Apple M5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro Launches: On-Device AI Computing Power Increases 4x, 1TB Storage Becomes Standard

Tech Sina News, March 3 — Apple today officially announced the launch of the next-generation 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro equipped with the new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. The core of this hardware update focuses on significantly enhancing on-device AI processing capabilities, with the highest configuration supporting 128GB unified memory, and all base models increasing storage starting from 1TB.

In terms of core performance, the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are based on a new unified architecture, with a maximum of 18-core CPUs. Their GPU architecture integrates neural accelerators within each core. Official tests show that the new generation devices’ AI image generation and large language model (LLM) prompt processing speeds are up to 4 times faster than the previous generation, and up to 8 times faster compared to M1 models. To meet the demands of intensive local AI model training and large video projects, the M5 Max version offers up to 614GB/s of memory bandwidth. Additionally, Apple has equipped this series with its first self-developed N1 wireless network chip to support Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 standards, and introduced Thunderbolt 5 interfaces.

Regarding storage and battery life, the new MacBook Pro’s SSD read/write speeds reach up to 14.5GB/s, doubling performance. Starting configurations have been adjusted: the 14-inch base model and M5 Pro version both come with 1TB of storage, while the M5 Max version is equipped with 2TB of storage. The devices offer up to 24 hours of battery life and support 30-minute fast charging to 50%.

In terms of release information, the 14-inch M5 Pro starts at 14,499 RMB, and the 16-inch version starts at 21,999 RMB; higher-spec 14-inch M5 Max starts at 29,999 RMB, and the 16-inch version at 31,999 RMB. All new models will be available for pre-order starting March 4 and officially on sale from March 11.