MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

CPU & GPU Architecture

  • Discussion centers on the new 18‑core CPU layout (6 “super” + 12 “performance” cores) and the move to a CPU+GPU chiplet (“Fusion”) design.
  • Some think “super” is just a rename of old performance cores; others argue Apple now has three distinct tiers (super / performance / efficiency), with Pro/Max dropping E‑cores entirely.
  • Several note this is a major architectural change but reserve judgment until independent benchmarks, especially around latency and any hidden chiplet interconnect costs.

Memory, Storage & Pricing

  • Base storage bumps (1 TB on most configs, 2 TB on some Max) are welcomed, but many see it as a stealth price hike: base models went up ~$100–200 and RAM upgrades remain very expensive.
  • Max RAM remains 128 GB, disappointing those hoping for 256–512 GB in a laptop for large local models.
  • Some argue that, relative to rising PC RAM/SSD prices, high‑RAM Macs are currently “good value”; others point out Apple’s upgrade margins were already huge.

Local LLMs & AI Positioning

  • Big debate around Apple’s “up to 4x faster LLM prompt processing” claim: clarified in the thread as improved prefill / time‑to‑first‑token, not tokens/sec.
  • Memory bandwidth on M5 Max (614 GB/s) is only modestly up from M4 Max, so decode remains bandwidth‑bound; prefill benefits from new GPU “Neural Accelerators.”
  • Split views on viability of local LLMs: some happily run 20–70B (and even ~120B MoE) models on high‑RAM Macs; others report poor speed and quality and stick to cloud APIs.
  • Many see Apple’s unified memory as uniquely attractive for large models, but note they still lag high‑end NVIDIA GPUs in bandwidth and ecosystem (CUDA).

macOS Tahoe & Software Concerns

  • Hardware widely praised; software is not. A sizable subset calls Tahoe “a disaster” and delays upgrading hardware until macOS 27 or beyond.
  • Complaints include UI aesthetics (Liquid Glass, border radii), performance regressions (Safari, Spotlight, system apps), and general OS instability; others report zero issues and “buttery” performance.
  • Several say they’ll freeze on older macOS or eventually move to Asahi Linux once Apple drops support.

Upgrade Decisions & Longevity

  • Many M1/M2/M3 owners feel no compelling need to upgrade; Apple Silicon laptops are described as “too good,” still fast and cool under real workloads.
  • Some recent M4 buyers are annoyed by the quick M5 Pro/Max release; others accept this as the usual Apple timing risk.
  • Enthusiasm is highest among people coming from Intel Macs or those who specifically want 128 GB and faster LLM prefill; others plan to wait for rumored M6/OLED redesigns or M5 Ultra/Studio.