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So, we do know that M370R is faster than Radeon Pro 455?
Or, only the fastest 2016 model is faster than fastest 2015 model.
Or, the fastest 2015 model is faster than any 2016 model, except the fastest one.

Can 460 be over twice as fast as 455?
Is Apple lying here about 130% increase?
  1. Testing conducted by Apple in October 2016 using preproduction 2.9GHz quad-core Intel Core i7-based 15-inch MacBook Pro systems with Radeon Pro 460 graphics, 4GB graphics memory, and a 2TB SSD, and shipping 2.8GHz quad-core Intel Core i7-based 15-inch MacBook Pro units with Radeon R9 M370X graphics, 2GB graphics memory, and a 1TB SSD. All systems configured with 16GB of RAM. Tested with Autodesk Maya 2017 using a 1.9GB scene. MacBook Pro continuously monitors system thermal and power conditions, and may adjust performance as needed to maintain optimal system operation.
Anyway, in real world of dozens of softwares, the difference might be insignificant.
 
Ugh. It's like I'm arguing with my wife over dinner.
I would fill hundred pages of information for you to digest over but let me just give you my latest example. I don't have to prove I'm Pro to you. But I'll play your games.

The Alexa Camera. The first model to was the Alexa. It shot HD and 2k HD using Apple ProRes. The files where manageable using 2011 to more recent laptops as long as you had the right codecs insatalled. You could ingest using Final Cut Pro not X, and create dailies.

Right now Arri is pushing to get rid of all ProRes in their pipeline because Apple has refused to keep up with modern computer maintenance and basically left ProRes as it was for that last 10 years. A lot of people where forced to use Apple for dit and onset aquasition because ProRes is proprietary. The solution is MXF.

Now Arri has the Alexa SXT. It can shoot 4K and the only way to get an Arri raw is shooting 4K MXF. The MXF is cross platform and owned by SMPTE and others and isn't really proprietary the way ProRes is. MXF can be used in a lot of pipelines

Anyway. My point is. OpenCL and the latest MacBook Pro can barely work with these files. Blackmagic Davinci resolve is only app that can open and it is unusable with the AMD 460 and OpenCL.

The last laptops did fine for that camera standard before.

This is not fringe. This is how film and digital media is moving forward.

Ok, so what laptops are you actually using to do this kind of work? What graphics card is in them?
 
Thunderbolt 3 is the first port thats fast enough to do it properly, so it should take off. Hope the big gpu makers make their own egpu enclosures

At the moment there is no compatible Thunderbolt 3 eGPU enclosure for the Mac Boo Pro.
 
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lol, and the powerbook in 2001 cost $xxx and this is way cheaper based on processing power.

What are you expecting? Desktop hardware has largely stabilized over the past 10 years. When you buy a car, are you expecting it to be 10x faster than your last one? Of course not. There may be incremental improvements, but for the most part you're simply replacing something that has worn out.
 
Making it open is easy for Apple to do, from a technical standpoint. Some firmware to the manufacturers of the eGPU devices and perhaps a software update to macOS.

Whether they want to or will is another question. Knowing Apple I am sure it's no.

The OWC TB3 Dock is slated to ship Feb 2017. The UltraFine LG monitors should come before...those will probably be the first TB3 <--> TB3 native macOS device.

Apple is pretty strict on TB3.

There is a good chance the monitors will work fine - although I am not excited about it really - I'd much rather have a working eGPU setup. I am sure Apple did some testing. They also worked with AMD exclusively for the dGPU's in the new 15" MBP's....so I would not be surprised if the closed-nature of that works to their advantage. Somewhat akin to how iPhone's consistently score so well against Android devices.
 
All USB ports are Gen 1 only, and no Type-C ports what so ever. Out of the box, you can't connect 2x DP 1.2 4K screens. You need extra adaptors/dongles. Sorry, it's not for me.
I need 2x DP 1.2, all USB ports Gen 2.

Ahh. If I could read I would have actually noticed your requirements. (I had to go up the chain.)

