Earlier this week, Apple unveiled three new products featuring the M5 chip, built on the third-generation 3nm process. While the M5 chip is currently available in only one Mac model, early benchmark results for the 14-inch MacBook Pro look incredibly promising.
It’s important to note that this is just the baseline M5 chip — there’s no M5 Pro, Max, or Ultra variant yet. The M5 chip is equipped with 4 performance cores and 6 efficiency cores, similar to the M4 chip. For comparison, the M4 Pro offers up to 10 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores, while the M4 Max features 12 performance cores alongside 4 efficiency cores.
Despite being the baseline model, the M5 almost matches the multi-core performance of the M1 Ultra chip from 2022 — a chip previously only available in the $4000 Mac Studio. In Geekbench 6 benchmarks, the M5 runs just 6% behind the M1 Ultra. It also scores close to the binned M3 Max chip, which achieves a multi-core score of 18,933, putting the M5 approximately 5% behind.
Apple silicon continues to impress year over year. Performance levels that once required multi-thousand dollar machines are now accessible in base models. Granted, the M5 chip is currently limited to the 14-inch MacBook Pro, which starts at $1599. However, given time, it is expected to make its debut in more affordable models like the $999 MacBook Air and the $599 Mac mini.
Are you impressed with Apple’s new M5 lineup, or will you be holding out for a Pro or Max variant? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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**My Favorite Apple Accessory Recommendations:**
– Anker MagSafe/Qi2 Ultra-Slim Battery Pack
– Apple 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max
– MOFT MagSafe Wallet Stand (fits up to 3 cards)
– Logitech MX Master 4 Mouse for Mac
– ESR CryoBoost 3-in-1 25W MagSafe Charging Stand
– AirPods Pro 3 (2x ANC vs AirPods Pro 2)
Stay tuned for more updates on the latest Apple silicon developments!
https://9to5mac.com/2025/10/18/apples-new-m5-chip-rivals-m1-ultra-in-early-benchmarks/
