Waiting for Haswell MBP Mega Thread

[fskywalker]

Check Macmall for new and open box deals (www.macmall.com), Best Buy in Store Deals for return machines and specially Ebay. Many people is afraid of buying computers on Ebay, but my experience has been excellent, just look for very reputable sellers with dozens of transactions or more selling computers and feedbacks in excess of 90%. (Look at the actual feedbacks). My machine was a Buy it Now offer (no auction), the seller did not listed the AppleCare as included but did showed the serial number on the auction, so I realized it had it on my own before buying (A $350 goodie at retail, but can be purchased for around $230). I asked for the screen and provided the script, he confirmed it was a Samsung display. The only thing I did not got was the case; overall very good conditions, very happy with purchase.

As others said, if in the future the new rMBP is A LOT BETTER may consider one of those as an upgrade, but most likely will wait for a similar, discount deal, rather than paying retail (My machine MSRP was supposedly $4k, would not pay so much for a new machine !)

Hope this helps!!!!

This are the kind of sellers in Ebay I was referring to on my comments above:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/151075886056?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

He also have a rMBP 2.6/16/512 for less than $1900 with Applecare until 2015.

I did not buy my machine from him, but there are various Ebay Sellers like him that sells Mac computers at great prices and have a pretty good reputation from buyers.

 

[gt94]

Thanks haha. I actually spent way too much effort on that, when I have other things that need attending (stupid garage door is broke). But then again, I wanted to give people a better understanding that processors are not the case in this long wait. Assuming they don't wait for IGZO or TB2, it should be close to being ready.

Did some changes, the 4X50HQ line launched on July 1st.

Source: http://cpuboss.com/cpu/Intel-Core-i7-4750HQ
Source: http://cpuboss.com/cpu/Intel-Core-i7-4850HQ
Source: http://cpuboss.com/cpu/Intel-Core-i7-4950HQ

Like I said, I would expect them this month or next, like I predicted a while ago. But they could still delay it further if they want to wait. ( Which is a possibility, don't take my word on my predictions )

You give me hope.

 

[Tasktest]

For $2200 I would take it. I've been trying to find a deal like that myself since I'm also going to college. Mind if I ask where you're getting such a deal?

On Craigslist. I'm not too sure how much this price would drop after the update and this is my biggest concern!

 

[Watabou]

Like I said, I would expect them this month or next, like I predicted a while ago. But they could still delay it further if they want to wait. ( Which is a possibility, don't take my word on my predictions )

I seriously hope you're right on the mark. If the processors have just launched, it would likely explain the delay. People have been suggesting September/October or even November and that's a bit tough to stomach.

It's just unlikely they would wait till October as they want to put Haswell in as much as us.

 

[smakdown61]

Thanks haha. I actually spent way too much effort on that, when I have other things that need attending (stupid garage door is broke). But then again, I wanted to give people a better understanding that processors are not the case in this long wait. Assuming they don't wait for IGZO or TB2, it should be close to being ready.

Did some changes, the 4X50HQ line launched on July 1st.

Source: http://cpuboss.com/cpu/Intel-Core-i7-4750HQ
Source: http://cpuboss.com/cpu/Intel-Core-i7-4850HQ
Source: http://cpuboss.com/cpu/Intel-Core-i7-4950HQ

Like I said, I would expect them this month or next, like I predicted a while ago. But they could still delay it further if they want to wait. ( Which is a possibility, don't take my word on my predictions )

Thanks for clearing that up. I think most of us, and myself, were confused by the "Launched" vs "Q3" status intel has on their website. Looks like they are just too lazy to put an exact launch date other than Q3, but are letting people know they are actually shipping.

If they come in with the 4558U (Iris 5100) for the 13" model for $1699 (maybe $1599 from the resellers) 8gb ram, 256 ssd, count me in.

 

[triplenick]

I would expect Apple to mention the rMBP refresh, and possibly Mavericks, release during or immediately following their upcoming financial conference.

 

[devilcm3]

I seriously hope you're right on the mark. If the processors have just launched, it would likely explain the delay. People have been suggesting September/October or even November and that's a bit tough to stomach.

It's just unlikely they would wait till October as they want to put Haswell in as much as us.

2011 macs are released a few days after sandy bridge,
2012 macs are released a month+ after ivy bridge ( thats because of WWDC )

so .... i guess that late july to early august is the best bet.

unrelated question, your DP looks familiar .... Jeremy from Top Gear?

 

[Watabou]

2011 macs are released a few days after sandy bridge,
2012 macs are released a month+ after ivy bridge ( thats because of WWDC )

so .... i guess that late july to early august is the best bet.

unrelated question, your DP looks familiar .... Jeremy from Top Gear?

I hope so. I'll be the happiest guy if they release it before the next semester starts.

And no, that's Stephen Fry from "A Bit of Fry and Laurie". But I do love Top Gear. At least we didn't have to wait too long for Season 20.

 

[Blue Sun]

2011 macs are released a few days after sandy bridge,
2012 macs are released a month+ after ivy bridge ( thats because of WWDC )

so .... i guess that late july to early august is the best bet.

unrelated question, your DP looks familiar .... Jeremy from Top Gear?

Looks like Stephen Fry to me...

 

[devilcm3]

I hope so. I'll be the happiest guy if they release it before the next semester starts.

