Personally, I’d just wait. However, while the wait would probably be short for the iMac, it might be a long, long time for a decent (quad-core Intel) update the MacBook.
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Corporate Perks - MacBook or MacBook Pro?
- Thread starter Dave245
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I will certainly be waiting until WWDC to see what's announced, they might just update most of the Mac's at WWDC like they did last year, however if certain Mac's are not ready they could just wait until October and update them all then? they use to hold October events and announce Mac's but that seems to have changed in the last couple of years. Personally i think it would be nice to see a design change for the iMac.
The 12" MacBook i'm not sure if anything is ready for that yet, but if it's only going to be a small update i'm thinking it might just be worth getting one of the current versions after WWDC if nothing is announced. It's difficult to say what will happen because last year was a BIG WWDC in terms of product announcements which doesn't always happen so will Apple do the same this year or not is the question.
Instead of worrying so much about it, be realistic.
What are you honestly going to use it for... its an ultrabook not a desktop replacement. You already have an 27" iMac which is more powerful so for any decent tasks thats a better machine, if your looking to buy a newer iMac then why worry about the performance of the macbook as long as it is smooth then it doesnt need to do much else?
Sounds like internet, email, video when your in a pinch. The macbook absolutely excels at this. 1080p is a breeze.
If im brutely honest with the news that has come to light quads arent coming any time soon to the macbook, not this year anyway. In the past its been a 2 year turn around for dramatic increases. With the news of the newer processors for the macbook being shelved until 2019 I doubt apple will update it at all now, not worth it theres not much draw for people to upgrade. Upgrading the to TB3 would be awesome but I dont think its enough for apple to make a 2018 version.
So really if you consider if you buy currently you will probably get 12 months at least without any updates can you wait 12 months? Is what you need it to do out of the relms of the current machines? No. With the expected specs make a dramatic difference to what you want it to do, yes and no. It will be faster and more capable but honestly how often will you be rendering with it, even with a quad it isnt going to be even close to a mid range current imac and we looking 12 months in the future.
I enjoy using my macbook its perfect for browsing, email, social media and media consumption. With recent updates it has sprung back to life, lightroom works a treat considering it benches at 2500 and 4500 its significantly slower than any mac currently for sale yet is only a 2015 version, yet works great. Going forward it will be exactly the same for current products.
When I need to do work I far prefer a desktop experience, it makes me focus i have far more power at my disposal and a much larger screen. I would take that everytime over the macbook yet the macbook is so thin and light there is 0 penalty for taking it anywhere so I take it everywhere and have a fully fledged desktop OS machine thats the size of an ipad... Its a fantastic compromise.
With the above its worth being realistic with expectations. There is no best machine at everything you use machines for specific tasks.
Current macbooks are awesome as they are when you consider the below.
Although the CPUs arent the same wattage for the power draw they are beyond impressive and like I said previously the 1.3 i7 is almost within 10% of the macbook pro 3.5ghz i5 at less than half the power draw. They are both hyperthreaded... the macbook pro will have better sustained power but in day to day I dont think it will be one bit noticeable.
macbook i7 1.3
https://browser.geekbench.com/macs/422
macbook pro i5 3.1
https://browser.geekbench.com/macs/415
macbook m3 3523 6669
macbook i5 3610 6968
macbook i7 3930 7608
macbook pro 3.1 i5 4203 8860
I think the i7 is a personal preference, its roughly 10% more powerful that the m3 and 8% over the i5 so not crazy. That being said getting anywhere near a 10% increase is pretty good in this day and age. When you consider its single core is faster than the current mac pro... a workstation... That being said the m3 is certainly the bargain of the range but you cant get the 512 ssd.
For the upgrade from the i5 to i7 its £127 more with your perk its not worth worrying about.
Its a tough one. In the current line up I would buy the macbook without doubt the 13 just isnt worth it imo for the power and cost. The fully speced laptop is £1752 512 16 i7 or £1624 for the same with the i5. I think thats relatively good for a super polished lightweight product that can do everything you want.
That been said if they dont update the macbook but upgrade the macbook pro I would buy a 13" macbook pro instead.
The quads that will likely come out in the macbook pro 13" will murder the current dual cores in the MB and MBP in the speed side. Looking at similar results to the current 15" slightly better single but around 15000 multi with a high tier i7 chip and with hyperthreading you will get 8 threads which is dramatic for a 13" device.
This year is finally the year for the 13" macbook pro. The top end will most likely be the i7-8559U which is a 2.7 with turbo to 4.5 which will be a screamer if they can keep it cool.
For those improvements I would take the 13" with 4 ports and if the pricing structure is similar to the current for the TB 13" with 4 ports it will be around £2100 for 512 16gb and a mid range i5 which will be a quad core with hyperthreading. Thats roughly 50% multicore and 20% single core speed improvements over the i7 macbook with faster graphics for a 30% increase in weight. In the grand scheme isnt that heavy anyway 1.37kg macbook pro vs 0.92 macbook.
