Apple has taken another step in its proprietary silicon strategy with the Introducing a new generation of MacBook Pro and MacBook Air equipped with the M5 chip familyThe company is thus reinforcing its commitment to local performance, especially in artificial intelligence tasks, while adjusting memory and storage configurations to better suit current professional and creative use.
With this renewal, the Cupertino firm is focusing on two very clear fronts: on the one hand, The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are geared towards high-performance professional environments.and on the other hand, the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air Designed for users who prioritize mobility, silence, and battery life. All this in a context of a slowing PC market and upward pressure on memory and storage costs, which Apple is trying to mitigate with more generous base capacities.
MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max: Power for AI and professional workloads
new The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models come with M5 chip options, M5 Pro and M5 MaxBut the Pro and Max variants clearly steal the show, designed for developers, content creators, researchers, and those who handle demanding projects daily. Apple retains the aluminum design of recent generations, with silver and space black finishes, but restructures the internals with a completely revised processor architecture.
Chips The M5 Pro and M5 Max feature a CPU with up to 18 cores, including six high-performance super cores and twelve cores optimized for multithreading.The company speaks of notable increases compared to the M4 familywith improvements that are especially noticeable in code compilation, complex simulations, video processing, and data-intensive workflows. In AI and graphics scenarios, Apple cites increases of up to four times compared to the previous generation and up to eight times compared to M1-based systems in specific tasks.
The graphics also take a significant leap forward. The M5 Pro scales up to 20 GPU cores, while the M5 Max stretches to 40 graphics cores. in its most advanced configuration. Each of these cores incorporates a dedicated Neural Accelerator, an approach that allows some of the AI work to be offloaded to the GPU instead of centralizing it solely in the Neural Engine. This distribution makes it easy to run large language models, AI image generation or computer vision directly on the laptop, without constantly depending on the cloud.
In terms of memory, Apple continues to rely on the model of unified high-bandwidth memory shared between CPU and GPUThe M5 Pro supports up to 64 GB with a throughput of 307 GB/s, while The M5 Max raises the bar to 128 GB with a bandwidth of 614 GB/sThis combination is designed for multi-layered 4K and 8K video projects, heavy 3D scenes, huge photo libraries, or local AI model training, where speed of data access makes all the difference.
The graphical subsystem accompanies these numbers with a Next-generation GPU incorporating a third-generation ray tracing engine, hardware-accelerated mesh shading, and second-generation dynamic cacheIn practice, this benefits both professional tasks such as architectural visualization or industrial design, and games that take advantage of ray tracing, although Apple does not position these devices as typical "gaming" laptops.
Fusion Architecture, Neural Engine, and memory security
Beyond the core count, Apple is debuting what it calls in the M5 Pro and M5 Max Fusion ArchitectureThis approach connects two silicon dies manufactured using a third-generation 3-nanometer process via a high-bandwidth, low-latency link, maintaining the unified memory model that has defined Apple Silicon since 2020. The goal is to scale performance without fragmenting the experience or forcing separate memory models for the CPU and GPU.
This architecture is complemented by a 16-core Neural Engine which has greater bandwidth to memory and is designed for AI model inference. While the Neural Engine handles highly optimized operations, the GPU with Neural Accelerators takes care of massively parallel workloads, so that CPU, GPU, and dedicated AI blocks can work simultaneously in the same dataset.
In parallel, Apple introduces Memory Integrity Enforcement as a permanently active memory protection mechanismThe company emphasizes that this system-level security layer does not result in a noticeable performance penalty, but it does strengthen resistance against attacks that attempt to exploit vulnerabilities in memory management. It's a less flashy change than discussing cores and gigabytes, but it's relevant for businesses and users who handle sensitive information.
This entire system relies on the new operating system. macOS Tahoewhich arrives with a refined interface, new customization options, and a significant set of features associated with Apple IntelligenceThe company's AI platform. Among other things, it adds real-time translation tools, more advanced automations in Shortcuts, and a more capable Spotlight for locating content and executing actions.
MacBook Pro storage, displays, and connectivity
One of the recurring complaints from professionals in previous generations was the base storage capacity. Apple is responding with a general increase in storage capacity across the Pro models: MacBook Pros with M5 Pro now start with 1 TB of SSD storage, while configurations with M5 Max start at 2 TB.Furthermore, the company claims that the new solid-state drives offer Read and write speeds of up to 14,5 GB/sThis effectively doubles the performance of the previous generation. This is especially relevant for professionals.
These figures are especially relevant for those who work with 4K and 8K video, large photo and audio libraries, or voluminous datasets for data science and AIShorter loading and export times reduce bottlenecks in workflows where the CPU and GPU have already made a significant leap.
On screen, the MacBook Pro maintains the Liquid Retina XDR technology with ProMotion refresh rate up to 120HzPeak brightness levels of 1.600 nits in HDR and 1.000 nits in SDR. As with the previous generation, the option to nanotextured glass, a finish designed to minimize reflections in studios with spotlights, offices with large windows or other environments with complicated lighting.
The physical connectivity has also been updated. The new MacBook Pro models integrate three Thunderbolt 5 portsIt also features an HDMI port with up to 8K output, an SDXC card slot, and a MagSafe 3 connector for charging. Depending on the configuration, Models with M5 Pro allow you to connect up to two external displays, and those equipped with M5 Max support up to four monitors.This is especially useful in editing, trading, or programming studios with multiple windows.
In the wireless field, Apple introduces the N1 chip with support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6This improves bandwidth, connection stability, and reduces latency compared to previous generations. The package is completed with a 12-megapixel camera compatible with Center Stage and top-down view, studio-quality microphones, and a six-speaker system with spatial audio—features designed to cover both everyday video conferencing and content production.
