Any upgrades for rMBP in 2018?

[augustya]

Hi Guys !

Macrumours is reporting through Digitimes that the rMBP will not have any major upgrades in 2018. But it says it can have some minor upgrades. Do you see this minor upgrades happening ? And what kind of minor upgrades can we look at ? More better battery or something ?

 

[Glmnet1]

I think we can expect newer CPUs and GPUs and maybe a revised keyboard for better reliability.

 

[augustya]

I think we can expect newer CPUs and GPUs and maybe a revised keyboard for better reliability.

Oh cmon Man ! That's like a complete overhaul I don't think we will see any design changes !

 

[Glmnet1]

Oh cmon Man ! That's like a complete overhaul I don't think we will see any design changes !

I'm not talking about any redesign. Updated CPU and GPU is a pretty standard yearly minor upgrade.

Some report that the keyboard has reliability issues. It was improved last year and it could be improved again this year. Nothing most users will notice but it would mean less keyboards breaking.

 

[afir93]

Oh cmon Man ! That's like a complete overhaul I don't think we will see any design changes !

Lol that's in no way a complete overhaul. The CPU and GPU are updated in pretty much every single new MBP iteration, and conversely MBP updates have always been tied (to a more or lesser extend) to Intels release scheme, so having the 8th generation of Intels chips aswell as some kind of GPU improvement in the 2018 models is pretty much a given. If that alone amounted to a "complete overhaul" as you say then every single MBP update would be a complete overhaul.

Also improvements in the reliability of the keyboard wouldn't require a complete redesign of the keyboard. The 2017 MBPs in fact already made some under-the-hood improvements to the keyboard which (according to what the general consensus seems to be) improved reliability a bit; I'd expect similar changes on that front in the 2018 models aswell. This wouldn't change much on the user-end of things (the typing experience would mostly remain the same) but they'd be less prone to breaking, which seems to be one of the biggest issues of the 2016/17 models right now.

In regards to your original question, most people expect to see quad core chips in the 13" MBPs and hexa core chips in the 15" models which might be quite an improvement. I'd expect some other minor changes like the inclusion of the iMac Pro's T2 chip replacing the current T1 one, but outside of that I wouldn't get my hopes up for anything major. There were some rumors/leaks a while back about a new dynamic keyboard with E-Ink screens on the individual keycaps but how likely this is to appear in the 2018 models, I don't know.

 

[tkwolf]

a revised keyboard for better reliability.

Quite literally the ONLY thing that's holding me back form upgrading right now. MBP for 2018 better have revised keyboards, preferably one that does not fail.

 

[casperes1996]

Some report that the keyboard has reliability issues. It was improved last year and it could be improved again this year. Nothing most users will notice but it would mean less keyboards breaking.

I find your suggestion likely, aside from the keyboard part. Since they, as you mention, redid it last year, I'd imagine they're done with that for now. – I will mention though that slightly faster SSDs is also an option for a minor year-by-year spec-bump.
[doublepost=1516027422][/doublepost]

In regards to your original question, most people expect to see quad core chips in the 13" MBPs and hexa core chips in the 15" models which might be quite an improvement. I'd expect some other minor changes like the inclusion of the iMac Pro's T2 chip replacing the current T1 one, but outside of that I wouldn't get my hopes up for anything major. There were some rumors/leaks a while back about a new dynamic keyboard with E-Ink screens on the individual keycaps but how likely this is to appear in the 2018 models, I don't know.

Regarding the chips;
That's if Apple don't opt for using the Intel with Radeon Vega M GH/LH chips. I personally don't think they will, but I also woulddn't be too surprised if they did for at least a single configuration. They're quad core CPUs (from the 8th gen) with a Vega GPU on package. Can be configured with between 65W and 100W. Obviously no way the 100W model, but 65W would be well within the cooling limits of the 15" rMBP, since it's right now cooling a 45-47W CPU as well as a GPU of at least 30W (I don't know the GPU's TDP).

I also only think the T2 chip is likely to be in there, if it's cheaper to put in than the T1. Otherwise I think you'll have to wait for a redesign for that. It might be cheaper though, since you wouldn't need a separate SMC chip.
The e-ink thing I'd call entirely unlikely

 

[augustya]

I mean yes under the hood non visible changes like keyboard being more stabilised or reliable is plausible and yes minor CPU and GPU upgraded goes without saying ! I would be awe struck the day Apple goes OLED for its rMBP displays ! That would be something ! When do you guys see that happening ?

 

[Alakagom]

Apple is a fashion brand. When they say no major upgrades it probably means in aesthetics. The only reason half the people I see bought the touchbar macbook was just to show off and difrentiate from the older type.

I am pretty sure Macbooks will get 8th Intel cpus, I don't think they want Windows based laptops makers flout how much faster they are compared to the Macbooks.

 

[Poki]

I would be awe struck the day Apple goes OLED for its rMBP displays ! That would be something ! When do you guys see that happening ?

That would certainly be interesting! But judging by the fact that today there are fewer OLED notebooks than a year ago (in fact, I think the one from Alienware is the only one still in production), it seems that the supply is still very tight. Maybe in time for the next redesign 2020? Probably later though.

