Selecting a high-end 13 Retina
Prior to 2013 I worked exclusively on 15 Pros but the size/weight became to troublesome while traveling to daily meetings and during the occasional long distance haul, so I sold off the 15 and picked up a refurbished MBA11 (mid-2012 2.0i7/8GB/256GB). The 11 is a miracle of compact and lightweight computing power. It goes everywhere with me without being noticed, yet in the middle of a meeting I can make instant 3D modeling changes. The CPU can really crank for single core tasks and the storage is smoking fast compared to my old unibody 15 Pros. I have always used an external 24 monitor with keyboard/mouse for desktop workstations, so the 11 screen has not been a limiting factor.
However, the machine falls short on a number of fronts: Intel 4000 iGPU in a huge way, multicore processing power to a lesser extent and 8GB RAM for infrequent video editing and running Parallels. The Intel 4000 iGPU has really started to chock and cant imagine how it will handle an upgraded monitor that should happen in the near future. For all of the above reasons, I am looking to get a new laptop, and while all of my CAD, 3D, full Adobe Suite, and Parallel apps beg for a 15 with quad-core, dedicated GPU and 16GB RAM, I dont want to deal with the larger/heavier 15 form factor. So I have decided on the compact 13 Retina with much improved Iris integrated GPU, Thunderbolt 2 and wonderful Retina screen.
So I am seeking feedback on 2.8i7 vs 3.0i7 CPU and 8GB vs 16GB RAM for demanding professional work. Thanks!
___________________
To get a sense of performance and value, I compared all of the higher-end CPU options with the same 8GB RAM (16GB preferred) and 512GB storage configuration:
Refurbished MBA11 mid-2012 2.0i7
-Turbo Boost: 3.2GHz = benchmark
-GeekBench 64-Single-Core: 2857 = benchmark
-GeekBench 64-Multi-Core: 5873 = benchmark
-GPU estimate: 125 = benchmark
-Cost: $1,280 = benchmark
Refurbished MBP13r Late-2013 2.6i5
-Turbo Boost: 3.1GHz = 3% lower
-GeekBench 64-Single-Core: 3122 = 9% faster
-GeekBench 64-Multi-Core: 6605 = 12% faster
-GPU estimate: 362 = 190% faster**
-Cost: $1,440 = 13% increase*
-Overall: Best value but CPU single core is little to no improvement.
Refurbished MBP13r Late-2013 2.8i7
-Turbo Boost: 3.3GHz = 6% higher
-GeekBench 64-Single-Core: 3295 = 15% faster*
-GeekBench 64-Multi-Core: 6865 = 17% faster*
-GPU estimate: 362 = 190% faster**
-Coast: $1,600 = 25% increase
-Overall: Perfect machine if only available with 16GB.
New MBP13r Mid-2014 2.8i5
-Turbo Boost: 3.3GHz = 6% higher
-GeekBench 64-Single-Core: 3273 = 15% faster*
-GeekBench 64-Multi-Core: 6884 = 17% faster*
-GPU estimate: 362 = 190% faster**
-Cost: $1,800 = 41% increase
-Overall: Might as well get 3.0i7.
New MBP13r Mid-2014 3.0i7
-Turbo Boost: 3.5GHz = 13% higher*
-GeekBench 64-Single-Core: 3534 = 24% faster**
-GeekBench 64-Multi-Core: 7436 = 27% faster*
-GPU estimate: 362 = 190% faster**
-Cost: $2,000 = 56% increase
-Overall: Best option when configured with 16GB but very expensive.
Refurbished MBPr15 Late-2013 2.6i7
-Turbo Boost: 3.8GHz = 19% higher**
-GeekBench 64-Single-Core: 3710 = 30% faster**
-GeekBench 64-Multi-Core: 14395 = 145% faster***
-GPU estimate: 750 = 500% faster***
-Cost: $2,040 = 59% increase
-Overall: Spectacular performance but too large/heavy.
