I currently own Macbook Air i5 2015 version and its being a bit slow for the task I'm doing, I'm a heavy chrome,phothoshop user and rely on gmail and extensions so 8gb ram is too little as is 128gb ssd. I was planning on buying the 2017 pro with 16gb ram and 256gb ssd but I've read somewhere that quad core version of coffelake is rumored to be released next year, I assume it will only be faster in multicore situations if true. I don't do much video edit but I might at some point. What do you guys think, should I go for this years model or wait and see what next one is up to?
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Buy 2017 pro with or wait for coffe lake?
- Thread starter end4ee
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No one knows until they do the press release, your guess is as good as anyones. The 2017's are very competent machines though. If you get stuck in the 'next year will be better' you may never buy a new device.
You've kinda answered the question whether upgrading now would be of benefit. Rumors are rumors. Sure - next years processors will be faster than this years, and the following year they'll be even faster still.
If you need it now get it now, if you can wait then wait. That's what people tell me, I've still got my 2011 MacBook Pro that I've been thinking of upgrading.
One thing I’ve learned being an Apple customer is if you keep waiting for the next upgrade you’ll never end up purchasing a product. The MBP 2017 just came out, go get one. They will last you at least a couple of years if not more.
I have 2015 15 "rMBP, and will wait to think about upgrading until the CoffeeLake machines are out. If the Intel benchmarks are to be believed, it is 30% faster than KabyLake.
Coffee Lake!?! No way... I hear the 2030 models are going to be way better.
All kidding aside... if you need a machine now to get your work done, go get one. If your current device is still serving you well, then hold onto it until the need arises. Coffee Lake sounds like a nice upgrade in performance and efficiency, but nobody really knows what the future holds.
Best of luck and let us know what you decide!
All kidding aside... if you need a machine now to get your work done, go get one. If your current device is still serving you well, then hold onto it until the need arises. Coffee Lake sounds like a nice upgrade in performance and efficiency, but nobody really knows what the future holds.
Best of luck and let us know what you decide!
My dad says the same thing when I ask if he will get the new iphone. He is already quoting rumors on a phone 2 generations away.
This coming from the same person who has the font size cranked up almost all the way yet wants to go back to a smaller screen on his next purchase.
I can think of several potentially credible reasons why the 13-inch MacBook Pro might NOT get a quad-core CPU anytime in the near future. Even if Intel manages to release the CPU in a timely manner, for a reasonable price, within thermal limits to permit its usage in existing form factors, and Apple is able to R&D their way through this process un-Apply fast, there is always the fact that a 13-inch quad-core MBP could wind up competing with their own 15-inch MBP for sales and Apple may not want to be the first company to dive into this market given the potential consequences that could arise.
What we do know for sure is that the 2017 13-inch MBPs made reasonably good CPU gains over the models they replaced. If your RAM compression is in the red, and your internal SSD is full, a 2017 with 16 GB of RAM and a 512 SSD would not be a bad investment - even if Apple does release a quad core MBP 13 sometime in late 2018 or early-2019, a 2017 model will still have good resale value (much like your current 2015 MBP does today.)
What we do know for sure is that the 2017 13-inch MBPs made reasonably good CPU gains over the models they replaced. If your RAM compression is in the red, and your internal SSD is full, a 2017 with 16 GB of RAM and a 512 SSD would not be a bad investment - even if Apple does release a quad core MBP 13 sometime in late 2018 or early-2019, a 2017 model will still have good resale value (much like your current 2015 MBP does today.)
The high end CoffeeLake processors have up to 6 cores, so their could still be a distinction between the 15 and 13" models. And then the high-end process are 45 watt units.
That's my exact configuration. 2017 w/ 512 SSD and 16GB of ram. It seems like the sweet spot for 13" mbps.
A quadcore i7 13 with 2 fans 4 USB-Cs sans touch bar would be a miracle move by Apple.
I have an Early 2015 MBP 13 inch and I have made up my mind, I am not upgrading until Tiger Lake. But that is because I know my future needs will be satisfied by my current setup. I have no plans to use the latest versions of Photoshop or Illustrator. iMovie is all the video editing I need and if I want, I can always install my Premier CS6. I understand your need to future proof, but it seems futile these days.
Apple doesn't have a predictable schedule anymore, since they are beholden to Intel. Since Coffee Lake is following a similar release schedule as Kaby Lake, Apple might repeat 2017 and not release updated MBPs until WWDC 2018. Thats a long wait to continue with your existing MB Air.
