Can't wait for Haswell! Assure me all is fine...

[1stKnight]

Hiya,

Well, my Late 2008 MBP 15 is just not coping with the my business tasks anymore and it needs updating.

I use a desktop PC mainly but need a portable solution too and my MBP has served me well since early 2009 but struggling a bit now.

I wanted to wait until October for a new all-singing-and-dancing MBP 15 with Retina and Haswell but I'm now off on a business trip overseas for 2 weeks, leaving this Sunday, and my laptop is failing. 😱

Sooooo, I need to get a new one urgently and that means...the current model.

Given that the Late 2013 model updates are pure speculation at this time apart from the expected Haswell, just how much of a performance leap is it really expected to be? I'm not concerned with battery life as it will be on mains most of the time, just speed.

My work stuff will run fantastically for the next couple of years or more on a 2.7 i7 with 16GB memory and if I can play Diablo 3 on the 650M with a decent FPS and resolution when bored between Meetings then it should be just fine.

I do photography as a hobby so the Retina screen is a plus I want and so, had the Late 2013 model not been expected, I would probably have bought the current model already.

I live in the UK so the price is £2299 - no discounts there it seems. So can anyone with the current model re-assure me that it is still a great performer? 😀

I guess I'm being silly as it must be a decent leap over my 2008 model anyway!

 

[Archon]

Have you tried updating the HDD to an SSD drive like a Samsung 830/840?

I think that's a better bet in the short term if you're worried about the next model so close to release.

I have last year's 2.7 with 16GB or RAM and it sings man. SINGS!

 

[phillyfan9090]

Hiya,

Well, my Late 2008 MBP 15 is just not coping with the my business tasks anymore and it needs updating.

I use a desktop PC mainly but need a portable solution too and my MBP has served me well since early 2009 but struggling a bit now.

I wanted to wait until October for a new all-singing-and-dancing MBP 15 with Retina and Haswell but I'm now off on a business trip overseas for 2 weeks, leaving this Sunday, and my laptop is failing. 😱

Sooooo, I need to get a new one urgently and that means...the current model.

Given that the Late 2013 model updates are pure speculation at this time apart from the expected Haswell, just how much of a performance leap is it really expected to be? I'm not concerned with battery life as it will be on mains most of the time, just speed.

My work stuff will run fantastically for the next couple of years or more on a 2.7 i7 with 16GB memory and if I can play Diablo 3 on the 650M with a decent FPS and resolution when bored between Meetings then it should be just fine.

I do photography as a hobby so the Retina screen is a plus I want and so, had the Late 2013 model not been expected, I would probably have bought the current model already.

I live in the UK so the price is £2299 - no discounts there it seems. So can anyone with the current model re-assure me that it is still a great performer? 😀

I guess I'm being silly as it must be a decent leap over my 2008 model anyway!

i feel for you. im in the same boat, leaving for college in a week and have no choice but to get this years model.

 

[GSPice]

Would it be too much of a hit to purchase the laptop now, maybe even a refurb, then sell it to buy the new Haswell when it comes out? Sometimes I catch myself forgetting that I don't need to keep a new laptop for 5 years.

 

[1stKnight]

A temp new SSD won't make enough difference. Buying and selling with a hit? Possibly. A hassle though methinks.

If the new laptop has a 10% overall speed difference then it wouldn't be worth waiting for in my case - wish I knew! lol

 

[phillyfan9090]

Would it be too much of a hit to purchase the laptop now, maybe even a refurb, then sell it to buy the new Haswell when it comes out? Sometimes I catch myself forgetting that I don't need to keep a new laptop for 5 years.

i would do that but i just think everyone will try to sell their macbook pros when haswell comes out. then ultimately, you lose more than you expected because theres a lot more rMBPs for sale

 

[GSPice]

i would do that but i just think everyone will try to sell their macbook pros when haswell comes out. then ultimately, you lose more than you expected because theres a lot more rMBPs for sale

Not really, if you're expecting it. I mean there's obviously going to be depreciation, but its not as bad as all that - it's not like used 2012 rMBPs are going to flood the market when Haswell is released. Maybe on Macrumors, but globally, not as much.

----------

A temp new SSD won't make enough difference. Buying and selling with a hit? Possibly. A hassle though methinks.

If the new laptop has a 10% overall speed difference then it wouldn't be worth waiting for in my case - wish I knew! lol

I'm going to buy the Haswell rMBP this fall, and if there's a Spring 2014 refresh that crushes it, I'll trade up and eat the depreciation - with the intention of course of keeping that one for a few years.

 

[1stKnight]

Well, my thinking tonight, is that I'll pick up a new MBP 15 Retina (2.7 i7, 16GB, 512 SSD etc) tomorrow.

And then, if I feel the need, replace it next year with the March or October model. 😀😀😀

 

[pppppenguin]

Well, my thinking tonight, is that I'll pick up a new MBP 15 Retina (2.7 i7, 16GB, 512 SSD etc) tomorrow.

And then, if I feel the need, replace it next year with the March or October model. 😀😀😀

I'm pretty sure you won't notice an ounce of difference cpu wise re haswell vs ivy

however...

did I read somewhere about apple putting in a different ssd into the new haswell mbpr's? something nearly twice as fast at the bus compared to what is in currently matching that of the air? not entirely sure about this one but it certainly seem feasible and I would image you would notice the difference in intensive tasks.

battery life... meh.. it's high as it is. If it really is of concern this could be a deal breaker but I'm not sure about you... for me it certainly isn't.

GPU... yea if they are going to get rid of the discrete 650m and go solo with the HD 5000 then this is going to be a sheer drop in performance. diablo doesn't run brilliant at mid settings on a mid res as it is so less performance than this certainly would be a deal breaker for me and probably you too.

as a sign off I'd get the 2013 as it doesn't look like you'll be missing much (from what we know) and if the discrete chip goes in the new rmbp then you'll really be losing out; if it doesn't... well... you'll have a machine supremely faster than what you have now and certainly no less capable than what you would have waited for.

enjoy

 

[1stKnight]

Yeah, not concerned about battery life at all.

Well, I'm going to go out in the next hour and buy a new MacBook 😀

My Dad has a 4 year old laptop in his holiday apartment in Portugal and, as my business partner too, he has suggested this morning that I leave the one I purchase today there next year on one of my visits and purchase a March or October '14 MacBook for myself.

So essentially my business is buying two new MacBooks - one today and one next year. I get to keep the one purchased next year and use the one I get today until then so it's a win-win for me after all! 😎

 

[maflynn]

Sounds like a plan but won't you be facing the same conundrum next year as we wait for Apple to refresh the line again 😉

 

[1stKnight]

Sounds like a plan but won't you be facing the same conundrum next year as we wait for Apple to refresh the line again 😉

Haha, it's an ongoing cycle! I have run my Late 2008 model since early 2009 so shouldn't be a worry. I just got caught up in the whole Haswell thing!

 

[gangzoom]

I've recently upgraded from a 2008 MacBook Pro to the current i7 Retina with SSD. The difference is amazing, I planned to keep on using the 2008 as a back up machine...but its been sitting under my desk gather dust for the last few months.

There is always something better round the corner, but trust me you will not be disappointed by the current Retina MacBook pro. Your love it 😀

 

[anotherarunan]

On the 15inch - you probably wont notice the CPU speed. The SSD speed will be slightly faster however again not life or death.

Haswell will bring about battery benefits - but thats not your priority - so go for the current gen!