New 13-Inch MacBook Pro Sans Touch Bar is Marginally Faster But More Efficient Than Last Year's Base Model

[MacRumors]

Benchmarks for Apple's new 13-inch MacBook Pro without the Touch Bar are beginning to collect on Geekbench, providing a closer look at the notebook's performance improvements and energy efficiency.

The entry-level model, powered by a Skylake-based 2.0GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, currently has an average multi-core score of 6,970, indicating the notebook is only up to 7% faster than the early 2015 base model 13-inch MacBook Pro. Last year's comparable model, equipped with a Broadwell-based 2.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, currently has an average multi-core score of 6,497.

The late 2016 model is also slightly faster than last year's mid-range 13-inch MacBook Pro, while slightly outperformed by the higher-end model.

The notebooks are each calibrated against a baseline score of 4,000, which is the score of Intel's high-end Core i7-6600U processor.

While the performance improvements are negligible, the new 13-inch MacBook Pro sans Touch Bar's 15-watt chip is more energy efficient than the 28-watt chip in last year's entry-level model. The lower power consumption gives the 2016 base model comparable battery life to last year's model despite having a smaller 54.5-watt-hour battery versus the 74.9-watt-hour battery in last year's comparable.

Given that the non-Touch Bar model's 6360U chip would typically be appropriate for the MacBook Air, the new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar should be a more accurate comparable to last year's base 13-inch model. However, it is also $500 more expensive. Benchmarks for that model should be available next month when Apple begins shipping the Touch Bar notebooks to customers.

Article Link: New 13-Inch MacBook Pro Sans Touch Bar is Marginally Faster But More Efficient Than Last Year's Base Model

 

[Hyperion0808]

Brutal. Years waiting.......for this.


No reason to rehash all the reasons why, you guys know them all.

 

[vvs14]

Buying the 2015 Retina MBP is turning out to be a masterstroke...

 

[BootsWalking]

Performance per watt is much higher but is offset by a lower clock speed and a smaller battery. The net result is a thinner and lighter notebook that is about the same speed as last year's with no improvement in battery life. Not sure how many users will find value in the upgrade from the 2015 model - might appeal to those with earlier models though, who were due for an upgrade anyway.

 

[meaning-matters]

I've concluded: Under Jobs we received explanations for design choices. Currently: No word about leaving MagSafe behind, no logic for the non-industry-standard audio output on iPhone 7, not a word about the MBP's headphone jack (probably too scared to mention), ...

Jobs' explanations were also fabulous: "The problem with them is really sort of in the bottom 40 there." talking about plastic keyboards on 'smart' phones during iPhone's introduction.

Explanations we now get are 'courage' or Ive's 'making it thinner, lighter and more powerful' that's conflicting with adding a touch screen for example (MR post today).

Change triggers natural resistance and needs reasons to be accepted. Apple doesn't explain=sell their changes/choices any longer.

 

[BrockC]

So disappointing

 

[8692574]

Unapologetic!

 

[gpat]

I only wish I had bought a Retina 13" Pro in 2013 instead of my Air... No matter, I'll keep my Mac anyway for the time being.

 

[JM-Prod]

So, the only improvement is being thinner, and maybe a bit lighter? Fascinating.

 

[8692574]

So, the only improvement is being thinner, and maybe a bit lighter? Fascinating.

And it comes in different color

 

[AyeGear]

New Macbook Pro start-up chime is here:

 

[BootsWalking]

Thinner notebook, fatter margins.

 

[El Cabong]

So...
(1) no performance improvement
(2) no battery life improvement
but
(3) slightly thinner

Sounds about right.

 

[d5aqoëp]

So we got all fluff improvements and they forgot the old school REAL improvement by making it crunch data faster.

Maybe this MBP is targeted to crowds who are newly discovering Apple stuff and who don't care as long as things get done and they look cool sporting latest available Apple product.

The traditional jaded crowd of iMac and MBP are long forgotten. Most have moved on to serious Windows 10 based PC. Ignoring telemetry stuff, Windows 10 is turning out to be one fine OS.

 

[Labeno]

This takes "courage"... wait... is this a jedi mind trick?

 

[al_bundy]

Removing features and charging more is an awesome business model.

 

[chucker23n1]

Well, this model really replaces the 13-inch Air, not the 13-inch Pro. So a fairer comparison is against the 2.2 GHz MacBook Air, which scored 6561 in Geekbench. 6.2% boost.

 

[miknos]

What about the difference in Graphics Card? The sans-touchbar uses a 540 iris. The one with touchbar, 550.

 

[Ghost31]

And it comes in different color

Yeah. "Dark silver". Thanks apple! And which space gray is this? From which iphone or which ipad? Most of us would have liked a "matte black" option like the iphone. But that would show TOO MUCH consistency with the rest of their brand

And i honestly dont know what to think anymore. As an apple fanboy, i keep trying to justify the new macbook like "ok its expensive, but at least it has a cool touchbar!" That i realize I wouldn't use much. Or "at least its thinner! But...its barely any faster than last year's model". It seems like when you've made slight improvements at such DRASTIC compromises, the price shouldn't go up at all. AT ALL. Like ok its thinner...but the speed just isn't there. So market it as "the same as last year. But thinner and better design and THATS why you should buy the new one for the same price". But do they do that? No

I dont know why anybody would buy this at this price. It's just nuts

 

[Hanzu Lao]

Same performance and pain in the ass with peripherals. Awesome. And extra price increase.

 

[peteo]

The entry-level model, powered by a Skylake-based 2.0GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, currently has an average multi-core score of 6,970, indicating the notebook is only up to 7% faster than the early 2015 base model 13-inch MacBook Pro. Last year's comparable model, equipped with a Broadwell-based 2.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, currently has an average multi-core score of 6,497.

Can innovate my a**

 

[pat500000]

 

[Ghost31]

Well, this model really replaces the 13-inch Air, not the 13-inch Pro. So a fairer comparison is against the 2.2 GHz MacBook Air, which scored 6561 in Geekbench. 6.2% boost.

Not if you're calling it a "pro". Saying 'it replaces the air' doesn't really mean anything when you've jacked up the price and called it a pro. We are livin in the twilight zone man

 

[enc0re]

Considering it's a 15W part, I wish this one was equipped with Kaby Lake. It's unrealistic to expect it for the other models. The higher W parts haven't been released yet. Skylake is current, not "old" or "outdated" as some unreasonable posters claim.

But Kaby Lake's built in support for certain codecs would have combined nicely with the lower clock speed and greater emphasis on battery life. It would have made the base model the ideal "stealth buy."

 

[69Mustang]

Imagine the new 13" MBP with a battery capacity similar to that of the older 13" MBP...

"I'm sorry, what was that?... It's thinner you say?"

Makes sense.