Intel Begins Shipping First Kaby Lake Processors, but Most Macs Won't Get Them Until 2017

[sudo1996]

Bring on the complaints and crying.

These same people will complain if Apple moves to the new release cycle Intel is going to. They'll cry that the new processors aren't a big enough leap to justify a new machine.

You can never win. Everyone always wants more than what's announced and for less.

No, we just want processors that aren't 2 generations old being put into new Macs. When Apple releases a product, it should have the newest parts at the time.

Intel's last two chip releases have been plagued with long delays

About half a year ago, I went to Fry's and bought an i7 that's years (EDIT: maybe not years) newer than any processor in most Macs today. Quit blaming Intel. The chips are there; Apple just isn't using them.

 

[manu chao]

Well, let's see.... Skylake has been available for over a year.... and Macbook pros haven't been updated in over a year.... so sure, we can blame intel for that.
*shakes head*

The first Skylake processor have been released 1 September 2015. If that is over a year, I'd like to know how you define a 'year'. The Skylake processors going into the 15" MBP have been released in the first quarter. The ones going into 13" MBP have not been released yet according to Wikipedia.

 

[jyen]

Just a thought...what if Apple begins using their own chips in the Mac instead?

 

[decio]

Why is everyone always so pissed at Apple for having “old” hardware, when it’s Intel that’s been causing the delays? Besides, my Late 2013 15” rMBP still works darn well for my power user workflow.

Are you sure it's Intel? Why is it that other manufacturers have the latest chips in their tech ahead of Apple? Since when does Apple have to play catch up with the others? They no longer set the standard, they are playing follow the leader!

 

[Ambrose Chapel]

What about the long-rumored switch to custom-designed x86 chips produced by AMD? I remember reading about this years ago, but saw Gruber tweet about it a day or two ago in response to someone posting a more recent link about it. The time frame was 2016-17. I'd never heard of the site before - bitsandchips i think - but Gruber seemed to think it was plausible....

 

[manu chao]

About half a year ago, I went to Fry's and bought an i7 that's years newer than any processor in any Mac today. Quit blaming Intel. The chips are there; Apple just isn't using them.

Care to elaborate which i7? Intel has still not released all the Skylake processors it had announced. Look at the 'Release date' column on the right:

 

[Thunderhawks]

Until 2017, or ever.

Tick, Tock!

"Who is it?"

Kaby Late

 

[Glideslope]

Bring on the complaints and crying.

These same people will complain if Apple moves to the new release cycle Intel is going to. They'll cry that the new processors aren't a big enough leap to justify a new machine.

You can never win. Everyone always wants more than what's announced and for less.

Yup. As I type from my Early 2008 MP.

 

[v0lume4]

Waiting for the new MBP's like

Also why are people blaming Intel? Apple hasn't even put Skylake chips in their Macs yet.

 

[manu chao]

Are you sure it's Intel? Why is it that other manufacturers have the latest chips in their tech ahead of Apple?

Because other manufacturers, in the aggregate, release computers with all (Skylake) processors that Intel is offering. Apple only uses the high-end versions (Iris graphics, only i5 & i7). And Intel has tended to release the high-end versions last. Thus if you use the lower-end chips, you can release Skylake computers before Apple can.
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Also why are people blaming Intel? Apple hasn't even put Skylake chips in their Macs yet.

Except that the 27" iMac and the MacBook One have Skylake chips.

 

[keysofanxiety]

Why is everyone always so pissed at Apple for having “old” hardware, when it’s Intel that’s been causing the delays? Besides, my Late 2013 15” rMBP still works darn well for my power user workflow.

Because they're still selling the hardware at the same price, when the cost of the components have plummeted. Ironically, the computers could be more expensive now than when they were first introduced, depending on where you live, as your currency's exchange rate means Apple raises the prices. Of course, people living in those countries don't get pay rises depending on how strong the US dollar is, so it's only the consumer that suffers.

If they either dropped the price a little to reflect the increasing profit margins as components get cheaper, were a tiny bit more generous with storage sizes as Flash storage costs get cheaper and cheaper, or even made Fusion drives standard in all Macs with spinning platters, that would be something.

 

[Rangertuf]

This article is worth reading:
http://www.nature.com/news/the-chips-are-down-for-moore-s-law-1.19338

The main problem is the technology itself. We should prepare ourself for a performance stagnation for the next few years to come. A bit off-topic, but I wanted to share this.

 

[Zarniwoop]

So the first wave of Kaby Lakes is pointing toward to a new product that will replace Macbook Air. Macbook S, The 14" model?

 

[2457282]

I'm calling it now. We're going to start seeing Apple put its own chips in their laptops by the end of 2018.. A12x, perhaps? They need to show Intel that they are not willing to tolerate delays and are willing to go down other avenues.

No I have been saying this for a while. Actually, I have been saying that by A10/11 we won't even need a laptop and just use the tablet in place of the laptop.

 

[Zarniwoop]

This article is worth reading:
http://www.nature.com/news/the-chips-are-down-for-moore-s-law-1.19338

The main problem is the technology itself. We should prepare ourself for a performance stagnation for the next few years to come. A bit off-topic, but I wanted to share this.

The solution is going to be better optimized software (and API's like Metal) and co-proccessors that take over some tasks from CPU. DSP, IO-encryption-processor... etc.

