# Is it worth upgrading from M3 or M4 to the M5 MacBook Pro?

> Expert advice on whether to upgrade to MacBook Pro M5

*Published: 2026-03-26 | Updated: 2026-03-26 | Source: https://shopsavvy.com/answers/macbook-pro-m5-worth-upgrade-m3-m4*

---

## Product: MacBook Pro 14 inch, M5 10CPU 10GPU 32GB Unfied Memory, 1TB SSD Space Black
**Brand:** Apple

Whether upgrading to the [MacBook Pro M5](https://shopsavvy.com/products/183703d4-c8a1-95bb-3819-ec04d4186691) is worth it depends on your current chip and how you use your Mac.

## Upgrade Recommendations by Current Chip

| Current Chip | Recommendation |
|--------------|----------------|
| M1 or M2 | **Strongly recommended** |
| M3 | **Recommended** |
| M4 | Only for GPU or AI heavy workloads |

## M3 to M5: Strong Upgrade

| Improvement | Gain |
|-------------|------|
| CPU | ~20-25% faster |
| GPU | Substantial improvement |
| AI performance | ~7x faster |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 (vs Wi-Fi 6E) |
| Base storage | 1TB (vs 512GB) |

Two generations of cumulative improvements make this a worthwhile upgrade for most users.

## M4 to M5: Incremental Upgrade

| Improvement | Gain |
|-------------|------|
| CPU | ~10% faster |
| GPU | ~38% faster |
| AI performance | ~3.5x faster |
| Battery life | Essentially same |

**Upgrade if you**: Edit video, do 3D graphics, game, or use AI tools regularly.

**Wait for M6 if you**: Primarily do productivity work (web, email, documents).

## Who Should Definitely Upgrade

- M1 or M2 users (multi-generational gains are substantial)
- Anyone experiencing performance limitations
- Video editors, 3D artists, or game developers
- Users who rely on AI-powered features

## Financial Considerations

Check [Apple Trade-In](https://www.apple.com/shop/trade-in) values before deciding. Trading in an M3 or M4 MacBook Pro can offset a significant portion of the M5 cost.

## Should You Wait for M6?

The M6 is expected to bring larger architectural changes. M4 users who are not in a hurry may benefit from waiting. M3 and earlier users should upgrade now rather than wait.

## Real-World Impact

| Task | M4 to M5 | M3 to M5 |
|------|----------|----------|
| Productivity | Minimal | Minimal |
| Video editing | Meaningful | Very noticeable |
| Gaming | Meaningful | Very noticeable |
| AI workloads | Significant | Very significant |

---

*Where this comes from: This answer is based on ShopSavvy's product database, real-time pricing from thousands of retailers, and analysis of user reviews to give you a well-rounded picture.*