Cyber Monday Apple M5 MacBook Pro $1,349 Cheaper Than M4

The highlight Apple sale from Cyber Week remains available: the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the new M5 chip is just $1,349 for the 512GB model, lower than any comparable-size 2024 M4 version still selling for more everywhere else this week. It’s not something you see very often: the latest generation dropping to slightly less than last year’s model, even at this late date when the holiday dust has barely settled.

Why this deal is so appealing for a new MacBook Pro

A 16% discount on a brand-new MacBook Pro is rare. Traditionally, new Apple laptops don’t receive more than a single-digit to low-teen discount, and not until late winter, according to price-tracking data that deal analysts often refer to. The newest M5 iPad Pro, for comparison, peaked around this season at up to 10% off; the MacBook Pro’s discount is all the more notable as a result.

Retailers will often post headline MacBook prices to rope in shoppers during Cyber Week, but these are usually older or underpowered configurations. Such a recent-generation, performance-oriented Pro machine at historic discount pricing while inventories are still healthy is the exception to the rule.

M5 vs. M4: What the price gap means for buyers

Early independent benchmarks that popped up in reviews and on database trackers like the Geekbench Browser seem to confirm the M5 family offers a substantial CPU-efficiency and GPU-throughput boost over M4, as well as a quicker Neural Engine for doing AI-related workloads right on devices. That means faster exports in creator apps, snappier code compiles, and more headroom for multitasking.

On a more practical note, workflows relying on ProRes or HEVC hardware acceleration, Metal-optimized effects, or machine-learning tools in software like Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Affinity Photo, and Xcode are the biggest winners here. If you’re comparing an outgoing M4 model at that or a higher price, the added generational runway of M5 — in addition to early-bird savings — skews the value equation toward the newer chip.

What you get for $1,349 with the 14-inch MacBook Pro

This is the 14-inch MacBook Pro with a 512GB SSD, and you can get it in silver or space black. You get the Liquid Retina XDR mini‑LED display with ProMotion up to 120Hz, three Thunderbolt 4/USB‑C ports, HDMI, an SDXC card slot, and MagSafe 3 — exactly the collection of ports that mobile creators and developers usually ask for.

Apple’s own battery estimates for the 14-inch Pro line generally fall within the all‑day range under mixed workloads, and recent Pro models have lived up to those numbers in third-party testing from sites like Notebookcheck and The Verge. The upshot: even with the performance boost, the M‑series’ emphasis on efficiency translates to impressive unplugged productivity.

How it undercuts the 2024 M4 model on price and value

M4 clearance configurations have had incremental discounts, but many still price out over $1,349, particularly for the 512GB ones. That creates an unusual but welcome situation where the newest silicon is actually the smarter buy on pure price-to-performance grounds — which we usually don’t say until well into a product cycle.

Deal watchers note that when a new chip family comes in, the previous generation tends to take a dip first. Instead, what we saw this Cyber Week was aggressive promotional spend on the M5 MacBook Pro, flipping the usual script — a move consistent with retailers favoring headline-grabbing doorbusters amid robust laptop demand mentioned by outfits like IDC during peak shopping windows.

Who should buy this deal and who ought to hold off

If you are a video editor, process high-resolution photos, run data-science notebooks, or compile code, grabbing the M5 at this price is low-risk, high-reward. Between the machine’s media engines, new GPU architecture, and AI acceleration, you’ve got more growth headroom than a closeout M4 at the same price.

Hold out if you require a larger 16-inch panel, greater internal storage as standard, or certain memory configurations that could offer less of a discount. Also account for things like education pricing and trade-ins; while these might not top a doorbuster outright, they can stack favorably if the Cyber Week stock dwindles.

Smart checkout tips to protect your MacBook Pro deal

Make sure the listing is sold and shipped by the retailer itself for easy returns, and photograph or screenshot the price to support any price-protection claims. (If you think customers can’t do that — Apple invitations aside — a person picking up your Mac who offers to buy a warranty using their credit card and then transfer the newly covered laptop back to you for cash is able to survive until your 61‑day cutoff.) Factor in AppleCare within the standard period if you want accidental-damage coverage, and pay with a card that extends the standard warranty or offers price protection in case there are post-sale price fluctuations.

Bottom line: a strong MacBook Pro M5 price after Cyber Week

The M5 MacBook Pro at $1,349 is one of those Cyber Monday deals that still looks good after the dust settles — 16% off a brand-new flagship that’s already less than many 2024 M4 listings. If a 14-inch pro-grade macOS laptop is on your shortlist, now is the time to act.