The reviews have been solid about the 2017 MBP, it seems to have overcome some of the issues with the 2016 model.
Apple doesn't have a predictable schedule anymore, since they are beholden to Intel. Since Coffee Lake is following a similar release schedule as Kaby Lake, Apple might repeat 2017 and not release updated MBPs until WWDC 2018. Thats a long wait to continue with your existing MB Air.
The reviews have been solid about the 2017 MBP, it seems to have overcome some of the issues with the 2016 model.
Are the 6-core offerings going to be released the same time as the others, or are these going to be phased into a release after the initial opening of Coffee Lake mainstream models?
Is moving the 15-inch MBP to a 6-core CPU and readjusting the pricing bracket of each model doable? I'm sure it is. Is it more profitable at this point in time than the alternative? That I'm not sure of. Is having an option for a dual core or quad core 13-inch and also the option for a quad core or 6-core 15-inch better than making the 13 exclusively quad and the 15 exclusively 6-core, or would this just further confuse buyers? Or could a 14-inch quad core MacBook Pro possibly bridge the gap or would it make purchasing decisions more overwhelming? Would this change drive many existing MacBook Pro buyers to other Apple (or non-Apple) offerings, or would it bring more non-Apple users into the ecosystem? Would the change be more positively (or negatively) received by current MBP Users if the 15 or the 13 were the first unit to get the upgrade? (I'd theorize a more positive reaction in-general if the 15 is upgraded first, and a more negative reaction in-general if the 13 is upgraded first.)
I'd be very interested to see some of the research Apple is probably doing on the topic given the potential consumer behavior implications likely are filled with fascinating findings!
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I am in the same boat. My 2010 MBP serves me well but I need a more powerful machine soon. What do you guys think of using the money to build a powerful desktop (that can also be turned into a hackintosh)and wait for a laptop that deserves to spend that much money on later on. In the meantime, if needed, maybe get a cheap and inexpensive ultraportable.
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Monday (Aug 21) is the official announcement for CoffeeLake which should provide the time frames for the various SKUs and better performance specs.
Apple will go for quad core in the next generation for sure. They may have a loyal user base, but will not be able to get away offering dual cores when even $800 cheap laptops from other vendors will be quad core: http://laptopmedia.com/news/acer-as...intel-core-i7-8550u-cpu-detailed-specs-price/
If there is one moment in the last seven years that it's worth waiting, it is now. Laptopmedia points to a 50% increase in performance in benchmarks.
Pretty much every pc from late 2017 foward that is not super low-end will be at least quad core, with a lot of hexa cores on laptops, and both hexa and octa cores on desktop space. Applications will start to get coded with this core-rich environment in mind. I don't think the future is bright for dual cores.
It may even be suitable for gaming using an eGPU, if that's your thing.
So, unless you absolutely cannot do without a new pc now, you should absolutely wait.
Since I've moved to Apple and enjoyed the increase in build quality, I've been an advocate of holding out and then maxing out specs as much as you are able. That's what I did for my mid-2014 mbp and I'm extremely glad I did, as I don't really feel like I'm missing out (yet) for these new models. But I think I'll succumb to the 2018 model and make another large upgrade, especially since all indications seem to point to Coffee Lake being a fairly substantial performance & efficiency improvement over Kaby Lake. I don't think I'll be able to pass up a juicy upgrade in battery life and weight reduction.
Wait till next week to see what intel launches. I have a hard time believing that can add 2 extra cores on 14nm and still stay within the same 45W. I'm hoping they launch a 10nm 4 core that was "45W" in 14nm and now is 25W or something, so you get what the current models have in processing power at lower power consumption and heat.
Yes, I agree. This was my first Apple Laptop I have owned and so far I haven't encountered any of the issues presented with the 2016 model apart from the ticking sound from the speakers.
We've known for 12 months, (pre-2016 MBP for perspective) that Intel is working on suitable quad-core chips, and Apple must have had insider knowledge about this or at least prepared. But it's not a big deal, as we also know they will have the same TDP as existing chips and thermally should be similar, not to mention the pricing will be around the same, if not identical. We know that it's very unlikely for there to be release delays.
The 15" will still have it's advantages, and why would it compete with that when the 15", CPU-wise, would have a six-core chip?
A quad-core 13" is coming, and by what you're saying, it'll be sooner than you're expecting.
mmm. Tim Hortons. Wish we had those in California. I always stop at one of those when I am in Vancouver or Toronto. I love their little pastry items and strong coffee.
