Apple has just dropped five new releases, and today’s announcements seem aimed squarely at the creative market. While yesterday’s iPad Air was sort-of exciting for some creatives (digital artists will like the M4 speed), today is much more meaningful.
While there isn’t any groundbreaking new external design, we do have some brilliant leap forwards in performance. In short we’ve got: New MacBook Pro M5 Pro and Pro Max, MacBook Air M5 and two long-awaited displays – Studio Display (2nd gen) and Studio Display XDR. Surprisingly, these last two are some of the most exciting releases of the week and finally bring Apple into line alongside its competitors. Head over to our Apple March event live blog for more expert commentary as it happens.
MacBook Air M5
Our team’s favourite laptop has got a massive internal boost from the M5 chip and the insertion of a Neural Accelerator into every core. Given the M4 Air was already powerful enough for most creatives, this update ensures only the most power-hungry will need to upgrade to the Pro range. The aim of all this power is, of course, AI readiness – meaning this laptop is meant to be future-proof for Apple Intelligence over the next few years.
All this comes at a cost, though, with the starting price of the MacBook Air moving up to $1,099 (it used to be $999).
Specs in brief:
- Chip: M5 with 10-core CPU and next-gen GPU.
- Display: 13- and 15-inch Liquid Retina options.
- Camera: 12MP Center Stage for high-quality video calls.
- Battery: Up to 18 hours of life.
- Audio: Immersive sound system with Spatial Audio.
- Ports: Two Thunderbolt 4 ports (supporting up to two external displays).
- Colours: Sky Blue, Midnight, Starlight, and Silver.
MacBook Pro M5 Pro and M5 Max
It all sounds very impressive indeed in the world of the new MacBook Pro M5 Pro and M5 Max, which are being added to the MacBook Pro M5 (released last year) and is available in 14-inch and 16-inch versions.
1TB starting storage on all MacBook Pros is the headline news, along with a huge power boost to the creative’s flagship laptop – it is apparently four times more AI power than the previous generation, and will result in 30% more speed for multithread pro workflows. To get techy, this is achieved through the introduction of an 18-core architecture – including the invention of ‘Super Cores’ – which Apple claims are the fastest in the world.
Added to that, the 40 core GPU means a 35% increase in ray tracing speeds. So those working in 3D, VFX or game development should be delighted.
Two major pain points have been addressed: more base storage and better connectivity.
Again, prices have increased to $2,199 and $2,699.
See a rundown below:
- Display: Liquid Retina XDR with a new nano-texture option.
- Battery: An incredible 24 hours of life.
- Camera: 12MP Center Stage for pro-grade video calls.
- Colours: Available in Space Black and Silver.
Studio Display (2nd gen) and Studio Display XDR
Apple has finally updated its range of displays. Our monitor for graphic artist guide doesn’t currently include an Apple display, because the basic Studio Display doesn’t compare to competitors for pros, and the previous Pro XDR is outdated and eyewateringly expensive.
But the two new models bring Apple in line with the competition.
The Studio Display (2nd gen) is refreshed and given a boost. It has Thunderbolt 5 and supports up to four 5K displays from a single MacBook Pro. It also has an improved 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View support and enhanced audio processing. Crucially for designers and artists, it’s got a 100-nit upgrade in brightness, has a true 10-bit panel and covers 100% of the P3 wide colour gamut. This is the one that will work for most creatives working in graphic design or similar.
It’s holding its price at $1,599.
The Studio Display XDR is the dazzling option here, and I should note that the starting price for this high-end tech is significantly lower than its previous counterpart. It brings the elite ‘Extreme Dynamic Range’ technology from the MacBook Pro to the desktop – and is the ideal choice for high-level creative pros working in film or 3D.
By pricing the XDR model at $3,299, Apple has finally made reference-grade HDR monitoring accessible to independent studios. This is a massive win for the creative industry.
See specs below:
- Mini-LED Tech: Featuring over 2,000 local dimming zones, it delivers a staggering 2,000 nits of peak HDR brightness and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio.
- ProMotion comes to Desktop: For the first time, a 27-inch Apple display supports a 120Hz refresh rate, making it the ultimate tool for video editors and gamers.
All new models will be available to preorder from Wednesday 4 March and will start shipping on Friday 6 March.
We’ll be here with more news and opinion as it unfolds. Are you excited by the new lineup? Let us know in the poll below, and the comments!
