so every compute block supports faster Ai processing. Performance improvements are also available in Adobe tools, creative workflows, webAI tasks and apps such as Draw Things.
The company said the GPU offers increased shader performance, faster rendering and third-generation ray tracing with up to 45 per cent higher performance than M4. The dynamic caching system has been reworked to support smoother gameplay and improved visual quality.
Apple pointed to titles such as Cyberpunk 2077, which gain higher pixel output and refresh rates of up to 120Hz on Apple Vision Pro.
Faster Neural Engine And Apple Intelligence Support
The 16-core Neural Engine has been upgraded to provide faster execution of local models across macOS and visionOS. Apple said features such as generating Personas or transforming photos into spatial scenes now operate with greater efficiency.
The Neural Engine also improves on-device Apple Intelligence features. Apple said tools like Image Playground and other writing tools receive performance improvements through the expanded memory bandwidth and neural processing.
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Unified Memory Bandwidth Increased
M5 provides 153GB/s unified memory bandwidth, a near 30 per cent rise over M4. Apple said this allows larger models to run on device without depending on cloud infrastructure.
Users working across photography, video and creative workloads may notice improvements when running suites such as Adobe Photoshop or Final Cut Pro while uploading large files to the cloud.
Energy And Sustainability
Apple said the new chip aligns with its wider Apple 2030 goals, which target carbon neutrality across company operations by the end of the decade. Power-efficient design helps reduce total energy consumption across supported devices.
Product Availability
Apple confirmed the M5-equipped 14-inch MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and Apple Vision Pro are now available for pre-order, with Australian pricing rounded as follows:
- 14-inch MacBook Pro (M5): Starting at $3,200
- iPad Pro (M5): Starting at $1,800
- Apple Vision Pro (M5): Starting at $5,600
Last Updated on 7 November 2025 by Nick Ross
