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M5 Pro vs M5 Max: M5 Max is 12% faster on CPU and 53% on GPU
Cheapest MacBook Pro 14″ with each chip: M5 Pro at $2199 vs M5 Max at $3599. The M5 Max config has 36 GB memory (vs 24 GB) and 2 TB storage (vs 1 TB).
Scores are relative: 2020 M1 MacBook Air = 100, so 200 is about twice as fast. How we score
Verdict
- CPU-heavy work
- M5 Pro. Max adds only around 10% CPU for a large price jump.
- 3D, video effects, large local AI models
- M5 Max. Its GPU is up to about 70% faster than the top M5 Pro (776 vs 455), with up to twice the memory bandwidth.
- Desktop user
- Mac Studio with M5 Max gives the same chip as the MacBook Pro without paying for a laptop.
Configurations to compare
| Model | Configuration | CPU | GPU | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Pro 14″ (2026) | M5 Pro (15-CPU/16-GPU), 24GB, 1TB | 300 | 411 | $2199 |
| MacBook Pro 14″ (2026) | M5 Max (18-CPU/32-GPU), 36GB, 2TB | 337 | 629 | $3599 |
| MacBook Pro 16″ (2026) | M5 Pro (18-CPU/20-GPU), 24GB, 1TB | 311 | 455 | $2699 |
| MacBook Pro 16″ (2026) | M5 Max (18-CPU/32-GPU), 36GB, 2TB | 337 | 629 | $3899 |
| Mac Studio (2026) | M5 Max (18-CPU/32-GPU), 36GB, 512GB | 337 | 629 | $2499 |
| Mac Studio (2026) | M5 Max (18-CPU/40-GPU), 48GB, 512GB | 337 | 776 | $3099 |
FAQ
How much faster is M5 Max than M5 Pro?
Comparing the cheapest configs of each, M5 Max is about 12% faster on CPU and 53% faster on GPU (CPU 337 vs 300, GPU 629 vs 411).
M5 Max: 32-core or 40-core GPU?
CPU is identical (337). The 40-core GPU is about 23% faster (776 vs 629) — worth it only for GPU-bound work.
Is M5 Max the fastest Mac CPU?
Yes, among chips MacDiff has tested: 337. M5 Ultra ships in the Mac Studio but is not yet tested.
What do the scores mean?
Every Mac is scored against the 2020 M1 MacBook Air = 100. A score of 200 means about twice as fast. These are MacDiff's own relative scores, not Geekbench points.