Apple on Wednesday announced its new M5 chip along with the new iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, and Vision Pro, all powered by the new chip.
These devices are now available for pre-order, with shipping and in-store availability expected on October 22.
The M5 chip will allow the new devices to run faster than their predecessors. Apple says the chip has over four times the peak GPU compute performance compared to the M4. Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Technologies, added in a statement that it “ushers in the next big leap in AI performance for Apple silicon.”
For the new iPad Pro, Apple touts that the chip brings “up to 3.5x the AI performance” of last year’s Pro and up to 5.6x faster than the iPad Pro with M1.
Other upgrades include Apple’s C1X cellular modem with up to 50% faster cellular data performance and the N1 chip for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Thread connectivity. Additionally, faster storage read and write speeds and faster charging of up to 50% in around 30 minutes.
Adding more power to the iPad Pro seems like a logical step for Apple to take, as the tech giant is pushing it to feel more like a laptop. With iPadOS 26, the tablet is getting more intuitive window displays, the Preview app, and the ability to create folders for better organization.
The pricing starts at $999 for the 11-inch model and $1,299 for the 13-inch, with color options in black and silver.
The new 14-inch MacBook Pro is expected to be even faster than its predecessor, featuring upgraded graphics performance (up to 1.6 times better), a higher memory bandwidth of 153Gbps (increased from M4’s 120Gbps), and improved storage speeds.
It also boasts a battery life of up to 24 hours.
The price starts at $1,599, and it is available in space black and silver.
Vision Pro is also set to receive the M5 chip, replacing the current M2.
The M5 chip enhances display rendering by 10%, supports refresh rates up to 120Hz (up from 100Hz), and accelerates AI-powered features, making them 50% faster. Additionally, battery life improves by 30 minutes, providing up to 2.5 hours of general use and three hours of video playback.
The upgraded Vision Pro also comes with a Dual Knit Band to give users a more comfortable fit. It’s available in small, medium, and large. The price remains at $3,499.
The announcement of the new Vision Pro follows reports that Apple is shifting its focus toward developing smart glasses instead of overhauling its VR headset.
