Vision Pro with M5 chip - Apple introduces new models of its computer glasses, MacBooks, and iPads

Just in time for the holiday season, Apple has given some of its most important products, as well as one of its least successful ones to date, a technical update. Without a keynote or press conference, the company announced new versions of the iPad Pro on Wednesday afternoon, as well as an updated 14-inch MacBook Pro and a modernized version of its Vision Pro computer glasses.

At the heart of all three new devices is the new M5 chip. According to Apple, it delivers four times the "peak GPU performance for AI" of its predecessor. Like the A19 chip in the iPhone 17 series, each of its ten GPU graphics cores features a so-called Neural Accelerator for accelerated processing of generative AI.

The new chip is also said to access the RAM faster than its predecessor. Apple offers it with either nine or ten processor cores. The company hasn't announced Pro and Max versions of the M5. It is apparently reserving these for updates to the 16-inch MacBook Pro and the Mac Studio. 

A little cheaper: the Vision Pro

While many fans eagerly await a cheaper model, Apple is taking its computer glasses to a new technical level with the M5. When the Vision Pro launched in early 2024, it was already outdated with its M2 chip. MacBooks and iMacs had long been equipped with M3 chips, and since this summer, they've even been available with the M4 chip.

Nevertheless, hardly anyone had any complaints about the performance of the Apple glasses. The main complaints were that they felt heavy on the head and lagged behind other Apple gadgets in terms of AI. At least AI performance should no longer be an issue with the M5.

On the one hand, Apple praises the new version for offering an "even faster, smoother, and more responsive experience" than the first model. The graphics capabilities of the M5, for example, are said to enable the glasses' two tiny OLED displays to now operate at a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz. On the other hand, AI functions on the new Vision Pro are said to run "up to 50 percent faster and up to twice as fast in third-party apps" compared to previous versions.

Perhaps the more important innovation for everyday use, however, is a new headband. Called Dual Band, the headband included with the headset is said to offer "more comfort, balance, and stability" than its predecessor.

Apple has slightly reduced the price of the entry-level version of the Vision Pro with 256 GB of storage to €3,699. The new headset will be available starting October 22nd.

Faster: the MacBook Pro

In addition to the Vision Pro, Apple is now also equipping the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 chip. Compared to the previous model with the M4, it is said to offer "up to 1.6 times faster graphics performance" in certain applications and, similarly, achieve 1.6 times higher frame rates in games. According to Apple, the SSD performance has also been increased, which should speed up loading large files.

The high-resolution 14-inch display appears to have remained unchanged. It comes with nano-textured glass for an additional charge, which reduces reflections. The MacBook Pro's battery life is still rated at "up to 24 hours," which isn't unrealistic with moderate use.

What's notable about Apple's marketing materials for the new MacBook is that the company is primarily targeting customers who already own a MacBook with the Apple M1 chip. After years of attracting Intel-powered upgraders to its new platform, the company's goal now seems to be to convince first-generation upgraders to switch again.

The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 will be available from October 22nd at prices starting at 1799 euros.

More communicative: the iPad Pro

The situation is very similar to the new iPad Pro. The M5 is expected to deliver performance gains similar to those of the notebooks, significantly accelerating AI functions and graphics.

More interestingly, however, Apple is integrating its own N1 network chip and the C1X cellular modem developed in Munich, similar to some current iPhones. As a result, Apple's tablets now support the current Wi-Fi 7 standard and are said to offer "up to 50 percent faster mobile data connections" than their predecessors.

One advantage of using your iPad Pro with a powerful external display is that, with the M5, such screens can now be controlled at up to 120 Hertz.

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