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Intel to Supply Apple with Special High-End Haswell Processors for MacBook Pro
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If they phase out non-retina this latest edition will be the last MacBook I buy.
The benefits of dropping the dGPU will outweigh the cons and negative feedback from users who's expecting more from the GPUs.
Less overhead from maintaining two GPUs, less circuitry required on the motherboard, freeing up space for more battery, more battery life and so on.
I doubt the removal of dGPU would make it thinner but if they maintain the same performance from iGPU, it is possible they won't increase the battery volume and instead, thin out the battery, so that they can make the laptop thinner.
So far, folks are loving the size/efficiency focus that Apple has going for the past few years (MBA very successful due to its profile). So, hopefully, the thinner rMBP will work out as well.
Less overhead from maintaining two GPUs, less circuitry required on the motherboard, freeing up space for more battery, more battery life and so on.
I doubt the removal of dGPU would make it thinner but if they maintain the same performance from iGPU, it is possible they won't increase the battery volume and instead, thin out the battery, so that they can make the laptop thinner.
So far, folks are loving the size/efficiency focus that Apple has going for the past few years (MBA very successful due to its profile). So, hopefully, the thinner rMBP will work out as well.
They will phase it out without any doubts, it's just a matter of time. As soon as the Retina displays and SSDs are cheap enough, the cMBP is gone for good.
I think dropping the dGPU on both rMBP models is very likely. I mean, if the iGPU is as fast as the GT650m or even faster, why should there be a dGPU anymore? The new GPU's aren't that much faster than last years.
However, people that want to play games will not like this. Games just don't run nearly as good on iGPU's as they do on AMD or nvidia GPU's.
However, people that want to play games will not like this. Games just don't run nearly as good on iGPU's as they do on AMD or nvidia GPU's.
Why? I really don't understand the people who are against the retina display. After using one for awhile, every other display looks like total crap. Is it the display or just the fact that the rMBP is not upgradeable?
Not likely. The current 13 inch rBMP doesn't get the same i7 as the 15 inch rMBP (dual core vs. quad core).
Personally I would never buy the 13 inch rMBP in its current form. It doesn't have a Pro processor or Pro graphics capabilities.
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And this is exactly why I tell people to not buy the 13 inch rMBP. It's sad that integrated Intel graphics are considered Pro.
What I meant by "a version" of it is that I hope they make one to match the voltage of the 13" as well as the voltage of the 15". I know that they would never offer the same processor in both machines.
The 13" rMBP is an amazing machine. It's suitable for all but the most hardcore gamers and graphics professionals. For most users, it's the perfect blend of performance and portability IMO.
It'a mistake to drop the dGPU. Iris Pro, special version or not, will never be as good... And Intel will never catch up with Nvidia. They have really nice Logan cards coming next. People who want real graphics performance, including decent gaming, will be left behind if they buy MacBook Pro's.
The only x86 chipset that has the right to be Pro with a GPGPU coming up will be the APU direction AMD has with the Excavator APU that includes a big leap over the upcoming Steamroller and housing a 9000/10000 series GPGPU.
The Retina price point will stay the same, the Air is the lower cost 13" notebook. idek why anyone would buy a cMBP unless they wanted a disk drive tbh.
Agreed. I get tired of the constant bashing of the 13". I've found my i7 13" rMBP to be a very capable machine.
Showing your ignorance here buddy. The Iris 5200 has the same performance as a dGPU, you don't need a chip from nVidia any more. That's the whole point of Iris, it's not like the traditional idea of an iGPU.
Seriously for everyone laughing off integrated graphics and saying gamers will be annoyed etc, you really don't understand what Iris is all about. It can match laptop dGPUs. Hence why Codemasters (who make Grid 2) have been advertising it loads, it can play their games at full pelt.
There are no such things as Pro CPU or GPUs. There are faster CPUs/GPUs but there's nothing about it that makes them Pros. Today iGPUs are much faster than dGPUs a few years ago.
For majority of folks, the iGPU is fast enough for them. They don't need the full power of the GPU as majority of folks don't do intensive graphic works.
If the iGPU is not fast enough, then you upgrade to the faster dGPU cMBP or 15" MBPs.
13" will never get dGPUs again and eventually 15" will go iGPU only as well.
Creative workers that need super fast GPUs uses workstation GPUs, those are the ones that cost more than rMBP itself and will be available in the Mac Pro or they can just grab it from the other companies that offer workstation GPUs.
Are they referring to a special processor for the 15" MBP or the 13" MBP? Doing it for the 15" MBP wouldn't be that hard, especially if they are planning on replacing the dedicated GPU since that thermal and power room can just be given to overclock the CPU/IGP. Now a special GT3e processor for the 13" MBP will be a challenge and more interesting since no current officially announced GT3e chip fits in the 13" MBP's thermal profile.
Not if you want good battery life. AMD has improved, but it's a trade off ultimately. Intel has made improvements in the IGP, and I doubt that Apple would make this move unless they saw the performance being there.
My advice: You're heading off to school - focus like a madman on the subject matter, and not on the machine.
University tuition is astronomically overpriced as it is (thanks to the fact it's subsidized and considered "mandatory"), so use the resources they have on campus.
I always found that those that focused on technology and having "the latest and greatest" - and I was in that group - didn't do nearly as well as those who focused on the core foundation of their field. (I wasn't too bad there either, but I definitely got distracted by always trying to apply the latest technology.)
For your means, any MacBook made in the last 2 years should do fine. If you're in engineering, get a big screen and/or an external monitor (which are dirt cheap). And study, study, study!