13" rMBP: 2.4 vs 2.6 vs 2.8

[rnielz]

I already placed an order for a 13" rMBP with 16GB, 256GB, the 2.4GHz options but I'm wondering if I should cancel and upgrade the processor.

I'm thinking there isn't much performance increase between the 3, especially since they're all dual core but I'm wondering if I should go up to the 2.6 since it is only $90 more.

Mostly I'm going to use the laptop for web and coding, but I might play some steam games and maybe even run a VM. Ideas?

 

[simon48]

How many years are you planing on keeping it?

 

[rnielz]

I'm hoping to get at least 3 years out of it if I can.

 

[simon48]

This post has some early CPU benchmarks. As you can see it's not a large percentage change between the different clock speeds. It shouldn't affect gaming much at all as the GPU will probably be the first to bottleneck.

 

[johnnylarue]

This post has some early CPU benchmarks. As you can see it's not a large percentage change between the different clock speeds. It shouldn't affect gaming much at all as the GPU will probably be the first to bottleneck.

So does that extra 0.2GHz have any practical, real-world benefit whatsoever? Or is it purely a marketing/sales thing?

 

[1BadMac]

The 2.4 multicore results in that article / post are pretty low. I've repeatedly run Geekbench in 32bit mode and routinely get 5600 - 5670. Which is where I would expect it to be comparatively.

 

[simon48]

So does that extra 0.2GHz have any practical, real-world benefit whatsoever? Or is it purely a marketing/sales thing?

Not really unless you do a lot video encoding or something similar.

 

[iamthedudeman]

The 2.4 multicore results in that article / post are pretty low. I've repeatedly run Geekbench in 32bit mode and routinely get 5600 - 5670. Which is where I would expect it to be comparatively.

Yes they are, really low. In 64bit mode you would get around 6700 or more. Those numbers are off. Way off. I don't think they are legit. I am getting around 9000 with the i7 haswell 2.8 13 macbook pro.

This is a macbook air haswell and it gets 8300!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgygkW-zVpM

Last years 13 retina macbook pro i7. Which was ivybridge. Gets 8700.

http://www.everymac.com/systems/app...7-3.0-13-early-2013-retina-display-specs.html

You mean to tell me that the Air i7 is faster then the 13 haswell macbook pro! Not it is not. I know so since i have that processor.

The processor would make a difference if your are doing encoding, the i7 the most since the bigger cache would speed things up a bit. That is why I went with the i7.

16GB is way overkill espicially with mavericks. I would get the better i7 if you do any encoding at all. And no 0.2 is not everything that matters when comparing processors. The i7 has a larger cache and slightly faster GPU than the 2.4. And a larger cache and slightly faster clock than the 2.6.

The processor will benefit you right now. Not two years from now. Future proof is useless. Get what will be usefull to you now. Not three years from now.

Read this and then tell me if you need 16GB ram.

http://appleinsider.com/articles/13...avericks-aims-to-free-ram-extend-battery-life

 

[ioannis2005gr]

I'm hoping to get at least 3 years out of it if I can.

so, give additional 100$ and go with 2.6GHz i5 for your machine "future-proofing"...

 

[vpro]

Good luck.

Go all the way, max it right out, if it has problems often enough, you send it in often enough before year expires, then you get a totally free system, who knows? It's happened to many of us on here.

Just splurge and enjoy!

 

[ioannis2005gr]

... you send it in often enough before year expires... It's happened to many of us on here.

What do you mean? Are you talking about IR issues with the monitor?

 

[rnielz]

I see your point on the 16gb of ram being overkill. I looked into maxing out the processor on the 13" and it puts me within $200 from the base 15". I like the form factor of the 13" for using it on the couch but the 15" i7s run laps around the 13" offerings. If the $300 jump is worth it to go to the i7 on the 13" then I'm assuming another $200 is worth it to go to the 15"? I think I need to go back to the apple store and play around...

 

[jealousguy86]

I'm still unsure if it's worth it to me to upgrade to 2.6 for the 13". Usually I do mostly web browsing, music, torrents and netflix. I would like to do more photo/video editing in the future with this too. Maybe even learn Logic Pro at some point.

Right now I'm used to a pretty slow 2008 MacBook so anything will be better, but I need to justify upping to 2.6.