Our verdict
The 14-inch MacBook Pro remains one of the most complete laptops for demanding work. It has Apple's M5 chip with a 10-core processor and 10-core graphics chip, and the reviewed version has 16GB of memory (RAM) and 1TB of storage for £1,699. The 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR screen refreshes at up to 120Hz, so scrolling and video editing look fluid, and reaches 1,600 nits peak brightness in HDR. Independent reviewers found excellent battery life: Expert Reviews recorded 20 hours 22 minutes in its video test. The main catch is that the price rises quickly when more memory or storage is added.
Buy it if
- You need a dependable laptop for demanding creative or professional work
- Long battery life without reduced speed matters
- You work near windows and want the option of an anti-glare screen
Skip it if
- You need lots of memory or storage on a fixed budget, as upgrades raise the price quickly
- Your work is mainly browsing, documents and video calls
- A lighter and less expensive MacBook Air would be powerful enough
How it would fit your home
Long working days away from power
The battery and full unplugged speed make it unusually dependable for mobile professional work.
Photo and video work near a window
The optional Nano Texture anti-glare screen makes bright working spaces much more comfortable.
Connecting cameras, drives and displays
Three Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI 2.1 and an SD card slot let you plug in a monitor, camera cards and drives without carrying a bag of adapters.
The details, in plain English
Everyday work
Web pages, documents, large numbers of open tabs and video calls feel immediate. The keyboard and trackpad remain among the best available. It stays fast away from a charger, so you do not need to plug in to keep working at full speed. Some advertised automatic tools offer little benefit to most people.
Demanding creative work
The M5 has a 10-core processor (4 performance and 6 efficiency cores) and a 10-core graphics chip, with each graphics core carrying a neural accelerator for AI tasks. The extra power matters when editing large photographs, working with complex video or running specialist software for long periods. It stays fast while unplugged. Check that your own software benefits before paying for a more expensive version.
Screen, keyboard and sound
The 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR screen has 3,024 x 1,964 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate. Apple rates it at 1,600 nits peak in HDR and 1,000 nits for ordinary content, and Expert Reviews measured about 1,055 cd/m² (the same unit as nits) on a small white area. An optional Nano Texture finish makes reflections far less distracting beside windows, for another £150. The six-speaker system sounds fuller than most laptops.
Battery and travelling
The reviewers found battery life to be a major strength. Expert Reviews recorded 20 hours 22 minutes in its video rundown test, and the laptop can keep going well beyond a working day on lighter tasks. Ports include three Thunderbolt 4 connections, HDMI 2.1, an SD card slot and MagSafe 3 charging, so you carry fewer adapters. The 14-inch body is easier to carry than a larger pro laptop, though the MacBook Air is lighter.
Strengths and drawbacks
What it does well
- Exceptional battery life: Expert Reviews recorded 20 hours 22 minutes in its video test
- 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR screen, 120Hz, up to 1,600 nits in HDR, with an optional anti-glare finish
- Three Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI 2.1, an SD card slot, headphone jack and MagSafe 3 charging
- Six speakers that sound unusually full and clear
- Very comfortable keyboard and trackpad, and it remains fast away from a charger
What to watch out for
- The price rises quickly when more memory or storage is added
- The Nano Texture anti-glare screen option costs another £150
- There is no simple physical cover for the camera
- Some advertised automatic tools offer little benefit to most people
The MacBook Air is the better-value choice for everyday office work, study and light creative use. Some Windows laptops offer more gaming power or a different screen type for similar money. The MacBook Pro earns its price through battery life, build quality, its screen and dependable performance during demanding professional work.
Alternatives we have reviewed
| Product | Our verdict | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
 Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M5) (this one) | A superb work laptop for anyone who needs long battery life and dependable speed for demanding creative or professional work. | £1,699RRP · 16GB/1TB, RRP recorded 12 Oct 2026 | Check price |
 Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) | The easiest laptop to recommend for most Apple-friendly households, as long as you can live with two ports and do not need Windows-only software. | £1,199RRP · 16GB memory and 512GB storage, RRP recorded 12 Oct 2026 | Check price |
 Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 | A strong fit for portable everyday work, if two USB-C ports and memory you cannot upgrade suit the way you use a laptop. | £1,099RRP · 13-inch, 16GB memory and 512GB storage, RRP recorded 12 Oct 2026 | Check price |
 Apple MacBook Pro 16 M5 Pro | An exceptional large work laptop with long battery life for demanding creative work, but far more machine than most homes need. | £2,699RRP · 16-inch, 24GB memory and 1TB storage, RRP recorded 12 Oct 2026 | Check price |
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Where our findings come from
We compared full reviews from TechRadar, Tom's Hardware and Expert Reviews. They used different battery, screen and performance tests, so we looked for conclusions that stayed consistent rather than presenting one laboratory number as the whole picture. Figures quoted here belong to the reviewer named, not to us. We did not test the laptop ourselves.