M5 Chip Rumored to Debut in These Five Apple Products Later This Year

Apple’s next-generation M5 chip is expected to debut in five new products later this year, including the iPad Pro, Vision Pro, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac.

M5 chips will reportedly be manufactured with TSMC’s latest third-generation 3nm process, which should result in slight performance and power efficiency improvements over M4 chips fabricated with its second-generation 3nm process.

Below, we outline what to expect from these upcoming devices.

iPad Pro

After being updated with an OLED display and a much thinner design last year, the iPad Pro will likely receive relatively smaller upgrades this year.

Last year, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said iPad Pro models with an M5 chip would enter mass production in the second half of 2025. The current iPad Pro models with the M4 chip launched in May 2024, and Apple typically updates the iPad Pro on a roughly 18-month cycle, so the next models could be released in September or October.

Beyond the M5 chip, it has been rumored that the iPad Pro will eventually gain ultra-thin bezels, but it is unclear if that will happen this year or later.

Vision Pro

In a recent post outlining Apple’s future head-mounted devices, Kuo said the Vision Pro will be updated with the M5 chip later this year.

Kuo expects the Vision Pro with the M5 chip to enter mass production in the third quarter of 2025, which began this week. He said the Vision Pro’s other specs will remain the same, so it sounds like the newer chip will be the only change.

The current Vision Pro with the M2 chip was released in February 2024.

Kuo does not expect a true Vision Pro 2 to launch until 2028.

MacBook Pro

Apple is expected to release updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max chips in October this year.

If you are considering purchasing a new MacBook Pro, it might be best to hold off until next year, if you are able to wait. According to rumors, the MacBook Pro will be receiving its first major redesign since 2021 next year, with upgrades to include an OLED display and a thinner design. Of course, Apple will also be on to M6 chips by then.

Mac mini

Last year, Apple updated the MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac simultaneously, and there is a decent chance it will do so again this year.

Earlier this week, AppleInsider shared a list of alleged identifiers for future Mac models, and the publication believes that one of those identifiers is likely for a Mac mini with an M5 Pro chip. There should be a model with a regular M5 chip as well.

Given the Mac mini received its first redesign since 2010 last year, the small desktop computer is unlikely to receive any design changes this year.

iMac

AppleInsider also shared an identifier for a potential new iMac with an M5 chip, which could arrive alongside the next MacBook Pro and Mac mini models later this year.