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Waiting for Haswell MBP Mega Thread

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After years of running a desktop PC, I've decided it's time to downsize and get a Macbook Pro.

Currently running OSX on a Hackintosh but decided I want to go back to proper, supported, hassle free OSX.. just gotta wait for the refresh now before I get an order in. Come on Apple!! :)
 
Every once a while I come back to this thread, to see if people are still fighting on the GPU. I feel so relieved that you guys still are.

To the endless GPU argument, cheers!
 
Chicane-UK said:
After years of running a desktop PC, I've decided it's time to downsize and get a Macbook Pro.
Click to expand...

That's ironic - after years of using a MacBook Pro, I'm deciding it's time to downsize and get a Windows laptop.

A MacBook Pro with no Ethernet port, no optical drive, no discrete GPU, non-replacable RAM and SSD and battery, only two USB ports, and only a glossy display really isn't a pro laptop at all. At the very least, I need Ethernet without having to carry around a dongle, and I need more USB ports so I can plug in an external keyboard, mouse, and my iPhone when I connect to an external display.

That Lenovo Y510p (with 1920x1080 display) is looking good. I can put Kubuntu on it to get things done, and boot into Windows when I want to play Battlefield 3 or Guild Wars 2 or X-Plane.

Meanwhile, my desktop Hackintosh still works great for me. I wanted a Mac that would let me upgrade the video card in two or three years, and Apple didn't offer one under $2500.
 
Brian Kendig said:
That's ironic - after years of using a MacBook Pro, I'm deciding it's time to downsize and get a Windows laptop.

A MacBook Pro with no Ethernet port, no optical drive, no discrete GPU, non-replacable RAM and SSD and battery, only two USB ports, and only a glossy display really isn't a pro laptop at all. At the very least, I need Ethernet without having to carry around a dongle, and I need more USB ports so I can plug in an external keyboard, mouse, and my iPhone when I connect to an external display.

That Lenovo Y510p (with 1920x1080 display) is looking good. I can put Kubuntu on it to get things done, and boot into Windows when I want to play Battlefield 3 or Guild Wars 2 or X-Plane.

Meanwhile, my desktop Hackintosh still works great for me. I wanted a Mac that would let me upgrade the video card in two or three years, and Apple didn't offer one under $2500.
Click to expand...
Good points... that most Mac owners and future owners will continue to ignore or justify away... including me. :eek:
 
iMerik said:
Good points... that most Mac owners and future owners will continue to ignore or justify away... including me. :eek:
Click to expand...

How come?

The Lenovo is half the price of the MBP. (Both are the 15" models.) I would really rather run Mac OS, but the MBP just has too many compromises. It just skimps in too many areas; it loses too much.

I use a 2011 MBP at work. I always find myself needing more than two USB ports. I can't imagine losing Ethernet. I recently upgraded the memory; I can't imagine not being able to do that either.
 
Brian Kendig said:
That's ironic - after years of using a MacBook Pro, I'm deciding it's time to downsize and get a Windows laptop.

A MacBook Pro with no Ethernet port, no optical drive, no discrete GPU, non-replacable RAM and SSD and battery, only two USB ports, and only a glossy display really isn't a pro laptop at all. At the very least, I need Ethernet without having to carry around a dongle, and I need more USB ports so I can plug in an external keyboard, mouse, and my iPhone when I connect to an external display.

That Lenovo Y510p (with 1920x1080 display) is looking good. I can put Kubuntu on it to get things done, and boot into Windows when I want to play Battlefield 3 or Guild Wars 2 or X-Plane.

Meanwhile, my desktop Hackintosh still works great for me. I wanted a Mac that would let me upgrade the video card in two or three years, and Apple didn't offer one under $2500.
Click to expand...

I admit, the pricing and the limitations of the MBP are a tough pill to swallow. But I have gone through a lot of thinking here, trying to work out what the best thing to do is..

I've been using my Hackintosh PC since January and I've really enjoyed it, but I've had some occasional problems with the build, as well as a desire to be able to try out Mavericks as soon as it comes out. I've stopped playing games (finally) and found I have no other reliance on Windows that won't be fine within a Fusion VM. This has lead me to decide I want an actual Mac now.

