Apple has updated the MacBook Pro with its new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, and if you configure the machine to the highest possible specifications, the price now reaches $7,349. That figure applies to the 16-inch model with the M5 Max, 40-core GPU, 128GB of unified memory, 8TB of storage, and a nano-texture display. Even so, the fully loaded version costs slightly less than the previous M4 configuration, which reached $7,549.
At the entry level, Apple lists the MacBook Pro starting at $1,699 for the 14-inch model with the base M5 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage. However, once you move to M5 Pro or M5 Max configurations and increase memory and storage, pricing quickly crosses the $2,000 mark and climbs steeply from there.
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Apple said in its official newsroom announcement that the new models deliver major performance gains.
“MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max redefines what’s possible on a pro laptop, now up to 4x faster than the previous generation,” said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering.
Apple also described the machine as delivering “blazing-fast performance and next-level on-device AI,” language that reflects its focus on AI workloads and pro apps.
What $7,349 Gets You
If you select every top-tier option, here is the full configuration:
- 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with nano-texture coating
- M5 Max chip with 18-core CPU and 40-core GPU
- 128GB unified memory
- 8TB SSD storage
Apple conducted its performance testing in February 2026 using this exact configuration, which explains why benchmark comparisons focus on the 18-core CPU and 40-core GPU setup with 128GB of memory.
The new models also bring:
- Up to 2x faster SSD speeds, reaching up to 14.5GB/s
- Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 via the Apple-designed N1 chip
- Up to 24 hours of battery life
- Thunderbolt 5 ports and HDMI with up to 8K output
As a historical note, the $7,349 max price sits just $49 above the launch price of the Macintosh Portable in 1989.
If you plan to upgrade, the main question now is simple: which configuration fits your workflow and budget?
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