Apple Launches New M5 Chips, MacBook Pro, and First New Monitors In Years (apple.com)
- Reference: 0180899738
- News link: https://apple.slashdot.org/story/26/03/03/1635208/apple-launches-new-m5-chips-macbook-pro-and-first-new-monitors-in-years
- Source link: https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/03/apple-debuts-m5-pro-and-m5-max-to-supercharge-the-most-demanding-pro-workflows/
> Apple [5]announced its newest CPUs today, which it claims has the fastest single-threaded performance in the world. Both the M5 Pro and M5 Max have eighteen-core designs, versus twelve or fourteen in the M4 Pro and fourteen or sixteen in the M4 Max. However, the number of higher-performing cores has been reduced significantly. In the older M4 designs, the chips had eight, ten, or twelve "performance" cores and four "efficiency" cores. In the M5 design, there are now only six higher-performing cores (now called "super" cores) and twelve lower-performing cores (now called "performance" cores). [Apple positions this "reduction" as a redesigned architecture with new core types.] The maximum amount of RAM remains the same at 128GB for the M5 Max (64GB for the M5 Pro), and GPU performance has increased. [The M5 Pro features up to a 20-core GPU, while the M5 Max scales up to 40 cores, each equipped with a Neural Accelerator. Apple also says the new architecture delivers over 4x peak GPU compute for AI compared to the previous generation, along with up to 35 percent faster performance in ray-traced graphics workloads.] Laptops with the new chips are available to order starting tomorrow and will be delivered starting March 11.
As for the new XDR monitors, MacRumors highlights some of the key features in [6]its reporting :
> Apple today introduced an all-new Studio Display XDR monitor with a 27-inch screen, mini-LED backlighting, 5K resolution, peak brightness of 2,000 nits for HDR content, up to a 120Hz refresh rate, Thunderbolt 5, and more. The new Studio Display XDR replaces [7]Apple's former Pro Display XDR , which has been discontinued. Going forward, there are now two Studio Display models.
>
> Both new Studio Display models have the same overall design as the original model. Both models have a 12-megapixel Center Stage camera, but it now supports Desk View on the new models. Both models also feature an upgraded six-speaker system, with Apple advertising "30 percent deeper bass" compared to the previous model. Only the higher-end Studio Display XDR received a 120Hz refresh rate, mini-LED backlighting, increased brightness, and faster 140W pass-through charging. The regular Studio Display still has a 60Hz refresh rate and up to 600 nits of brightness. Both models have 27-inch displays with a 5K resolution.
>
> The new Studio Displays can be pre-ordered starting Wednesday, March 4, ahead of a Wednesday, March 11 launch. In the U.S., the regular Studio Display continues to start at $1,599, while the Studio Display XDR starts at $3,299.
[1] https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/03/apple-introduces-macbook-pro-with-all-new-m5-pro-and-m5-max/
[2] https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/03/apple-introduces-the-new-macbook-air-with-m5/
[3] https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/03/apple-unveils-new-studio-display-and-all-new-studio-display-xdr/
[4] https://slashdot.org/~jizmonkey
[5] https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/03/apple-debuts-m5-pro-and-m5-max-to-supercharge-the-most-demanding-pro-workflows/
[6] https://www.macrumors.com/2026/03/03/apple-introduces-studio-display-xdr/
[7] https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/19/06/03/2228246/apple-unveils-6k-pro-display-xdr-monitor-that-starts-at-5000
27" 5K? (Score:3)
You would think that we would have moved to larger formats by now. I have an 55" 8K with a 32" 4K as a secondary monitor with multiple desktops. I would say a 27" 5K monitor would feel cluttered. It reminds me of working in a cubicle.
I'm an Apple Fanboi (Score:2)
But those monitor prices are crazy. They look pretty, but $3k for a monitor?????
Re: (Score:2)
Par for the course if you've been following Apple for the last few decades.
Anyone remember the $1000 "pro" monitor stand they used to sell?
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That's nothing. Just wait until you see the price tag for the 128 GB version. Currently the Mac Pro with M4 and 128 GB RAM is about $11k.
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> But those monitor prices are crazy. They look pretty, but $3k for a monitor?????
High end monitors are expensive, period.
3000 nits is crazy bright and is what common HDR formats have as maximum values for brightness, so it's basically ideal for mastering HDR video.
Chances are if you're doing video work, you probably already have such a monitor on your desk with expanded color gamut and brightness to do HDR so your color grading works out.
Re: I'm an Apple Fanboi (Score:2)
I hear you, but itâ(TM)s about the same as a 21â crt 20-25 years ago. Just before flat panels took over. 3k today is about 1800 back then. Shit just costs more today bro
Computers uses newer chips, film at 11 (Score:4, Informative)
So nothing exciting other than incremental updates that consumers should expect.
Re: (Score:1)
Is this like a lose-lose analysis on Apple?
"No new products? Greedy bastards can't even be bothered to keep up with the latest tech."
"Latest tech and nothing revolutionary? Greedy bastards just want to keep you on the upgrade train."
Then again, maybe both are correct, I say typing on a 2017 iMac.
Re:Computers uses newer chips, film at 11 (Score:4, Informative)
> "No new products? Greedy bastards can't even be bothered to keep up with the latest tech."
