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Is it worth waiting for Haswell refresh

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funkymunky

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 10, 2011
23
0
Stoke On Trent
Im looking to get a 15" rMBP with 16GB of ram and 512 SSD. but im reading up about this Haswell refresh how much of a difference will it be from this

2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
Turbo Boost up to 3.7GHz
16GB 1600MHz memory
512GB flash storage1
Intel HD Graphics 4000
NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1GB of GDDR5 memory

I will be mainly using with adobe cs6 for web developing. How much of a price increase do you think there will be if any with this Haswell refresh

Thanks
 
funkymunky said:
Im looking to get a 15" rMBP with 16GB of ram and 512 SSD. but im reading up about this Haswell refresh how much of a difference will it be from this

2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
Turbo Boost up to 3.7GHz
16GB 1600MHz memory
512GB flash storage1
Intel HD Graphics 4000
NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1GB of GDDR5 memory

I will be mainly using with adobe cs6 for web developing. How much of a price increase do you think there will be if any with this Haswell refresh

Thanks
Click to expand...

Go ahead and wait. We might see a refresh in june/july.
 
If you can wait, wait, you will get a somewhat, if not significant faster system (depending on what will be available)... Otherwise if you want a new system now, I wouldn't worry about Haswell.

You wont see a noticeable difference in real world tasks I think... The haswell will be a bit faster and hopefully produce less heat and will have less power consumption... So for laptops that could be important.

Just my 2c.
 
I don't believe in a refresh before Q3. Intel said June for Haswell. Mobile Haswells are supposed (only god and Intel CEO knows) to launch even later.

No one knows if Apple is even going to use Haswell in an upgraded MacBook line, it's just wishful thinking on our part. Granted - it seems reasonable, but only Tim and friends know for sure.
 
Having sold my cMBP 17" a while back, I'm going to buy a 15" rMBP but I'm not in a rush as I have an MBA, so waiting for Haswell makes sense for me, but the spec you posted is fine...I'd say if you need it now, then grab it. It may be the fall before we see the refresh.
 
vatter69 said:
No one knows if Apple is even going to use Haswell in an upgraded MacBook line, it's just wishful thinking on our part. Granted - it seems reasonable, but only Tim and friends know for sure.
Click to expand...

Every generation of Intel CPUs gets to MacBook Pro.
So, of course Apple will use Haswell - the only question is when.
Luckily, Apple used to be an early adopter of Intel chips.
 
Honestly if you want a MBP, there is no reason to wait. I look at it two ways:

The new chips will have better graphics performance, but when you're doing things really intensive we have a dedicated chip anyway.

These computers hold their value extremely well, I just sold a 2011 MBP 13" for $900 that I paid 1100 for a year and a half ago.

I am personally on a 2 year replacement on all my devices, and it's not really costing me all that much anyway. Enjoy the beautiful machine we have now, and then, in a year or two, resell and get the new technology then.
 
DaveOP said:
Honestly if you want a MBP, there is no reason to wait. I look at it two ways:

The new chips will have better graphics performance, but when you're doing things really intensive we have a dedicated chip anyway.

These computers hold their value extremely well, I just sold a 2011 MBP 13" for $900 that I paid 1100 for a year and a half ago.

I am personally on a 2 year replacement on all my devices, and it's not really costing me all that much anyway. Enjoy the beautiful machine we have now, and then, in a year or two, resell and get the new technology then.
Click to expand...

Exactly it already comes with a dedicated GPU that will be better than the improved internal graphics in haswell.

If you were getting an Air or a 13rMBP I would say wait because the improved performance in haswell's internal graphics card would be big (since they do not contain their own GPU)
 
To be honest i will forever be waiting to get the latest model or upgrade i think those specs are right so yep i will put in the order for that model tomorrow cheers all for the feedback much appreciated
 
funkymunky said:
To be honest i will forever be waiting to get the latest model or upgrade i think those specs are right so yep i will put in the order for that model tomorrow cheers all for the feedback much appreciated
Click to expand...

Good move. The current gen already does everything so I didn't wait either.
 
there's a few threads with this question at the moment, so I'll say the same as I have on those - Whatever you buy, whenever you buy it, there will be a refresh six months later which will be better, then a significant spec shift a year later which will be better still, and then further improvements the year after that which will make you consider upgrading. There is rarely a 'best time to buy' - so buy the best right now and upgrade when you can afford to, that's all you need to know.
 
vatter69 said:
I don't believe in a refresh before Q3. Intel said June for Haswell. Mobile Haswells are supposed (only god and Intel CEO knows) to launch even later.
Click to expand...