 

[load97]

Seems like a trend nowadays at Apple - save the better things for next year

Yep. Pretty sad, but true.

 

[keysofanxiety]

About half a year ago, I went to Fry's and bought an i7 that's years newer than any processor in any Mac today. Quit blaming Intel. The chips are there; Apple just isn't using them.

Newer ≠ better.

I'd challenge you to find a mobile i7 shipping in a laptop that is more powerful than the i7-4980HQ which ships in the 2.8GHz BTO 15" rMBP. The only one I can think of is the i7-5950HQ, and even that is practically identical in performance.

That's part of the problem. People see newer gen quad-core i7s and wonder why Apple haven't implemented them yet. It's because they're often less powerful than the ones currently shipping. So yes, the chips are there. And Apple aren't using them for good reason.

 

[robeddie]

Because they're still selling the hardware at the same price, when the cost of the components have plummeted. Ironically, the computers could be more expensive now than when they were first introduced, depending on where you live, as your currency's exchange rate means Apple raises the prices. Of course, people living in those countries don't get pay rises depending on how strong the US dollar is, so it's only the consumer that suffers.

If they either dropped the price a little to reflect the increasing profit margins as components get cheaper, were a tiny bit more generous with storage sizes as Flash storage costs get cheaper and cheaper, or even made Fusion drives standard in all Macs with spinning platters, that would be something.

Agree with everything, except fergetabbout those compromised, crappy fusion drives. They should put decently sized SSD's in all their computers. The cost of SDD's have plummeted more than any other component in the past few years, so that's where they should be more generous!

 

[melendezest]

Who decides they are outdated? I'm very happy with my 2015 15" Pro. Blazing fast compared to what it replaced (late 08 Pro) and while newer stuff might give me a few more minutes of battery and a few better specs I need a computer to edit 4K videos and this one does it and does it well. Specs are for PC users and always have been.

No, they aren't.

Professionals need the fastest, most powerful hardware available. When you are using your computer to do time-sensitive work, every second counts.

Specs may not matter to consumers, hence the existence of the Retina MacBook. But we're talking about the Pro line here, no?

However, as a consumer who's looking for the best value, and who updates infrequently, I think this generation of processors is worth the (long) wait, I think, because it brings tech (TB3 in particular) that has long legs and great potential.

That is, if Apple doesn't decide to PowerPC-it all and go full-on A-X on us.

 

[fred_garvin]

5k iMac and 2016 MacBook have Skylake.

And neither of those computers have Thunderbolt 3, one of the biggest benefits of Skylake.

 

[load97]

You guys at macrumours assume that Apple is going to release any new macs until next year...
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Because nothing says 'happy camper' quite like a completely outdated set of computers with the exception of the retina macbook

https://buyersguide.macrumors.com//#Mac

LMFAO!!! Perfect.

 

[decio]

Newer ≠ better.

I'd challenge you to find a mobile i7 shipping in a laptop that is more powerful than the i7-4980HQ which ships in the 2.8GHz BTO 15" rMBP. The only one I can think of is the i7-5950HQ, and even that has practically identical in performance.

That's part of the problem. People see newer gen quad-core i7s and wonder why Apple haven't implemented them yet. It's because they're often less powerful than the ones currently shipping. So yes, the chips are there. And Apple aren't using them for good reason.

Is anybody out there really maxing out there tech? Really constantly putting it to the test, no nobody is in my opinion. Short spurts of intense use and then you cruise for a while. The chips in the iphone are never really maxed out and yet some can't wait for the next gen, but why? Newer really isn't always better!

 

[Glassed Silver]

This huge delay on Mac updates is making me think that ARM Macs are coming sooner rather than later.

The day that happenes they lose a TON of customers.

Also, I'm still wondering what ARM is supposed to offer to a desktop OS.
ARM = RISC architecture.
Look up what RISC stands for.

Then again, looking at the path Apple apparently elects to take with the Mac platform I wouldn't put it past them, but even they realize that having the ability to run Windows at full speed on a Mac is HUGE.

Glassed Silver:mac

 

[Zarniwoop]

Intel has had problems with Iris Pro 580 production. They were supposed to be out Q1/2016. Second time was early June 2016. We still have no official reviews of this product. So, there is no Skylake CPU for rMBP 15" nor 21.5" riMac available yet.

Maybe Intel has decided to skip it totally and release Kaby Lake versions instead?

 

[keysofanxiety]

Is anybody out there really maxing out there tech? Really constantly putting it to the test, no nobody is in my opinion. Short spurts of intense use and then you cruise for a while. The chips in the iphone are never really maxed out and yet some can't wait for the next gen, but why? Newer really isn't always better!

I completely agree, though I don't think that argument should be used to justify holding off on newer technology in Macs.

However, the comments in this thread saying "I can buy newer chips in Windows laptops right now" is completely disingenuous, because none are more powerful (or even as powerful) as the ones shipping in the top-end MacBook Pros. These would be the same people complaining if Apple put in newer chips, but the newer Geekbench results would be lower. I can almost read the comments now.

Regardless, there's a great middle ground here. If Apple can't put in newer tech because there's no performance benefit, then just be a little more generous with pricing and value for money, as their profit margins increase. Maybe add more base storage configurations, or finally get rid of 5400RPM drives.