Apple follows the script leaked a few weeks ago. Today it premiered the new M5 Max and M5 Pro processorswith up to four times more AI power and performance. These chips are already integrated into the new MacBook Pro also presented today. Yesterday it launched the iPhone 17e and a new iPad Air with M4.
Thanks to the Fusion architecture and its clever modular design, Apple can integrate several die o SoCthat is to say, multiple processors within a chipset. Each die It contains the CPU, the scalable GPU, the multimedia engine, the unified memory controller, the neural engine and Thunderbolt 5. So every year it adds more processors to the chipset, to obtain more performance.
Another important improvement at the manufacturing level of the M5 Pro y M5 Max the thing is TSMC debuts 3nm N3P architectureimproving clock speed and reducing heat.
M5 Max and Pro processors: features
This new Fusion architecture has caused a very important change in the composition of the processors. The efficient cores are saying goodbye and what Apple calls super cores are releasedwhich have the “fastest single-wire performance in the world,” according to the press release. In turn, performance cores have greatly improved multi-threaded processing.
That is, M5 Max and Pro have new more powerful super cores, new performance cores with improved multithreading, and no efficient cores. It makes sense in a SoC focused on professional computers with very demanding tasks.
The new architecture allows you to use Processors with CPU up to 18 coresdivided into six super cores and 12 performance cores. This allows a 30% performance improvement over the previous generation.
As is logical, the GPU or graphics chip of the M5 Pro and M5 Max has also improved. It can achieve a configuration of up to 40 cores, with neural accelerators on each core and greater unified memory bandwidth. This allows a 4X performance increase over the M1 Pro and M1 Max, in AI tasks.
The M5 Pro allows configurations of up to 18 cores on the CPU and 20 cores on the GPU. Apple will vary depending on the MacBook Pro or iPad Pro model where you use it. With up to 64 GB of unified RAM (CPU + GPU). This processor offers a memory bandwidth of 307 GB/s. It integrates a faster 16-core Neural Engine (AI chip).
As a result of all these improvements, in AI tasks it is up to four times faster than the M4 Pro and six times faster than the M1 Pro. Compared to the M4 Pro, 30% better in CPU and 20% better in GPU. 35% better in ray tracing.
The processor Apple M5 Max supports up to 18 cores on the CPU and 40 cores on the GPU. With up to 128 GB of unified RAM and a memory bandwidth of 614 GB/s. The AI chip is the same.
In AI tasks it is up to four times faster than the M4 Max and six times faster than the M1 Max. Regarding the M4 Max30% better on CPU and 20% better on GPU. 35% better in ray tracing.
In summary, a performance increase between 20 and 30% greater than the previous generation, which is expected. Where significant improvements will be noticed is in artificial intelligence performance, especially for using LLM language models locally.
The new M5 Pro and Max processors are now available in the new MacBook Pro that have been presented today. We talk to you about them in another news item.