It's actually an 8.8% increase in Geekbench score for a 9.4% cost increase, if you do the math correctly.
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Finally got to checkout the rMB and rMBP 13" in person
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It's actually an 8.8% increase in Geekbench score for a 9.4% cost increase, if you do the math correctly.
It was definitely worth it to me. Machines in the "thin and light", "ultra portable", "ultrabook" category are always going to be (by definition) more expensive and less powerful than their mainstream counterparts. So as someone who makes a living on such devices, I always order the maximum spec available - its always easy to justify in my case - 10% faster for 10% more is a no brainer (ok 8.8% faster for 9.4% more). This provides a better user experience, extends the devices useful life, and increases resale value (although by how much and if the extra initial cost is worth it to someone is a personal decision).
All I can say is that I'm very happy with my 2015 rMB 1.3/8/512 as a replacement to my 2013/14 MBA i7/1.7/8/512. faster graphics, faster burst performance, and sustained performance that is 85% as good, in a smaller, lighter package, with a larger and much higher quality screen, faster SSD, more responsive track pad, an open non proprietary wired interface, and better battery life. Could I have been just as happy with a processor that was 75% or even 65% as fast as my MBA? - possibly, but given the cost difference, lead times to re-order, and inconvenience of an exchange I figured why bother. YMMV
Fair enough. Don't like to use percentages in these cases. $4 is 200% of $2. Have to weigh the personal perceived value, which varies person to person based on many factors; longevity of ownership and personal finances are two biggiesfor most folks - the rest actually becomes less and less important in a direct relationship to how important the money is.
Good point here, I usually don't but I could very well be compelled to upgrade after one year with TB3/USB-C coming out, depending on how much I really would use the TB3 functionality. i'll have to monitor my needs, but I currently plan on holding out until Cannonlake for LPDDR4 memory. I think that will actually benefit me more than TB3 for this machine...
The test i have seen (french website macgeneration) gives a Geekbench score of 4623 for the 1.1, 5080 for the 1.2 and 5603 for the 1.3. Those scores are broadly confirmed by users. I do not like using those tests neither as there are not reprentative but they give an idea and it is more than a 1% improvement. Also they exported 500 pictures using Aperture. The time needed is 14m32s for the 1.1, 12m32s for the 1.3. Overall it is about 10% on heavy CPU tasks.
I guess if it's waiting a month to save 1 minute every time you export 500 images in aperture, hey, you'll break even with the wait for the computer vs time saved exporting photos in 245 years. LOL
Depending on which score you look at, but whatever. It's definitely not a high-value upgrade. You're better off spending $1.00 for an ice pack to set it on to keep it cooler and thus increase performance. LOL
Hey, you're not wrong there, have you seen the incredible performance jumps this thing has shown being set on a cool surface? Pretty impressive...
Today I had my rMB on my tonneau cover so I could look up a webpage and the AZ desert heat made my computer so hot it gave me a nasty warning. Lol
"The location you are using your notebook should be within these ranges: Operating temperature: 50° to 95° F (10° to 35° C)"
Since it's 110F in Phoenix today, that shouldn't surprise you.
Just reading that makes me sweat in places I shouldn't sweat.
Man that getting right up there, seen up to 60C (140F) static temp in the State of Qatar, we were given some "new" Windows tablets at the time to try, needless to say they shutdown in quicktime, not that we were far behind
Q-6
Wow. I seldom use my computers outside so they are spoiled by pretty constant 20C.
Just curious, have you used fan cooled computers in that type of environment before? Were they able to cope?
I imagine high ambient temperature is going to be a challenge get for any fanless design - and long before those temps. Just wondering if even a fan helps in those temps and where a fan cooled design might start having issues.
I'm pretty confident that no computer, fan-cooled or not, would be able to handle 158* coming off of the tonneau cover.
It's too damn hot in Arizona.
Ordered my gold 1.3GHz 512MB model on June 21st. Went into "preparing for shipment" status today.
Wow - from preparing to ship to actually receiving it took 2 days to SoCal. Nice! 