MacBook Pro battery life, models and prices in Spain
One of the points Apple has emphasized since the arrival of Apple Silicon is battery life. In this generation, MacBook Pros with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips maintain up to 24 hours of video playbackWith performance that, according to the company, remains stable whether plugged into a power outlet or running on battery power. Fast charging allows you to recover around 50% of the battery in about 30 minutes using a 96W USB-C adapter or higher.
The range is structured in several configurations for Spain, with different levels of power, memory, and storage. Among the most notable options are:
- MacBook Pro 14” with M5 (1 TB standard): from 1.929 euros.
- MacBook Pro 14” with M5 Pro: from 2.549 euros.
- MacBook Pro 16” with M5 Pro: from 3.049 euros.
- MacBook Pro 14” with M5 Max: from 4.249 euros.
- MacBook Pro 16” with M5 Max: from 4.549 euros.
In the education sector, there are specific rates with discounts on various models. For example, The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro starts at €2.379 for educationThe 16-inch model with M5 Pro starts at €2.819 through the same channel. As usual, RAM and storage upgrades increase the price, potentially pushing the top-of-the-line model—with 128GB of unified memory, an 8TB SSD, and a nano-textured screen—to over €8.500.
The Reservations in Europe began on March 4th and shipments are scheduled for March 11thThis maintains the brand's usual launch window for these types of professional-grade updates. These moves confirm the imminent release pointed out by various rumors.
MacBook Air with M5 chip: more power, same portability
Alongside the Pro models, Apple has updated its most popular laptop with a New MacBook Air with M5 chip in 13-inch and 15-inch sizesThe approach here is different: the ultra-thin aluminum design, without fans and with a very low weight, is maintained, but the interior is significantly improved to better handle creative tasks, advanced office applications and moderate AI workloads.
The chip The MacBook Air's M5 combines a 10-core CPU and a GPU with up to 10 cores.each with its own Neural Accelerator. Apple places the performance of this model well above the MacBook Air with M1 and also ahead of the generation with M4, especially in processes related to artificial intelligence, image and video editing with AI-assisted effects, or lightweight 3D rendering.
Unified memory is also improved. The new Air offers a memory bandwidth up to 153 GB/s, approximately 28% more than the previous model, which translates into smoother multitasking and fewer bottlenecks when opening heavy applications or working with several tools in parallel.
Regarding storage, Apple addresses one of the most criticized limitations of the range: The MacBook Air with M5 now starts with a 512GB SSD as a base, double that of the previous generation.Furthermore, it can be configured with up to 4 TB, and the company claims that The new units double the read and write speedsThis is noticeable when importing large libraries, working with complex photo catalogs, or launching local AI models that require constant access to data.
The equipment is offered in 13,6 and 15,3 inch sizesBoth feature Liquid Retina displays with up to 500 nits of brightness and support for one billion colors. Battery life remains one of their biggest selling points, with Up to 18 hours of estimated use, a key factor for students and professionals who spend much of the day away from the office or university.
Connectivity, design, and macOS Tahoe on the MacBook Air
In terms of design, the MacBook Air maintains the style established by the previous generation, with Ultra-thin aluminum chassis, no fans, and four available colorsSky blue, midnight, star white, and silver. It is a completely silent device, which can be crucial in environments such as libraries, classrooms, or meeting rooms.
In terms of connectivity, it debuts the same N1 wireless chip with support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 than his older brothers, in addition to two Thunderbolt 4 ports capable of handling up to two external displays. This is a considerable leap compared to previous generations of Air, which were more limited in terms of external monitors without resorting to alternative solutions.
The multimedia section is enhanced with a 12-megapixel camera compatible with Center Stage and overhead viewA three-microphone system enhances voice and sound capture with spatial audio and Dolby Atmos compatibility. These features, while not exclusive to the Air model, align it with the rest of the range and make it easier to use for video calls, online classes, or streaming content.
Like the MacBook Pro, the Air works with macOS Tahoe and integrates the new Apple Intelligence features. Among them are the real-time translation, smart automations, improvements to Messages, and a more contextual Spotlight, in addition to a new light frame effect designed to improve lighting in video calls without the need for external accessories.
MacBook Air prices and availability in Spain
Apple positions the MacBook Air M5 as the most balanced option for those seeking portability and more than enough performance for most uses. In Spain, the range is structured as follows:
- MacBook Air 13” with M5: from 1.199 euros.
- MacBook Air 15” with M5: from 1.499 euros.
Reduced prices apply to the educational channel, with the 13-inch model starting at around 1.089 Euros and the 15-inch model costs around €1.379. As with the Pro models, configurations with more unified memory and larger SSD capacities increase the price, although the base storage of 512 GB already represents a significant improvement over previous generations.
The Pre-orders for the new MacBook Air also open on March 4, with general availability set for March 11.This allows Apple to align the launch with that of the MacBook Pro and other recent products such as the new Studio Display monitors, although the latter are aimed at a more specific niche.
Overall, the refresh of the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air with M5 chips creates a range of laptops in which The whole family is geared towards performing demanding workloadsespecially artificial intelligence, directly on the device. The Pro models focus on maximizing the Fusion architecture, memory bandwidth, storage capacity, and professional connectivity, while the Air prioritizes portability, quiet operation, and good battery life, without sacrificing significant improvements in AI, storage, and bandwidth. For users in Spain and Europe who value working locally, with less reliance on the cloud and more power in their laptops, Apple's offering is more aligned with current needs, although the entry price, especially for the more advanced Pro models, still places them firmly in the premium segment.