GPU score is my rough estimate from here:
http://www.barefeats.com/rmbpc.html
For RAM comparisons, this seems to be the best source:
http://www.macworld.com/article/203...ifications-of-additional-memory-on-a-mac.html
----------
Forgot to post this link that shows just how much faster the maxed-out 15 retina is compared to the maxed-out 13 Retina (and yes, I am still prefer a 13 Retina for ease of travel):
http://www.barefeats.com/rmbp14b.html
Prior to 2013 I worked exclusively on 15 Pros but the size/weight became to troublesome while traveling to daily meetings and during the occasional long distance haul, so I sold off the 15 and picked up a refurbished MBA11 (mid-2012 2.0i7/8GB/256GB). The 11 is a miracle of compact and lightweight computing power. It goes everywhere with me without being noticed, yet in the middle of a meeting I can make instant 3D modeling changes. The CPU can really crank for single core tasks and the storage is smoking fast compared to my old unibody 15 Pros. I have always used an external 24 monitor with keyboard/mouse for desktop workstations, so the 11 screen has not been a limiting factor.
However, the machine falls short on a number of fronts: Intel 4000 iGPU in a huge way, multicore processing power to a lesser extent and 8GB RAM for infrequent video editing and running Parallels. The Intel 4000 iGPU has really started to chock and cant imagine how it will handle an upgraded monitor that should happen in the near future. For all of the above reasons, I am looking to get a new laptop, and while all of my CAD, 3D, full Adobe Suite, and Parallel apps beg for a 15 with quad-core, dedicated GPU and 16GB RAM, I dont want to deal with the larger/heavier 15 form factor. So I have decided on the compact 13 Retina with much improved Iris integrated GPU, Thunderbolt 2 and wonderful Retina screen.
So I am seeking feedback on 2.8i7 vs 3.0i7 CPU and 8GB vs 16GB RAM for demanding professional work. Thanks!
___________________
To get a sense of performance and value, I compared all of the higher-end CPU options with the same 8GB RAM (16GB preferred) and 512GB storage configuration:
Refurbished MBA11 mid-2012 2.0i7
-Turbo Boost: 3.2GHz = benchmark
-GeekBench 64-Single-Core: 2857 = benchmark
-GeekBench 64-Multi-Core: 5873 = benchmark
-GPU estimate: 125 = benchmark
-Cost: $1,280 = benchmark
Refurbished MBP13r Late-2013 2.6i5
-Turbo Boost: 3.1GHz = 3% lower
-GeekBench 64-Single-Core: 3122 = 9% faster
-GeekBench 64-Multi-Core: 6605 = 12% faster
-GPU estimate: 362 = 190% faster**
-Cost: $1,440 = 13% increase*
-Overall: Best value but CPU single core is little to no improvement.
Refurbished MBP13r Late-2013 2.8i7
-Turbo Boost: 3.3GHz = 6% higher
-GeekBench 64-Single-Core: 3295 = 15% faster*
-GeekBench 64-Multi-Core: 6865 = 17% faster*
-GPU estimate: 362 = 190% faster**
-Coast: $1,600 = 25% increase
-Overall: Perfect machine if only available with 16GB.
New MBP13r Mid-2014 2.8i5
-Turbo Boost: 3.3GHz = 6% higher
-GeekBench 64-Single-Core: 3273 = 15% faster*
-GeekBench 64-Multi-Core: 6884 = 17% faster*
-GPU estimate: 362 = 190% faster**
-Cost: $1,800 = 41% increase
-Overall: Might as well get 3.0i7.
New MBP13r Mid-2014 3.0i7
-Turbo Boost: 3.5GHz = 13% higher*
-GeekBench 64-Single-Core: 3534 = 24% faster**
-GeekBench 64-Multi-Core: 7436 = 27% faster*
-GPU estimate: 362 = 190% faster**
-Cost: $2,000 = 56% increase
-Overall: Best option when configured with 16GB but very expensive.
Refurbished MBPr15 Late-2013 2.6i7
-Turbo Boost: 3.8GHz = 19% higher**
-GeekBench 64-Single-Core: 3710 = 30% faster**
-GeekBench 64-Multi-Core: 14395 = 145% faster***
-GPU estimate: 750 = 500% faster***
-Cost: $2,040 = 59% increase
-Overall: Spectacular performance but too large/heavy.
GPU score is my rough estimate from here:
http://www.barefeats.com/rmbpc.html
For RAM comparisons, this seems to be the best source:
http://www.macworld.com/article/203...ifications-of-additional-memory-on-a-mac.html
----------
Forgot to post this link that shows just how much faster the maxed-out 15 retina is compared to the maxed-out 13 Retina (and yes, I am still prefer a 13 Retina for ease of travel):
http://www.barefeats.com/rmbp14b.html