Another good compromise in speed and weight.
The 13" will finally be a decent go to machine.
In 6 weeks we will know either way. What ever happens there will be a product for you I think.
What are you honestly going to use it for... its an ultrabook not a desktop replacement. You already have an 27" iMac which is more powerful so for any decent tasks thats a better machine, if your looking to buy a newer iMac then why worry about the performance of the macbook as long as it is smooth then it doesnt need to do much else?
Sounds like internet, email, video when your in a pinch. The macbook absolutely excels at this. 1080p is a breeze.
If im brutely honest with the news that has come to light quads arent coming any time soon to the macbook, not this year anyway. In the past its been a 2 year turn around for dramatic increases. With the news of the newer processors for the macbook being shelved until 2019 I doubt apple will update it at all now, not worth it theres not much draw for people to upgrade. Upgrading the to TB3 would be awesome but I dont think its enough for apple to make a 2018 version.
So really if you consider if you buy currently you will probably get 12 months at least without any updates can you wait 12 months? Is what you need it to do out of the relms of the current machines? No. With the expected specs make a dramatic difference to what you want it to do, yes and no. It will be faster and more capable but honestly how often will you be rendering with it, even with a quad it isnt going to be even close to a mid range current imac and we looking 12 months in the future.
I enjoy using my macbook its perfect for browsing, email, social media and media consumption. With recent updates it has sprung back to life, lightroom works a treat considering it benches at 2500 and 4500 its significantly slower than any mac currently for sale yet is only a 2015 version, yet works great. Going forward it will be exactly the same for current products.
When I need to do work I far prefer a desktop experience, it makes me focus i have far more power at my disposal and a much larger screen. I would take that everytime over the macbook yet the macbook is so thin and light there is 0 penalty for taking it anywhere so I take it everywhere and have a fully fledged desktop OS machine thats the size of an ipad... Its a fantastic compromise.
With the above its worth being realistic with expectations. There is no best machine at everything you use machines for specific tasks.
Current macbooks are awesome as they are when you consider the below.
Although the CPUs arent the same wattage for the power draw they are beyond impressive and like I said previously the 1.3 i7 is almost within 10% of the macbook pro 3.5ghz i5 at less than half the power draw. They are both hyperthreaded... the macbook pro will have better sustained power but in day to day I dont think it will be one bit noticeable.
macbook i7 1.3
https://browser.geekbench.com/macs/422
macbook pro i5 3.1
https://browser.geekbench.com/macs/415
macbook m3 3523 6669
macbook i5 3610 6968
macbook i7 3930 7608
macbook pro 3.1 i5 4203 8860
I think the i7 is a personal preference, its roughly 10% more powerful that the m3 and 8% over the i5 so not crazy. That being said getting anywhere near a 10% increase is pretty good in this day and age. When you consider its single core is faster than the current mac pro... a workstation... That being said the m3 is certainly the bargain of the range but you cant get the 512 ssd.
For the upgrade from the i5 to i7 its £127 more with your perk its not worth worrying about.
Its a tough one. In the current line up I would buy the macbook without doubt the 13 just isnt worth it imo for the power and cost. The fully speced laptop is £1752 512 16 i7 or £1624 for the same with the i5. I think thats relatively good for a super polished lightweight product that can do everything you want.
That been said if they dont update the macbook but upgrade the macbook pro I would buy a 13" macbook pro instead.
The quads that will likely come out in the macbook pro 13" will murder the current dual cores in the MB and MBP in the speed side. Looking at similar results to the current 15" slightly better single but around 15000 multi with a high tier i7 chip and with hyperthreading you will get 8 threads which is dramatic for a 13" device.
This year is finally the year for the 13" macbook pro. The top end will most likely be the i7-8559U which is a 2.7 with turbo to 4.5 which will be a screamer if they can keep it cool.
For those improvements I would take the 13" with 4 ports and if the pricing structure is similar to the current for the TB 13" with 4 ports it will be around £2100 for 512 16gb and a mid range i5 which will be a quad core with hyperthreading. Thats roughly 50% multicore and 20% single core speed improvements over the i7 macbook with faster graphics for a 30% increase in weight. In the grand scheme isnt that heavy anyway 1.37kg macbook pro vs 0.92 macbook.
Another good compromise in speed and weight.
The 13" will finally be a decent go to machine.
In 6 weeks we will know either way. What ever happens there will be a product for you I think.
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Dave, with all respect. You've spent months and months talking and worrying about this. I've offered my advice many times as a long term MacBook user. My MacBook i5 is my ONLY computer. I run my own digital marketing business from it. I earn a living from it!!!!!!!! I had the M5 before that and a late 2009 MacBook before that - which still runs!
Go with your gut feeling and buy the Mac that you feel you are drawn to. But you're really worrying about something that does not exist.
