Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M5 Pro) review
Best for: Video editing, 3D, music and coding · Premium
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Pros
- 18-core M5 Pro is extremely fast
- Superb bright mini-LED HDR screen
- Up to 24 hours claimed video playback
- Thunderbolt 5, HDMI and SD card reader
Cons
- Very expensive
- Heavy at 2.14 kg
- Overkill for everyday tasks
Full review
The 16-inch MacBook Pro is the laptop to buy if your work pays for it. Launched in March 2026, the M5 Pro version has an 18-core CPU and a 20-core GPU, with up to 128GB of memory, so it handles 4K and 8K video editing, large photo libraries, 3D rendering, music production and big software builds without fuss. The M5 Max option adds up to 40 GPU cores for the heaviest work.
The 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR screen is one of the best on any laptop. It uses mini-LED backlighting to reach 1,000 nits for everyday use and 1,600 nits for HDR highlights, with ProMotion refresh up to 120Hz. A matte nano-texture finish is available for bright rooms.
Despite all that power, Apple claims up to 24 hours of video streaming from the 100 Wh battery, the largest allowed on flights. Ports are generous for a Mac: three Thunderbolt 5, HDMI, an SDXC card slot, MagSafe 3 and a headphone jack, and it can drive three external displays.
The downsides are price and weight. At 2.14 kg it is much heavier than an Air, and for browsing, Office and photos you would be paying for power you never use. In that case the MacBook Air 15 is a better buy.
Full specifications
| Launch price (RRP) | Not stated |
|---|---|
| Processor (chip) | Apple M5 Pro (M5 Max optional) |
| CPU cores | 18 (6 super + 12 performance) |
| Graphics | 20-core Apple GPU (32 or 40-core on M5 Max) |
| RAM | From 24GB (up to 128GB) |
| Storage | 1TB to 4TB SSD (up to 8TB on M5 Max) |
| Screen size | 16.2" |
| Resolution | 3456 x 2234 |
| Panel / refresh rate | Mini-LED (Liquid Retina XDR), up to 120Hz |
| Brightness | 1,000 nits SDR / 1,600 nits HDR peak |
| Battery capacity | 100 Wh |
| Battery life (claimed) | Up to 24 hrs video / 17 hrs web |
| Weight | 2.14 kg |
| Thickness | 16.8 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) |
| Nano-texture screen | Optional |
Spec check note: We could not confirm Apple's Irish euro price, so no price is shown. Apple lists the battery as 100 Wh (rated 99.6 Wh). Weight is 2.14 kg for M5 Pro and 2.15 kg for M5 Max.
Specifications checked against: Apple Support tech specs (MacBook Pro 16-inch, M5 Pro or M5 Max)
How it compares with its rivals
| Feature | Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (M5 Pro) | Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M5) | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition | Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 10 (16IAH10) | Acer Nitro V 16 AI (ANV16-42, RTX 5050) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Video editing, 3D, music and coding | Most people wanting a big-screen Mac | Frequent travellers and business users | Photo and video editing on Windows | Gaming on a sensible budget |
| Price band | Premium | Upper mid-range | Premium | Premium | Upper mid-range |
| Launch price (RRP) | Not stated | From €1,549 (16GB/512GB) | Varies by retailer | Varies by retailer | Varies by retailer |
| Processor (chip) | Apple M5 Pro (M5 Max optional) | Apple M5 | Intel Core Ultra 5/7 (Series 2: U, H or V) | Intel Core Ultra 7 255H or Ultra 9 285H | AMD Ryzen 5 240 |
| CPU cores | 18 (6 super + 12 performance) | 10 (4 performance + 6 efficiency) | 8 to 16 cores (by chip) | 16 cores | 6 cores / 12 threads |
| Graphics | 20-core Apple GPU (32 or 40-core on M5 Max) | 10-core Apple GPU | Intel Arc 130V/140V, 130T/140T or Intel Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050, 5060 or 5070 (8GB, 100W) | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 8GB (95W incl. boost) |
| RAM | From 24GB (up to 128GB) | 16GB, 24GB or 32GB unified memory | 16GB, 32GB or 64GB LPDDR5x (soldered) | 32GB or 64GB LPDDR5X (soldered) | 16GB DDR5 (two slots, upgradeable) |
| Storage | 1TB to 4TB SSD (up to 8TB on M5 Max) | 512GB to 4TB SSD | 256GB to 2TB SSD | Up to 1TB per slot (two M.2 slots) | 1TB SSD (second M.2 slot free) |
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