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With Apple's Mac lineup beginning to show signs of aging, consumers are no doubt starting to wonder when they can expect updated models to hit the market. Apple's product update cycles are in large part driven by availability of new processors, so it pays to take a look at Intel's roadmap to see what might be coming when to give Apple new options for upgrades.

The MacBook Air is currently the older of Apple's two current notebook lines (setting aside the non-Retina MacBook Pro that has been reduced to a single 13-inch model and hasn't been updated since June 2012). Apple's ultrathin notebook currently offers a choice of two low-power 15-watt Haswell chips to help achieve remarkable all-day battery life. Entry-level models include a 1.3 GHz i5-4250U chip, while higher-end models bump up to a 1.7 GHz i7-4650U processor. Both chips include Intel's "Iris 5000" integrated graphics that offers reasonable everyday performance in a power-efficient design.

According to an Intel roadmap leaked by VR-Zone [Google Translate], a successor to the current low-end chip is set to launch in the third quarter in the form of an i5-4260U Haswell refresh, presumably carrying just a small speed bump compared to the current chip. Another alternative for Apple could be the 1.4 GHz i5-4350U or its just-announced successor 1.5 GHz i5-4360U. The 4350U chip has been available since last year, but Apple elected not to use it in the current MacBook Air. The high-end MacBook Air situation is less clear, as leaked roadmaps have not yet shown a direct successor to the current i7-4650U chip.


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Article Link: Intel's Processor Roadmap Leaves Uncertainty for Apple's 2014 Mac Updates
 
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Razeus

macrumors 603
Jul 11, 2008
5,348
2,030
If Apple does another CPU chip change to their own ARM, I'm going to be pissed. :mad:

But then again, so we really need faster chips at this point for the average Facebook, email, & Spotify consumer? Nope. We need more optimized software.
 

KylePowers

macrumors 68000
Mar 5, 2011
1,688
197
'tis quite strange we've yet to see the Mac Mini make the jump to Haswell.

But as someone who recently got a late 2013 rMBP, I'm eagerly awaiting a Thunderbolt Display refresh. An iMac-like profile, reduced glare, Thunderbolt 2.0, and USB 3.0 would sure be delicious!
 

yossi

macrumors 6502
Nov 26, 2004
315
1,085
Perhaps Apple will surprise us with new MacBooks running an A14 processor.
 

wwchris

macrumors regular
Nov 13, 2009
154
164
Atlanta, GA
Well, this is a timely article! I have been waiting to purchase a new, high end 15-inch retina Macbook Pro thinking there would be a minor upgrade next month. Like maybe a 755m graphics chip(over the current 750m) and a slight processor upgrade. Sounds like that is not going to happen. Guess I'll go ahead and buy one.
 

unplugme71

macrumors 68030
May 20, 2011
2,827
754
Earth
If Apple does another CPU chip change to their own ARM, I'm going to be pissed. :mad:

But then again, so we really need faster chips at this point for the average Facebook, email, & Spotify consumer? Nope. We need more optimized software.

I agree. I strongly believe we can see HUGE performance gains with properly written, tested, and optimized software. I can honestly believe it'll be a performance gain similar from a Core 2 Duo to a current gen i5 or i7 chip speed.

Some software is so bloated and slow its absolutely amazing no one cares to re-write it.

----------

Sideways upgrade to better power efficiency and a price cut would make sense given the shrinking market for laptops and desktops.

I could see Apple dropping another $100 going forward. Unless of course newer technology requires a price increase or ability to maintain current price.

----------

I'm personally holding off for Broadwell. I'm due for an upgrade early-mid 2015.
 

Nozuka

macrumors 68040
Jul 3, 2012
3,527
5,996
Or they might just wait. Its no problem for Apple to still sell "old" Hardware and it's not like someone else is getting those Broadwell Processors before they do.
 

koban4max

macrumors 68000
Aug 23, 2011
1,582
0
apple is sad...just sad...
apple should have a big update for each year rather than minor spec bump.

