The latest MacBook Pro delivers impressive speed.
Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro has been the go-to choice for creators since it got its M-series processor upgrade in 2021. The design has remained largely unchanged, with annual chip enhancements and minor tweaks. After all, if it works, why fix it?
For those curious about this powerhouse, our review of the previous M4 Pro and M4 Max models still applies to the new M5 versions. However, a key question arises: should you upgrade if you’re currently using an M1 Pro or M1 Max model?
I know many of you with 2021 MacBooks are pondering this very issue. To help, we tested some four-and-a-half-year-old MacBook Pros against Apple’s latest offerings, and the results suggest that an upgrade could be worthwhile for some users.
For 2026, the 16-inch MacBook Pro boasts faster processors, Wi-Fi 7 support, and storage that’s now twice as fast and starts at higher capacities. The Pro model starts at $2,699, featuring an M5 Pro chip with an 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU, 24GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. The M5 Max, priced at $3,899, comes with an 18-core CPU, 32-core GPU, 36GB of RAM, and 2TB of storage, along with double the memory bandwidth compared to the M5 Pro. Our M5 Max test unit is fully loaded with a 40-core GPU, 128GB of RAM, 4TB of storage, and a Nano-texture anti-glare display, ringing in at a hefty $6,149.
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Component report card
* Screen: A
* Webcam: A
* Keyboard: B
* Trackpad: A
* Port selection: B
* Speakers: A
* Number of ugly stickers to remove: 0
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The M1 Pro and M1 Max models I tested have relatively modest specs by today’s standards. The M1 Pro features a 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU, with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage (originally priced at $2,699 in 2021). The M1 Max, on the other hand, has a 10-core CPU, 32-core GPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage, costing $3,499 back in 2021. Like the M5 Max, the original M1 Max was designed for graphics-heavy tasks.
We ran a series of benchmark tests to see how much progress the M series has made over the past five years. The results? Significant improvements. The M5 Max’s single-threaded scores in Geekbench 6 and Cinebench 2026 are approximately 65 to 76 percent higher than the M1 Max, while its multi-threaded scores are about 124 to 161 percent higher. The M5 Max’s 40 GPU cores nearly double the M1 Max’s 32-core GPU scores in both Metal and OpenCL.
The performance gap between the M5 Max and M1 Pro is even wider. The M5 Max outperformed the M1 Pro by 76 to 85 percent in single-threaded CPU tests and more than tripled the M1 Pro’s Metal and OpenCL GPU scores. In PugetBench tests for Adobe applications, the M5 Max scored nearly twice as high in Photoshop and over double in Premiere Pro (141 percent higher, to be precise). When it comes to SSD read/write speeds, the M5 Max surpasses both the M1 Pro and M1 Max, achieving speeds more than twice as fast, just as Apple claims.
The M1 Pro and M1 Max laptops I used for testing belong to professionals who aren’t in a hurry to upgrade. The M1 Max, owned by a colleague, still performs admirably for video and audio work, typically at 1080p, as well as for animation tasks in Clip Studio Paint and After Effects. He mentioned he’d only consider an upgrade if he started working with native 4K or 8K content. For now, his M1 Max is more than sufficient, and many M1 Pro and M1 Max users likely share this sentiment. After conducting these tests, it’s clear that the M5 Max offers a substantial upgrade, but not everyone will need it. For those who do, the new MacBook Pros deliver noticeable improvements in chip, memory, and storage performance. Upgrading from the M1 generation to an M5 Max or even M5 Pro also means gaining access to Thunderbolt 5, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, an enhanced webcam, and a $150 option for an anti-glare display.
In my review of the M5 MacBook Air, I also encountered M1-generation MacBook Pro owners contemplating a “downgrade” to the M5 Air, realizing that an M1 Pro or M1 Max might be more than they actually require. While the M5 Air lacks the superior screen and extensive port selection of a MacBook Pro, and its fanless design may throttle performance under heavy loads, it’s a solid alternative to an M1 Pro for those seeking something lighter and more affordable. The 14-inch MacBook Pro with a standard M5 also offers a performance boost over the M1 Pro without sacrificing those essential “Pro” features.
The M5 Max provides a significant speed upgrade for users who are feeling the constraints of their three- or four-year-old laptops. However, there are whispers of a potential Ultra-like MacBook Pro with a touchscreen OLED on the horizon, possibly arriving this year or next. If you’re curious about what Apple might do next, it could be worth waiting to see if that dream machine becomes a reality. But for those who need more power now, the M5 generation of MacBook Pros represents a solid leap forward.
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2026 Apple MacBook Pro 16 M5 Max specs (as reviewed)
* Display: 16.2-inch (3456 x 2234) 120Hz Mini LED, 1,000 nits
* Processor: Apple M5 Max (18-core CPU / 40-core GPU)
* Unified memory: 128GB
* Storage: 4TB SSD
* Webcam: 12-megapixel Center Stage camera with Desk View
* Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6
* Ports: 3x USB-C / Thunderbolt 5, SDXC card slot, HDMI 2.1, MagSafe 3 charging, 3.5mm combo audio jack
* Biometrics: Power button with Touch ID fingerprint reader
* Weight: 4.7 pounds / 2.14kg
* Dimensions: 14.01 x 9.77 x 0.66 inches / 355.7 x 248.1 x 16.8mm
* Battery: 100Wh
* Price: $6,149
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