Buy one and if you don't love it. Return it.
Go with your gut feeling and buy the Mac that you feel you are drawn to. But you're really worrying about something that does not exist.
Buy one and if you don't love it. Return it.
Thank you for the detailed explanation that does help
as far as the MacBook is concerned I plan on using it for just light tasks, for example I do a lot of writing in a day usually within Final Draft and or Pages, I also write for a blog. I do some light editing but nothing that’s professional in the sense of making a living out of it, I edit as a hobby and sometimes to help out friends in which case I often use my iMac. Up until I visited the Apple store last Friday I was kind of set on getting a MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, however when I tested out the 12” MacBook in the store and had a play around I was really surprised at how much I could get done on that small screen (especially under the “more space” open in the display settings), it seems like the perfect portable to carry around with me when I’m working, ie around the house, to a friends or a meeting when we collaborate on writing projects and so on.
As for the iMac I currently have a 2012 new thin design model, yes it still works i can do most tasks on it to be honest I was just thinking about upgrading to a 5K iMac because the screen sounds amazing compared to my none retina model.
In regards to the specs of the MacBook I was thinking of getting the 16GB Ram upgrade and either the i5 or i7 processor as I plan on keeping it for a number of years.
Obviously this could change if Apple update them at WWDC or announce the rumoured 13” version of the MacBook. At this point I kind of feel like I should of got a MacBook last year when Apple updated them instead of waiting around like a fool
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Yes I have, probably close to a year to be honest as I remember last years update with the 16GB Ram option.
This is just the apple life, there will always be a rumor or a new product potentially on the horizon or not in some cases where you have to wait years for a new product. Ive waited 10 years for a comparable mac pro to my 2010 in hindsight I wish I had just bought a trash can and at least had 5 years of using it instead I bought another product that suited my needs. Business doesnt wait, time is not a factor you can get back.
I guarantee as soon as these are replaced the rumor mill will start for the 2019 products.
If a new one comes out you dont have to keep it, try it for 2 weeks return it or buy a pre-owned one for half the price like I did and if your not happy sell it and buy another. At least then you might feel like your putting a fair wad upfront for something your not sure about.
Its not the end of the world and the spiral is no good for anyone, sometimes you just have to bite the bullet. You will soon know if its for you.
Its not a humongous investment where you will loose loads of money. Putting your money in macs will show the best return come resale. PCs get next to nothing in comparison. Money doesn't seem to be the issue really as your talking about potentially spending another 2-3k on an iMac which like you say for your uses is overkill but if you want to why not.
To me it sounds like your chasing specs vs your needs.
Reading macrumors really can make it a lot cloudier because you have people who are happy and people who arent and its so easy to be pulled toward one sticking point that may not even be relevant. Being drawn into the convos between actual pros and consumers and dreamworld workflows where you think I need that... but in reality... If your livelihood was based on what a machine could do for you then it would be a different convo where minutes mean £ and over a period of time they add up.
Perfect example for me, im a photographer videographer and graphic designer. My current mac pro takes 4-5 seconds to render a preview of a 24mp image every time I zoom into 100% on lightroom for small adjustments. I shoot weddings and events and edit thousands of images a month. Say I edit 500 wedding images in an afternoon and zoom in once per image that an extra hour added to my workflow. 50mp images, forget it like watching paint dry. I zoom in many many times per image with adjustment brushes etc Thats where these advantages come into play.
Apple havent made a product perfect for me for 10 years until they brought out the iMac pro (even thats not perfect but as close to) so for the last 3 years ive been using Dell workstations with Nvidia quadro cards which are more for just one component than the whole macbook is. With these there is no lag at all so it saves me a days work every week editing. That time is basically a day I can spend with my family instead of working, that is the difference. Seconds and minutes on a project per month is going to make no difference, seconds and minutes on a daily basis add up to weeks over a year period.
From the sounds of things the macbook could be THE computer for you, attach it to an external display and it would be great too. If you want more power and want to replace the iMac then buy the new MBP when it comes out and use the iMac in target display mode. Best of both worlds like we were discussing in the thread yesterday.
Once you buy the product you will wonder why you pondered so much. Regardless if they bring a new one out it doesn't make it a bad product its still the best ultrabook you can buy with the best OS.
Look at your own history your still happily using machines that are 6+ years old. Thats a really excellent time frame for two products which are essentially all in ones with lack of upgradability.
If they dont update the macbook your still going to have to make the choice between a 13" macbook pro with more ports bigger screen 30% heavier but 50% more power. If they do update the macbook with just a TB port then you still have a hard choice to make. There arent any CPUs that they can upgrade it to unless they have made their own but it seems so unlikely at this stage as the whole OS would need rewriting from the ground up.
It never ends. Have to choose your battles not worth loosing sleep over.
I guarantee as soon as these are replaced the rumor mill will start for the 2019 products.