I'd be surprised to see any dock carry that on its own. You'd probably have to chain on something like this: https://www.startech.com/AV/Converters/Video/thunderbolt-3-to-dual-displayport~TB32DP2 (and I don't think this works on the new MBPs) which is actually cool in the sense that even the docks can get customized to a certain degree. It means connecting multiple adapters but it beats hoping someone out there puts together the perfect set of ports in a single device.

We'll see if beefier docks show up, but Thunderbolt 2 didn't exactly provide much. The OWC and Elgato were the two best in my experience (OWC has the best/most ports but the Elgato was usable in Windows) and neither allowed for multiple displays unless one of the displays on the chain was Thunderbolt.

Out of curiosity, what's the actual need for USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports? I realize they're faster, but what devices are you using that actually take advantage of that bandwidth and if you were considering new devices why would you take USB over native Thunderbolt?
 
Ok, so what laptops are you actually using to do this kind of work? What graphics card is in them?
People are using all kinds from stuff. The point of shooting remotely anywhere, on any commercial, is being as light and mobile as possible. Our hope was that the new MacBook Pro's would be fast enough.. they weren't.

But as for the builds, its all pretty custom to each pipeline, the VFX super or DIT, and their needs and uses.. but Some people who have not been able to get ProRes OS X out of their pipeline are just biting the bullet and putting 30lbs back into their dit cart, with a 5,1 MacPro and something like a 980ti, but that requires lots of batteries or access to the power grid. For some stuff like shooting on location like National Geo TV. That's impossible, you either don't have access to power, or your batteries won't last long enough... So they are quickly building new pipelines outside of ProRes OS X. Since all modern post pipelines are GPU intensive they are building and using gaming laptops, usually or laptops built around CUDA and NVIDIA. If I where going to have to build today, and not use OS X, it would be something like the blade stealth Pro, MainGear, Alienware , or something similar maybe a 15" with a decent GPU. Something with a mobile 980 or wait On 1080s to get more prevalent. Their used to be more CG oriented laptops, but most VFX, animation people are just buying fast, gaming laptops.

Another option, Some people are trying to get just enough backup power to run eGPU's, there are some for OS X, and some for PC. Again, the problem is power and power in remote locations without electrical grid power. You have to build a rig, find out how long you can be on location, then take 20% off of that, then you know how long you can be out in the field. It takes some testing to know how long you can be out in the field on battery power.

Its not as easy as saying this guy uses, This computer, on most film commercial shoots, their are hundreds of different moving parts.

I think when you where saying film makers think the new MacBook Pro's are faster for editing, they are talking about they where faster for editing the standard of yesterday, not the standard of NOW or Tomorrow. That is my biggest gripe with the new MacBook Pro's, they made a faster GPU for yesterdays standards, made a GPU for the past.. And the company is emphasizing gadgets now, not personal computers.
 
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Ahh. If I could read I would have actually noticed your requirements. (I had to go up the chain.)

I'd be surprised to see any dock carry that on its own. You'd probably have to chain on something like this: https://www.startech.com/AV/Converters/Video/thunderbolt-3-to-dual-displayport~TB32DP2 (and I don't think this works on the new MBPs) which is actually cool in the sense that even the docks can get customized to a certain degree. It means connecting multiple adapters but it beats hoping someone out there puts together the perfect set of ports in a single device.

We'll see if beefier docks show up, but Thunderbolt 2 didn't exactly provide much. The OWC and Elgato were the two best in my experience (OWC has the best/most ports but the Elgato was usable in Windows) and neither allowed for multiple displays unless one of the displays on the chain was Thunderbolt.

Out of curiosity, what's the actual need for USB 3.1 Gen 2 ports? I realize they're faster, but what devices are you using that actually take advantage of that bandwidth and if you were considering new devices why would you take USB over native Thunderbolt?

OWC's Thunderbolt 3 should be nice. It will be TB3 -> TB3 so will support the full capability and bandwidth. It also has two TB3 ports on it so it can act as a chain. You have a lot of power in that box. It's not out until next year though (Feb currently).

