The base M5 scores 4,228 in single-core — higher than the M4 Max (3,916) that cost three times more. Its 10-core GPU (74,129) matches the M3 Pro's 18-core chip. Even the SSD (6,470 MB/s) is faster than every M1–M3 Max. Per-core speed used to require "Pro" pricing. Now the entry-level chip just took the crown.
The Neo's GPU (31,286) is virtually identical to the M1 (31,330) — for $400 less. Per-core speed (3,461) beats even the M3 Max. The trade-offs are real: 60 GB/s memory bandwidth, 8 GB RAM ceiling, and a slower 1,660 MB/s SSD. But for browsing, office work, and light creative tasks? This is the new default recommendation for most people.
Multi-core score of 28,111 overtakes the M4 Max (25,715) — continuing the trend where each Pro chip surpasses the previous Max. GPU (130,778) surpasses the M1 Max with 20 cores instead of 32. Memory bandwidth hits 307 GB/s, over 50% more than the M1/M2 Pro. If you were eyeing a Max for heavy workloads, the M5 Pro just saved you $500+.
True across CPU, GPU, memory, and now SSD. The base M5's SSD (6,470 MB/s) outpaces every M1–M3 Max. Memory bandwidth was stuck at 400 GB/s for three Max generations, then broke free — 546 on M4, 614 on M5. Single-core gains compound at 10–20% per generation — four generations later, the entry-level M5 is 80% faster than the original M1. The lesson: buy the base chip today, not the Pro chip from two years ago.
| Chip | Tier | Score |
|---|---|---|
| M5 Max | max | 4,280 |
| M5 Pro | pro | 4,242 |
| M5 | base | 4,228 |
| M4 Max | max | 3,916 |
| M4 Pro | pro | 3,851 |
| M4 | base | 3,697 |
| Neo | neo | 3,461 |
| M3 Max | max | 3,128 |
| M3 Pro | pro | 3,100 |
| M3 | base | 3,077 |
| M2 Max | max | 2,749 |
| M2 Pro | pro | 2,656 |
| M2 | base | 2,587 |
| M1 Pro | pro | 2,386 |
| M1 Max | max | 2,386 |
| M1 | base | 2,347 |
| Chip | Tier | Score |
|---|---|---|
| M5 Max | max | 29,100 |
| M5 Pro | pro | 28,111 |
| M4 Max | max | 25,715 |
| M4 Pro | pro | 22,432 |
| M3 Max | max | 20,963 |
| M5 | base | 17,460 |
| M3 Pro | pro | 15,260 |
| M4 | base | 14,747 |
| M2 Max | max | 14,745 |
| M2 Pro | pro | 14,457 |
| M1 Pro | pro | 12,349 |
| M1 Max | max | 12,349 |
| M3 | base | 11,537 |
| M2 | base | 9,667 |
| Neo | neo | 8,668 |
| M1 | base | 8,343 |
| Chip | Tier | Score |
|---|---|---|
| M5 Max | max | 211 |
| M5 Pro | pro | 209 |
| M5 | base | 208 |
| M4 Max | max | 187 |
| M4 Pro | pro | 176 |
| M4 | base | 176 |
| Neo | neo | 147 |
| M3 Max | max | 144 |
| M3 | base | 142 |
| M3 Pro | pro | 139 |
| M2 Pro | pro | 122 |
| M2 Max | max | 121 |
| M2 | base | 120 |
| M1 Max | max | 114 |
| M1 Pro | pro | 113 |
| M1 | base | 112 |
| Chip | Tier | Score |
|---|---|---|
| M5 Max | max | 2,178 |
| M4 Max | max | 2,044 |
| M5 Pro | pro | 1,836 |
| M4 Pro | pro | 1,742 |
| M3 Max | max | 1,677 |
| M5 | base | 1,180 |
| M2 Max | max | 1,050 |
| M3 Pro | pro | 1,045 |
| M2 Pro | pro | 1,030 |
| M4 | base | 972 |
| M1 Pro | pro | 803 |
| M1 Max | max | 793 |
| M3 | base | 710 |
| M2 | base | 555 |
| M1 | base | 509 |
| Neo | neo | 416 |
| Chip | Tier | Score |
|---|---|---|
| M5 Max | max | 216,650 |
| M4 Max | max | 179,239 |
| M3 Max | max | 143,840 |
| M2 Max | max | 133,594 |
| M5 Pro | pro | 130,778 |
| M1 Max | max | 112,235 |
| M4 Pro | pro | 105,458 |
| M2 Pro | pro | 78,234 |
| M3 Pro | pro | 74,445 |
| M5 | base | 74,129 |
| M1 Pro | pro | 62,144 |
| M4 | base | 54,706 |
| M3 | base | 46,371 |
| M2 | base | 43,613 |
| M1 | base | 31,330 |
| Neo | neo | 31,286 |
| Chip | Tier | Score |
|---|---|---|
| M5 Max | max | 614 |
| M4 Max | max | 546 |
| M3 Max | max | 400 |
| M2 Max | max | 400 |
| M1 Max | max | 400 |
| M5 Pro | pro | 307 |
| M4 Pro | pro | 273 |
| M2 Pro | pro | 200 |
| M1 Pro | pro | 200 |
| M5 | base | 154 |
| M3 Pro | pro | 150 |
| M4 | base | 120 |
| M3 | base | 100 |
| M2 | base | 100 |
| M1 | base | 68 |
| Neo | neo | 60 |
| Chip | Tier | Score |
|---|---|---|
| M5 Max | max | 13,600 |
| M4 Max | max | 7,330 |
| M5 Pro | pro | 6,750 |
| M5 | base | 6,470 |
| M4 Pro | pro | 5,430 |
| M1 Max | max | 5,350 |
| M1 Pro | pro | 5,320 |
| M2 Max | max | 5,320 |
| M2 Pro | pro | 5,290 |
| M3 Pro | pro | 5,070 |
| M3 Max | max | 5,060 |
| M4 | base | 3,040 |
| M1 | base | 2,900 |
| M3 | base | 2,800 |
| M2 | base | 2,700 |
| Neo | neo | 1,660 |
| Chip | Tier | Score |
|---|---|---|
| M5 Max | max | 17,800 |
| M4 Max | max | 7,959 |
| M4 Pro | pro | 6,724 |
| M5 | base | 6,559 |
| M2 Max | max | 6,402 |
| M3 Max | max | 6,367 |
| M1 Max | max | 6,200 |
| M5 Pro | pro | 6,194 |
| M2 Pro | pro | 6,168 |
| M1 Pro | pro | 5,377 |
| M3 Pro | pro | 4,209 |
| M4 | base | 3,460 |
| M1 | base | 2,400 |
| M3 | base | 2,200 |
| M2 | base | 2,100 |
| Neo | neo | 1,630 |
A $1,099 M5 Air is 77% faster in single-core than an M1 Pro/Max that cost $2,000+. Buying the newest generation beats paying for a higher tier — across CPU, GPU, memory, and storage.
For everyday speed (apps, browsing, compilation): the base M5 beats every Pro and Max in single-core. For heavy lifting (video export, 3D rendering, large code builds): the M5 Pro surpasses the M4 Max in multi-core — at a lower price. For creative pros: M5 base GPU (10 cores) matches the M3 Pro (18 cores). M5 Pro beats the M1 Max. Storage: the M5 generation’s PCIe upgrade roughly doubles SSD speed at every price point.
MacBook Air caveat: scores 3–8% lower in sustained workloads (fanless).