If a new one comes out you dont have to keep it, try it for 2 weeks return it or buy a pre-owned one for half the price like I did and if your not happy sell it and buy another. At least then you might feel like your putting a fair wad upfront for something your not sure about.
Its not the end of the world and the spiral is no good for anyone, sometimes you just have to bite the bullet. You will soon know if its for you.
Its not a humongous investment where you will loose loads of money. Putting your money in macs will show the best return come resale. PCs get next to nothing in comparison. Money doesn't seem to be the issue really as your talking about potentially spending another 2-3k on an iMac which like you say for your uses is overkill but if you want to why not.
To me it sounds like your chasing specs vs your needs.
Reading macrumors really can make it a lot cloudier because you have people who are happy and people who arent and its so easy to be pulled toward one sticking point that may not even be relevant. Being drawn into the convos between actual pros and consumers and dreamworld workflows where you think I need that... but in reality... If your livelihood was based on what a machine could do for you then it would be a different convo where minutes mean £ and over a period of time they add up.
Perfect example for me, im a photographer videographer and graphic designer. My current mac pro takes 4-5 seconds to render a preview of a 24mp image every time I zoom into 100% on lightroom for small adjustments. I shoot weddings and events and edit thousands of images a month. Say I edit 500 wedding images in an afternoon and zoom in once per image that an extra hour added to my workflow. 50mp images, forget it like watching paint dry. I zoom in many many times per image with adjustment brushes etc Thats where these advantages come into play.
Apple havent made a product perfect for me for 10 years until they brought out the iMac pro (even thats not perfect but as close to) so for the last 3 years ive been using Dell workstations with Nvidia quadro cards which are more for just one component than the whole macbook is. With these there is no lag at all so it saves me a days work every week editing. That time is basically a day I can spend with my family instead of working, that is the difference. Seconds and minutes on a project per month is going to make no difference, seconds and minutes on a daily basis add up to weeks over a year period.
From the sounds of things the macbook could be THE computer for you, attach it to an external display and it would be great too. If you want more power and want to replace the iMac then buy the new MBP when it comes out and use the iMac in target display mode. Best of both worlds like we were discussing in the thread yesterday.
Once you buy the product you will wonder why you pondered so much. Regardless if they bring a new one out it doesn't make it a bad product its still the best ultrabook you can buy with the best OS.
Look at your own history your still happily using machines that are 6+ years old. Thats a really excellent time frame for two products which are essentially all in ones with lack of upgradability.
If they dont update the macbook your still going to have to make the choice between a 13" macbook pro with more ports bigger screen 30% heavier but 50% more power. If they do update the macbook with just a TB port then you still have a hard choice to make. There arent any CPUs that they can upgrade it to unless they have made their own but it seems so unlikely at this stage as the whole OS would need rewriting from the ground up.
It never ends. Have to choose your battles not worth loosing sleep over.
A number of maxed out MacBooks have appeared on the UK Apple Refurb page at £1609
Buying a MacBook always seems to be a tricky prospect as the MB and MBP releases are out of sync.
As many have said - definitely wait until WWDC.
Broadly speaking though:
If you're going to use your MB essentially as a desktop machine i.e. you're not taking it out of the house that much (if at all) definitely get a MBP 13 entry machine. The power/price ratio is definitely better than the MB. All round it's a better machine.
However, if you're going to use it at work and need something truly portable, get a MB - you really notice the extra weight of the MBP if you're lugging it around all day. And if you're using it for productivity tasks, the MB should be fine.
However, there are rumours of a new MacBook, which has been delayed until the fall. And that is probably going to hit the sweet spot between the weight of the current MB and the power of the entry level MBP.
I do feel your pain though. Apple should not be making getting a MB so tough and really overhaul the entire portable lines so that there is a very clear segmentation between them.
...I.e. so you, OP, simply don't have make posts like this on forums like this!
As many have said - definitely wait until WWDC.
Broadly speaking though:
If you're going to use your MB essentially as a desktop machine i.e. you're not taking it out of the house that much (if at all) definitely get a MBP 13 entry machine. The power/price ratio is definitely better than the MB. All round it's a better machine.
However, if you're going to use it at work and need something truly portable, get a MB - you really notice the extra weight of the MBP if you're lugging it around all day. And if you're using it for productivity tasks, the MB should be fine.
However, there are rumours of a new MacBook, which has been delayed until the fall. And that is probably going to hit the sweet spot between the weight of the current MB and the power of the entry level MBP.
I do feel your pain though. Apple should not be making getting a MB so tough and really overhaul the entire portable lines so that there is a very clear segmentation between them.
...I.e. so you, OP, simply don't have make posts like this on forums like this!
My work is done at home as i'm a writer and most of the time that's what i do on my Mac, i have a number of apps open such as Final Draft, Pages, Safari, as i'm often researching if not writing. Other than that i don't really do much on my current MacBook Pro, watching content i tend to do on my iPad Pro a lot more.
