Apple upgrades iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, and Vision Pro with new M5 chip

Apple on Wednesday announced the new M5 chip alongside the new iPad Pro, MacBook Pro and Vision Pro, all of which are powered by the new chip.

These devices are now available for pre-order, and are expected to ship and be available in-store on October 22.

The M5 chip will allow the new devices to run faster than their predecessors. Apple says the chip has more than four times the GPU compute performance compared to the M4. It “heralds the next big leap in AI performance for Apple silicon,” Johnny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware technologies, added in a statement.

For the new iPad Pro, Apple is touting that the chip delivers “up to 3.5x the AI ​​performance” of last year’s Pro and up to 5.6x faster than the iPad Pro with M1.

Other upgrades include an Apple C1X cellular modem with up to 50% faster cellular data performance and an N1 chip for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Thread connectivity. Plus, faster read and write speeds for storage and up to 50% faster charging in about 30 minutes.

Adding more power to the iPad Pro seems like a logical step for Apple to take, as the tech giant works to push it to look more like a laptop. With iPadOS 26, the tablet has more intuitive view windows, the Preview app, and the ability to create folders for better organization.

Pricing starts at $999 for the 11-inch model and $1,299 for the 13-inch model, with black and silver color options.

The new 14-inch MacBook Pro is expected to be faster than its predecessor, featuring improved graphics performance (up to 1.6 times better), higher memory bandwidth of 153 Gbps (up from 120 Gbps in the M4), and improved storage speeds.

It also features a battery life of up to 24 hours.

Pricing starts at $1,599 and is available in black and silver.

The Vision Pro is also set to receive an M5 chip, replacing the current M2 chip.

The M5 chip improves screen display by 10%, supports refresh rates up to 120Hz (up from 100Hz), and accelerates AI-powered features, making them 50% faster. Additionally, battery life improves by 30 minutes, providing up to 2.5 hours of general use and three hours of video playback.

The upgraded Vision Pro also comes with a Dual Knit strap to give users a more comfortable fit. They are available in small, medium and large sizes. The price remains at $3,499.

The announcement of the new Vision Pro comes on the heels of reports that Apple is shifting its focus towards developing smart glasses rather than overhauling its virtual reality headset.