USB 3.1 gen 2 is pretty new, it wasn't hard for Apple to implement that with TB3 ports. Not much there that supports it yet. TB3 with macOS is more closed than it may seem. Accessories will take time and approval. Apple has a lot of control over that. With USB gen 2 it'll become (it is) what new products are being made for. It's double the bandwidth of gen 1. So if you don't have the luxury of a proper TB3 Dock (doesn't exist yet) then that's another direction you can go. There's TB2 backwards compatibility, yes, but there are also likely some accessories that will be easy to carry and fit into USB-C directly. One example is UHC-II SD Card to USB-C. Sometimes the more expensive (generally) TB3 devices aren't the most portable. They tend to come in Docks since there's so much bandwidth for expansion.

Not the best example at all, but: http://www.apple.com/shop/product/H...52ed041e644d30591937ee29b80bba40ad38155d93bcb
 
pretty sure final cut pro would benefit from having a beefier gpu, i have no issue with macbook using 455 or 460, but charging the same premium price they charged last time for at least a medium grade card like the m370, except this time they use literally the bottom of the barrel 455 and 460, that is what i have a problem with.

I get the price to performance issue but I think the performance (waiting to see proper benchmarks aside from Ars) is better than people expect. It looks like the 460 is better than the 965 in certain situations: https://www.reddit.com/r/Amd/comments/5cvzrq/first_radeon_pro_455_cinebench_numbers/
 
Just to clarify, the graphics in the new MBP are NOT mid range, they are LOW END. Todays midrange graphics are Nvidia's GTX 1060 and AMD's RX 480. What i'm not sure about if if they are truly Radeon Pro units, like the ones shown in this PC Perspective article:
goo.gl/L8iwQm
 
I get the price to performance issue but I think the performance (waiting to see proper benchmarks aside from Ars) is better than people expect. It looks like the 460 is better than the 965 in certain situations: https://www.reddit.com/r/Amd/comments/5cvzrq/first_radeon_pro_455_cinebench_numbers/
i don't know how you are satisfy with that, knowing the LOW END 455 or 460 is marginally better than last gen's mid range. yet still charging the same price. that is not acceptable in a normal consumer point of view.
 
So, we do know that M370R is faster than Radeon Pro 455?
Or, only the fastest 2016 model is faster than fastest 2015 model.
Or, the fastest 2015 model is faster than any 2016 model, except the fastest one.

Can 460 be over twice as fast as 455?
Is Apple lying here about 130% increase?
  1. Testing conducted by Apple in October 2016 using preproduction 2.9GHz quad-core Intel Core i7-based 15-inch MacBook Pro systems with Radeon Pro 460 graphics, 4GB graphics memory, and a 2TB SSD, and shipping 2.8GHz quad-core Intel Core i7-based 15-inch MacBook Pro units with Radeon R9 M370X graphics, 2GB graphics memory, and a 1TB SSD. All systems configured with 16GB of RAM. Tested with Autodesk Maya 2017 using a 1.9GB scene. MacBook Pro continuously monitors system thermal and power conditions, and may adjust performance as needed to maintain optimal system operation.
Anyway, in real world of dozens of softwares, the difference might be insignificant.

It's right there. The 455 is faster than the m370.
 
OWC's Thunderbolt 3 should be nice. It will be TB3 -> TB3 so will support the full capability and bandwidth. It also has two TB3 ports on it so it can act as a chain. You have a lot of power in that box. It's not out until next year though (Feb currently).

USB 3.1 gen 2 is pretty new, it wasn't hard for Apple to implement that with TB3 ports. Not much there that supports it yet. TB3 with macOS is more closed than it may seem. Accessories will take time and approval. Apple has a lot of control over that. With USB gen 2 it'll become (it is) what new products are being made for. It's double the bandwidth of gen 1. So if you don't have the luxury of a proper TB3 Dock (doesn't exist yet) then that's another direction you can go. There's TB2 backwards compatibility, yes, but there are also likely some accessories that will be easy to carry and fit into USB-C directly. One example is UHC-II SD Card to USB-C. Sometimes the more expensive (generally) TB3 devices aren't the most portable. They tend to come in Docks since there's so much bandwidth for expansion.

Not the best example at all, but: http://www.apple.com/shop/product/H...52ed041e644d30591937ee29b80bba40ad38155d93bcb

February? Ugh. Where did you see that release date. It's not like I NEED this thing, but I'm not patient when it comes to pre-orders.