On the odd occasion that i edit video i tend to do that on my iMac at home for 1080 footage, as i've mentioned in another post it's not my job but more of a hobby and sometimes i help out friends who do edit as a profession.
The rumours of the MacBook being delayed have put a little bit of a spanner in the works as i was hoping to see it at WWDC and then make the decision between that or the 12" MacBook which i was hoping that Apple would update also. I don't blame Apple as they have not promised anything it's all just rumour, but it would be nice to see something so that i can finally make up my mind (as the other guy has said i have been mulling it over for months now).
Hello there. I feel for you. It took me ages to decide over the MB and MBP.
Knowing you’re a writer now, I would definitely go for the superior screen of the 13 MBP. Your eyes will thank you for it. It’s much better than the one on the MB and it still feels portable (unlike the 15).
However, as I mentioned before, there are rumours of the mythical 13 MB which may be up your street, as you don’t need the power of the MBP for writing.
Talking of the regular 12 MB - if this gets updated, it won’t be until the fall, as I believe that intel haven’t yet released the processor that the MB needs (Y I think) but will have by then.
Another thing to consider, is that many people are really unhappy with the keyboards on the MBP. Both the travel, noise and that the failure rate seems high. This really might matter as you’re a writer. I’ve heard many people just don’t get on with the ‘springy’ feel of the shallow travel of the keyboard.
All in all, I’d wait until the fall. Both to see if Apple addresses the keyboard issues and to see if the 13 MB really is true (it seems to be).
Happy musing. As I said in my first post, Apple don’t seem to make things easy regarding picking the right Mac nowadays!
The "more space" option on the 12" MacBook offers the exact same screen resolution and space as the default option on the 13" MacBook Pro: 1440x900. In fact, up until 2016 Apple used to ship the 12" MacBook Pro and the 12" MacBook with the exact same default preset: 1280x800.
How exactly is the 13" MacBook Pro screen better than the 12" MacBook?
It has P3 color, which increases the color range of the display - see: https://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/
I really love the form factor and weight of the MB 12 inch. Often I wish I’d got one. The specs just aren’t as good as the MBP though, that’s all.
I absolutely find the screen on the MacBook to be STUNNING! DON'T LET MARKETING fool you. Remember when DVD was regarded as the ultimate in picture quality??? There you go!
Remember when we thought that Retina was the best until...... came along. Remember every year, Apple's marketing guy tells us that this years product is the best yet by so much percent as though to say, your last year model is garbage now. First world problems and greed. Be the judge upon yourself. Use your OWN intelligence and my gosh, don't believe the sales marketing guys. Only your eyes can judge and to me, the MacBook screen is amazing no P3 or not!!! Writing on it is beautiful!
Remember when we thought that Retina was the best until...... came along. Remember every year, Apple's marketing guy tells us that this years product is the best yet by so much percent as though to say, your last year model is garbage now. First world problems and greed. Be the judge upon yourself. Use your OWN intelligence and my gosh, don't believe the sales marketing guys. Only your eyes can judge and to me, the MacBook screen is amazing no P3 or not!!! Writing on it is beautiful!
I just got a 2017 macbook pro entry level for 900 at best-buy you can not beat that! I love it, rarely hear the fan, I think is very light but i come from ah 2009 macbook then the 2013 macbook pro retina. this feels really light, and is thinner than the air at its thickest. And if you ever need the power you would be well of with the pro. for a laptop i would never go anything less than a 13 inch. I believe is the perfect size for being on the road and desk
It’s a good point, it might not be. I felt the screen was a little sharper on the MBP compared to the MB, but that’s purely subjective.
I read that a lot of tech journalists still really love their MB Airs, it’s a machine that’s popular with college students etc. - and it doesn’t have a Retina display.
As I said, I very nearly bought the MacBook. The MBP is great but you can feel the weight. When I’ve messed around with a MB, having a laptop with the same weight and ‘feel’ as an iPad is great - the MB feels more like the future than the MBP (though I love the MBP’s trackpad).
EDIT: also the MBP feels a little more dskbound. The MB felt so light that you could pick it up with one hand and sit down with it on your lap without feeling it. The MB then feels more like the iPad and more ‘casual’ (if you get my meaning).
I understand what you meant with your post, however i did try out the MacBook at the London Covent Garden store last Friday and the screen looked really good (much better than my current 2011 MacBook Pro) i also looked at the 13" MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and i couldn't really tell much difference (obviously the 13" was bigger) however there may be a difference since i didn't take to long comparing the two, i spent more time trying out the MacBook, especially things like multitasking ie having Pages and Safari open, i couldn't test with my usual Final Draft app open as they obviously don't have that installed on the machines in store.
Great! I've heard that the MB has no problems at all with multitasking with the sort of things that you'll use it for - even with just 8MB.
