All articles tagged with #m5 max
A price watcher notes Apple has raised the top-end 16‑inch M5 Max MacBook Pro to $10,149 (up from $9,199), roughly a $950–$1,000 increase after an earlier hike; pricing may vary by region, with some buyers having saved earlier while others now face higher five-figure configurations (including 18‑core CPU, 40‑core GPU, 8TB SSD, and 128GB unified RAM).
On Reddit, a user scored a fully maxed 14-inch M5 Max MacBook Pro just before Apple hiked prices, saving about $2,800 on a config that would otherwise cost $9,699 (vs $6,899 previously)—a rare pre-price-surge win for top-tier Macs.
Deals guide reports weekend markdowns on all 14-inch MacBook Pro M5 Pro and M5 Max configurations, with discounts up to $1,300 on select models (including high-end specs and Nano-texture displays) across Amazon, B&H, and Expercom; a full price guide lists the specifics.
Apple is gearing up a 2026 Mac Studio refresh that preserves the compact design but brings M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips, with faster SSD options (up to 2x) and RAM ceilings of 128GB for the M5 Max and up to 256GB for the M5 Ultra. Ongoing RAM shortages have caused stockouts and may influence configurations, while pricing could stay around $1,999 and a 1TB base SSD is possible. A WWDC 2026 reveal (June 8) is the strongest signal for timing, though a fall launch remains possible if supply issues persist.
Amazon’s Big Spring Sale discounts the new 14‑inch and 16‑inch MacBook Pro M5 Pro and M5 Max by up to $200, with several configurations shown at $150 off and select 200‑off deals, starting around $2,049. The discounts reflect the lowest prices seen to date for the freshly released laptops, and the roundup also highlights savings on other Apple devices.
Amazon’s Big Spring Sale cuts new M5 Pro/M5 Max MacBook Pro prices to record lows, with 14-inch models at $2,049.99 (24GB/1TB) and $2,449.99 (24GB/2TB), and 16-inch models at $2,549.99 (24GB/1TB) or $2,899.99 (48GB/1TB), among discounts up to $199 on select configurations.
Apple's M5-powered MacBook Pros—M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max—bring a major performance leap with up to a 40-core GPU, doubled memory bandwidth, and 128GB of unified memory and 2TB SSD options, plus Thunderbolt 5. They enable on-device AI with neural accelerators, letting creatives run AI models locally for faster iteration on tasks like 3D rendering, video editing, and photo culling, and support on-location workflows without cloud connectivity. The emphasis is on enabling new workflows and faster iteration rather than just chasing benchmark numbers.
Verge’s testing shows the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Max delivers major speed and storage gains over the M1 Pro/Max, including a substantially faster CPU and GPU and faster SSDs, plus Wi‑Fi 7 and Thunderbolt 5. But at a steep price, many users won’t need the upgrade; those doing heavy 4K/8K editing or GPU workloads will see meaningful benefits.
Notebookcheck’s initial benchmarks show the MacBook Pro 16 with the M5 Max delivering a notable performance lead over the 14-inch model, with higher CPU and GPU scores and more stable results under sustained workloads. Fans run quieter at similar power, and the 16-inch model appears to throttle less than the 14-inch in continued use, though automatic vs. high-power modes affect per-run performance.
The 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Max is a monster of speed, delivering on‑device AI, excellent gaming performance, and a top-tier display and speakers with solid battery life. However, it carries a steep price and a starting configuration that’s positioned for professionals, making it less of a value proposition for casual users despite its impressive capabilities.
Notebookcheck tests the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the top-end M5 Max (40-core GPU, 128 GB RAM, 8 TB SSD) and finds phenomenal raw performance on paper but serious cooling limits in a compact chassis: significant thermal throttling and inconsistent CPU behavior in High Power mode, driven by true limits on power input (~97 W) and a 96 W PSU. The result is faster short-burst gains but unstable sustained performance, plus battery drain under load. Despite the downsides, the 14" MBP still offers an excellent display, speakers and impressive battery life in light use; for sustained workloads the 16-inch MBP or the M5 Pro in 14" form may be a better fit, with 8 TB/128 GB RAM as the top-end option.
The Verge finds the M5 Max’s headline upgrade is its much faster SSDs—up to 2x sustained read/write versus the M4 Max (about 13.6 GB/s reads and 17.8 GB/s writes on a 4TB drive). CPU gains are modest (about 8–9% single-core, ~10–14% multi-core) despite six 'super' cores and new performance cores. In practice, the upgrade is not a dramatic leap over the M4 Max, but it’s a meaningful improvement for those coming from an older M2 Max three years ago, especially if fast storage is critical. Full review to come.
Ars Technica tests the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Max and explains Apple’s new Fusion Architecture—CPU and GPU live on separate dies—plus a redesigned core lineup: six 'super' high-performance cores and 12 'performance' cores that aren’t just rebranded efficiency cores. The CPU die is shared (18 cores) with the M5 Pro/Max, while the GPU die differs (Pro up to 20 cores, Max up to 40, with up to 614 GB/s memory bandwidth). Benchmarks show roughly 10% higher single-core performance vs M4 Max, about 10–12% better multi-core performance, and 20–35% GPU gains; sustained CPU clocks hover around 3.9–4.0 GHz on the big cores, with the performance cores running around 4.2–4.3 GHz. Power use stays in line with past generations. Overall the M5 Pro/Max deliver a meaningful upgrade, though not as dramatic as some previous leaps.
The 18‑core M5 Max inside a 16‑inch MacBook Pro posted Geekbench 6 multi‑core score of 29,233, the highest ever for Apple silicon and faster than the Mac Studio’s M3 Ultra and M4 Max; single‑core score reached 4,268; GPU Metal scores around 218,772–232,718—roughly 5–10% below the M3 Ultra’s average but above the M4 Max. Apple claims up to 15% CPU and 20% GPU gains versus the M4 Max; pre-orders are live and units begin shipping March 11.
Apple debuts the M5 Pro and M5 Max, a dual‑die Fusion Architecture that packs two 3nm chips in a single MacBook Pro SoC, delivering an 18-core CPU, up to 20-core (Pro) or 40-core (Max) GPU, unified memory up to 64GB/128GB with up to 307GB/s/614GB/s bandwidth, plus upgraded Neural Engine and media engines for ProRes/AV1. Preorders start March 4 with availability March 11. Apple touts strong multithreaded and AI‑oriented performance gains, hints at a Mac Studio refresh, and has not announced an Ultra‑class chip.