The problem is what kit to buy? I can't bring myself to spend the money on a Mac Mini - they're just too damn expensive for the spec I want. The iMac is a possibility, but thinking about it further, having the option of being able to take my main PC out on the road with me is quite appealing which is why I'm coming round to buying a Macbook Pro. I don't think the Air would cut it unfortunately..

I originally wanted a (new) Mac Pro but i'd be back in the same boat with having too much clutter, and besides it's going to cost the earth!

And going to a Windows notebook just isn't an option. The main reason for moving to MacOS is really a 'voting with my feet' exercise, because I'm just so disappointed / irritated with Windows 8 - I know Apple have done some questionable things for longstanding customers, but I'm in that zone right now with Microsoft and just want to be done with them for now!
 
iMerik said:
Good points... that most Mac owners and future owners will continue to ignore or justify away... including me. :eek:
Click to expand...

Oh well I guess it's as simple as all that. :rolleyes:

----------
jxie0755 said:
Every once a while I come back to this thread, to see if people are still fighting on the GPU. I feel so relieved that you guys still are.

To the endless GPU argument, cheers!
Click to expand...

Team iGPU
until a dGPU refresh!!!!!!!!
 
Brian Kendig said:
A MacBook Pro with no Ethernet port, no optical drive, no discrete GPU, non-replacable RAM and SSD and battery, only two USB ports, and only a glossy display really isn't a pro laptop at all.
Click to expand...

That's ironic, because I'm a professional and I laugh when I have to be tied down to an ethernet connection, I absolutely hate the waste called optical media with a passion, my design applications don't require Apple's "amazing" dGPU, ;) I've never needed to "replace" RAM, SSD, or battery, and I laugh at my coworkers mess of cords/cables/usb.

Could it be that maybe, just maybe, Apple hardware doesn't fit your "pro" paradigm? Say it aint so!

Enjoy Windows. lol.
 
Chicane-UK said:
I can't bring myself to spend the money on a Mac Mini - they're just too damn expensive for the spec I want. The iMac is a possibility, but thinking about it further, having the option of being able to take my main PC out on the road with me is quite appealing which is why I'm coming round to buying a Macbook Pro. I don't think the Air would cut it unfortunately..
Click to expand...

A Mini is too expensive so you're considering a Pro? What exactly is it that you need that an Air won't give you? Since you don't play games, all I can think of is the size (13" vs. 15").

And going to a Windows notebook just isn't an option. The main reason for moving to MacOS is really a 'voting with my feet' exercise, because I'm just so disappointed / irritated with Windows 8 -
Click to expand...

Why not give Ubuntu or Kubuntu a try? Free, easy on the resources, got lots of features. I've been wondering if either of these could be a viable replacement for what I use MacOS for.
 
Brian Kendig said:
A Mini is too expensive so you're considering a Pro? What exactly is it that you need that an Air won't give you? Since you don't play games, all I can think of is the size (13" vs. 15").



Why not give Ubuntu or Kubuntu a try? Free, easy on the resources, got lots of features. I've been wondering if either of these could be a viable replacement for what I use MacOS for.
Click to expand...

I ran Ubuntu for two years before getting my current MBP (mid 2009) used. Mac OS is much more polished and stable. And don't get me started on third-party apps. Mac apps are generally much nicer, more polished, better supported, and easier to install. And you can build a lot of Linux stuff from source if you really want to run a particular piece of software.

Then again, I do feel pretty strongly about paying for software and getting something nicer at the end of the day (and don't care too much about open vs closed). The major exception to this rule is for scientific software. That should be free and open source because a) you probably got federal money to develop it and b) people need to verify your code.

Anyway, your best bet is probably to try running Ubuntu or Kubuntu or Linux Mint in a VM to give it a try. It won't be nearly as good of an experience as actually booting it, but it'll give you an idea. Another thing you can do is boot from a USB flash drive to get a better feel for the overall system.
 
polymersayb said:
The major exception to this rule is for scientific software. That should be free and open source because a) you probably got federal money to develop it and b) people need to validate your code.
Click to expand...