It's really, really frustrating that Apple isn't allowing a bunch of the existing devices with the first gen TI chips. I really wonder what the rationale for doing that was.

My short-term solution was to actually just get the TB3->TB1/2 adapter. I have an Elgato Dock and an OWC Dock at home an LG 34UC98-W at work—all are Thunderbolt 2—and the adapter should allow me to continue to use those docks just fine.

When I'm using a laptop as a portable, I almost never need to connect to anything. I'll likely just grab one of these:

http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=14503
http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=15250

The only difference being charging and on the MBP, that's not so much an issue because I have multiple ports to work with. However, being able to pop it in a MacBook (likely my wife's next machine) is a plus.

I'd really love to have a Mac compatible version of something like this:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=1234854&gclid=CIz7sPGSrtACFQgNaQod3XkD-A&is=REG&ap=y&m=Y&c3api=1876,116777138042,&A=details&Q=

For all the dongle rage, I'm looking at one for like 95% of the portable time when I need a dongle (which is less than 10% of my portable time).

And then... of course... I'm really hoping for a Mac compatible version of something like this:

https://www.akitio.com/expansion/node


Thanks for sharing. This is encouraging. Hoping the Node will work too.
 
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February? Ugh. Where did you see that release date. It's not like I NEED this thing, but I'm not patient when it comes to pre-orders.

It's really, really frustrating that Apple isn't allowing a bunch of the existing devices with the first gen TI chips. I really wonder what the rationale for doing that was.

My short-term solution was to actually just get the TB3->TB1/2 adapter. I have an Elgato Dock and an OWC Dock at home an LG 34UC98-W at work—all are Thunderbolt 2—and the adapter should allow me to continue to use those docks just fine.

When I'm using a laptop as a portable, I almost never need to connect to anything. I'll likely just grab one of these:

http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=14503
http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=15250

The only difference being charging and on the MBP, that's not so much an issue because I have multiple ports to work with. However, being able to pop it in a MacBook (likely my wife's next machine) is a plus.

I'd really love to have a Mac compatible version of something like this:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=1234854&gclid=CIz7sPGSrtACFQgNaQod3XkD-A&is=REG&ap=y&m=Y&c3api=1876,116777138042,&A=details&Q=

For all the dongle rage, I'm looking at one for like 95% of the portable time when I need a dongle (which is less than 10% of my portable time).

And then... of course... I'm really hoping for a Mac compatible version of something like this:

https://www.akitio.com/expansion/node



Thanks for sharing. This is encouraging. Hoping the Node will work too.
thorough post, thank you for the presentation (nice decorated)
 
i don't know how you are satisfy with that, knowing the LOW END 455 or 460 is marginally better than last gen's mid range. yet still charging the same price. that is not acceptable in a normal consumer point of view.

Every Mac before this had a MID RANGE card, this year's version is the same thing. The 15" models are the same price, all the b*tching is about the 13" models... Which, by the way are the same price as an equally spec'd XPS 13 - I just checked on Dell's website.

ATI does not mention games when referencing the 450/55/60 on their website. It's meant to accelerate graphics meant for work (and light gaming) whilst preserving battery life so you can do WORK when you may not have a power outlet...

The 450/55/60 is 35 watts chip and the 460 out performs a 965 GTX, which for most WORK (Final Cut Pro, After Affects, Photoshop) is enough in a laptop and allows a few hours of work with the GPU, not minutes.

The 1060 (75 watts) and the 1080 (180 watts) are (fantastic for gaming, but...) overkill for a WORK machine. I need to get **** done and not have my laptop become a 4lb paper weight in less than an hour...

/sigh

P.S. If you don't like them buy a Razer (amazing) and deal with Windows and enjoy gaming. Voting with your dollar (first world problems) will teach Apple....
 
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Every Mac before this had a MID RANGE card, this year's version is the same thing. The 15" models are the same price, all the b*tching is about the 13" models... Which, by the way are the same price as an equally spec'd XPS 13 - I just checked on Dell's website.

ATI does not mention games when referencing the 450/55/60 on their website. It's meant to accelerate graphics meant for work (and light gaming) whilst preserving battery life so you can do WORK when you may not have a power outlet...

