Intel Announces New Quad-Core Broadwell Processors Appropriate for 15-Inch MacBook Pro

[dusk007]

Wait, how did you test that? A wattmeter wouldn't work unless it's plugged in.

Power draw should change significantly when you reach 2% battery. I've experienced very, very noticeable underclocking during extreme low power situations.

You know Coconut battery? The MBP reads out the Ampere and Volt information of the battery. Coconut battery calculates the resulting watt for you. istat gives you the original A/V values and you can calculate yourself.
Obviously I tested with an almost full battery. I never reach 2% battery.

 

[casperes1996]

You know Coconut battery? The MBP reads out the Ampere and Volt information of the battery. Coconut battery calculates the resulting watt for you. istat gives you the original A/V values and you can calculate yourself.
Obviously I tested with an almost full battery. I never reach 2% battery.

Wasn't aware you could read the amperage with any software on OS X actually. Thought it was only voltage. Didn't find it when I used iStat, but to be fair, I used it for a very specific thing only

 

[MagnusVonMagnum]

Metal? How about Apple update its OpenGL to the latest version (4.5) that is DirectX 11 call compatible first before they worry about some propriety API that no one will likely use any time soon. OpenGL has its own initiative to rebuild its from the ground up and be DirectX 12 compatible (http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/187796-opengl-4-5-released-next-gen-opengl-unveiled-cross-platform-mantle-killer-dx12-competitor_ )

Valve is behind it and they actually make Mac games (unlike Apple). I think Apple should try and get actual industry support if they want to improve the gaming experience on the Mac instead of constantly trying to hold the APIs it makes hostage. Driver performance updates for once would be a nice addition from Apple instead of letting everything languish until the end of time. NVidia sends Apple its code updates and Apple does nothing with them. And then people wonder why the Mac has this "not for games" reputation. That could easily change with some actual hardware/software support from Apple. Companies like Aspyr are able to port games much faster with the Intel platform, but I have little doubt things could be greatly improved if Apple actually game a damn.

 

[tonyrayo]

I'm just very bummed by this because I'm fine when it comes to a desktop but I wanted a Macbook Pro for my own work (aka I have very little intention of ever installing a game [or at least one that would need high specs] nor am I likely to install Bootcamp). The laptop I have now is horribly outdated and frankly since I use Macs so much elsewhere, I wanted a MBP replacement. I would be using some Adobe CC app or Reason 90% of the time and with as large as some of my Illustrator/Photoshop work gets, I need a good combo of CPU/GPU power probably more than some of you might think.

While I was expecting the delay to actually be a good thing, it has been anything but. I am actually okay with the dGPU they are using (I wish it was GCN 1.1-based at least so we could get OpenCL 2.0 instead of just 1.1), although I was hoping for something more like an nVidia 900m series card. The CPU is what hurts me though. I actually don't want a Skylake MBP right now (I like the available ports and heaven forbid that they actually do decide to try and go thinner on us) but as I see it I have three options.

1. Pay $2,300 + tax ($200 off because I am still associated with a university) for 15" MBP high-end (no need for faster CPU or double space, especially at the prices they charge).

2. Keep using unusable at time laptop for a few more months in hopes of a CPU update.

3. Buy an older model (likely refurbished direct from Apple).

Maybe I have things out of whack, because I know besides a better TDP, there isn't much of a change between the chips. I think it's just the dual blow of not seeing the GPU or the CPU I think we were all expecting. Any advice would be great.

 

[jnpy!$4g3cwk]

I'm just very bummed by this because I'm fine when it comes to a desktop but I wanted a Macbook Pro for my own work (aka I have very little intention of ever installing a game [or at least one that would need high specs] nor am I likely to install Bootcamp). The laptop I have now is horribly outdated and frankly since I use Macs so much elsewhere, I wanted a MBP replacement. I would be using some Adobe CC app or Reason 90% of the time and with as large as some of my Illustrator/Photoshop work gets, I need a good combo of CPU/GPU power probably more than some of you might think.

I'm not following you. In what way is Apple's current offering particularly disappointing?

While I was expecting the delay to actually be a good thing, it has been anything but. I am actually okay with the dGPU they are using (I wish it was GCN 1.1-based at least so we could get OpenCL 2.0 instead of just 1.1), although I was hoping for something more like an nVidia 900m series card. The CPU is what hurts me though. I actually don't want a Skylake MBP right now (I like the available ports and heaven forbid that they actually do decide to try and go thinner on us) but as I see it I have three options.
--
Maybe I have things out of whack, because I know besides a better TDP, there isn't much of a change between the chips. I think it's just the dual blow of not seeing the GPU or the CPU I think we were all expecting. Any advice would be great.

