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This is how the 2017 MacBook Core m3, i5, i7 behave during sustained CPU load: 10+ runs of Cinebench
- Thread starter EugW
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Intel Power Gadget has been updated as of last week finally. I posted a thread on it here:
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-testing-and-temp-monitoring-utility.2097369/
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-testing-and-temp-monitoring-utility.2097369/
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This is the latest Intel Power Gadget (Version 3.5, released 2017-12-22). Max speed with 4 x YES testing in the terminal is 2.6 GHz, which then throttles to 2.4-2.5 GHz.
The key is not to go over 100 degrees. And most of the time it's cool. It's at ~100C really only when you're maxing out the CPU, and most people don't generally use the 12" MacBook for hard-core number crunching for extended periods.
For example, Handbrake video encoding would easily cause it to throttle, but the MacBook isn't really the right tool for using Handbrake a lot in the first place. It will throttle and even if it didn't throttle, it's way slower than the MacBook Pros and iMacs for Handbrake.
For comparison, my triple-core AMD Athlon II X3 435 2.9 GHz desktop gets 194 in Cinebench. With Windows 10, 8 GB RAM, and SSD, this machine is OK for most office type usage. I actually have it running right next to my 2017 iMac Core i5-7600. Other than some lagginess when invoking a menu while playing back video in Netflix, the AMD feels OK.
In Geekbench 4, the AMD gets 4070 multicore, as compared to 7000+ for the MacBook Core m3-7Y32. Those listed clock speeds are pretty misleading.
In Geekbench 4, the AMD gets 4070 multicore, as compared to 7000+ for the MacBook Core m3-7Y32. Those listed clock speeds are pretty misleading.
Interesting results. I have to say I was worried when I bought this 2016 m3 MacBook but honestly, its performance has been excellent and I'd be happy to get another. It's really surprised me at times where I've been web browsing, photoshopping, streaming music, replying to emails all kind of at once and it seemed to manage just fine.
And this is coming from someone with a delidded, liquid cooled i7-6700k + overclocked GTX 1080 on their desk.
I've grown to really love this thing, it's a perfect size and weight, also it's fantastic for watching Netflix with its great display and speakers.
Will be interesting to see how it performs with a 10nm Cannon Lake chip in it as it will have a lot more thermal headroom vs Kaby/Skylake.
And this is coming from someone with a delidded, liquid cooled i7-6700k + overclocked GTX 1080 on their desk.
I've grown to really love this thing, it's a perfect size and weight, also it's fantastic for watching Netflix with its great display and speakers.
Will be interesting to see how it performs with a 10nm Cannon Lake chip in it as it will have a lot more thermal headroom vs Kaby/Skylake.
Thanks EugW for this thread. I read the whole thing and wish I had done before buying a damn i7 like 10 days ago.
Sooo, to try and justify getting the i7 in hindsight (and not look like a doofus by falling for marketing gimmicks), is it possible that future updates to Mac OS will advantage the i7 in some way that is more than ~10% better than the i3? Please tell me Yes; but it’s OK, I can handle it if it’s a No
I guess I had in mind the 2015 performance ratings which were pretty bad at the time for price paid.
It was for a family member who loves it and will have it for a long time, so it won’t be worth the hassle of returning it. (Or waiting for a phantom 13” version in Q4 or later—which would be kinda nice but can’t wait that long. Maybe would have to trade up if that happens in a couple years, in which case maybe the i7 will help on resale.)
Sooo, to try and justify getting the i7 in hindsight (and not look like a doofus by falling for marketing gimmicks), is it possible that future updates to Mac OS will advantage the i7 in some way that is more than ~10% better than the i3? Please tell me Yes; but it’s OK, I can handle it if it’s a No
I guess I had in mind the 2015 performance ratings which were pretty bad at the time for price paid.It was for a family member who loves it and will have it for a long time, so it won’t be worth the hassle of returning it. (Or waiting for a phantom 13” version in Q4 or later—which would be kinda nice but can’t wait that long. Maybe would have to trade up if that happens in a couple years, in which case maybe the i7 will help on resale.)
Future OSX releases aren't going to unlock an extra 10% better performance any time soon as the rMB is constrained by power and heat restrictions which a future OSX release isn't going to change anytime soon...Thanks EugW for this thread. I read the whole thing and wish I had done before buying a damn i7 like 10 days ago.
Sooo, to try and justify getting the i7 in hindsight (and not look like a doofus by falling for marketing gimmicks), is it possible that future updates to Mac OS will advantage the i7 in some way that is more than ~10% better than the i3? Please tell me Yes; but it’s OK, I can handle it if it’s a No
It was for a family member who loves it and will have it for a long time, so it won’t be worth the hassle of returning it. (Or waiting for a phantom 13” version in Q4 or later—which would be kinda nice but can’t wait that long. Maybe would have to trade up if that happens in a couple years, in which case maybe the i7 will help on resale.)
