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.
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