And by the way, there was something else that I was remiss not to mention - battery life.
My MBP's battery life could be better. Even when using MS Office, Safari (without Flash or watching more than 5-10 of video) etc. I wouldn't call it an all day computer.
Whereas I've heard that the MBs - just like the iPad - will keep on going and going and easily last a day.
But... I do keep on hearing about this new MB/new MB Air (whatever it's going to be called) launching this fall and that really does sound like it's going to be the Mac for you.
Having said that, if we all wait for the next model, we'll never buy anything, will we? There's always something faster and more powerful around the bend.
If i was to get the MacBook i would beef up the Ram to 16GB as i tend to keep my Mac's for a few years. Yea i've heard multiple rumours about that MacBook/MacBook Air 13" that was at first touted to arrive at WWDC but has now been delayed until the fall, i will wait and see what happens it's not like i can't wait until the fall it's just at some point i do want to upgrade from this 2011 MacBook Pro.
From the rumours that have been going around by the more reliable leakers/analysts this MacBook or MacBook Air 13" is said to have a retina display and be thinner and lighter. I'm wondering if it's going to be a rebranded MacBook Air? kind of like how they took away the MacBook (plastic one from years ago) and then brought it back with the 12" MacBook that was redesigned, retina display and so on, if they did the same with the Air i think it would sell really well as a lot of people love the MacBook Air
New Air with retina display, thinner lighter similar to the 12" MacBook but has a 13" retina screen. That is just my thinking i could be very wrong.
Regarding rumours of this mythical new MacBook/MB Air:
I read that the Air is still by far, the most popular Apple laptop, as you say.
The MB was obviously intended to replace it (hence the paltry updates to the Air line) but intel haven’t lowered the prices on the relatively underpowered Y processor line, so the MB is still relatively expensive (as the Air was when it was first released).
And with many people either buying a iPad Pro or an Air or an entry level MBP, it appears that they’re not selling the volumes of the MB that would enable them to cut the price.
Nor are the Y processors getting fast anytime soon. Intel seems to be concentrating on the server, gaming and mainstream chips requiring a fan.
So in many respects, the MB seems to be a wrong bet by Apple where Intel has let them down.
So it makes sense for them to take what they’ve learned with the other lines and produce a successor to the Air.
As you say, it’ll probably be something like the MB Air crossed with the entry level MB Pro.
Presumably then, if they don’t update the current MBs (and I have a feeling that all they’ll do is to put in this year’s updated processors in them) this leaves this new Air to take the spotlight and the MB name to return when they are invariably one of the first parts of the new ARM Mac product line.
TLDR - yeah I would wait until autumn/fall if know that you don’t want a MBP!
I too was trying to decide between the Pro and MacBook. The pro with 128 saves me $150, not sure I will need the extra memory.
The M3 worries me but how far off of performance is that from the pro i5?
Only thing that made me question my decision is that the pro with 256 was the same price as the MacBook this past weekend.
I do think I like the smaller portable form factor even though the computer will never leave the house.
The M3 worries me but how far off of performance is that from the pro i5?
Only thing that made me question my decision is that the pro with 256 was the same price as the MacBook this past weekend.
I do think I like the smaller portable form factor even though the computer will never leave the house.
Honestly it depends what your doing?
In the macbook the i7 is about 10% faster than the i5 and the i5 about 8% faster than the M3. The i7 is roughly 10% slower than the 3.1ghz i5 in the 4 port macbook pro which is the full fat mobile chip. The 2 port macbook pro has a lower watt cpu than the 4 port.
The 2.3ghz seems to be a bit of a rough diamond in the pack. Although its lower watt, the performance is excellent and for some reason it performs better than the higher watt 3.1ghz i5. There have been some heat issues with it tho, as the thermal architecture is different for some reason.
2.3ghz 2 port MBP
https://browser.geekbench.com/macs/414
3.1ghz 4 port MBP
https://browser.geekbench.com/macs/415
Obviously these are synthetic benchmarks that only run for 1-2 minutes meaning throttling doesn't really come into the equation. If extended periods of CPU intensive tasks are required then the higher watt CPUs will perform better. How much is anyones guess depends on task.
At the end of the day will any of these processors feel that different day to day for normal tasks, I think not.
This is the issue with the current tech, its got so good there is very little difference between any of the dual cores from the 12" macbook and all the 13" variants of the macbook pro.
You can spec a macbook up with the i7 16gbs and 512 for £1850 (without discounts) yet similar spec macbook pro will cost £2400 and they will perform very similarly. Ok you get better port selection which is the downside, but if you dont need it then the macbook is a far better machine for a on the go machine. If you only use it in the house then weight may not be an issue, but then why not spend the same amount and buy a 27" imac... £2400 would get an high end imac that will trounce any of the mobile options.
Hopefully 2018 will see a much bigger difference as the 13" is likely to move to quad and the 15" hex. There will finally be some differentiating factors that actually warrant the price difference.