If only we didn't have to pay for anything that was subsidized by federal money. :rolleyes: Come on dude! Just because it's scientific and/or a subsidized project doesn't mean that developers don't need any more funding or revenue!
 
GSPice said:
Pretty sure that integrated TB2 chips that Apple would use have nothing to do with full on motherboards employing TB2.
Click to expand...


Not sure I follow...the technology is now out there (on Wintel/PC no less)...enabling 4k tech (among others)...I'd be whole-heartedly surprised if Apple released any new hardware at this stage, without it.
 
brandonx76 said:
Not sure I follow...the technology is now out there (on Wintel/PC no less)...enabling 4k tech (among others)...I'd be whole-heartedly surprised if Apple released any new hardware at this stage, without it.
Click to expand...

But do you know if Intel has provided TB2 in a form factor that Apple is willing to integrate or even purchase? All the other stuff doesn't really matter.
 
GSPice said:
Pretty sure that integrated TB2 chips that Apple would use have nothing to do with full on motherboards employing TB2.
Click to expand...

Not sure what you mean either. The Ars article even said this:

The retail availability of Thunderbolt 2 controllers means that we can expect other motherboards and systems that use the spec to follow in the coming months. The most significant of these is the new cylindrical Mac Pro, which will include six of the new ports, but we also suspect that new Retina MacBook Pros could pack Thunderbolt 2 ports to differentiate them a bit from the 2013 MacBook Airs.
Click to expand...

Sounds pretty promising to me.
 
GSPice said:
If only we didn't have to pay for anything that was subsidized by federal money. :rolleyes: Come on dude! Just because it's scientific and/or a subsidized project doesn't mean that developers don't need any more funding or revenue!
Click to expand...

Fair point, but let me clarify. I'm talking specifically about data-analysis tools developed in university laboratories which depend almost entirely on (largely federal, though also private) grants to exist and to pay their members. I feel these should be made available free-to-use to other researchers. In addition, these tools are generally heavily mathematical/statistical, so they should be open-sourced so other users are able to check the calculations performed by the tool if they wish to do so.

Note, however, that these tools are also generally "sold" in the scientific currency of publications. More (good) publications usually leads to more grants. Also, the audience for these tools is likely much too small to serve as a reliable source of revenue anyway.

Yes there are companies that offer privately-developed scientific software, and I am fine with those charging for access. Ideally though, they should still be open-sourced so that others can verify the algorithms, but even then, serious validation is probably enough. In addition, sometimes this software comes bundled with specific instruments and it deals with proprietary data that is very hard to interpret if you are not intensely familiar with the workings of the machine. In that case, it probably doesn't matter either as long as the results can be validated.

Anyway, this is getting just a bit off topic and is completely a matter of opinion. There are lots of nuances and even my opinion isn't completely fixed.
 
polymersayb said:
Fair point, but let me clarify. I'm talking specifically about data-analysis tools developed in university laboratories which depend almost entirely on (largely federal, though also private) grants to exist and to pay their members. I feel these should be made available free-to-use to other researchers. In addition, these tools are generally heavily mathematical/statistical, so they should be open-sourced so other users are able to check the calculations performed by the tool if they wish to do so.

Note, however, that these tools are also generally "sold" in the scientific currency of publications. More (good) publications usually leads to more grants. Also, the audience for these tools is likely much too small to serve as a reliable source of revenue anyway.

Yes there are companies that offer privately-developed scientific software, and I am fine with those charging for access. Ideally though, they should still be open-sourced so that others can verify the algorithms, but even then, serious validation is probably enough. In addition, sometimes this software comes bundled with specific instruments and it deals with proprietary data that is very hard to interpret if you are not intensely familiar with the workings of the machine. In that case, it probably doesn't matter either as long as the results can be validated.

Anyway, this is getting just a bit off topic and is completely a matter of opinion. There are lots of nuances and even my opinion isn't completely fixed.
Click to expand...

I definitely see what you mean. Sometimes scientific software ends up having its own market ecosystem that's hard to get in on. I understand though.
 
Brian Kendig said:
That's ironic - after years of using a MacBook Pro, I'm deciding it's time to downsize and get a Windows laptop.

