Early Benchmarks Put Retina MacBook CPU Performance in Range of 2011 MacBook Air

[Traverse]

Ap(ple)ologists delight! "'Tis but a scratch"...."I'm invincible!"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Knight_(Monty_Python)

What's you're point? Is that a dig at people defending the new MacBook?

 

[Traverse]

Aren't some smartphones and tablets already matching this? oh and they're fanless too.

And run on ARM based processors with mobile applications, not a full desktop OS with full desktop applications.


Plus it has 8GB of RAM and 256-512GB SSD storage. I have yet to see a phone or tablet with that, but who knows what they're cooking up at Samsung.

 

[ohsnaphappy]

But its pricing matches 13" MacBook Pro pricing...

What's wrong with this picture?

This. Exactly This. This. This. This.

Must be insane profit margins

 

[CrAkD]

The only thing out of line about this machine is the price. That's plenty fast to do basic things......but not for $1300.

 

[teslo]

If I'm only doing stuff the vast, vast majority of computer users are doing, why would I want to pay pro level pricing for a consumer level laptop? The math doesn't add up for me.

because you have disposable income and you like new things that are getting various third-party reviews from websites they trust like 'i was a skeptic until i picked it up and couldn't wrap my head around how light and thin and beautiful it was'

that's why. if i wasn't freelancing right now and almost literally broke, i'd be one of those people.

when a video game is released it's like $70-80 bucks, especially if it's a big production number. then it's like $40-50 4 months later. big deal

 

[latweek]

What's you're point? Is that a dig at people defending the new MacBook?

Oh? Are people defending the new MacBook? Why?

 

[Mr. Buzzcut]

Am I the only one left who wants CPU horsepower over battery life?

No but why are you looking at a fanless ultraportable with an intentionally low power CPU?

 

[spectrumfox]

Hmm...I seem to remember Steve Jobs pulling a MBA out of a manila envelope and crowing about how thin it was. Can you tell me in what way(s) the 2008 MBA was better than the rMB? I can't think of any.

Look, it's fine if Apple wants to have a thin laptop line.

The problem is now this obsession with thin is leaking into their other product lines, at the cost of performance. And that's not good.

 

[iKrivetko]

THe Performance is better than I expected for a Core M.

As a user of the 2011 MBA with i5, you have enough power for your web browsing, light office work, maybe some coding and text editting.

Exactly what most average users use. in a small form factor, with no fan, it's not a bad computer

The lack of a 2nd USB-c port is a bummer, and hopefully v2 will remedy this

the big stopper for me is the price. if this computer is aimed at "mom and pop"http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/es/pubs/guide/severance.php so to speak, the price seems high.

Nevermind that in Canada, this is a $1549 laptop (tax not included). when shopping, if you consider viable alternatives, there are alternatives that are cheaper, with better performance, with less tradoffs in the port numbers.

As someone who tends to be progmatic and recommends the best product for the job at hand, this would be a bad buy because the size difference is fairly negligable, for the trade off.

An example of what you can get from Dell (first thing that popped into my mind, don't currently own any dell products).
http://www.dell.com/ca/p/xps-13-9343-laptop/pd?oc=nxps134_f_s003e&model_id=xps-13-9343-laptop

Dell XPS 13" laptop
i5-5200u CPU (better than MB) ,
8GB RAM (Equal)
128gb SSD (MB wins here, 256 is $200 MORE MAKING this laptop 1699 instead of 1499)
3200x1800 Touchscreen display with 282ppi (Better than MB)
2 x USB3, MiniDisplay port, SD Card reader, earphone jack, Locking port (more options than MB)

based on these alone, the MB is a terrible deal. But, We must consider size and weight in this since there is a tangible there.

MB Dimensions
1.31cm tall, 28.05cm wide, 19.64cm Deep

XPS Dimensions:
1.5cm tall, 30.4cm wide, 20cm deep.

Difference in favour of MB:
0.21cm tall, 2.35cm, 0.36cm deep

Weight:
MB .92KG
XPS 1.18KG,
Favour of MB .26kg

So, in it's current state, unless you must have the absolute smallest, Lightest package available running OSx, for the current expected cost of the MB, most users would be better served by the Dell, the MBA only wins out on size, weight and base storage

the difference maker will be the intangibles. That cannot be easily quantified and I have not taken into account personal opinions or experiences one may have had and obviously those are all personal to ones self (looks / feel)

And the battery life is what? 5 hours?

