AMD Details Radeon Pro Graphics in New 15-inch MacBook Pro Models

[leman]

But we are disputing this. Look at the Gigabyte AERO 14. It used a 970m last year with a bigger capacity battery to compensate. In a few weeks it will be a 1060m. Yes there are trade-offs and it's not perfect. So? It's nearly half the price for goodness sake... Buy from a store like GenTechPC or XoticPC and you can get a smaller machine which has 3x the power and 2x the storage and still save 500$.

The Gigabyte laptop looks very nice! I'm very impressed that they managed to pack both that huge battery and a power-hungry GPU into that thing. But its also a quite different design. Notice how the bottom of that laptop is basically one massive air intake vent. I wonder how long it takes until significant amount of dust gets in. Also, the reviews I saw point out that the system gets incredibly hot and throttling a lot. Its an impressive engineering feat, no questions, but there is too much focus on putting a beast of the GPU inside at all cost.

Anyway, as I have pointed out multiple times here and there, I am certainly not contesting the fact that the new MBP is crazy expensive. Nor the fact that there are better performing laptops for less money. However, it is also a fact that you can't get a laptop with equivalent specs (display, battery, mobility, connectivity, performance) from any competitor. Like at all. The MBP is a very well-rounded package, and because its cutting edge tech (especially that display), its going to be expensive. The prices will go down once the process is refined. Its the same as what we saw when the retina Macs were introduced.

 

[Feenician]

Intel is either struggling or purposefully slowing down introducing new chips

It's six of one and half a dozen of the other. Intel are smashing headlong into the limits of both process and the consequences of dragging along x86 legacy. On the other hand if they had truly viable competition from AMD, like when they were blindsided by K7, rather than the also-ran architectures AMD have been turning out for years you can be very sure they would have found a way to make more significant gains than they have.

 

[pratikindia]

The new MBPs should have a 512 GB SSD in the base model and Apple is going for 256. SSDs are cheap nowadays. Also different GPU options are not Apple style. Seems that Apple is a follower now. Previously, Apple was going with the best specification possible. Now a million options? At least they should have gone for a powerful GPU even if it would draw little more power. And the Touch Bar is a gimmick and distraction. With Touchpad/Mouse, the work will be easier.

 

[\-V-/]

I like how you casually dodge my main question. Razer affiliate

Literally the dumbest response ever. Calling someone something doesn't make it true. Others have used the DELL XPS as a comparable example and greglo just mentioned the Gigabyte AERO 14, which I wasn't even aware of. I used the Razer since it's the thinnest laptop I could think of that puts a ton of stuff in the chassis, like Apple does with theirs. I don't know how you can consider a direction answer as dodging. Do you even know what the word means? Seriously, the trolls this thread is accumulating is staggering.

 

[leman]

You could be right. I'd like to think that you're right, instead of the other thought that Apple purposely wanted to have three tiers of MBP's catering to different price points because that is lame.

So, to think that Apple had no choice but to be like every other company because of yielding issues is rather sad. But, also kind of normal. Still sad. Sucky. But, whatever. At least it's not like evil.

The problem what many people just fail to see is that Apple needs to operate on a massive scale. This also means supply constraints. For example, why didn't they use the Skylakes with iGPU? Or for what matters, why didn't they refresh the 15" MBP line earlier to use Skylake? In retrospective, I think the only reasonable explanation is that Intel was not able to deliver those CPUs in the quantities required by Apple, for a reasonable price. In regards to the GPU, I wouldn't be surprised if Apple just bought the entire Polaris 11 production supply of the next half a year

 

[Feenician]

Literally the dumbest response ever. Calling someone something doesn't make it true. Others have used the DELL XPS as a comparable example and greglo just mentioned the Gigabyte AERO 14, which I wasn't even aware of. I used the Razer since it's the thinnest laptop I could think of that puts a ton of stuff in the chassis, like Apple does with theirs. I don't know how you can consider a direction answer as dodging. Do you even know what the word means? Seriously, the trolls this thread is accumulating is staggering.

You have a pattern of making untrue assertions (OMG SO MUCH INNOVATION IN MS STUDIO SCREEN. OMG LOOK HOW COMPARABLE THIS MASSIVE, HEAVY GAMING PC IS TO AN MBP) and then resorting to calling people trolls/schills/stupid/ignorant when you called on your nonsense and you're backed into a corner. I don't block any posters here or anyone else but I sure know how seriously to take you at this point. Not at all

 

[leman]

Literally the dumbest response ever...

You'll have to admit though, that your attempt to say that a laptop with unusable battery life is comparable to a MacBook Pro is also not particularly intelligent

 

[Rockadile]

Literally the dumbest response ever. Calling someone something doesn't make it true. Others have used the DELL XPS as a comparable example and greglo just mentioned the Gigabyte AERO 14, which I wasn't even aware of. I used the Razer since it's the thinnest laptop I could think of that puts a ton of stuff in the chassis, like Apple does with theirs. I don't know how you can consider a direction answer as dodging. Do you even know what the word means? Seriously, the trolls this thread is accumulating is staggering.