I clearly didn't say that. I said there was "nothing exciting other than incremental updates".
> "Latest tech and nothing revolutionary? Greedy bastards just want to keep you on the upgrade train."
I also didn't say that. How you got from "nothing exciting" to "Greedy bastards" is quite the leap.
Re: (Score:1)
Both are pretty common sentiments here on Slashdot (and elsewhere)! (And, "film at 11" does have a certain tone.) You can look up a handful of super posters who seem to derive great pleasure from talking about iFans under every Apple post.
I agree it's not terribly exciting. I'm debating buying a maxed out Mini M5 when they are announced.
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> And, "film at 11" does have a certain tone.
And the general tone is "nothing to see here" reflecting boredom, not "Greedy bastards" reflecting anger.
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Fair enough! We can be bored together.
Re:Computers uses newer chips, film at 11 (Score:4, Interesting)
The layout of the chips is certainly a big change and I'm curious to see how the stack up against previous generations in terms of CPU performance. Apple putting GPU and AI benchmark results out while not showing any CPU scores suggests there's either little uplift or possibly even a performance regression in some cases. Hopefully a site like Chips and Cheese can get their hands on one of these laptops and do a thorough analysis of the new chip layout. I'm not really in the market for any of these, but I always do like reading about major architectural changes like these.
Re: (Score:2)
Ya, I have major concerns about that.
"Super" and "Performance" cores now, instead of "Performance" and "Efficiency" cores stinks like newspeak.
I can't see any way a new "P" core is the same as the old "P" core, because if that were so, M5 Max would have like +80% or more multicore performance, and they'd be pasting that all over literally everything . I've got the 12+4 M4 Max, and the 4 E cores already bug the fuck out of me when the wrong things get scheduled on them (it happens).
A 6+12 configuration is
Re: (Score:2)
Too bad your Apple overlords decided for you that you shouldn't be able to change or have spare batteries.
Re: not really (Score:2)
FYI, a lot of other vendors do the same for similar models: Dell XPS, Lenovo yoga etc. And, you can actually change the battery, but it's just not a remove & replace 10 second job.
We OTOH we need to credit Apple for starting the trend ...
Re: (Score:2)
> FYI, a lot of other vendors do the same for similar models: Dell XPS, Lenovo yoga etc. And, you can actually change the battery, but it's just not a remove & replace 10 second job.
That said, on the average, you'll spend more time just getting to and from the nearest Apple store, without factoring in the repair time itself, which could waste another two or three hours on top of that.
Doing it yourself is a colossal pain in the backside, and you will absolutely want a magnetic screw mat or you'll lose your mind, but I seem to recall it taking maybe 45 minutes the last time I changed a MacBook Pro battery, which is still way less painful than having Apple do it. I haven't had Apple do a
Re: (Score:2)
> FYI, a lot of other vendors do the same for similar models: Dell XPS, Lenovo yoga etc. And, you can actually change the battery, but it's just not a remove & replace 10 second job.
> We OTOH we need to credit Apple for starting the trend ...
Granted, but one can at least buy a Framework computer instead of Dells, Lenovos, Acers. With Apple, one is stuck w/ them
Re: (Score:1)
Spare batteries are not available in any laptop since decades.
Change is not a problem, no idea why idiots like you always claim you can not change the battery in an Apple laptop.
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> Apple isn't like AMD or Intel where you know when products will launch and when prices drop over time.
Er what? Apple generally announces products in March and when they will be available. They will also announce products during WWDC in the summer. They might launch/announce products in September if it was not announced in June/July during WWDC.
> With Apple, the prices stay the same and you don't know when the products are going to launch
Again, not true. The consumer does not know years in advance but at this point, there is some pattern as to when Apple launches a new product.
> My laptop has had a battery life of about 15 seconds (literally) for the last few months, but I can't take it in for repair because it's my only laptop at this point. So I was very much desperately waiting for news of the launch and it is more important than "computers use newer chips."
You are waiting for a new laptop model to replace your existing one. But that does not mean you could not have purchased the e
Re: (Score:2)
You're right about apple but also demonstrating you know nothing about AMD / Intel. As you said Apple announce in March what may happen this years. AMD / Intel have a multi year roadmap. We already know what they will release late next year and we've known this since early last year.
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> You're right about apple but also demonstrating you know nothing about AMD / Intel.
Why do you lead with a strawman argument? I specifically countered that the poster could not know about Apple launches and you want to assert that I don't know AMD/Intel launches. Why?
> AMD / Intel have a multi year roadmap. We already know what they will release late next year and we've known this since early last year.
1) A roadmap is not the same as a product launch. Anyone who has followed Intel the last ten year knows that they have had problems launching products. For the longest time Intel tried to adhere to their tick/tock strategy. Being stuck on 14nm for 5 years straight did not help that roadmap. 2) Everyone knows what AMD is launch
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The starting storage at 1TB is a nice change, especially in light of what storage costs are doing recently.
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Probably just as well, given that they wouldn't be able to ship too many of a real breakthrough new product. Courtesy both memory shortages as well as demands on TSMC from Nvidia horning in on Apple's allocation