Apple didn’t stage a splashy keynote this week. Instead, it quietly updated three flagship products via press releases: a new iPad Pro, a refreshed 14-inch MacBook Pro, and an M5-powered refresh of the Vision Pro headset. The outward designs are familiar — Apple didn’t redesign the hardware — but under the hood is one big thing: the M5 system-on-chip, which Apple says is built for the next wave of on-device AI. All three devices are available for preorder now and will land in stores on October 22, 2025.

The M5 is the story here

Apple positioned the M5 as an architecture update aimed squarely at AI workloads. It’s manufactured on a third-generation 3-nanometer process and introduces a next-generation 10-core GPU design with a tiny Neural Accelerator inside each GPU core. That pairing is what Apple says drives “over 4×” peak GPU compute for AI compared with M4, and it also boosts graphics performance (Apple cites figures of roughly up to ~30% faster general graphics and higher gains for ray-traced workloads). The M5 also brings an improved 16-core Neural Engine and a meaningful bump in unified memory bandwidth — Apple quotes 153GB/s, roughly a 30% increase — which is what lets larger models and more ambitious on-device AI run without cloud fall-backs.

Why does that matter? Apple is betting that the next phase of device differentiation won’t come from thinner bezels but from local AI: faster image transforms, smarter system features, real-time generative tools in apps, and better performance for developers shipping models on device. Apple frames M5 as an efficiency win as well — the company repeatedly called out power-efficient AI, which is critical for tablets and headsets.

Related /

• Apple launches M5 chip with next-gen GPU architecture and boosted Neural Engine
• Apple upgrades Vision Pro with faster M5 chip and new Dual Knit Band
• Apple launches refreshed 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 chip and up to 4TB storage
• The 2025 iPad Pro now runs on Apple’s powerful M5 processor

iPad Pro: the same formula, faster brain

The new iPad Pro keeps the same thin industrial design and the same display options — 11-inch and 13-inch — but swaps in the M5. Apple says that translates to up to 3.5× AI performance over last year’s M4 iPad Pro for certain tasks, with improvements for ray-traced 3D rendering and video transcode workflows used by pros. The iPad Pro also picks up Apple’s N1 wireless chip (Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread) and the C1X modem for cellular variants, promising faster networking and lower power draw. Apple also bumped memory in the 256GB and 512GB models to 12GB of unified memory, and claims new support for driving external displays at up to 120Hz with an Adaptive Sync feature to reduce latency. Pricing starts at $999 for the 11-inch and $1,299 for the 13-inch, and accessories (Magic Keyboard, Apple Pencil models) remain compatible.

If you’re the sort of person who upgrades only when a device changes shape or adds new sensors, this probably won’t force your hand. But for creators and developers who rely on AI and heavy graphics, the M5 is a meaningful internal boost that makes the iPad Pro more of a workhorse for on-device ML and real-time effects.

MacBook Pro: a cautious roll-forward

Apple didn’t touch the whole MacBook Pro family — the only machine refreshed today is the 14-inch MacBook Pro, now offered with the M5. The base price remains $1,599, and configurations offer 512GB–4TB storage and 16–32GB unified memory options. Apple highlights big AI and storage speed gains: 3.5× AI performance improvements, faster graphics, and double the SSD speed in some scenarios. Otherwise, the machine is the 14-inch MacBook Pro you already know: mini-LED display (nano-texture option still available), the same port array (three Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, SDXC, MagSafe), a six-speaker sound system, and Apple’s long-life battery claims.

Expect Apple to keep the 14-inch as the early M5 showcase this year and to roll out higher-tier M5 Pro / M5 Max variants — and a refreshed 16-inch — on a later cadence (industry coverage suggests those chips will arrive in follow-up waves). For people who need outright GPU horsepower today, the lack of a full-lineup M5 Pro/Max is the one missing note.

Vision Pro: small comforts, bigger compute

The Vision Pro gets one of the more interesting updates for everyday users: the Dual Knit Band is now included in the box (Apple says it’s softer and more comfortable), and the headset switches to the M5 for improved rendering and battery life. Apple claims the M5 lets Vision Pro render 10% more pixels on its micro-OLED panels and raise the refresh ceiling to 120Hz; battery life for general use is listed at 2.5 hours (3 hours with video playback). The headset still starts at $3,499 and remains a premium, niche device — Apple’s biggest change here is internal: better on-device AI and slightly longer sessions between charges.

That timing is notable: Apple’s refresh arrives just ahead of Samsung’s planned unveiling of its Android XR headset (Project Moohan) later this month, a move that will finally put two ecosystem players head-to-head in premium XR hardware. Whether Apple’s software and spatial ecosystem hold their lead will depend on content, developer interest, and — crucially — price.

The takeaway: iterative hardware, aggressive silicon

Taken together, today’s releases read like Apple doubling down on one strategic belief: silicon is the lever that differentiates devices now. The refreshes are iterative on the outside but significant on the inside. For buyers, that means the choice is more about workload than cosmetics: if you run heavy AI tools, creative apps, or plan to push models locally, the M5 devices are a clear step up. If you already own an M4 iPad Pro or MacBook Pro and don’t need those AI or ray-tracing gains, you can afford to wait until later in the M5 product cycle (when more models and higher-tier chips appear).