If you’re still rocking a MacBook Pro from 2021, Apple’s latest M5 Max model might actually be worth the upgrade, but honestly, it depends on what you’re doing. The tech giant just dropped their refreshed 16-inch MacBook Pro with the new M5 chip, and the performance gains compared to the older M1 generation are genuinely impressive, even if the machine itself looks basically identical to its predecessors.

Let’s talk numbers. The M5 Max crushes the M1 Max in benchmarks, scoring between 65 to 76 percent higher in single-threaded CPU tests and roughly double in multi-threaded performance. If you’re running graphics-heavy workloads, the M5 Max’s upgraded GPU cores nearly double the M1 Max’s performance in both Metal and OpenCL frameworks. For Adobe Creative Suite users, the jump is massive, we’re talking 141 percent faster in Premiere Pro and nearly double the performance in Photoshop. The storage is also blazing fast, more than twice as quick as what the M1 generation offered.

But here’s the real talk: unless you’re consistently editing 4K or 8K video, doing heavy 3D rendering, or running seriously demanding workloads, your M1 Pro or M1 Max is probably still holding its own just fine. One of the reviewers testing this machine uses their M1 Max for 1080p video work and animation projects, and they see no reason to upgrade. Many M1 owners feel the same way, and that’s totally valid.

If you do decide to jump in, the entry-level M5 Pro starts at $2,699 with 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU, while the M5 Max begins at $3,899 with beefier specs. Both generations now include Wi-Fi 7, Thunderbolt 5, and an improved webcam. The machine also starts with double the storage capacity compared to the M4 generation, which is a nice quality-of-life improvement.

Here’s something worth considering though: if you bought an M1 Pro and realized it was more laptop than you needed, the new M5 MacBook Air is now legitimately fast enough to handle most tasks, and it’s significantly cheaper and lighter. Same goes for the 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro if you want something more portable.

The M5 Max is undeniably a solid upgrade for creators who are feeling the limitations of their older machines. Just don’t feel pressured to upgrade if your current setup is working fine. And yeah, Apple, some color options beyond space black would be nice.