I just asked God, and He says He doesn't know; Tim Cook isn't divulging anything in his prayers. :p

I concur with what others have said: if you know you want the 15" rMBP, the current model is fine. If you're in the market for a 13" rMBP or a MBA, and you need it now, you might as well buy, because there will always be something better coming along. If you're in the market for a 13" rMBP or a MBA, but you just want (rather than need) one, then I think it's worth waiting for Haswell. I'll be replacing my 2008 15" MBP within the next year, and since it's a want rather than a need, I'm okay with waiting for the next generation of MBPs and MBAs. Then I'll compare price/performance/features and see which model best meets my needs.
 
funkymunky said:
Im looking to get a 15" rMBP with 16GB of ram and 512 SSD. but im reading up about this Haswell refresh how much of a difference will it be from this

2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
Turbo Boost up to 3.7GHz
16GB 1600MHz memory
512GB flash storage1
Intel HD Graphics 4000
NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1GB of GDDR5 memory

I will be mainly using with adobe cs6 for web developing. How much of a price increase do you think there will be if any with this Haswell refresh

Thanks
Click to expand...

Sure it's true what all these people are saying. There will always be a new machine coming in a few months. The one thing that they didn't say is that The next one, with the Haswell chip, and each one after that, will not be a retina 1st generation, with all the bugs and omissions that Apple first generation products always have. Better to wait a few months. If I'm wrong then I'm wrong. No harm. But if I'm right you will be kicking yourself.
 
vatter69 said:
I don't believe in a refresh before Q3. Intel said June for Haswell.
Click to expand...

Completely correct. I can't see an updated rMBP until at least September.

Also, aren't we completely over-hyping Haswell? Sure you might get a slightly longer battery life, but I've read that the improved integrated GPU will somewhat offset this (the battery life) anyhow.

The key improvement for me might be less lag when scrolling through Flash-based web sites using Chrome, but can kind of avoid this anyhow by mostly using Safari on the current rMBP.

I can't see how anyone would wait 6 months or more, unless you didn't really need a new rMBP. If you don't *need* one, wait, perhaps. If you need to upgrade, why wait?

Remember when a Haswell rMBP is released, there is likely to be another refresh in 6 months anyhow, so you'll be one of those people who are always waiting. A few years back some users could never commit to a new Mac as they were constantly waiting for the new/better/imminent version.

----------
adjeff8 said:
The next one, with the Haswell chip, and each one after that, will not be a retina 1st generation, with all the bugs and omissions that Apple first generation products always have.
Click to expand...

Erm, the refresh that came on to the market last week was a second generation, effectively. Quite a few changes to the internals.

Besides, I've had no issues whatsoever with my so-called "first generation" rMBP. This whole first generation has issues idea is completely over-blown by a handful of users who believe it to be the case.
 
If you would use it, get it now. Otherwise you'll spend hours on the Internet looking at reviews of it until you do.
 
moxxey said:
The key improvement for me might be less lag when scrolling through Flash-based web sites using Chrome, but can kind of avoid this anyhow by mostly using Safari on the current rMBP.
Click to expand...


Fortunately HTML5 is slowly taking over Flash, so in the future we won't see much sites using ugly adds made in Flash, if you use Chrome Canary or Safari Nightly WebKit you won't have any lag when scrolling even on the integrated Intel HD4000.
 
Last edited:
Is it worth waiting for Haswell refresh..

My opinion has forever been that it is ALWAYS worth waiting for an Upgrade if you Do Not Really NEED a new computer until then.. Period..

Need It.. Buy It..

Use It.. Be Happy..

Repeat as Necessary!! :apple:
 
funkymunky said:
Im looking to get a 15" rMBP with 16GB of ram and 512 SSD. but im reading up about this Haswell refresh how much of a difference will it be from this

2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
Turbo Boost up to 3.7GHz
16GB 1600MHz memory
512GB flash storage1
Intel HD Graphics 4000
NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1GB of GDDR5 memory

I will be mainly using with adobe cs6 for web developing. How much of a price increase do you think there will be if any with this Haswell refresh

Thanks
Click to expand...


Keep in mind that Haswell will be of most benefit to devices with low-voltage CPU's (like the Macbook Air). It's not really going to be much of a performance difference, except for the integrated GPU.

The system you've spec'd out is going to be quite snappy for several years!
 
moxxey said:
Completely correct. I can't see an updated rMBP until at least September.

Also, aren't we completely over-hyping Haswell? Sure you might get a slightly longer battery life, but I've read that the improved integrated GPU will somewhat offset this (the battery life) anyhow.

The key improvement for me might be less lag when scrolling through Flash-based web sites using Chrome, but can kind of avoid this anyhow by mostly using Safari on the current rMBP.

I can't see how anyone would wait 6 months or more, unless you didn't really need a new rMBP. If you don't *need* one, wait, perhaps. If you need to upgrade, why wait?

Remember when a Haswell rMBP is released, there is likely to be another refresh in 6 months anyhow, so you'll be one of those people who are always waiting. A few years back some users could never commit to a new Mac as they were constantly waiting for the new/better/imminent version.

----------



Erm, the refresh that came on to the market last week was a second generation, effectively. Quite a few changes to the internals.

Besides, I've had no issues whatsoever with my so-called "first generation" rMBP. This whole first generation has issues idea is completely over-blown by a handful of users who believe it to be the case.
Click to expand...

Exactly, people just don't get it.
 
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