Apple

Apple M5 GPU

Expert rating5 / 10

GPU Brand:: Apple
Tier:: Integrated
GPU Cores:: 10
Neural Accelerators:: Per-core
Memory Type:: Unified
Memory Bandwidth:: 153 GB/s
Ray Tracing:: Third-generation
PC-Installable:: No

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Manufacturer: Apple Last updated: September 11, 2026

Apple M5 GPU Review

The Apple M5 GPU is an integrated 10-core GPU with per-core Neural Accelerators, 153GB/s unified memory bandwidth, and third-generation ray tracing, found in current MacBook Air, iPad Pro, and base MacBook Pro models.

The M5's 10-core GPU launched in October 2025 and remains the base-tier chip inside several current Mac and iPad models even after the M6 arrived, Apple staggers its base-chip refresh across product lines rather than updating everything at once, so M5 is still very much a current, shopping-relevant chip rather than a discontinued one. Apple claims up to 30% faster general graphics performance than the M4 it replaced, and a notable 45% uplift specifically in ray tracing workloads. Like every chip in this batch, it's included for comparison purposes only, this isn't a part you can buy separately or drop into a PC, it's the graphics half of a complete Apple system-on-chip.

Still Current, Not Last-Gen

It's easy to assume M5 is outdated the moment M6 exists, but Apple's product line refreshes on a staggered schedule, several current Mac and iPad models still ship with M5 as their base chip, and will continue to for a while. If you're researching a MacBook Air or entry iPad Pro purchase right now, M5 is very likely the actual chip you're evaluating.

Comparison to Alternatives

Against our AMD Radeon 780M or Intel Arc Graphics (Meteor Lake), the M5's unified memory bandwidth and dedicated per-core AI acceleration reflect a different set of design priorities than either PC-side chip, direct gaming frame-rate comparisons are complicated by differing game libraries and translation layers on macOS. Against the newer Apple M6 GPU, the M6 offers more cores and higher memory bandwidth, worth knowing if you're choosing between two current Apple products rather than comparing platforms.

Our verdict

Reviewed by Burooj Alam. Rated by us, not by users.

Expert rating5 / 10

Apple's still-current base-tier GPU (October 2025), 10 cores with per-core Neural Accelerators and third-generation ray tracing, still shipping in current MacBook Air and iPad Pro models.

Best for

Buyers currently shopping a MacBook Air or entry iPad Pro who want to understand what the base chip actually offers.
Light creative work and on-device AI tasks within the Apple ecosystem.

Not for

Anyone shopping for a PC-installable graphics component.
Buyers who specifically want Apple's newest silicon, the M6 has since replaced M5 as the newest base-tier design.

Specifications

What these specs mean

Identity and type

Product Type	SoC GPU
GPU Brand	Apple
GPU Model	M5 (integrated GPU)
Series	Apple Silicon
Tier	Mainstream

Performance

Memory Type	Unified
Ray Tracing Support	Third-generation

Ray tracing and AI

Upscaling Tech	MetalFX

Memory

Memory Bandwidth	153 GB/s

Power

Power Connector	None

Host interface

PCIe Generation	Not Applicable

FAQs

What are the key specifications of the Apple M5 GPU (Apple/Integrated/10 GPU Cores/Per-Core Neural Accelerator/153GB/s Unified Memory/Third-Gen Ray Tracing)?

Key specs for the Apple M5 GPU: Memory Bandwidth 153 GB/s, GPU Apple M5 (integrated), Neural Accelerators Per-core, Memory Type Unified, Ray Tracing Third-generation, Found In 14" MacBook Pro (base), MacBook Air, iPad Pro, Apple Vision Pro.

Who is the Apple M5 GPU (Apple/Integrated/10 GPU Cores/Per-Core Neural Accelerator/153GB/s Unified Memory/Third-Gen Ray Tracing) best suited to?

Best suited to: Buyers currently shopping a MacBook Air or entry iPad Pro who want to understand what the base chip actually offers; Light creative work and on-device AI tasks within the Apple ecosystem.

What are the drawbacks of the Apple M5 GPU (Apple/Integrated/10 GPU Cores/Per-Core Neural Accelerator/153GB/s Unified Memory/Third-Gen Ray Tracing)?

Not the best fit for: Anyone shopping for a PC-installable graphics component; Buyers who specifically want Apple's newest silicon, the M6 has since replaced M5 as the newest base-tier design.