Skylake CPUs for next MB. (merged)

[scaramoosh]

Lets not be Silly, Apple used the chip that was Available from Intel, the Skylake Core M series isn't entering mass production until early next year. You cannot compared an ARM chip to an x86 directly either, just running geekbench isn't going to tell you the whole story, it's much more an ARM focused app any ways. Like people who say ARM is way more power efficient, well no when they're both being maxed out, the ARM doesn't last any longer or produce any less heat. As for the GPU they're using PowerVR, which Intel uses in their x86 Atom chips, it's not ARM. The new Skylake chip is 40% faster than the Broadwell and will be able to run games like GTA V way better than the Power VR ever could. Just benchmarking a GPU doesn't tell you how good it is at running games in the real world, same with the CPU. You can benchmark the AMD GPU inside the Macbook Pro and it doesn't seem that much better than the 750m, yet in real world use it's doubling framerates.

Intel have made so much progress since they pushed focus on low powered chips, it's still only been a few years for them. They're not going to be killed off by ARM and Apple wont be replacing them for their own chips, that makes no sense.

 

[Stutterer]

Since the announcement I´ve been going back and forth between buying a Macbook now or waiting for rev. 2 (with Skylake). My main concern has been performance, but going by feedback from users both here and on reddit, the performance issues seems to be somewhat overblown.

Still, my fears are buying a Macbook now and having Apple upgrade it this fall with Skylake and Skylake being a huge upgrade (such as 20% better performance... the same jump or even more on the battery side...).

I now have the possibility to buy the 1.2/512 for 20% off and it´s getting extremely difficult to not go for it.

So, for the ones that are waiting for rev. 2, what are your main reasons?

Exactly the same reasons you mentioned. Waiting for Skylake RMB.

 

[sniffies]

It's uncomfortably quiet in here...

I'm thinking of maybe buying a rMB in the end of February while visiting the US, if and only if the Skylake model is out by then. What do we think of the odds? As far as I understand, the proper Skylake chipsets for the MacBook have been released by Intel already, is that correct?

Quite high I would assume. I expect a late january - Early february launch.

Some Intel chips are not released until february.

Keep dreaming.

MacBook gen 1 was introduced in March, went on sale in April. Don't expect gen 2 earlier than March-April if not later.

 

[Roller]

Keep dreaming.

MacBook gen 1 was introduced in March, went on sale in April. Don't expect gen 2 earlier than March-April if not later.

I don't expect this to be a 2nd gen redesign, so it'll look the same. So Apple could make a Skylake rMB available with little fanfare as soon as chips are available.

 

[sniffies]

I don't expect this to be a 2nd gen redesign, so it'll look the same. So Apple could make a Skylake rMB available with little fanfare as soon as chips are available.

By gen 2, I meant whatever next refresh was coming.

 

[NauCayuti]

Keep dreaming.

MacBook gen 1 was introduced in March, went on sale in April. Don't expect gen 2 earlier than March-April if not later.

Why not? Apple never strictly stuck to annual update rhythms. In fact, most Macbook Pro/Air updates happened after less than a year. Why shouldn't they do a "silent" update once the appropriate chips are available?

 

[Roller]

By gen 2, I meant whatever next refresh was coming.

Oh, OK. But if Apple just changes to Skylake for the rMB, it'll probably happen without any fanfare, a press release at most.

 

[sniffies]

Why not? Apple never strictly stuck to annual update rhythms. In fact, most Macbook Pro/Air updates happened after less than a year. Why shouldn't they do a "silent" update once the appropriate chips are available?

Oh, OK. But if Apple just changes to Skylake for the rMB, it'll probably happen without any fanfare, a press release at most.

Skylake chip is no small deal. It's the most anticipated tock release, which brings many significant improvements. Apple is not gonna pass up a chance to brag about upgrades and fixes to their new first-generation product. Tick releases, on the other hand, could happen without any fanfare, but not the tock ones.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

Skylake chip is no small deal. It's the most anticipated tock release, which brings many significant improvements. Apple is not gonna pass up a chance to brag about upgrades and fixes to their new first-generation product. Tick releases, on the other hand, could happen without any fanfare, but not the tock ones.

The most anticipated one - Since the last one....

 

[nfilg]

Another laptop review with an Intel core M cpu:
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015...idrange-laptop-gets-much-better-with-skylake/

Let's hope the new macbook will also have a faster DDR3 or 4.
On the GPU side, Intel promises that the new HD 515 GPU delivers performance up to 40 percent faster than the HD 5300 in Broadwell’s Core M. The faster 1866MHz DDR3 RAM that Asus used comes into play again, too, since as we’ve examined before, Intel’s integrated GPUs are quite sensitive to memory bandwidth increases.

 

[dukeOfPrunes]

The performance increase for Skylake core m seen in the Asus review is very welcome indeed! We can expect Apple to use faster SSD storage as well.

Silent or not, I guess the update will not come to close after Christmas as the holiday sales cannot become out-of-date that soon. What has the history of Mac updates shown us, late January at the earliest..?

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

Yes.

 

[MikeAK]

Another laptop review with an Intel core M cpu:
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015...idrange-laptop-gets-much-better-with-skylake/

Let's hope the new macbook will also have a faster DDR3 or 4.
On the GPU side, Intel promises that the new HD 515 GPU delivers performance up to 40 percent faster than the HD 5300 in Broadwell’s Core M. The faster 1866MHz DDR3 RAM that Asus used comes into play again, too, since as we’ve examined before, Intel’s integrated GPUs are quite sensitive to memory bandwidth increases.

