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

[Traverse]

Bluetooth, man. Come on, the whole karma here is wireless-ness. I'm not pulling your chain and I'm not being funny. Apple is dragging us kicking and screaming into their vision of the new world. Maybe we follow, maybe not, and if we don't they'll have to double back. But come one, it's 2015. Why are we still plugging $0.03 wired earbuds into a computer???

Because I still have all those EarPods from iPhones and iPods laying around.

-___-

 

[teslo]

People touting the portability of the new MacBook are forgetting how much stuff you're going to have to tether off of that single USB-C port, including powering/charging the thing...

what? a BT mouse and BT OtherThings™, maintaining their files with iCloud, charging their rMB overnight just-like-their-ipad = the consumer this is targeting.

you ≠ the consumer this is targeting.

 

[newellj]

Hey man, lay off the audio jack.

In all honesty, being as objective as we can be, do we really think a vestigial anachronism like that belongs on a computer today?

 

[rdlink]

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

What's wrong with this picture?

Trying to figure out which Macbook Pro you mean.

Do you mean the 13 inch, non-retina model that costs $1550 ($250 more) by the time you put 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD in it, and can't be configured with a retina display, and weighs 2 1/2 pounds more than the new retina Macbook?

Or do you mean the spec comparable (RAM and storage) 13" Retina model, that costs an additional $200, and weighs a pound and a half more?

Can you clarify which of these machines, both of which cost hundreds of dollars more than this one is priced the same?

 

[RockSpider]

Because it will help Apple make even bigger profits, and that's all that most consumers care about.

Most American consumers, people from other countries can find better use for their money.

 

[spectrumfox]

In all honesty, being as objective as we can be, do we really think a vestigial anachronism like that belongs on a computer today?

You seem to think that headphone jack is only used for headphones nowadays.

 

[LordVic]

Yes a $1300 door stopper.

Not really

Even my Macbook Air is too thin to stop All my doors.

Just tested, I can actually open an close a few doors in my house without ever touching it while laying flat on the ground

 

[spectrumfox]

Trying to figure out which Macbook Pro you mean.

Do you mean the 13 inch, non-retina model that costs $1550 ($250 more) by the time you put 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD in it, and can't be configured with a retina display, weighs 2 1/2 pounds more than the new retina Macbook?

Or do you mean the spec comparable (RAM and storage) 13" Retina model, that costs an additional $200, and weighs a pound and a half more?

Can you clarify which of these machines, both of which cost hundreds of dollars more than this one is priced the same?

Maybe you should check the Apple Store again, I think you misread...

 

[Traverse]

Not really

Even my Macbook Air is too thin to stop All my doors.

Just tested, I can actually open an close a few doors in my house without ever touching it while laying flat on the ground

Mac Mini works the best. Mac Pro gets knocked over and rolls away.

 

[shenan1982]

Then it shouldn't cost (at a starting price) $1,299.

It costs what people will pay. You're paying for the screen and the ultra portability. What about that don't you get? Just like any ultra thin and light comes with a cost premium. Tell ya what. If it doesn't sell well I will eat my words.

 

[omniatlas]

I don't get it. Why are so many people whining? This machine is for someone who wants a computer to do email, web surfing, watching videos, listening to music, word processing, photo viewing, etc. It's a machine for the 90% of Mac users who don't do video encoding, photo rendering, video editing, etc. If you're in the 10%, this machine isn't for you. If you're in the 90%, it's a great ultra-portable with 100% of Apple's design efforts going to thin an light.

I think I'll buy a surface 3 and save some money for a Long Island Ice Tea, thank you.

 

[newellj]

People touting the portability of the new MacBook are forgetting how much stuff you're going to have to tether off of that single USB-C port, including powering/charging the thing...

I think I'm in their target market and I've thought a lot about that. First, up front, this would be a second notebook; I'm not trying to have it be all things for me. If you start from there, using it at work and while commuting (by train), what do I need things hanging off it for? At home, right now, my rMBP has two external drives, a USB stick and a Lightning sync cord (and a USB hub) hanging off it. But when it leaves with me in the morning, it happy makes it through the day with nothing at all other than a charger cable attached. The single port put me off at first, but thinking it through, it's not going to be an issue at all. And if this were my only laptop (which I do not think is Apple's intent), I can get home and plug the dongle in with a display and my USB hub and everything's set to go. I really don't see a problem with this.

 

[teknikal90]

you guys are being ridiculous haha
a 2011 macbook air is a sandy bridge based machine.

that thing is quick.

4000 points is a third as powerful as a modern 15" quad core macbook pro

considering modern macbook pros nowadays can edit 4k videos and do intense processing, this machine is definitely a capable machine for its intended purpose.

 

[newellj]

You seem to think that headphone jack is only used for headphones nowadays.

Actually, I do. Educate me?

----------

I think I'll buy a surface 3 and save some money for a Long Island Ice Tea, thank you.

I'm not sure you'll save anything (the 256gb i5 is $1300), but if you can cope with the SP3 keyboard and a smaller screen and aren't wedded to OS X, it's a pretty slick little machine.

 

[Kariya]

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.

Which makes the ARM benchmarks all the more impressive.

 

[Freyqq]

So 2011 mba performance with a retina screen? And it sells for the price of a retina MBP? Reviewers are going to be pretty unimpressed.

 

[spectrumfox]

Actually, I do. Educate me?

Sound systems, man!

Not everyone has Bluetooth compatible sound systems. I frequent a lot of parties and events, and those 1/8th audio connectors are still widely used.

Sure, if you're just casually listening to music then a good set of BT headphones will do you good nowadays, but pro audio and consumer sound systems aren't quite there yet.

 

[iKrivetko]

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

It's Anand (a given name)

I fail to see 12 hours here though. They also state that it is in power saving and the brightness is 200 nits, whereas Apple uses 75% brightness, which should be in the 230 area (if the rMB's display is similar to the Pros, anyway). Still, not too shabby for a windows laptop.

 

[billystlyes]

Nothing more than an overpriced underpowered netbook with a sad camera.

 

[Traverse]

Which makes the ARM benchmarks all the more impressive.

The RAM and SSD don't effect CPU core performance. At least, I didn't think they did.

 

[sdf]

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

You probably want a MacBook Pro, then.

 

[newellj]

Sound systems, man!

Not everyone has Bluetooth compatible sound systems. I frequent a lot of parties and events, and those 1/8th audio connectors are still widely used.

Sure if you're just casually listening to music then a good set of BT headphones will do you good nowadays, but pro audio and consumer sound systems aren't quite there yet.

Fair enough, I still enjoy spinning vinyl discs sometimes. I will tell you that I recently bought my first BT speaker and although it's not exactly going to set up a good stereo sound stage it's infinitely better than I expected (helps that my expectations were pretty low).

 

[sdf]

Yes a $1300 door stopper.

This is not the MacBook for me. However, it looks perfect for my dad — if I could train him to charge it overnight and use it wirelessly.

 

[kingofwale]

It costs what people will pay. You're paying for the screen and the ultra portability. What about that don't you get? Just like any ultra thin and light comes with a cost premium. Tell ya what. If it doesn't sell well I will eat my words.

this is not eBay. people will NOT buy for whatever they want.


I forsee a massive failure with this model, Apple has really pulled a Newton on this one.

 

[Mr. Buzzcut]

Sorry, not interested in marketing materials.

Granted, reviews don't put it at 12 hours, but you appear to be quoting battery life of 2012 model. Not exactly fair.