Hi guys,
Is 2017 Macbook m3 8gb running YouTube, some online streaming movies, Ms words, excel and outlook going to be OK?
Although I had a MBA 13" 2015 i5 4gb running well, but it's going to pass to my primary school children for their school work.
I'm wondering if getting MBP is it overkill if I'm running only those programs? Or the 2017 Macbook m3 is good enough for my usage?
Is 2017 Macbook m3 8gb running YouTube, some online streaming movies, Ms words, excel and outlook going to be OK?
Although I had a MBA 13" 2015 i5 4gb running well, but it's going to pass to my primary school children for their school work.
I'm wondering if getting MBP is it overkill if I'm running only those programs? Or the 2017 Macbook m3 is good enough for my usage?
12" MB is good for exactly those things. Many people doubt the power of the rMB until they purchase it and be astonished by how capable it is.
Thanks for the confirmation.
Also I used my MBA to run Microsoft remote to remote in my work servers and also does some Microsoft administrative tasks. Did not install additional windows to run boot camp, just use the Microsoft remote app to do that. Running some script to make some automation for my windows server
Is the MacBook m3 8gb capable to do that?
Thank you TS. Now left the keyboard issue, been looking thru the discussion on the new "butterfly" keyboard design, seems like quite a handful hit the problems of keys been stuck. Why I needed sure a small laptop, is because mainly because of work.
Imagine, 1 hand holding up the laptop, another hand is typing on the keyboard, standing behind the server rack, pluggin console cable to troubleshooting switch/router for hours. I can do it on MBA, but if the laptop is even lighter than MBA, that will be wonderful.
I have just been doing some 25 x Cinebench runs on my 2016 M5, with the objective of seeing how much difference a Moshi shell case makes. On the face of it, if marble vs wood makes a difference you would think the Moshi case would also have an effect.
To my surprise the difference is apparently undetectable. But there are some problems with the testing, as you can see from the quick and dirty presentation of my results, done by plotting the data on the a print out of yours.
The main problem is that on my MacBook I find Cinebench can vary 10 or more points from day to day, even turning off processes and trying to be consistent. Have you done any testing to look for such day to day repeatability? and did you repeat the wood/marble tests tube sure it wasn't just a day to day effect? Although I note in your wood vs granite test the slope in the first 10 is distinctly shallower with granite as would be expected if it is removing heat more effectively.
My preliminary conclusion that the Moshi is not having a big effect is based on the fact that the rate of reduction in the first 10 runs is very similar. The difference in level is more to do with variability (I am not going to claim the Moshi improves it
).Any comments on my Moshi tests?
(EDIT I realise I didn't pick a good chart of yours to add mine to, as the one I used is where you moved it after test 11).
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Yes, I repeated the tests on granite and got similar results. But eventually I just stopped doing the test after 10 for consistency from the first test and because it gets too tedious.I have just been doing some 25 x Cinebench runs on my 2016 M5, with the objective of seeing how much difference a Moshi shell case makes. On the face of it, if marble vs wood makes a difference you would think the Moshi case would also have an effect.
To my surprise the difference is apparently undetectable. But there are some problems with the testing, as you can see from the quick and dirty presentation of my results, done by plotting the data on the a print out of yours.
The main problem is that on my MacBook I find Cinebench can vary 10 or more points from day to day, even turning off processes and trying to be consistent. Have you done any testing to look for such day to day repeatability? and did you repeat the wood/marble tests tube sure it wasn't just a day to day effect? Although I note in your wood vs granite test the slope in the first 10 is distinctly shallower with granite as would be expected if it is removing heat more effectively.
My preliminary conclusion that the Moshi is not having a big effect is based on the fact that the rate of reduction in the first 10 runs is very similar. The difference in level is more to do with variability (I am not going to claim the Moshi improves it
Any comments on my Moshi tests?
(EDIT I realise I didn't pick a good chart of yours to add mine to, as the one I used is where you moved it after test 11).
I only did the wood test once though.
Thanks for sharing this it is very informative! I finally decided to get the Macbook 12" i7 16gb setup and still waiting for it. I also don't have time to wait for the next model as I need this for work. I need a secondary machine (very light and portable) for writing codes running within VMs when I'm outside the office. Thanks for your posts, it helped me decide which setup to get!
I have a 2016 Macbook M7 1.3GHz 8Gb, which I really like .... and so does my grandson! I am thinking possibly upgrading mine and giving him the 2016 one.
What might I expect with a 2017 upgrade, probably to the i7 16Gb, in terms of performance, heat, keyboard, etc.?
What might I expect with a 2017 upgrade, probably to the i7 16Gb, in terms of performance, heat, keyboard, etc.?