The 450/55/60 is 35 watts chip and the 460 out performs a 965 GTX, which for most WORK (Final Cut Pro, After Affects, Photoshop) is enough in a laptop and allows a few hours of work with the GPU, not minutes.

The 1060 (75 watts) and the 1080 (180 watts) are (fantastic for gaming, but...) overkill for a WORK machine. I need to get **** done and not have my laptop become a 4lb paper weight in less than an hour...

/sigh

P.S. If you don't like them buy a Razer (amazing) and deal with Windows and enjoy gaming. Voting with your dollar (first world problems) will teach Apple....


i think you are missing my point entirely.

lets break it down.
2015 mbp m370x - mid range. sucessor to this would be r7 470. $2600 msrp when introduced
2016 mbp AMD 455 or 460 - low range, previous predecessor would be AMD r7 m360, MSRP $2900

http://www.hwcompare.com/27522/radeon-r7-m360-vs-radeon-r9-m370x/
http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-RX-470-vs-Radeon-RX-460

they completely dropped the ball when putting in the proper gpu, everyone knows it as soon as they saw 460 in there. frankly i do not understand why you are defending apple's position so hard here.

it doesn't matter if the 460 is adequate for what you are doing, you have try making that point across countless times in your posts. but when you are paying 3k for a laptop. you should not be getting a bottom of the barrel graphic card.
 
As far as I can discern: The 2015 rMBP runs the screen at the native resolution of 2880x1800, but with the resolution of text, icons etc. doubled to make them the same physical size as they were on the old, nonretina, 1440x900 display.

The 2016 MBP instead defaults to "scaled mode" whereby the screen is rendered at a higher resolution - 3360 x 2100 - and then down-sampled to fit the physical screen resolution of 2880x1800, so the physical size of text and icons will be slightly smaller, physically (remember the old "high res" display option on the pre-retina MBP?) - this "scaled mode" was an option in the 2015 and earlier MacBooks. You can choose other settings.

This means that the GPU in the 2016 model is effectively driving a bigger screen & resampling, which wipes out the performance improvement on some benchmarks. The display should be better - its vaguely like the "full screen anti-aliasing" option in some games.

It does, however, highlight that these GPUs aren't night & day faster than the old ones.

I don't see the point to doing that. Are we sure that's what's going on?
 
i think you are missing my point entirely.

lets break it down.
2015 mbp m370x - mid range. sucessor to this would be r7 470. $2600 msrp when introduced
2016 mbp AMD 455 or 460 - low range, previous predecessor would be AMD r7 m360, MSRP $2900

http://www.hwcompare.com/27522/radeon-r7-m360-vs-radeon-r9-m370x/
http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-RX-470-vs-Radeon-RX-460

they completely dropped the ball when putting in the proper gpu, everyone knows it as soon as they saw 460 in there. frankly i do not understand why you are defending apple's position so hard here.

it doesn't matter if the 460 is adequate for what you are doing, you have try making that point across countless times in your posts. but when you are paying 3k for a laptop. you should not be getting a bottom of the barrel graphic card.


I believe the disconnect is two fold:

1. The price for the 2016 mbp AMD 460 isn't $2900 - I just spec'd a 15" with the 460 and it's $2600 on Apple's site: base model is $2399 with a $200 460 option. http://www.apple.com/shop/buy-mac/macbook-pro?product=MLH32LL/A&step=config#


2. The 460 out peforms the m370 by a considerable margin. The current benchmarks place the 455 above the m370 and the 460 should be well above that - So better performance while saving battery life on GPU.
 
2. The 460 out peforms the m370 by a considerable margin. The current benchmarks place the 455 above the m370 and the 460 should be well above that - So better performance while saving battery life on GPU.

We did real testing, OpenCL rendering, compression in Adobe CC apps and Blackmagic Resolve.

We found the 460 in the 2016 MacBook Pro to be 33% to 40% faster than the m370x in the 2015 MacBook Pro. Weather or nor you think thats "a considerable margin" is up for debate, people seem to put "thermal envelope" into this discussion, but for what my company does, its non sequitur.
 
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