 

[casperes1996]

I mean yes under the hood non visible changes like keyboard being more stabilised or reliable is plausible and yes minor CPU and GPU upgraded goes without saying ! I would be awe struck the day Apple goes OLED for its rMBP displays ! That would be something ! When do you guys see that happening ?

Between 2020 and 2024

 

[augustya]

I will have some more toys to play with when I grow that old in 2020-2024 lol !

 

[casperes1996]

yes minor CPU and GPU upgraded goes without saying

How major or minor these changes are, has more to do with Intel, AMD and in unlikely circumstances Nvidia. And Intel could have a nice bump with 2 extra cores for all machines. On the GPU front, AMD will also be going to a smaller fab-node, so we'll also see a decent bump there

 

[Glmnet1]

Apple is a fashion brand. When they say no major upgrades it probably means in aesthetics. The only reason half the people I see bought the touchbar macbook was just to show off and difrentiate from the older type.

I am pretty sure Macbooks will get 8th Intel cpus, I don't think they want Windows based laptops makers flout how much faster they are compared to the Macbooks.

While that's true, I think a big reason why aesthetics changes are always considered a major upgrade is because it requires more work to redesign, test the durability of the design, big changes to the manufacturing process etc.

Also for a lot of users better specs mean nothing at all. A lighter/thinner device or a better screen is something they can see so that's what they want from an upgrade.

 

[Fishrrman]

Is it time yet to start the thread:
"The new MacBook Pro is almost certainly coming" ....?

 

[ZapNZs]

I think we can expect newer CPUs and GPUs and maybe a revised keyboard for better reliability.

I think this is a reasonable prediction. Major updates to the masses seems to entail a change in physical looks, and even radical under the hood changes don't seem to be interpreted as 'major'.

 

[leman]

Macrumours is reporting through Digitimes that the rMBP will not have any major upgrades in 2018.

Not really, its just Macrumours failing at titles (or making obvious clickbaits). All that report says is that Foxconn is getting to build more Mac laptops. And of course we won't get a redesign this year, the current design is still more then relevant. But I am more then sure that Apple will get major updates, once Intel finally get their act together.

 

[technole]

One should know by now that Apple doesn't consider generational processor updates as "major". It's pretty easy to take it up a generation, upgrade to faster bus RAM, and/or SSDs. Every year we get a token model that gets cut in-price where the savings get passed to the customer.

Major is an entirely new design.

 

[casperes1996]

One should know by now that Apple doesn't consider generational processor updates as "major". It's pretty easy to take it up a generation, upgrade to faster bus RAM, and/or SSDs. Every year we get a token model that gets cut in-price where the savings get passed to the customer.

That certainly depends on whether or not the TDP stays roughly the same or not.

 

[augustya]

Do you guys see perhaps a better Battery could be included ?

 

[afir93]

Do you guys see perhaps a better Battery could be included ?

It's certainly possible. Some days ago someone posted this thread on the Apple Reddit where he made some predictions and calculations on what battery capacities the 2018 models could theoretically get, given the decrease in size of other internal components thanks to the new Intel 8th generation chips and other things. I'll leave the link down below for anyone who wants to retrace his math, but the conclusions he arrived at were:

• 4 core CPU on the 13" with a 69 Whr battery which would result in about 14 hours of use. "The 13" MacBook Pro will get a 4core CPU with Vega 20 GPU using Kaby Lake G, using the space savings to boost battery life to an amazing level."
  
  6 core CPU in the 15" with a 100Whr battery which would result in about 12 hours of use. "The 15" MacBook Pro will likely get a 6 core CPU with Vega 24 GPU, skipping those space savings since it can achieve 100Whr without it."

Again this are his numbers, not mine, and while it's questionable if Apple is going to go out all the way like he predicts and uses the internal space to its fullest potential remains to be seen, but given the internal space savings, it seems very likely that Apple makes at least some improvements to the batteries. From a technical- aswell as user-perspective there is no reason for Apple not to catch up in terms of battery life with what many other notebooks offer.

https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/7qku3d/oc_analysis_predictions_for_2018_macbook_pro/

 

[augustya]

I am sure with the tantamount amount of battery complaints that the rMBP has had after Apple has included the touch bar in the rMBP especially the 15" I am sure a better battery in the 15" rMBP would be a heartiest welcome for all the 15" rMBP users !!

 

[Falhófnir]

It sounds like it is literally going to be a chip bump and perhaps a price drop or configuration adjustment year - perhaps they will start the $2,399 model with 512GB storage, and the $2,699 model with 768 or 1TB, or knock $1-200 off the prices but keep the storage tiers the same. If there is any battery improvement it will stem from the chips and I don't see the 8th gen offering an extra hour so it won't be advertised.

 

[Queen6]

Spec bump, and Apple will try to improve the keyboards reliability little else.

Q-6

 

[Poki]

It sounds like it is literally going to be a chip bump and perhaps a price drop or configuration adjustment year - perhaps they will start the $2,399 model with 512GB storage, and the $2,699 model with 768 or 1TB, or knock $1-200 off the prices but keep the storage tiers the same.

I'd have guessed a price drop too, but seeing that the 15" Surface Book is the same price (or more expensive in the US) than the similarly specced 15" MacBook Pro makes me think Apple would be comfortable keeping the prices where they are.