Apple's new M5 products are fast, sexy, and so, so iterative

Stop me if you've heard this one before: The new M5 Apple devices are faster and more powerful than their predecessors, with new AI tools built right into the experience. Yet they're also not a necessary upgrade for the vast majority of people.

Already this year, I've said this exact same thing about headphones, smartwatches, laptops, tablets, and TVs. I'm also getting tired of finding new ways to say this: We're living in the era of iterative improvements, when companies release new products faster than consumers can keep up. And the new M5-powered MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro are the epitome of iterative improvements, with an obligatory sprinkling of AI bells and whistles.

This is the trap Apple has laid for itself: The previous M-series chips (M1, M2, M3, M4, and a few variations thereof) are already so good that I'm not sure who really needs the M5. In my household, tablets are more likely to be used for watching Netflix or playing The Sims. I think I would struggle to push even the ancient M2 chip to its limits in daily use. I also know professional video editors who are still happily working on M1 and M2 MacBook Pros.

And that puts reviewers like me in the awkward position of simultaneously praising these products and telling you to stick with the Apple laptop or tablet you already have.

I'm not sure if that's a compliment or a criticism of Apple. I guess it's both.

Does that mean these are bad products? The opposite, actually. I believe they're some of the best gadgets in the history of the world, truly. But would I buy them? Under the right circumstances, yes. But as an actual consumer worried about inflation, rent, and health insurance, I'm sticking with my old laptop and tablet for as long as I can. And my budget definitely does not include the Vision Pro.

So, who are the new MacBook Pro and iPad Pro for, exactly?

I can, and have, raved about the new M5-powered MacBook Pro (see also: my review of the new iPad Pro). And I recently got the chance to spend over an hour with the newly updated Vision Pro, completing the M5 trifecta.

The iPad Pro in particular is truly special, with a razor-thin design and crisp OLED display. And yet, everything I love about it, I also loved about last year's M4 model. Even Liquid Glass is available on the M4 models now, thanks to iPadOS 26. Likewise, as impressive as the new MacBook may be — and it is very impressive — it's also nearly identical to last year's model. Ditto Vision Pro.

Of course, the name of these products gives away the game. These products are designed for professional users running AI models locally, editing movies and podcasts, creating social video, and using 3D rendering software. For filmmakers and social creators who need an extra reference monitor they can take on the go, the iPad Pro is unmatched. There's really nothing else quite like it. But for playing The Sims? It's like bringing a Ferrari to a track and field meet.

So, unless you're prepared to write off the MacBook Pro or iPad Pro as a business expense, or unless it's going on the company card, I'm not sure you really need them.

The new M5 MacBook Pro also has another limitation. Right now, it's only available in a 14-inch version, and I know a lot of film editors are going to prefer working on a 16-inch laptop or an iMac or Mac Studio instead. You may even be able to get better performance out of M3 Ultra or M4 Max devices from Apple.

So, if the M5 MacBook Pro or iPad Pro aren't quite in your budget this year, don't worry. You can just wait for next year's M6 version.