 

[QCassidy352]

Am I the only one left who wants CPU horsepower over battery life?

13" air is a terrific option for both CPU and battery life... But the screen is a compromise. If only they'd put a retina screen in the air rather than creating this new option that leaves both lines sub par in one way or another.

 

[Traverse]

Oh? Are people defending the new MacBook? Why?

Because some people are instantly dismissing it as a useless toy when it is clearly more competent than that for it's targeted market segment.

 

[spectrumfox]

Because some people are instantly dismissing it as a useless toy when it is clearly more competent than that for it's targeted market segment.

So you're fine with them selling a laptop with benchmarks from 2011 at a 2015 price?

How can you defend something like that? It doesn't matter if this laptop is targeted at casual users, that pricing is absolutely ridiculous.

 

[latweek]

Because some people are instantly dismissing it as a useless toy when it is clearly more competent than that for it's targeted market segment.

That's why people are defending the new MacBook? Why again?

 

[LordVic]

And the battery life is what? 5 hours?

I have now updated my post to include the Dell XPS battery life tests per AnAndTech

 

[Trius]

Am I the only one left who wants CPU horsepower over battery life?

Nope. That's why there are different models to choose from.

 

[spectrumfox]

Nope. That's why there are different models to choose from.

For now...

 

[Traverse]

So you're fine with them selling a laptop with benchmarks from 2011 at a 2015 price?

How can you defend something like that? It doesn't matter if this laptop is targeted at casual users, that pricing is absolutely ridiculous.

Because there's more to a computer than raw CPU benchmarks. It's the thinnest MacBook product, the lightest, has a Retina display, and an extremely fast SSD storage.

That's what makes it a 2015 notebook. It is over priced, but not dramatically.

 

[newellj]

"The New MacBook: Facebook Edition."

Because, really, that's all anyone really is going to be doing on this toy.

Well, if that's all you do at work, I guess that must be accurate - for you.

 

[Traverse]

For now...

They may replace the MBA in due time, but not the MBP. When they get rid of the MBA the MB will have a more competent processor and a lower price. There will be a niche market for whom this will be a slap in the face, but that's just how it goes.

 

[spectrumfox]

They may replace the MBA in due time, but not the MBP. When they get rid of the MBA the MB will have a more competent processor and a lower price. There will be a niche market for whom this will be a slap in the face, but that's just how it goes.

Lord help us if they decide to get rid of the MacBook Pro and go down to a single MacBook line...

The writing is on the wall, I only hope its just writing...

 

[briloronmacrumo]

Seems a little slow...

My mid-2011 iMac with an approximate 2700 Geekbench 3 score is much faster. Admittedly not an equal comparison but for any 4 year old stock mac to beat a new mac is surprising.

 

[newellj]

You can get a way more capable system at that cost in buying a classic Mac Pro!

And look at the upside, you can use that system as a boat anchor - one purchase, two uses! Those are definitely competitive systems, aimed at the same computing tasks.

 

[Mr. Buzzcut]

And the battery life is what? 5 hours?

Ahem...did you click the link?

Stay powered longer: With up to 15 hours of run time on the FHD display (and 12 hours on the QHD+), it’s leading the industry in battery life. Paired with the Dell Power Companion, you get up to to 22 hours and the freedom to power all of your bonus devices.

 

[latweek]

When they get rid of the MBA the MB will have a more competent processor and a lower price.

You've opened this up now. Please provide sources for your prognostication. All other efforts to avoid or obfuscate this request will be ignored.

All yours....Black Knight!

 

[Traverse]

Lord help us if they decide to get rid of the MacBook Pro and go down to a single MacBook line...

The writing is on the wall, I only hope its just writing...

They are NOT going to get rid of the Pro, not even Apple's that dense.

What they could do is abandon one of the USB-A ports for a USB-C port..or even both. :/

That, would be a royal pain and would handicap the MBP at this point in time.

----------

You've opened this up now. Please provide sources for your prognostication. All other efforts to avoid or obfuscate this request will be ignored.

All yours....Black Knight!

Um? Each year (roughly) Intel releases new processors with increased performance. In a few generations the Core M will gain more competent power and I believe Apple will replace the MBA with them, but I have no proof because I'm not Tim Cook.

Will the Core M ever match core i5s or i7s of that same year? I doubt it, but Apple will probably think it's good enough.