If im completely honest the 2016 and 2017 13" MBP is completely void, the performance for £$ is poor and apart from ports and the touchbar it makes no sense to me as a purchase. If anyone is serious about a mobile workstation the 15" is far and away a better choice, dedicated graphics, quad CPUs bigger screen etc Its only 10% more than a high end 13" and the difference is stark.
If the 13" gets a quad in 2018 then it will be a no brainer over a macbook, but currently the 2017 models are a bit meh in comparison.
The 13" used to be a great option because it was smaller and had the benefit of the retina display. Now the macbook exists and has the better processors, retina display, far smaller and lighter and offers not dissimilar performance on the high end. The main draw back is the port which is a ball ache.
Is it worth paying the extra for the 13" thats person to person decision. I would rather have the weight difference but a TB3 port would mean you could use more devices at once with a dongle over usb-c which has power draw and bandwidth issues.
Now the Y chips have been set back into 2019 I doubt there will be any updates to the macbook, there isnt enough to warrant it. A TB3 port would be fantastic and make the device so much more usable. That one thing isnt a big enough splash to update the machine for 2018.
There is very little day to day difference between the low end macbook pro and a 12". The main thing is the 12" has no fans and its a very low watt CPU so for extender periods of high intensity work the macbook pro will be a better machine, no doubt.
If your doing normal day to day tasks and dont necessarily need ports to plug numerous devices its a wonderful machine. Super small and light, no penalty to take it anywhere. I now take mine everywhere.
I have the base model 2015 and its the slowest (on paper) machine apple has made in years yet it is extremely capable. HS runs no problem at all, I can run lightroom at an acceptable pace. Apart from video editing, lightroom is probably one of the more cpu intensive programs, adjusting exposure can get the cpu up to 5-600% at times. Seems to handle it adequately, it performs similarly to the Mac Pro in my sig which is impressive. Safari is also excellent, so is word and excel. The fact its a 1.1 and benches a paltry 2500 and 4500 the actual experience is fantastic.
So basically it depends what your doing, for the above its excellent and I would say day to day thats the workflow of the majority.
On the other hand if I had to use it full time for work, I would be dissatisfied. These are not workstations they are day to day media consumption devices, that are capable of doing bits of work. This is how I use it, edit a few images, data transfer etc while im out on location or out of the studio and when I get back edit on a workstation. Great compromise for me.
Your mileage may vary. The newer gen are far faster than mine. So I think if my experience has been good then they are only going to be better.
It also depends on your situation. I use high end workstations to do actual work and like to have a light travel option that can do most things on the go. Im a photographer and my photographic gear is heavy enough as it is so the light laptop that is 1kg is lighter than the majority of my lenses. It can edit in the field, get a few images to a client, email etc has a full OS.
The reason I like the macbook over an iPad because you still cant do much with them, especially data management.
If your someone who wants one machine its difficult. The 13" is expensive for what it is and isnt much more powerful but is noticeably heavier and thicker IMO and the extra inch doesnt make the difference worth it. The 15" is impressive in terms of what it packs for its size, but its still unwieldy on your lap or on the sofa/bed, hard to fit on a train or airplane fold out table and you cant get away from the fact it weighs twice as much. But you can slip it into a full desktop setup with ease and be content with it being a mobile workstation.
Then there is the macbook which is a great machine but is a difficult one for many to get their heads around the single port... Apple has not made this line up easy for anyone to choose a product who actually dig down into the numbers. The rest is gimmicks, not professional solutions.
Buying a 13" MBP doesn't necessarily give you a pro experience like it used to.
In the macbook the i7 is about 10% faster than the i5 and the i5 about 8% faster than the M3. The i7 is roughly 10% slower than the 3.1ghz i5 in the 4 port macbook pro which is the full fat mobile chip. The 2 port macbook pro has a lower watt cpu than the 4 port.
The 2.3ghz seems to be a bit of a rough diamond in the pack. Although its lower watt, the performance is excellent and for some reason it performs better than the higher watt 3.1ghz i5. There have been some heat issues with it tho, as the thermal architecture is different for some reason.
2.3ghz 2 port MBP
https://browser.geekbench.com/macs/414
3.1ghz 4 port MBP
https://browser.geekbench.com/macs/415
Obviously these are synthetic benchmarks that only run for 1-2 minutes meaning throttling doesn't really come into the equation. If extended periods of CPU intensive tasks are required then the higher watt CPUs will perform better. How much is anyones guess depends on task.
At the end of the day will any of these processors feel that different day to day for normal tasks, I think not.
This is the issue with the current tech, its got so good there is very little difference between any of the dual cores from the 12" macbook and all the 13" variants of the macbook pro.
