GoKawiilAll of Apple’s processors are scattered throughout different MacBook models, and you can find older models at specific third-party retailers online, either completely new or refurbished. If you do stumble upon its older chips (which came out four years ago), you might be wondering how they compare to other options. We break down the differences between each one.
M5 Series
M5: The M5 chips are the latest options from Intel, having started in late 2025 on the launch of the 14-inch MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro. The base M5 still has up to a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, although there's also a lower-tier 9-core CPU that's available in the iPad Pro. The M5 is around 10 to 15 percent faster in CPU performance, but also takes a significant step up in GPU, AI workloads, and even storage speed. Like Apple's mobile chips, the M5 is now available on the MacBook Air as well.
M5 Pro: Available exclusively on the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros right now, the M5 Pro comes with up to an 18-core CPU and a 20-core GPU. The base configuration starts with only a 15-core CPU and 16-core GPU, though. Like in previous generations, the “Pro” chip gets all the same benefits in the M5 architecture, but adds more cores and improved memory bandwidth. The biggest advantage is in GPU and on-device AI performance. This time around, however, both the M5 Pro and M5 Max also debuted something called “Fusion Architecture,” a new version of UltraFusion (which previously only used on the Ultra chips) that combines two dies together across a super-fast interconnect.
M5 Max: The M5 Max is the M5 Pro—only more GPU power. You get the option for up to 40 GPU cores, which turns puts the MacBook Pro on the level of high-end gaming laptops in terms of graphics performance. Add in the neural accelerators that are now built into each GPU core, and you've got one of the most powerful AI laptops on the market. In terms of Apple rankings, it's only bested in GPU performance by the M3 Ultra, which is currently only available in the Mac Studio.
M4 Series
M4: The M4 originally launched in 2024. It has a 10-core CPU and a 10-core GPU. Apple claims it delivers 1.8 times faster CPU performance and 2.2 times faster GPU performance than the M1. Meanwhile, the neural engine is over three times faster than the original and twice as fast as the M3. It also starts with 16 GB of unified memory, which will help power Apple Intelligence (the company's suite of artificial intelligence features) a lot more smoothly. It's available on the 14-inch MacBook Pro (2024), iMac (2024), and MacBook Air (13-inch and 15-inch, 2025).
M4 Pro: The M4 Pro has a 14-core CPU (which Apple claims is up to 1.9 times faster than the M1 Pro) and up to a 20-core GPU, with up to 64 GB of unified memory. Built on a second-generation 3-nanometer process, it also supports enhanced GPU features like mesh shading and ray tracing—the latter of which is now twice as fast as on M3 chips. You'll find it on the 2024 MacBook Pro (14-inch and 16-inch) and Mac Mini (2024).
M4 Max: This chip has a 16-core CPU and up to a 40-core GPU with support for up to 128 GB of unified memory. Apple says the CPU is up to 2.2 times faster than the M1 Max, while the GPU is up to 1.9 times faster. As with the M4 Pro, it packs support for mesh shading and ray tracing. The M4 Max is available as an option on the 2024 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, and you can also get it as an option in the current Mac Studio.
M3 Series
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