Maybe I’m giving too much away with the headline, but hear me out. If you’ve been plugged into the latest Apple news, you already know that the Fall 2025 refresh of their product line was hyped only to deliver what we’ve come to expect from the company – a new chip, self-proclaimed efficiency boosts, and no new product designs. Now, I’m not saying that this is all bad. I’m typing this out on a 2024 M3 MacBook Pro, which works just fine, thank you. But if you were hoping for something groundbreaking, you won’t find it here.
New iPad, New MacBook Pro, and an Update to the Apple Vision Pro?
At the crux of this week’s announcements were the upgraded M5 chip architecture that as Apple put it “is optimized for AI.” To be honest, I’m not entirely sure that I, or most of the public for that matter, cares about having more AI intruding in their daily lives. But Apple thinks otherwise, sharing internal benchmarks of how the M5 chip is better, faster, stronger than previous M-series chips at processing large language models and run Cyberpunk 2077 (side note, is this the new “will it run Crysis?”). For most people this doesn’t really amount to much, but I’m willing to be proven wrong.
In terms of the actual changes here’s what to expect (the following are direct quotes from Apple’s press releases):
- Up to 6.7x faster 3D rendering with ray tracing in Octane X when compared to iPad Pro with M1, and up to 1.5x faster than iPad Pro with M4.
- Up to 6x faster video transcode performance in Final Cut Pro for iPad when compared to iPad Pro with M1, and up to 1.2x faster than iPad Pro with M4.
- Up to 4x faster AI image generation performance in Draw Things for iPad when compared to iPad Pro with M1, and up to 2x faster than iPad Pro with M4.
- Up to 3.7x faster AI video upscaling performance in DaVinci Resolve for iPad when compared to iPad Pro with M1, and up to 2.3x faster than iPad Pro with M4.
As for the MacBook Pro (Fall 2025):
14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 delivers:
- Up to 7.7x faster AI video-enhancing performance in Topaz Video when compared to the 13‑inch MacBook Pro with M1, and up to 1.8x faster than the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4.
- Up to 6.8x faster 3D rendering in Blender when compared to the 13‑inch MacBook Pro with M1, and up to 1.7x faster than the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4.
- Up to 3.2x higher frame rates in games when compared to the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1, and up to 1.6x faster than the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4.
- Up to 2.1x faster build performance when compiling code in Xcode when compared to the 13‑inch MacBook Pro with M1, and up to 1.2x faster than the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4.
While those “benchmarks” might seem impressive, they don’t mean anything without actual performance numbers. That being said, for most people, including working creatives like myself, even a M3 Pro MacBook Pro will probably hold you down for the next few years.
And the in terms of the Apple Vision Pro shakes out, I’m not even going to put it down on this post because it’s not really a product made for actual human beings (though definitely made for shareholders). Just know that if you’re a tech or finance bro, Apple has made it faster for you to enjoy your, uh, “entertainment.”
Want to Upgrade? Get Ready to Burn Some Cash
So, what’s this all going to cost? If you’re still undeterred and want to dive into the latest and greatest Apple has to offer, you probably already know that it will cost you. The Apple Tax remains consistent and the price of entry is eye-watering in the middle of an economic downturn. The new M5 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1599, the new M5 iPad Pro starts at $999 (without accessories), and the refreshed Apple Vision Pro will set you back $3499.