I'm not looking forward to Skylake because I'm worried that they are going to remove all the ports that I need. And, if I hear the word "thinner" again, I'm going to scream. There isn't much more that Apple could do CPU-wise that I can see anyway.

The current GPU offering seems OK with me, although I think the best all-around higher-power mobile GPU right now is the AMD M6100. (I think the TDP is around 75W.) Too bad they didn't go with an M6100. AMD is due to release the next-gen GPU tomorrow, but, I imagine that it will be a little while before there is a mobile workstation version.

 

[casperes1996]

Metal? How about Apple update its OpenGL to the latest version (4.5) that is DirectX 11 call compatible first before they worry about some propriety API that no one will likely use any time soon. OpenGL has its own initiative to rebuild its from the ground up and be DirectX 12 compatible (http://www.extremetech.com/gaming/187796-opengl-4-5-released-next-gen-opengl-unveiled-cross-platform-mantle-killer-dx12-competitor_ )

Valve is behind it and they actually make Mac games (unlike Apple). I think Apple should try and get actual industry support if they want to improve the gaming experience on the Mac instead of constantly trying to hold the APIs it makes hostage. Driver performance updates for once would be a nice addition from Apple instead of letting everything languish until the end of time. NVidia sends Apple its code updates and Apple does nothing with them. And then people wonder why the Mac has this "not for games" reputation. That could easily change with some actual hardware/software support from Apple. Companies like Aspyr are able to port games much faster with the Intel platform, but I have little doubt things could be greatly improved if Apple actually game a damn.

You do realise that Apple is a very big player in Vulkan, right? (OpenGL Next. You know, the thing you talked about). Also, who's to say OS X El Capitan doesn't also include OGL 4.5? And driver updates will definitely be there. Apple hasn't left OpenGL, just because it uses Metal. Vulkan is just a bit away, and Apple prefers Metal. We can have both. And it'll be advantageous to all,, because it'll give s the benefits of Vulkan, as well as the porting compatability between iOS and OS X that Metal brings, both with high performance low overhead.

I'm not following you. In what way is Apple's current offering particularly disappointing?



I'm not looking forward to Skylake because I'm worried that they are going to remove all the ports that I need. And, if I hear the word "thinner" again, I'm going to scream. There isn't much more that Apple could do CPU-wise that I can see anyway.

The current GPU offering seems OK with me, although I think the best all-around higher-power mobile GPU right now is the AMD M6100. (I think the TDP is around 75W.) Too bad they didn't go with an M6100. AMD is due to release the next-gen GPU tomorrow, but, I imagine that it will be a little while before there is a mobile workstation version.

Thinner

 

[jnpy!$4g3cwk]

Thinner

 

[thekev]

Thinner

You now owe Stephen King a nickel.

 

[andrewlgm]

I'm purchasing a 15" rMBP, and they're all running the same processor since Late 2013. Is it worth picking up an older model over the newer 2015" model with increased SSD speeds and better touchpad? Some sites are selling the Mid-2014 version with 512SSD and GPU for $2000 which is the starting price of the Mid-2015 version.

 

[Zarniwoop]

I'm purchasing a 15" rMBP, and they're all running the same processor since Late 2013. Is it worth picking up an older model over the newer 2015" model with increased SSD speeds and better touchpad? Some sites are selling the Mid-2014 version with 512SSD and GPU for $2000 which is the starting price of the Mid-2015 version.

If you need horsepower for graphics, 2015 model with M370 is your only option. If you don't need, go with mid-2014.

 

[jnpy!$4g3cwk]

I'm purchasing a 15" rMBP, and they're all running the same processor since Late 2013. Is it worth picking up an older model over the newer 2015" model with increased SSD speeds and better touchpad? Some sites are selling the Mid-2014 version with 512SSD and GPU for $2000 which is the starting price of the Mid-2015 version.

If you need horsepower for graphics, 2015 model with M370 is your only option. If you don't need, go with mid-2014.

There are some compact comparisons on BareFeats that might help you decide:

http://barefeats.com/index.html

http://barefeats.com/rmbp15.html

 

[loon3y]

introducing skylake in 2020

 

[casperes1996]

I'm purchasing a 15" rMBP, and they're all running the same processor since Late 2013. Is it worth picking up an older model over the newer 2015" model with increased SSD speeds and better touchpad? Some sites are selling the Mid-2014 version with 512SSD and GPU for $2000 which is the starting price of the Mid-2015 version.

I've got the 2014 one. It's brilliant. Runs FCPX and a bunch of games just fine (though for larger files, etc: I use an iMac)
Have you tried the ForceTouch trackpads though? Because I wouldn't call them better, even though they have more functionality. I much prefer the old ones