Apparently you need an eye exam.

None of your responses answered my main question: "Why don't you buy it?"

 

[kk1ro]

So, Apple's ~3400€ 15.6" laptop has a Radeon Pro 460 with 1.86TFLOPS and 80GB/s of memory bandwidth.
Compare that to MSI's 1800€ 14" laptop, which has a GTX 1060 with ~3.5TFLOPS and 192GB/s of memory bandwidth.

Apart from the obvious benefits in gaming performance, the MSI laptop will be better at ANYTHING that even remotely accesses the GPU. Video editing, image processing, 3D modelling, etc. All of these things will objectively be handled almost twice as better by a laptop that costs half the price. It's ridiculous.

I was hoping Apple would give up its quest for thinness and would actually make a decent laptop for people who need beefy hardware (aka "The Pros"). Or, at least, introduce a not-so-beefy laptop at a decent price. But neither of these things happened. They introduced a laptop that is, at best, a mid-range performer at a uber high-end price.

And it's not like the customers are loving it. Even devoted Apple fans that were anxiously waiting for these machines will not be buying them. I'm one of them and I know dozens of others in areas that range from video editing to game development. Hell, just look at this thread on a Mac-fan site!

It seems that Apple has forgotten that their YoY results have a downward tendency. They know their Mac user base is shrinking and they're trying to milk the same profit out of a smaller user base, hence the higher prices. This is unsustainable in the long term and this kind of strategy will only help drive out even the most dedicated fans.

For now, my late-2011 MBP is still functional, so I have no real reason to upgrade (although I really wanted to, due to more recent technology available on these MBPs), but once this one dies (it's already on its second logic board, thanks to those amazing AMD cards...) I probably won't be sticking with Apple. First time since 2007 that I'm actually considering going back to Windows.

I hate saying this, but I believe Apple is in need of new and better leadership.

 

[\-V-/]

Apparently you need an eye exam.

None of your responses answered my main question: "Why don't you buy it?"

Why would I buy it? Because I was just using it as an example of comparable price to power ratio to show how expensive the current MacBooks are. Good grief dude. You can't be for real.

You'll have to admit though, that your attempt to say that a laptop with unusable battery life is comparable to a MacBook Pro is also not particularly intelligent

No offense, but you're being idiotic. 5.5 hours is fine. And as was pointed out on a previous page, the Gigabyte Aero 14 has 10 hours of battery life and is still much more powerful than the MBP. You're just looking for more idiotic ways to defend absolutely nothing. Go troll somewhere else.

 

[moxin]

when u dream of KabyLakes, DDR4 rams, and Nvidia 10X0 graphics and u get a 'courage' punch on your kisser from Apple

 

[FrozenDarkness]

it's the year 2016 and trolls still hang out on macrumors talking about specs

 

[Eightarmedpet]

Dude, it has FOUR THUNDERBOLT 3 PORTS. You can hook up any GPU externally like it was on a PCI 3 16-lane slot!! Hook up a Titan or whatever.

Good god you people are thick.

No need to insult people champ... some people don't know about eGPU options and others props feel that if you are spending at least 1.5k on a laptop you shouldn't have to buy other bits and bobs to make it work well.

However... I may be interested in an eGPU - whats the latest recommendation/resources? Was tempted by the Wolfpack thing on Kickstarter too (which is an eGPU).

 

[leman]

So, Apple's ~3400€ 15.6" laptop has a Radeon Pro 460 with 1.86TFLOPS and 80GB/s of memory bandwidth.
Compare that to MSI's 1800€ 14" laptop, which has a GTX 1060 with ~3.5TFLOPS and 192GB/s of memory bandwidth.

And again, at 1/3 of the battery life, at best. People, really, stop comparing the MBP to gaming laptops. Its a very different design purpose and therefor a very different result. Those machines excel at GPU performance compared to the MBP, no questions. But that also makes them suck at everything else. We are talking about a toy vs. a precise tool here.

 

[\-V-/]

No need to insult people champ... some people don't know about eGPU options and others props feel that if you are spending at least 1.5k on a laptop you shouldn't have to buy other bits and bobs to make it work well.

However... I may be interested in an eGPU - whats the latest recommendation/resources? Was tempted by the Wolfpack thing on Kickstarter too (which is an eGPU).

eGPUs actually work quite well, as long as the cards are supported either by native drivers or NVIDIA web drivers. Just make sure to do research on supported GPUs before you go that route.

 

[greglo]

The Gigabyte laptop looks very nice! I'm very impressed that they managed to pack both that huge battery and a power-hungry GPU into that thing... Its an impressive engineering feat, no questions, but there is too much focus on putting a beast of the GPU inside at all cost.

