Apple debuts M5 Pro and M5 Max Chips: 18-Core CPU, AI Boost, and Thunderbolt 5

Apple has introduced the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, designed to enhance performance for professional workflows. 

The M5 Pro and M5 Max logo

Powerful, Efficient, and Advanced

The new processors are built using the company's proprietary Fusion Architecture, which integrates two dies into a single system-on-a-chip (SoC). 

According to Apple, the chips include an updated central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU) with Neural Accelerators, and increased unified memory bandwidth to improve artificial intelligence (AI) computing capabilities.

The chips power the new MacBook Pro, which Apple describes as featuring an 18-core CPU architecture. This includes six "super cores," which the company states are the fastest CPU cores available, alongside 12 performance cores optimized for power-efficient multithreaded tasks.

Apple claims the CPU delivers up to 30 percent faster performance for professional applications compared to previous models.

For creator work

The GPU in the M5 Pro and M5 Max scales up to 20 or 40 cores, utilizing a Neural Accelerator in each core. Apple states that this configuration offers over four times the peak GPU performance for AI tasks compared to the prior generation, and up to 35 percent faster graphics performance in applications using ray tracing relative to the M4 Pro and M4 Max.

Both chips utilize Apple's Fusion Architecture, which connects two third-generation 3-nanometer dies with high bandwidth and low latency. The SoC integrates the CPU, GPU, Media Engine, unified memory controller, Neural Engine, and Thunderbolt 5 capabilities.

The M5 Pro model is targeted at users requiring strong processing and graphics, such as data modelers and sound designers. It features an 18-core CPU and a 20-core GPU, with support for up to 64GB of unified memory and bandwidth up to 307GB/s. 

Apple reports that the M5 Pro delivers up to 30 percent higher multithreaded performance over the M4 Pro and more than four times the peak GPU compute for AI compared to the M4 Pro.

Smarter AI

The M5 Max is designed for users with demanding GPU needs, such as 3D animators and AI researchers. It pairs the 18-core CPU with a 40-core GPU and supports up to 128GB of unified memory with bandwidth up to 614GB/s. 

The company says the M5 Max offers up to 15 percent higher multithreaded performance than the M4 Max and over four times the peak GPU compute for AI compared to the previous generation.

Additional features across both chips include a 16-core Neural Engine with increased memory bandwidth, an updated Media Engine with hardware-accelerated video codecs, support for Memory Integrity Enforcement, and integrated Thunderbolt 5 controllers.

Again, these chips are available in the latest MacBook Pro, which is listed on the Apple website. Official Apple retailers like Beyond The Box, Digital Walker, and Power Mac Station will reveal availability details soon.

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Source: Apple