Intel's Upcoming Coffee Lake Processors Up to 30% Faster Than Kaby Lake Chips Coming to Mac Notebooks

[MacRumors]

Intel today said one of its eighth-generation "Coffee Lake" processors delivered more than a 30 percent performance boost over an equivalent seventh-generation "Kaby Lake" processor in recent testing. Both generations of chips are suitable for Apple notebooks, such as the 12-inch MacBook and MacBook Pro.

"We will have more to say about the 8th Gen Intel Core processor in the future but it's exciting to share that in the latest testing, we're seeing a performance improvement of more than 30 percent over the 7th Gen Intel Core processor," said Gregory Bryant, a senior executive at Intel.

Using the benchmark tool SYSmark 2014 v1.5 on Windows 10, Intel compared an unreleased Core i7 quad-core processor with an unspecified base clock speed, and Turbo Boost up to 4GHz, against its Core i7-7500U dual-core processor with a base clock speed of 2.7GHz and Turbo Boost up to 3.5GHz.

Both are 15W chips, creating the possibility of a quad-core 13-inch MacBook Pro with Coffee Lake in the future.

Intel aims to make its Coffee Lake lineup available to computer makers in the second half of this year, and the eighth-generation processors should provide the usual benefits of faster performance and longer battery life in future Macs.

Apple has yet to update its Mac lineup with Kaby Lake processors in the first place, but the company reportedly plans to announce new 12-inch MacBook and MacBook Pro models equipped with the seventh-generation chips at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference next week.

It's still too early to say when we'll see the first Mac with Coffee Lake, but it likely won't be until at least late 2017 or early 2018 given Intel's roadmap.

Earlier this year, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple plans to launch a nondescript "15-inch MacBook" with 32GB of desktop-class RAM. He said the notebook will enter mass production in the early September quarter, but it's uncertain if Coffee Lake processors will be readily available by then.

Intel today also unveiled its Core X-series processor family for desktop computers, ranging from quad-core options to the high-end Core i9 Extreme Edition with 18 cores. The processors, codenamed "Basin Falls," are "coming soon." More details and tech specs are listed in this fact sheet and slideshow.

Apple has promised to release a high-end iMac for professional users later this year, and Intel's new Core X-series processors appear to be appropriate for the desktop computer if the company wishes to use them. However, a rumor points towards Apple using Intel's Xeon E3 processors for at least some of the new iMacs.

Apple's current Mac lineup uses a mix of Intel's older Haswell, Broadwell, Skylake, and Ivy Bridge processors. Coffee Lake will be an iteration of Kaby Lake, based on a 14nm process, and it's not to be confused with Intel's upcoming "Cannonlake" processors based on an all-new 10nm process.

Article Link: Intel's Upcoming Coffee Lake Processors Up to 30% Faster Than Kaby Lake Chips Coming to Mac Notebooks

 

[macduke]

So does this mean we could see quad-core 13" MacBook Pros and six or eight core iMac Pros? Because that would be incredible. I've been waiting to get a new iMac so I can get a serious processor upgrade.

 

[A Hobo]

Coffee lake? What happened to cannon lake?

 

[geoff5093]

So if Apple refreshes the MacBook's next week, they'll be outdated again within a couple months?

 

[Markiie]

So if Apple refreshes the MacBook's next week, they'll be outdated again within a couple months?

Welcome to the world of tech.

 

[Koodauw]

Coffee lake? What happened to cannon lake?

Coffee sounds much more productive than a Canon, although I guess that depends on your needs.

 

[Techme0ut]

And the New updated MacBook Pros coming in June are outdated before they were even released LOL

 

[lysingur]

So if Apple refreshes the MacBook's next week, they'll be outdated again within a couple months?

Hate to break it to you: they're already outdated.

 

[chucker23n1]

Coffee lake? What happened to cannon lake?

Coffee Lake is a refinement of Kaby Lake. Same 14 nm process but various additions like six-core mobile CPUs.

