Explore how Apple's M5 Pro and M5 Max bring modular CPU/GPU options to MacBook Pro with N3P + SoIC-MH, improving efficiency and flexibility, with a 2026 debut.
© A. Krivonosov
Apple is preparing the next chapter for MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, which promise a true break from tradition: separate CPU and GPU blocks. This approach would let buyers tailor their machines, choosing exactly how many CPU and GPU cores they need instead of paying for preset bundles.
Rumors point to the M5 Pro adopting TSMC’s SoIC-MH integration and the 3 nm N3P process, making it lighter, more compact, and better at shedding heat than previous chips. Thanks to higher component density, the silicon can house more functional units in a smaller footprint, delivering steady performance while pushing down production costs.
Unlike the standard M5, the new Pro versions are said to allow a pairing such as a maximum GPU with a baseline CPU—or the reverse. That level of flexibility has not appeared in Apple’s lineup before, setting the M5 Pro and M5 Max apart. The flip side of this redesign is timing: because of the new technologies, recent chatter suggests these chips may not arrive until 2026.
Experts also argue that even without the M5 Pro and M5 Max, Apple has no direct challenger right now, as the current Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme and other processors fail to top the M4 Max in Cinebench and 3DMark. A move to M5 would only cement Apple’s lead in high-performance portable devices.