Anyway, as I have pointed out multiple times here and there, I am certainly not contesting the fact that the new MBP is crazy expensive. Nor the fact that there are better performing laptops for less money. However, it is also a fact that you can't get a laptop with equivalent specs (display, battery, mobility, connectivity, performance) from any competitor. Like at all. The MBP is a very well-rounded package, and because its cutting edge tech (especially that display), its going to be expensive. The prices will go down once the process is refined. Its the same as what we saw when the retina Macs were introduced.

You're right. I still think the MBPs are the best computers. But my 2011 MBP is thin enough for me, and I know that at the size today Apple could have done much better. Their thinness obsession is harming their products' ability.

I noted there were trade-offs in other laptops, and you're right that there is a focus on cramming in the GPU. But I believe that any company can take Apple's hardware and do a comparable job. They don't do so because their focus is different. They focus on features and performance. Apple focuses on form and build quality.

Today every laptop aesthetic and screen is measured against the MBP. Apple is to be commended for that. Conversely, why shouldn't Apple's computer power be measured against those companies?

We are used to compromising to get that "well-rounded package", but as I asked earlier, where does it end? Today it's 14% thinner and 20% less volume? Why not 7% and 10%? And for what? With each revision the compromises get bigger and bigger.

 

[Eightarmedpet]

After checking some benchmarks of the RX 460 sister GPU, the Pro GPU is actually not that bad considering how thin the laptop is and the limited space.

The only bad thing here is the price for the MBP.

Any links to this stats and any more details? Really curious about the GPU power but don't fully understand it all...

 

[Piggie]

Does anyone know how this GPU will perform when it's set up as Apple suggested in their presentation?
Powering it's own Retina Display, PLUS Two separately connected 5K LG displays all at the same time.

That would make a high end desktop with a proper full spec GPU sweat a bit, so isn't this suggestion by Apple going to kill the MacBook trying to do this at any speed?

 

[\-V-/]

so isn't this suggestion by Apple going to kill the MacBook trying to do this at any speed?

Yes. This GPU isn't designed for that.

 

[nuppieri]

this is the first time, since i read macrumors, i see so many people dissapointed with an apple presentation. more than that, is the first time i don't read someone finding a new move nice. iphone was already critical, but there was still people explaining, defending and accepting the audio output exil... now having the audiojack back on the mbp and without lighting, well... guess nobody can really defend this anymore.

 

[Rockadile]

Why would I buy it? Because I was just using it as an example of comparable price to power ratio to show how expensive the current MacBooks are. Good grief dude. You can't be for real.

Why go through the extra time to cut my post than?

So...there are THREE laptops that are what you're looking for.
Really no excuse to go buy one and quitting the banter, right?

 

[LimerickRunner]

The new MBPs should have a 512 GB SSD in the base model and Apple is going for 256. SSDs are cheap nowadays. Also different GPU options are not Apple style. Seems that Apple is a follower now. Previously, Apple was going with the best specification possible. Now a million options? At least they should have gone for a powerful GPU even if it would draw little more power. And the Touch Bar is a gimmick and distraction. With Touchpad/Mouse, the work will be easier.

I think with the Innovative Touch Bar, most fantastic thing since slice pan Apple are most certainly not followers and also you cant use plug their phones directly into their laptops. Innovation, cohesion and Apples eco system at its absolute finest.

 

[crsh1976]

Here we go again, slapping "Pro" labels all over to justify the price.

Wake up call: Radeon 450, 455 and 460 are low-midrange GPUs, Pro means nothing. Even the 460 ranks below Nvidia's new 1050 (non-Ti).

As for the 13-inch "choices", Iris 540 vs 550 - there's essentially no difference between the two, the 540 is used on 15W processors, while the 550 is used on 28W chips - performance-wise they're the same.

 

[garyleecn]

even the top of the line option still only has half of the power of that in last year's iMac, 3.7 vs 1.86

remember iMac is also using a mobile graphics chip

 

[kk1ro]

And again, at 1/3 of the battery life, at best. People, really, stop comparing the MBP to gaming laptops. Its a very different design purpose and therefor a very different result. Those machines excel at GPU performance compared to the MBP, no questions. But that also makes them suck at everything else. We are talking about a toy vs. a precise tool here.

I'm not comparing it to a "gaming laptop". I'm comparing it to a laptop that has much better internal hardware at a much lower price, regardless of its brand or purpose (imo, a computer's purpose is whatever the user defines).

The MSI has roughly half the battery life. 5-6 hours doing simple tasks like web browsing and word processing, according to most reviews.

It'd probably last 2 hours doing an intensive task such as 4K video editing or rendering a complex 3D scene. The MBP would probably last around 3 hours doing the same task. Not a huge difference, especially when you take into account that the MSI is twice as fast as the new MBP at pretty much every GPU-bound task!

The idea of "toy vs precise tool" is laughable at best. They're using the exact same system architecture. It's not like the MBPs are using Intel Xeon CPUs and ECC memory. There's no "precision" differences when it comes to their computing capabilities.