Cannonlake is the move to 10 nm.

 

[imronburgundy]

See you 2019...

 

[mustang_dvs]

So if Apple refreshes the MacBook's next week, they'll be outdated again within a couple months?

That's the reality of technology -- the clock is ticking towards obsolescence before the product even ships and there's always something 'better' just over the horizon.

The fact is, if you need a laptop now, the one you can hold in your hand today/tomorrow is much better than the one you might be able to hold in 6 months.

 

[slimothy]

Welp, had planned to get a refreshed MacBook Pro after WWDC this year. Guess not. Wtf lol.

 

[Dan--]

I hope I'm wrong, but Apple always seems to drag their feet bringing in new processors for the Macbooks (pro or otherwise). I don't expect these to hit till 2018.

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

i9 with 18 cores should fly.

 

[Appleaker]

The 15W quad-core is confirmed for Coffee Lake!!!!!! I hope to see this in the 13" MBP, hopefully with a GeForce MX150 or AMD low power graphics card.

I'm also looking forward to seeing further performance gains in the 12" MacBook.

 

[GDF]

Agree - gets old. Always out of date and just keep doing to make new money.

So if Apple refreshes the MacBook's next week, they'll be outdated again within a couple months?

 

[2013.1]

Non Glossy iMac or iMac with top specs but small display .. please?

I guess I'll have to wait for the 2018 Mac Pro.

 

[chucker23n1]

Apple's current Mac lineup uses a mix of Intel's fifth-generation Broadwell and sixth-generation Skylake processors.

Well, the current Mac mini is Haswell, and the current Mac Pro is Ivy Bridge.

 

[NT1440]

How in the world are they getting 30% improvement (unless only in very specific scenarios)? Wouldn't that be the biggest processor performance leap in like a decade?

 

[bladerunner2000]

So if Apple refreshes the MacBook's next week, they'll be outdated again within a couple months?

They'll be outdated the day they're released;

Gimped GPU, soldered components, limited ports, insulting price tag, etc.

 

[Duane Martin]

Hate to break it to you: they're already outdated.

Uh, so the MacBook Pro that hasn't been released yet is outdated because of an Intel chip that is far from being released yet (see Intel's recent scorecard on hitting their own schedule or promised performance). Your comment doesn't make sense.

Apple cannot release a computer using a non-existent Intel chip, nor can they, in fairness, even design a computer based on a non-existent chip. This is not an Apple issue, go troll Intel.

 

[otternonsense]

Introducing the revolutionary 2019 MacBook Pro with Coffee Lake processors and no ports at all.

Charges from the bottom of the device, because courage.

 

[Jayderek]

Agree - gets old. Always out of date and just keep doing to make new money.

strange how that works isn't it? Those pesky new things keep coming along.

You must be very frustrated with a lot of things in life....appliances, TVs, cars...so annoying how improvements are always made

 

[Zirel]

Hate to break it to you: they're already outdated.

This is completely untrue.

Current MacBooks have the latest Intel and AMD chips.

7th generation wasn't released yet for HQ and U class, and probably won't be, also, it has the same micro architecture and the same process, it doesn't have any battery life or performance improvements, so it's a pure marketing gimmick.

 

[Appleaker]

So does this mean we could see quad-core 13" MacBook Pros and six or eight core iMac Pros? Because that would be incredible. I've been waiting to get a new iMac so I can get a serious processor upgrade.

Yeah quad-core 15W (U) and 18W (H) chips were rumored about 10 months ago, but the 18W were apparently cancelled and I feared the 15W quad-cores may be too. I am so glad that they aren't cancelled, and hope to see them in the 13" MacBook Pros. This may be a 3rd performance tier or maybe the whole line will go to 15W.

This chip may have the standard HD 720 graphics and not the Iris, which could mean we may see a dGPU in the 13-inch!
Something like the new GeForce MX150 (which has a configurable 15W-30W TDP) or a low power AMD card could be suitable.