Apple M5 is drawing attention now that its first benchmark scores have leaked, showing a small step forward in CPU performance but a more impressive jump in graphics. With Apple under pressure from Qualcomm and other rivals, the question is whether these improvements are enough to keep the iPad and MacBook in the lead.
New Apple M5 devices surface in FCC filings and a hands-on video
According to MacRumors, recent FCC filings have revealed a number of unreleased Apple devices, including a new Vision Pro, an upgraded MacBook Pro, and as many as six new iPad Pro versions. The models are listed under identifiers such as A3416 (Vision Pro) and A3434 (MacBook Pro), along with several 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro versions in both WiFi and cellular configurations. The filings back up predictions that Apple will launch an M5 Mac Mini later this year and a MacBook Pro with the Apple M5 chip early next year.
Meanwhile, the Russian YouTuber Wylascom got early hands-on time with an iPad running the Apple M5 chip and ran a quick performance test. By his account, the exterior design and camera system are unchanged from the M4 iPad Pro. The main upgrade in the new line therefore appears to be on the inside.
CPU and GPU performance: A moderate but notable improvement
The Geekbench 6.5 test shows the M5 iPad Pro scoring 11% higher in single-core than the M4 iPad Pro and 7% higher than the MacBook Pro with the M4 Pro chip. Notably, the Apple M5 also edges out the laptop running the newly announced Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme from Qualcomm by 1%. In the multi-core test, however, the results are less impressive: the M4 Pro and the Snapdragon are 46% and 52% faster, respectively, while the Apple M5 beats the standard Apple M4 by only 14%.
The Apple M5 shines most in graphics. In the Geekbench 6.5 Metal GPU test, the M5 chip delivers 26% higher performance than the M4. By contrast, Antutu recorded a slightly better CPU result for the M4 iPad Pro, which shows that benchmark platforms still differ in how they measure performance.
What the benchmark scores mean and what comes next
These results are only early data and do not fully reflect the power of the entire Apple M5 lineup. The M5 Pro, expected in the MacBook Pro launching next year, could bring a more significant improvement, especially in multi-core processing and professional workloads.
For iPad Pro owners, upgrading from the M4 to the M5 may not be necessary if you already have a recent device, but it will be more appealing for those on an M1 or M2 iPad. Apple may be taking a step-by-step upgrade approach to keep the user experience stable, while focusing on the GPU to meet growing demand for graphics, gaming, and AI.
With fierce competition from Qualcomm and other chipmakers, Apple is clearly preparing its next moves to hold its advantage. Devices running the M5 are likely to arrive late this year, kicking off the next generation of MacBook and iPad hardware and laying the groundwork for the M6 chip down the road.