The performance increase for Skylake core m seen in the Asus review is very welcome indeed! We can expect Apple to use faster SSD storage as well.

Silent or not, I guess the update will not come to close after Christmas as the holiday sales cannot become out-of-date that soon. What has the history of Mac updates shown us, late January at the earliest..?

I have Been following the Asus Zenbook reviews all over the net. It is getting high praise on the cpu/gpu front. Exciting times we live in right now.

 

[Serban]

so Intel M skylake cpu for the next gen Macbook are released?
So we can expect some improvements in the cpu/gpu, ram and ssd
but can we expect for removing the 3.5jack (since Apple already said that they see the future wireless? so with wireless headphones) and put another usb-c ? and maybe 720p camera?

 

[dukeOfPrunes]

so Intel M skylake cpu for the next gen Macbook are released?
So we can expect some improvements in the cpu/gpu, ram and ssd
but can we expect for removing the 3.5jack (since Apple already said that they see the future wireless? so with wireless headphones) and put another usb-c ? and maybe 720p camera?

Wouldn't expect any change to the port configuration. Also, if s 3.5mm can fit on a phone, it sure can fit on a MacBook. Adding apples focus on music, don't see it being removed.

 

[Serban]

going wireless doesnt mean they will no longer being focuse on music

 

[kiranmk2]

Unless something comes out literally this week, I think that's it for the year. I can't see anything before February but I can't see a keynote announcement unless they also launch and iPad Air 3 or something similar at the same time. I agree that the form factor will be the same - all the improvements will be inside - Skylake CPU, better GPU, faster ram and SSD, likely a 720p camera and 'fixed' battery system. There are also sumours of Apple moving away from the 3.5 mm jack (first surfaced in connection with the iPhone) to enable thinner devices, so they might test the water with the MacBook. Again, this change is something they might not want to highlight in a Keynote.

 

[dukeOfPrunes]

going wireless doesnt mean they will no longer being focuse on music

Well, excluding all earbuds ever supplied with an iPhone or iPod doesn't seem the way to go... yet.

 

[kfscoll]

I'd love to see TB3 incorporated into the next rMB update -- although I think it'd require a separate TB controller which might make the logic board too big. Regardless, I'll probably upgrade from my first-gen rMB -- not because I think the improvements on gen 2 will be all that huge, but because my wife wants to replace her iPad with my rMB.

 

[Serban]

and still the 30 pin connector is all gone in 4 years
so wired headphones is old..i have for 2 months the beats solo 2 wireless and i will never go with a wired one. beside i think with the iphone in the near future Apple will ship in the box wireless headphones

 

[dukeOfPrunes]

I'd love to see TB3 incorporated into the next rMB update -- although I think it'd require a separate TB controller which might make the logic board too big. Regardless, I'll probably upgrade from my first-gen rMB -- not because I think the improvements on gen 2 will be all that huge, but because my wife wants to replace her iPad with my rMB.

I expect all next years Mac and MacBooks to be TB3 compatible over usb-C and particularly that the MacBooks support true 1 cable docking with 5K support to a 27 TB3 display. If this is the case, I suppose the 5K support is one of the main challenges considering the custom timing controller etc in iMacs.

Will be disappointed otherwise.

 

[MacRazySwe]

It's a shame how HP brings out a $700 Skylake laptop possibly months ahead of Apple.

Anyway, I hope we'll see it soon. I find it funny how the rMBP crowd expected a Skylake release before christmas, even though the right processor wasn't even released by Intel. In here on the other hand, people are critical of a Skylake update even in February, even though the processor is released and the competition is already bringing out laptops featuring the same chip.

 

[kfscoll]

My money would be on the rMB update landing in March or early April. If Apple truly believes that the rMB's form factor is the future of laptops then they'll want to keep the hardware fresh. This generation of rMB will have started to get a little stale if a year has gone by since its introduction and there still hasn't been an update.

 

[richinaus]

My money would be on the rMB update landing in March or early April. If Apple truly believes that the rMB's form factor is the future of laptops then they'll want to keep the hardware fresh. This generation of rMB will have started to get a little stale if a year has gone by since its introduction and there still hasn't been an update.

I agree on this. Looking forward to the new MB with better graphics and some more speed. There will be some indecision on my behalf though if the the RMBP 13" gets a good overhaul and some weight loss.

As an aside, my 2014 RMBP 15" looks so old and dated in comparison to the MB. For me the keyboard is the standout - the RMBP just looks clumsy in comparison.

I am sure the gen 2 MB will keep the exact same form factor and the RMBP will slim down slightly and take the design cues.

Bring on March / April

 

[boltjames]

My money would be on the rMB update landing in March or early April. If Apple truly believes that the rMB's form factor is the future of laptops then they'll want to keep the hardware fresh. This generation of rMB will have started to get a little stale if a year has gone by since its introduction and there still hasn't been an update.

Not going to happen, Apple is not going to make a major processor change in such a sort amount of time. Remember, the RMB was in rare supply back in May, it didn't reach critical mass of inventory until July. It's a baby, it's barely out there.

What Skylake offers to a notebook the RMB doesn't need (battery life) or isn't part of it's mission (processing horsepower). If anything, these HP's and Dell's need Skylake just to keep up with Apple, not the other way around.

BJ