Maybe need to focus more on MP.
 

foobarbaz

macrumors 6502a
Nov 29, 2007
863
1,921
These delays always seem to be exactly at those times I'm in the market for an upgrade... :/

Either way, I'm waiting for a MacBook with 32GB RAM, cost be damned.
 

jbyun04

macrumors 6502a
Aug 31, 2008
556
55
Canada
If Apple does another CPU chip change to their own ARM, I'm going to be pissed. :mad:

But then again, so we really need faster chips at this point for the average Facebook, email, & Spotify consumer? Nope. We need more optimized software.

There was an interesting conversation I heard a while ago and it was regarding speed on phones.

Does it need to get faster? Probably not, but that's not what it's about anymore. It's about battery life. The faster a user can get their tasks done, the more time the phone will theoretically spend in idle mode and save battery life.
 

teknikal90

macrumors 68040
Jan 28, 2008
3,343
1,892
Vancouver, BC
If Apple does another CPU chip change to their own ARM, I'm going to be pissed. :mad:

But then again, so we really need faster chips at this point for the average Facebook, email, & Spotify consumer? Nope. We need more optimized software.

+1 I've been watching house of cards...and honestly, the experience is so much better on my iPad than my macbook pro. despite the macbook pro having a quad core i7 vs. the A6x chip on the ipad
the macbook pro gets hot on my lap, runs out of battery much quicker and takes more steps to do what i want it to do.

the iPad is quickly becoming my main computer.
 

brianvictor7

macrumors 65816
Oct 24, 2013
1,054
429
United States
One way or the other I am hoping to see the MBPr updated. They seriously need to double their internal SSD to 256 GB for the low end model and double the RAM to 8 GB. At that point, I'm happy enough paying $1300. Not pleased with paying $1500 for brand-new.
 

dilbert99

macrumors 68020
Jul 23, 2012
2,193
1,829
If Apple does another CPU chip change to their own ARM, I'm going to be pissed. :mad:

But then again, so we really need faster chips at this point for the average Facebook, email, & Spotify consumer? Nope. We need more optimized software.

Faster processing is always welcome for processing home movies and games
 

guzhogi

macrumors 68040
Aug 31, 2003
3,725
1,804
Wherever my feet take me…
I don't know about Intel's roadmap. However, with the MBAs, rMBPs, and Mac Pro all using the PCIe SSD, I could see iMacs & Mac Minis getting them next update. Make both a little skinnier.

As for the ATD, it needs to get updated to TB 2, USB 3, made thinner like the current iMacs, and maybe up the resolution. It's weird that my 15" rMBP has a higher resolution than a 27" display. Maybe not a pixel doubling, but at least 4K resolution.

Plus, as I said before, I think Apple should really merge the MBA & MBP line. To me, there's not enough differentiation between the 2 lines. Have 11", 13" & 15" or maybe 12" & 14". Plus, if the MBA gets retina and Apple does its standard 2x the resolution, the 13" MBA will have a higher resolution than the 13" rMBP. That'll confuse a lot of people.
 

Peace

Cancelled
Apr 1, 2005
19,546
4,556
Space The Only Frontier
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Apple's ARM chips will be in Macbook Air's.

That's one of the reasons for making the 64-bit chip.

Just watch. WWDC2014

;)
 

randian

macrumors 6502a
Jan 15, 2014
777
352
Whenever there is a shrink to a smaller microarchitecture. Broadwell will introduce 14 nm.
You prefer process over architecture when deciding when to upgrade? I'm the opposite myself. Unfortunately Intel has signficantly slowed down its tick-tock cycle, to more like 18 months from tick to tock rather than 12 as originally envisioned. Skylake is going to be very late.
 

Razeus

macrumors 603
Jul 11, 2008
5,348
2,030
If I wasn't into photography, shooting RAW, I wouldn't even have my iMac. Photography is the only reason I would need such a beefy machine.

I don't game anywhere near what I used to several years ago (I was on PC then obviously) so the need to have the fastest chips is lessened (what was worse is that even with the fastest graphics and CPU's, the games weren't optimized and STILL slow). If I do need to game, I have a console. Not the graphics fanboy I used to be.

That's my point, the average consumer (meaning a user who's main apps is a Facebook, email, Spotify, and a few casual games, maybe read a few books), an iPad and iPhone is all you need. Easily portable, connected, with all your media available to you, fast, and rarely needs to be rebooted.
 
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