Benchmarks for New 13-Inch MacBook Pro Beat MacBook Air, Previous MacBook Pro by 10-15%

[MacRumors]

Last week, Primate Labs summarized its Geekbench 2 database results for Apple's new MacBook Air and 15-inch MacBook Pro models, but did not address the 13-inch MacBook Pro as not enough data had been collected at that time.

But over the past week more data has come in, and the firm now shares its results which show the new 13-inch models are yielding approximately 10-15% higher Geekbench 2 scores than both the corresponding previous-generation 13-inch MacBook Pro models as well as the current 13-inch MacBook Air models against which they are directly competing.

The latest MacBook Pros offer a nice increase in performance over the previous MacBook Pros. Both the Core i5 and the Core i7 Mid 2012 13-inch MacBook Pros are over 10% faster than the equivalent Late 2011 13-inch MacBook Pros. Some of the increase is from higher processor speeds, while some of the increase is from the improved Ivy Bridge processor architecture.

The latest MacBook Pros also offer a nice increase in performance over the latest MacBook Airs. The Core i5 13-inch MacBook Pro is 10% faster than the Core i5 13-inch MacBook Air, while the Core i7 13-inch MacBook Pro is 15% faster (and $100 cheaper) than the Core i7 13-inch MacBook Air.

The popular Geekbench tool also provides a glimpse into the relative popularity of various models, and with the 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air coming in at the same base price points at both low and high ends, the frequency with which those machines appear provides an interesting perspective on how customers are deciding between the two lines.

At the low end, Primate Labs notes that the MacBook Air is showing up in the database twice as frequently as the MacBook Pro, suggesting that budget-conscious consumers are opting for the slimmer form factor of the MacBook Air as a primary factor in their decision-making. But the ratio is reversed at the high end, with the MacBook Pro appearing twice as frequently as the MacBook Air, as may be expected as the market shifts more toward professional users looking for high performance as their primary criterion.

Article Link: Benchmarks for New 13-Inch MacBook Pro Beat MacBook Air, Previous MacBook Pro by 10-15%

 

[Baklava]

No surprise.

 

[Digital Skunk]

Glad to see that new technology is faster by the exact margin everyone predicted it would be long before Ivy Bridge Macbook Pros were released.

Can't wait to see the benchmarks for the "NEW" MacPro.

 

[rafaltrus]

This temptation... Although my Early-2011 MBP has a "low score," I am not selling it and getting the Mid-2012 version. I think(!) it's not worth it...

 

[ppdix]

hmmmmm... My Mac Pro does 21000 on GeekBench 2...
Apple doesn't realize a laptop will NEVER be able to keep up with a real Pro machine... This makes me even more disappointed that they don't seem to care about their fastest Mac...

 

[charlieegan3]

So

so the 13" was the most popular laptop in previous years, an update to this is important.

 

[ppdix]

Glad to see that new technology is faster by the exact margin everyone predicted it would be long before Ivy Bridge Macbook Pros were released.

Can't wait to see the benchmarks for the "NEW" MacPro.

The "NEW" Mac Pro is the same as my 2010 Mac Pro... It's unreal...
Still a 2 year old Machine with a 9-year old design, beats any of the latests iMacs and Mac Book Pro's...
I really can't wait for a new one.

 

[NextGenApple]

A 10% increase over a 2011 is very minimal would be crazy to spend money just for a 10%-15% on a 2012 model. Great if your coming from something lesser than a 2011 MBP or picking this up for the first time

 

[Lindberg]

How big is the improvement of upgrading the 13 MBA to i7 CPU? The chart doesen't say anything about that.

 

[TallManNY]

I usually wish they would throw in a few other platforms when they publish this stuff. Like throw an iMac in there or a Mac Pro. I know I can figure that out, but it would be easier if the graphics showed a platform you might actually be using while considering an upgrade to a 2012 laptop.

They should also throw some older and popular models on the comparison. Seriously, I don't know anyone who upgrades their laptop every year or every two years. So except for some very hardcore folks, who owns a 2011 laptop and is considering buying a 2012? I'm considering replacing my 2007 macbook this year. But since it still runs Lion like a champ I certainly don't need to.

 

[Digital Skunk]

A 10% increase over a 2011 is very minimal would be crazy to spend money just for a 10%-15% on a 2012 model. Great if your coming from something lesser than a 2011 MBP or picking this up for the first time

That's where it really counts nonetheless. Making the jump from a Ver 2 to a Ver 3 is nonsense unless absolutely needed. Going from a Ver 1 to a Ver 3 or even Ver 4 gives you a much greater increase and bang for your buck.

 

[omgitswes]

This confirms that this upgrade isn't really worth it....for me at least
Hopefully I can find a 15" from late 2011 new at a nice discount

 

[charlieegan3]

...or picking this up for the first time

...or getting a retina display.

 

[azentropy]

How big is the improvement of upgrading the 13 MBA to i7 CPU? The chart doesen't say anything about that.

Both the new 13" MBA i5 (6108) and i7 (6785) are listed.

 

[whiteonline]

Intel Core mobile processor is faster than Intel ultra low voltage processor.
Shocking.....

 

[Jibbajabba]

Newer generation CPUs are quicker ?

Blimey .....

 

[junkster]

Here's the thing: performance benchmarks for laptops no longer matter. Or at least there's absolutely no reason to benchmark laptops that get super hot and loud when you take advantage of all the processing power that's available.

Remember, people were returning the high-end 2011 MacBook Pro because of heat and fan noise issues, exchanging it for the lower specced model (e.g., http://www.marco.org/2011/09/20/heat-and-fan-issues-with-2011-15-inch-macbook-pro).

Whenever benchmarks like these get posted, there should be a decibel level, ambient temperature, and battery life estimate that goes alongside them.

 

[mukade]

I dropped my cash for a new 13 inch Air with 8gb memory.

I love my 2010 Pro, but it is just too bulky to hump around, and I do the heavy work on my 27" iMac.

The new Retina looks great, but I don't work with video or photos, so the high-res screen is just a luxury.

The 2012 Air is still a good upgrade from the core 2 duo Pro.

 

[AustinIllini]

Seriously, I don't know anyone who upgrades their laptop every year or every two years. So except for some very hardcore folks, who owns a 2011 laptop and is considering buying a 2012? I'm considering replacing my 2007 macbook this year. But since it still runs Lion like a champ I certainly don't need to.

I can't think of anyone except Howard Stern. But I guess I should be honest. I bought a PC a little over a year before I switched to a Mac. It was a terrible computer, though!

 

[AppleGuesser]

What?? I really expected to see the new 13 inch MBA under perform....Give me break, this is a story?

 

[TheMacBookPro]

This just in: new computer is better than old computer!

 

[mrklaw]

are these benchmarks CPU only? If so, the MBA will feel faster than the pro due to the SSD.

Also, the i7 13" MBP is $100 cheaper than the equivalent MBA? So - $100 is a small price for thinner, lighter, faster in day to day use and with a higher screen resolution

 

[iSee]

the frequency with which those machines appear provides an interesting perspective on how customers are deciding between the two lines.

Not really, because the sample only incudes people who post Geekbench results, which is wildly unrepresentative of the general Apple lappy customers.

 

[Adidas Addict]

Apple doesn't realize a laptop will NEVER be able to keep up with a real Pro machine...

Idiotic sentence of the day.

 

[carmenodie]

Zzzzzzzzzzz!
Those benchmarks aren't real world test. The testers use some kind of software to achieve a score but in the real world sh** ain't that easy.