14-inch MacBook Pro Liquid Retina XDR (M5 Max, 18-core CPU, 32-core GPU, 36GB RAM, 2TB SSD)
Last checked: 3 Nov 2026Official price. Marketplaces may be cheaper.
Search results may include other configurations. Check the specs before buying.
Pick Score by Use Case
Deterministic: real benchmarks, no AI opinionHow this laptop scores when the weighting matches what you’ll use it for.
Pick Score 76 out of 100 for Creative Work.Top contributing factors: GPU, CPU, RAM & Storage.
Faster graphics than 92% of laptops in the catalogue. Apple Silicon GPU — PassMark has no ARM entries, so this is the closest non-Apple laptop GPU on a benchmark both have run
Faster CPU than 97% of laptops in the catalogue
More memory and storage than about 94% of the catalogue
Not scored: no screen size preference without the Needs Wizard, so every laptop gets a neutral 50
Bigger battery than 73% of laptops in the catalogue
Lighter than 46% of laptops in the catalogue
Not scored: no brand preference without the Needs Wizard, so every laptop gets a neutral 50
Cheaper than 6% of laptops in the catalogue
CPU and GPU benchmarks last updated: Nov 2026
Each factor is scored 0-100 against the PickWise catalogue; the weight is how much it counts toward this use case. Sorted by contribution.
Full Specifications
Processor & AI
Apple M5 Max (18-core)
Graphics
32-core GPU
Apple
Display
14.2" Liquid Retina XDR
3024x1964 · 120Hz · 1000 nits
Memory & Storage
36GB Unified Memory
Not upgradable · up to 36GB
Battery & Portability
72.4Wh
96W USB-C Power Adapter, USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable (2m)
Connectivity & Ports
Wi-Fi 7 · Bluetooth 6
Keyboard, Audio & Camera
Security & Build
Software & Warranty
What Reviewers Say
From 4 video reviews · each point links to the moment in the video
No reviews of this exact configuration yet. These come from other configurations of the same laptop, and each point names the configuration it was tested on.
Strengths
- The reviewer finds the new strap significantly more comfortable and usable, despite it flattening their hair.Tested on 14-inch MacBook Pro Liquid Retina XDR (M5, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD)DDave2D · Is Apple Bored of Winning? - M5 MacBook Pro · Watch at 5:47 →
- The reviewer praises the Gen 2 device's improved visual experience, battery life, and the new dual knit loop strap, all powered by the more efficient M5 chip.Tested on 14-inch MacBook Pro Liquid Retina XDR (M5, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD)DDave2D · Is Apple Bored of Winning? - M5 MacBook Pro · Watch at 5:03 →
- The reviewer highlights improvements in RAM, storage speed, display refresh rate, and charging speed, while noting that previous M-series iPads already offered sufficient performance for most users.Tested on 14-inch MacBook Pro Liquid Retina XDR (M5, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD)DDave2D · Is Apple Bored of Winning? - M5 MacBook Pro · Watch at 4:20 →
- The reviewer suggests that M2 and M3 MacBooks offer the best value for most users, while the M5 chip in the iPad Pro provides improved performance and smoother gaming.Tested on 14-inch MacBook Pro Liquid Retina XDR (M5, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD)DDave2D · Is Apple Bored of Winning? - M5 MacBook Pro · Watch at 3:36 →
- The reviewer notes that while the M5 chip offers performance gains in CPU, GPU, and memory bandwidth over the M4, the upgrade may not be compelling for existing Apple silicon users.Tested on 14-inch MacBook Pro Liquid Retina XDR (M5, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD)DDave2D · Is Apple Bored of Winning? - M5 MacBook Pro · Watch at 1:26 →
Watch Out For
- The reviewer advises gamers against buying a Mac due to the lack of available game titles and poor performance in AI benchmarks compared to Nvidia.Tested on 14-inch MacBook Pro Liquid Retina XDR (M5, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD)JJust Josh · MacBook Pro 14 (M5): Great Laptop, Massively Overhyped · Watch at 13:44 →
- The reviewer states that the MacBook Pro's gaming performance is far inferior to the M4 Pro chip and Windows laptops with Nvidia GPUs, even with frame generation enabled.Tested on 14-inch MacBook Pro Liquid Retina XDR (M5, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD)JJust Josh · MacBook Pro 14 (M5): Great Laptop, Massively Overhyped · Watch at 13:01 →
- The reviewer suggests that video editors should avoid overspecifying their laptops and notes that upgrading to 24GB of RAM provided minimal performance gains for their workflow.Tested on 14-inch MacBook Pro Liquid Retina XDR (M5, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD)JJust Josh · MacBook Pro 14 (M5): Great Laptop, Massively Overhyped · Watch at 10:05 →
- The reviewer notes that the MacBook Pro with the M4 Pro chip outperforms the M5 version in video exporting, while the TU A14's performance in Premiere Pro is disappointing compared to its benchmarks due to its AMD CPU.Tested on 14-inch MacBook Pro Liquid Retina XDR (M5, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD)JJust Josh · MacBook Pro 14 (M5): Great Laptop, Massively Overhyped · Watch at 9:22 →
- The reviewer notes that while the M5 model's SSDs are exceptionally fast, they often suffer from thermal throttling due to a lack of of cooling, leading to inconsistent performance.Tested on 14-inch MacBook Pro Liquid Retina XDR (M5, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD)JJust Josh · MacBook Pro 14 (M5): Great Laptop, Massively Overhyped · Watch at 7:56 →
Price History
No price changes yet — first recorded on 3 Nov 2026.