Apple presents the new MacBook Pro 14″ and 16″ with M5 Pro and M5 Max and the MacBook Air with M5: more on-device AI, faster SSD, Wi-Fi 7 and prices in Italy
Apple did not choose a “routine” update. With the new 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro and the new MacBook Air, Cupertino explicitly pushes two words that, in 2026, are worth more than any benchmark: pro performance and on-device AI. Translated: more power where it is really needed, but above all more intelligence processed locally, on the computer, without depending on the cloud for every step.
Pre-orders open on March 4th, availability is set for March 11th, and the feeling is that Apple is making a very precise move: making “normal” what until yesterday was perceived as advanced, that is, workflows with linguistic models and AI tools integrated into daily work, from coding to video editing, from graphics to research.
MacBook Pro: M5 Pro and M5 Max raise the volume of the “pro”
The new MacBook Pro arrives with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, designed for those who live with heavy loads: development, simulations, post-production, motion design, datasets, rendering. Apple talks about a new Fusion architecture designed “specifically for AI”, and builds the message around a clear promise: AI performance up to 4 times higher than the previous generation and up to 8 times higher than models with M1, with the ability to manage advanced models directly on the device.
The interesting part, however, is not just the declared power. It’s the setup: next-generation GPU with a Neural Accelerator in each core, more unified memory bandwidth and a leap in capacity that aims to remove friction from real flows. M5 Pro reaches up to 64GB of unified memory, M5 Max up to 128GB, with bandwidth that grows up to 307 GBps and 614 GBps respectively. It’s the classic difference between “it can be done” and “it works well”.
Faster SSD and higher base storage: the life-changing choice for professionals
There is a detail that, for those who work, weighs more than many slides: storage. Apple claims SSD performance is up to two times higher than the previous generation and peaks up to 14.5 GBps, but above all it changes the starting threshold. MacBook Pro with M5 Pro starts at 1TB, MacBook Pro with M5 Max starts at 2TB. It’s a clear signal: in 2026, between 4K/8K files, photo libraries, caches, plugins and shared projects, space is no longer a luxury, it’s a precondition.
N1, Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6: connectivity becomes Apple “hardware”.
N1, the wireless chip designed by Apple, also arrives on the new MacBook Pro, with support for Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. It is a less glamorous upgrade, but much more decisive than it seems: stability, reliability, performance in crowded environments and on the move are an integral part of productivity, especially for those who work between studies, events and travel.
The rest of the equipment remains in the Pro category: battery life of up to 24 hours, Liquid Retina
MacBook Air with M5: AI drops in category, without losing elegance
In parallel, Apple updates MacBook Air with M5 and does so with a very “mainstream” logic, but anything but trivial: more power for daily and creative flows, more autonomy, more basic storage space and the same on-device AI direction.
The new Air doubles the base storage to 512GB, features a faster SSD and is configurable up to 4TB. It comes in 13″ and 15″ sizes, maintains the thin and light aluminum design and offers Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 thanks to the N1 chip. The promise is clear: more speed for AI tasks and creative loads, without turning the Air into a “quasi-Pro”, but making it the most sensible laptop for those who study, work on the move and want a clean, quiet and long-lasting machine.
macOS Tahoe and Apple Intelligence: the framework that drives everything
Apple ties both products to macOS Tahoe and Apple Intelligence functions, with the idea of an operating system that doesn’t simply add “features”, but integrates AI into productivity, search, shortcuts and real-time translation, while maintaining the privacy narrative as a distinctive feature. This is where Apple is trying to differentiate itself: AI closer to the device, less dependent on the outside, more controllable.
Prices in Italy and availability
The new MacBook Pro 14″ and 16″ with M5 Pro and M5 Max can be pre-ordered from March 4th and arrive from March 11th, in space black and silver.
MacBook Pro 14″ with M5 Pro starts at 2,599 euros, the 16″ with M5 Pro starts at 3,099 euros.
MacBook Pro 14″ with M5 Max starts at 4,299 euros, the 16″ with M5 Max starts at 4,599 euros.
MacBook Air with M5 can be pre-ordered from March 4th and is available from March 11th.
MacBook Air 13″ starts at 1,249 euros, MacBook Air 15″ from 1,549 euros, with the new colors and the 512GB storage base.
The political point of Apple’s move: AI as infrastructure, not as special effect
The message, when held against the light, is simple: Apple is normalizing AI as computer infrastructure, not as an “extra” application. MacBook Pro pushes the professional machine to the max, MacBook Air brings the same direction to a wider audience, and the combination of chip, memory, storage and connectivity tells a strategy: making on-device AI a practical, daily, almost inevitable advantage.
