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M5 or M4 pro?

GusMacker

GusMacker

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Original poster
Oct 15, 2025
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I'm starting a new job that will require a substantial amount of video editing and need to upgrade my laptop now. Budget is a factor, and I am choosing between the new 14" M5 Macbook Pro (upgrading memory to 24GB and storage to 1TB) for $1999 or the 14" M4 Pro Macbook Pro base model (24 GB memory, 512 TB storage) for the same price. What do y'all think?
 
GusMacker said:
I'm starting a new job that will require a substantial amount of video editing and need to upgrade my laptop now. Budget is a factor, and I am choosing between the new 14" M5 Macbook Pro (upgrading memory to 24GB and storage to 1TB) for $1999 or the 14" M4 Pro Macbook Pro base model (24 GB memory, 512 TB storage) for the same price. What do y'all think?
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It's tossup IMO but I'd probably go for the M5 for the boosted AI capabilities in the GPU which will probably pay dividends down the road. Based on general GPU performance uplift they should perform roughly the same for video editing. They have the same number of media engines so no benefit there. Sounds like the storage speeds should be the same now too.
 
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Video editing is not as intensive as other applications. Premiere Pro runs buttery smooth on my M4Pro Mini, and I edit remotely on Avids on PC so the computer I remotely edit on does not as matter as much (internet speeds would matter more). When using a graphics intensive software like the Unreal Engine Editor, the Mac Mini starts getting hot and fans start going, compared to Premiere, which the Mini can run with less heat.
 
If you’re in the UK, the M4 Pro mbp has a 70w charger in the box, the M5 does not lol. Jokes aside, what bnumerick said, newer more efficient underlying architecture is more important imo.
 
GusMacker said:
need to upgrade my laptop now.
Click to expand...
If you have an immediate need, then you already answered your own question - the M4 Pro with sufficient ram and storage, or maybe a M4 Max Studio (if you don't have mobility needs) is your best option imo.
 
Hi,

I'm jumping in here.

I'm considering buying the new MacBook Pro M5. I still have an “old” MacBook Air M1 (basic version with 8 GB) and I've noticed that it's not quite as fast when multitasking. I'm also thinking about getting into photo editing. I would get an education discount, and since Apple is currently offering a few things for almost free (e.g., AirPods) until October 21, I'm really considering taking the plunge. The MBP would cost me around 1.900 EUR (24 GB RAM).

Now I've seen an alternative in the Apple Refurbished store, namely a Mac mini M4 pro. The Mac mini M4 pro with 24 GB RAM and the 14/20 configuration would cost almost the same price – but I wouldn't get e.g. free AirPods with it.
I should also mention that I have a mid-range (gaming) Windows desktop computer in addition to my current Macbook Air, which I use for gaming. What would you recommend?

Kind regards
 
C0re0 said:
Hi,

I'm jumping in here.

I'm considering buying the new MacBook Pro M5. I still have an “old” MacBook Air M1 (basic version with 8 GB) and I've noticed that it's not quite as fast when multitasking. I'm also thinking about getting into photo editing. I would get an education discount, and since Apple is currently offering a few things for almost free (e.g., AirPods) until October 21, I'm really considering taking the plunge. The MBP would cost me around 1.900 EUR (24 GB RAM).

Now I've seen an alternative in the Apple Refurbished store, namely a Mac mini M4 pro. The Mac mini M4 pro with 24 GB RAM and the 14/20 configuration would cost almost the same price – but I wouldn't get e.g. free AirPods with it.
I should also mention that I have a mid-range (gaming) Windows desktop computer in addition to my current Macbook Air, which I use for gaming. What would you recommend?

Kind regards
Click to expand...
Basically the same advice with the caveat of do you want a laptop or a small desktop? That's probably the biggest decider in this case. With that said the 14/20 in the Mini for general CPU/GPU performance would likely be quicker than the M5 (the opening poster was asking about the 12/16). The M5 will very likely be much faster when the new Neural accelerators in the GPU are used based on the data we have. I'd expect that will play a bigger role as time goes on. This is one of those areas where I think in a few years in certain situations it will end up being night and day for the performance difference between generations like you can see between the M1/M2 and M3/M4 generation with Raytracing.
 
Similar choice as the OP for my daughter, but with the same HD and 24GB on both. She's a student and will be doing smaller projects in Vectorworks and Autocad. Either would do according to the professor, but which would be best? I have 7 days to return the 14" 12-Core M4 Pro to Amazon.

BTW, I know the base M5 has Thunderbolt 4, while the M4 Pro has Thunderbolt 5. How about the fans? M4 Pro is dual fan. Does the base M5 have only one fan like the base M4? Thanks.
 
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@Andre YUL I'm pretty confident both models are going to rip through smaller projects in vectorworks and autoCAD

M5 is probably better value and will have longer battery life for lighter work. M4 Pro if you want a quieter machine during heavy work, assuming M5 is just like previous base models and sports a single fan.
 
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What about the combination new MBP M5 plus Apple Studio Display / Display 2 (if it is really coming in 2026)? I think this would be the superior choice compared to a Mac mini plus ASD. You get (best of) both worlds - a nice desktop setup mit MBP in clampshell mode while also being mobile.

Other choice: The apple refurbished store no shows up with a Mac Studio M4Max (base configuration) for less than 2.000 EUR; Yes, probably overkill since I m not a pro video cutter and/or Foto professional. But the Mac Studio would more or less same price range as the aforementioned combinations.

As said, use case is I m starting getting into foto editing and maybe casual gaming. Any thoughts?
 
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