You can spec a macbook up with the i7 16gbs and 512 for £1850 (without discounts) yet similar spec macbook pro will cost £2400 and they will perform very similarly. Ok you get better port selection which is the downside, but if you dont need it then the macbook is a far better machine for a on the go machine. If you only use it in the house then weight may not be an issue, but then why not spend the same amount and buy a 27" imac... £2400 would get an high end imac that will trounce any of the mobile options.
Hopefully 2018 will see a much bigger difference as the 13" is likely to move to quad and the 15" hex. There will finally be some differentiating factors that actually warrant the price difference.
If im completely honest the 2016 and 2017 13" MBP is completely void, the performance for £$ is poor and apart from ports and the touchbar it makes no sense to me as a purchase. If anyone is serious about a mobile workstation the 15" is far and away a better choice, dedicated graphics, quad CPUs bigger screen etc Its only 10% more than a high end 13" and the difference is stark.
If the 13" gets a quad in 2018 then it will be a no brainer over a macbook, but currently the 2017 models are a bit meh in comparison.
The 13" used to be a great option because it was smaller and had the benefit of the retina display. Now the macbook exists and has the better processors, retina display, far smaller and lighter and offers not dissimilar performance on the high end. The main draw back is the port which is a ball ache.
Is it worth paying the extra for the 13" thats person to person decision. I would rather have the weight difference but a TB3 port would mean you could use more devices at once with a dongle over usb-c which has power draw and bandwidth issues.
Now the Y chips have been set back into 2019 I doubt there will be any updates to the macbook, there isnt enough to warrant it. A TB3 port would be fantastic and make the device so much more usable. That one thing isnt a big enough splash to update the machine for 2018.
There is very little day to day difference between the low end macbook pro and a 12". The main thing is the 12" has no fans and its a very low watt CPU so for extender periods of high intensity work the macbook pro will be a better machine, no doubt.
If your doing normal day to day tasks and dont necessarily need ports to plug numerous devices its a wonderful machine. Super small and light, no penalty to take it anywhere. I now take mine everywhere.
I have the base model 2015 and its the slowest (on paper) machine apple has made in years yet it is extremely capable. HS runs no problem at all, I can run lightroom at an acceptable pace. Apart from video editing, lightroom is probably one of the more cpu intensive programs, adjusting exposure can get the cpu up to 5-600% at times. Seems to handle it adequately, it performs similarly to the Mac Pro in my sig which is impressive. Safari is also excellent, so is word and excel. The fact its a 1.1 and benches a paltry 2500 and 4500 the actual experience is fantastic.
So basically it depends what your doing, for the above its excellent and I would say day to day thats the workflow of the majority.
On the other hand if I had to use it full time for work, I would be dissatisfied. These are not workstations they are day to day media consumption devices, that are capable of doing bits of work. This is how I use it, edit a few images, data transfer etc while im out on location or out of the studio and when I get back edit on a workstation. Great compromise for me.
Your mileage may vary. The newer gen are far faster than mine. So I think if my experience has been good then they are only going to be better.
It also depends on your situation. I use high end workstations to do actual work and like to have a light travel option that can do most things on the go. Im a photographer and my photographic gear is heavy enough as it is so the light laptop that is 1kg is lighter than the majority of my lenses. It can edit in the field, get a few images to a client, email etc has a full OS.
The reason I like the macbook over an iPad because you still cant do much with them, especially data management.
If your someone who wants one machine its difficult. The 13" is expensive for what it is and isnt much more powerful but is noticeably heavier and thicker IMO and the extra inch doesnt make the difference worth it. The 15" is impressive in terms of what it packs for its size, but its still unwieldy on your lap or on the sofa/bed, hard to fit on a train or airplane fold out table and you cant get away from the fact it weighs twice as much. But you can slip it into a full desktop setup with ease and be content with it being a mobile workstation.
Then there is the macbook which is a great machine but is a difficult one for many to get their heads around the single port... Apple has not made this line up easy for anyone to choose a product who actually dig down into the numbers. The rest is gimmicks, not professional solutions.
Buying a 13" MBP doesn't necessarily give you a pro experience like it used to.
Personally i'm sold on the 12" MacBook, i'm just waiting to see what Apple do this year before buying one. What i do keep seeing and i don't know why is a comparison between the 12" MacBook and the Surface Pro from Microsoft, correct me if i'm wrong but they are completely different things, the Surface is a tablet that's trying to be a laptop whereas the 12" MacBook is a notebook computer. What i find interesting with it is that it's not just random people making these comparisons, i was doing some research, looking around and i found a video on Youtube from a couple of years ago with Microsofts Panos Panay introducing a version of the Surface Pro and he himself made a comparison between the MacBook Air and the Surface Pro, to me it seemed silly when one is computer and the other is a tablet trying to be a computer.
I think for it's size the 12" MacBook will probably suit most people who aren't really doing that much, i think sometimes it can get confusing when looking at the MacBook and the 13" MacBook Pro because price wise there really isn't that much in it.