Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5 Pro) review
Best for: Pros who travel · Premium
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Pros
- Desktop-class performance in a 1.6 kg laptop
- Excellent 120Hz mini-LED XDR screen
- Thunderbolt 5, HDMI and SD slot
- Long battery life for a pro laptop
Cons
- Expensive memory and storage upgrades
- Glossy screen unless you pay for nano-texture
- Little changed in design from earlier models
Full review
The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 Pro is the one to choose if you carry your laptop every day but still need serious performance. Apple's spec sheet lists a 15-core CPU (five super cores and ten performance cores) with a 16-core GPU as standard, or an 18-core CPU with a 20-core GPU, and 24GB to 64GB of memory. That is enough for 4K video editing, photography and large development projects.
The 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR screen has the same 1,000-nit SDR and 1,600-nit HDR ratings as the 16-inch model, at 3024 x 1964 with 120Hz ProMotion. Weight is 1.60 kg, roughly half a kilo lighter than the 16-inch, and Apple claims up to 22 hours of video streaming from the 72.4 Wh battery.
The design is little changed from earlier models, so it is best suited to people moving from M1 or M2 Macs or older Intel models. The main drawbacks are the high price and a glossy standard screen that picks up reflections; the nano-texture option helps.
The smaller battery means less endurance than the 16-inch, and Apple rates the M5 Max version two hours lower for video playback. For most creative professionals, the M5 Pro is the better balance of speed, noise and battery life.
Full specifications
| Launch price (RRP) | Not stated |
|---|---|
| Processor (chip) | Apple M5 Pro (M5 Max optional) |
| CPU cores | 15 (5 super + 10 performance) or 18 cores |
| Graphics | 16 or 20-core Apple GPU (32 or 40-core on M5 Max) |
| RAM | 24GB, 48GB or 64GB (up to 128GB on M5 Max) |
| Storage | 1TB to 4TB SSD (up to 8TB on M5 Max) |
| Screen size | 14.2" |
| Resolution | 3024 x 1964 |
| Panel / refresh rate | Mini-LED (Liquid Retina XDR), up to 120Hz |
| Brightness | 1,000 nits SDR / 1,600 nits HDR peak |
| Battery capacity | 72.4 Wh |
| Battery life (claimed) | Up to 22 hrs video / 14 hrs web |
| Weight | 1.60 kg |
| Thickness | 15.5 mm |
| Ports | 3x Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe 3, audio |
| Wi-Fi / Bluetooth | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 |
| Webcam | 12MP Center Stage, 1080p |
| Operating system | macOS |
| Backlit keyboard | Yes |
| Launched | 2026 |
| Copilot+ PC | No (macOS) |
| External displays | Up to three (M5 Pro), four (M5 Max) |
| Nano-texture screen | Optional |
Spec check note: We could not confirm an Irish euro price, so no price is shown. Apple lists 1.60 kg for M5 Pro and 1.62 kg for M5 Max, and 1.55 cm height. Battery claims are Apple's figures for M5 Pro; M5 Max is rated at 20 hours video and 13 hours web. 64GB memory on M5 Pro requires the 20-core GPU.
Specifications checked against: Apple UK MacBook Pro tech specs
How it compares with its rivals
| Feature | Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5 Pro) | Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M5 Pro) | ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 (2026, GU606) | Razer Blade 16 (2026, Core Ultra 9 386H) | Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 (16IAX10H) | ASUS ProArt P16 (H7606, Ryzen AI 9) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Pros who travel | Video editing, 3D, music and coding | Gaming and creative work on the go | Gamers who want long battery life | Maximum gaming frame rates | Photo and video editing on Windows |
| Price band | Premium | Premium | Premium | Premium | Premium | Premium |
| Launch price (RRP) | Not stated | Not stated | Varies by retailer | Varies by retailer | Varies by retailer | Varies by retailer |
| Processor (chip) | Apple M5 Pro (M5 Max optional) | Apple M5 Pro (M5 Max optional) | Intel Core Ultra 9 386H | Intel Core Ultra 9 386H | Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX, Ultra 9 275HX or 290HX Plus | AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 or Ryzen AI 9 365 |
| CPU cores | 15 (5 super + 10 performance) or 18 cores | 18 (6 super + 12 performance) | 16 cores / 16 threads | 16 cores / 16 threads | 20 or 24 cores (by chip) | 12 cores / 24 threads (HX 370) or 10 / 20 |
| Graphics | 16 or 20-core Apple GPU (32 or 40-core on M5 Max) | 20-core Apple GPU (32 or 40-core on M5 Max) | NVIDIA RTX 5070, 5070 Ti, 5080 or 5090 (up to 160 W) | NVIDIA RTX 5080 or 5090 (up to 165 W) | NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti (140 W), 5080 or 5090 (175 W) | NVIDIA RTX 5060 up to RTX 5090 (by model) |
| RAM | 24GB, 48GB or 64GB (up to 128GB on M5 Max) | From 24GB (up to 128GB) | 32GB or 64GB LPDDR5X-8533 (soldered) | 32GB or 64GB LPDDR5X-9600 (soldered) | Up to 64GB DDR5-6400 (two SO-DIMM slots) | 16GB to 64GB LPDDR5X (soldered) |
| Storage | 1TB to 4TB SSD (up to 8TB on M5 Max) | 1TB to 4TB SSD (up to 8TB on M5 Max) | 1TB or 2TB SSD (two M.2 slots) | 1TB or 2TB SSD (second M.2 slot) | Two M.2 slots (one PCIe 5.0), up to 2TB each | 512GB to 2TB SSD (two M.2 slots) |
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