A MacBook Pro with no Ethernet port, no optical drive, no discrete GPU, non-replacable RAM and SSD and battery, only two USB ports, and only a glossy display really isn't a pro laptop at all. At the very least, I need Ethernet without having to carry around a dongle, and I need more USB ports so I can plug in an external keyboard, mouse, and my iPhone when I connect to an external display.

That Lenovo Y510p (with 1920x1080 display) is looking good. I can put Kubuntu on it to get things done, and boot into Windows when I want to play Battlefield 3 or Guild Wars 2 or X-Plane.

Meanwhile, my desktop Hackintosh still works great for me. I wanted a Mac that would let me upgrade the video card in two or three years, and Apple didn't offer one under $2500.
Click to expand...

To each is own.

I would personally much prefer a rMBP, lighter and easier to carry around. My desk is set up with bluetooth keyboard and mouse. I get in plug my monitor in and I am ready to go right away. If I need to leave it is quick and easy.
 
GSPice said:
That's ironic, because I'm a professional and I laugh when I have to be tied down to an ethernet connection, I absolutely hate the waste called optical media with a passion, my design applications don't require Apple's "amazing" dGPU, ;) I've never needed to "replace" RAM, SSD, or battery, and I laugh at my coworkers mess of cords/cables/usb.

Could it be that maybe, just maybe, Apple hardware doesn't fit your "pro" paradigm? Say it aint so!

Enjoy Windows. lol.
Click to expand...

While the macbook premium may still seem "pro" to you, some of us do more than make a website for our grandmother and deem ourselves "pro" users. Someone who uses realflow and cinema 4d would greatly benefit from cuda, and the horsepower behind a dGPU.. however, I wouldn't expect you to understand that... "Say it aint so!"
 
djra8 said:
While the macbook premium may still seem "pro" to you, some of us do more than make a website for our grandmother and deem ourselves "pro" users. Someone who uses realflow and cinema 4d would greatly benefit from cuda, and the horsepower behind a dGPU.. however, I wouldn't expect you to understand that... "Say it aint so!"
Click to expand...

Wow, you really have to defend your position by insulting? And saying that I "deem" myself a "pro"? Am I supposed to be impressed by that?

"Macbook premium" heh... whatever makes you feel better man
 
Brian Kendig said:
A Mini is too expensive so you're considering a Pro? What exactly is it that you need that an Air won't give you? Since you don't play games, all I can think of is the size (13" vs. 15").
Click to expand...

Regarding the Mini vs MBP - it sounds silly but the MBP feels like better value for money than the Mac Mini does.. I'm not a mega power user, but I do want to try and get a fairly meaty processor as I intend for the machine to last me a few years, and after quite a few years of only having SSD's, there's no way on earth I'm going back to a mechanical drive.. so factor in a CPU, storage and memory upgrade and the Mac Mini starts to look quite expensive.

Brian Kendig said:
Why not give Ubuntu or Kubuntu a try? Free, easy on the resources, got lots of features. I've been wondering if either of these could be a viable replacement for what I use MacOS for.
Click to expand...

Have tried to like Linux over the years for daily desktop duty, but just not a fan. Besides, I run various Adobe applications and so forth, and have just gotten a good synergy with OSX now - really can't be bothered going through it all again with Linux.
 
mcarling said:
Apple will ship the Haswell MBP when they are able to produce them in sufficient volume. Period. It's not about back-to-school, the timing of the iOS announcement, the Mavericks release, etc. The idea that Apple would sit on the new product just because "October would be a good time to ship" makes no sense.
Click to expand...

I think you're wrong. I think they would release the product when everything becomes available, AND mavericks is done. If mavericks was almost done then I don't see the problem of them releasing it prematurely and putting out updates the following weeks after but that's still similar to my overall thought. Why would they plan to have mavericks done by a certain time if it weren't to have it released with the rMBP refresh? I think the difference between June and October release (Or september if it seems set up that way - which it doesn't imo) could easily depend on sufficient volume, I do agree with you on that. I don't know how progress is with Mavericks, so can't comment on that. But it would seem, it would be complete around October as well.
 
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