And no, that's Stephen Fry from "A Bit of Fry and Laurie". But I do love Top Gear. At least we didn't have to wait too long for Season 20.

yeah, and will have to deal with horde of angry students when it comes

Looks like Stephen Fry to me...

ahaha...yeah...
i thought it was a man wearing a fake hair

 

[Lunfai]

Thanks for clearing that up. I think most of us, and myself, were confused by the "Launched" vs "Q3" status intel has on their website. Looks like they are just too lazy to put an exact launch date other than Q3, but are letting people know they are actually shipping.

If they come in with the 4558U (Iris 5100) for the 13" model for $1699 (maybe $1599 from the resellers) 8gb ram, 256 ssd, count me in.

I'm almost 90% certain it's the 4558U. ^^ But, there's the other 10%. But yes, their launched actually means launch, the Q3 indicator is just when they launched it. At least they launched it on the very first day of Q3 instead of the very last. hehe.

 

[smoking monkey]

I work in Sweden as a photographer (well, while studying) and here at home I have my quad core desktop with 27" IPS displays. However, I'm moving to Japan for a year to study (while working with my company in Sweden with the post processing parts) and I can't bring my desktop setup - which means I need a good desktop replacement to keep working. Of course, the 13" is decently speedy, but 15" is the smallest real estate I want to work on semi-permanently and I'd appreciate a bigger SSD than 128GB.

Thanks for the answer. Thought it was probably for study reasons. Good luck with the study!

 

[ohbrilliance]

Therefore, I think they will use a processor with GT2 + a dedicated graphics: (even though they're 47W)

Base: Intel® Core™ i7-4700MQ Processor (6M Cache, up to 3.40 GHz)
Mid: Intel® Core™ i7-4800MQ Processor (6M Cache, up to 3.70 GHz)
Best: Intel® Core™ i7-4900MQ Processor (8M Cache, up to 3.80 GHz)

Or, they could have Iris Pro

Base: Intel® Core™ i7-4750HQ Processor (6M Cache, up to 3.20 GHz)
Mid: Intel® Core™ i7-4850HQ Processor (6M Cache, up to 3.50 GHz)
Best: Intel® Core™ i7-4950HQ Processor (6M Cache, up to 3.60 GHz)

That was pretty much what I was thinking pre-WWDC: https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=17354383#post17354383

At this point, I think it could go either way. The delay (in our eyes anyway) is likely due to factors other than CPU availability.

 

[smakdown61]

That was pretty much what I was thinking pre-WWDC: https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=17354383#post17354383

At this point, I think it could go either way. The delay (in our eyes anyway) is likely due to factors other than CPU availability.

The original estimate way back from that analyst was always screen manufacturing issues causing the delay.

 

[Lunfai]

That was pretty much what I was thinking pre-WWDC: https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=17354383#post17354383

At this point, I think it could go either way. The delay (in our eyes anyway) is likely due to factors other than CPU availability.

Nah, it could've been a factor for WWDC since the 4258U was released till the July 1st. They could've released the 15" pro first but I guess they are waiting for both to refresh, but yes they could easily use the Iris Pro chips.

And, it could've been a screen manufacturing issue, I'd say they are tightening down on quality.

 

[SnackTime]

I don't think there is much chance the rMBPs will be shipping without Iris Pro. By all the accounts I've read, Apple, along with other companies I'm sure, pushed Intel to create a better integrated graphics solutions. To me, it seems unlikely that that technology wouldn't be included in the product it is most suited for.

As far as the "delay", I think that, perhaps, Tim Cook's retrospective sentiments on the newest iMac are telling. While at the time he favored announcing them early, in hindsight he said it would have been better to announce them after the turn of the new year. Whether or not the rMBP refresh has been postponed because of a new production technique, component availability, or just to align them with a different quarter is fun to guess about. At least until waiting gets in the way of work...

 

[hammm]

Cmon Apple, I'm ready to throw my money away ... just release the damn rMBPs already!!!

 

[Uliman]

Cmon Apple, I'm ready to throw my money away ... just release the damn rMBPs already!!!

Exactly my sentiments.

 

[goMac]

I really doubt Apple is waiting on the Iris Pro processors, at least for the 15". The Iris processors all take a CPU speed hit. An ideal 15" would have both the discreet GPU and the faster non-Iris CPUs. Why take the CPU speed hit when you have discrete graphics.

Iris Pro is likely for the 13", but I think 15" holdups are much more likely connected to the rumored display shortages.

 

[Livewings]

I really doubt Apple is waiting on the Iris Pro processors, at least for the 15". The Iris processors all take a CPU speed hit. An ideal 15" would have both the discreet GPU and the faster non-Iris CPUs. Why take the CPU speed hit when you have discrete graphics.

Iris Pro is likely for the 13", but I think 15" holdups are much more likely connected to the rumored display shortages.

I don't think so.
I think they're waiting on the Iris Pros.

Having Iris Pro + Dedicated GPU allows the notebook to be mostly dependent on Iris while the most intense of tasks can still be worked on the dedicated GPU. Having this allows Apple to claim a higher battery life.

 

[Wuiffi]

I don't think so.
I think they're waiting on the Iris Pros.

Having Iris Pro + Dedicated GPU allows the notebook to be mostly dependent on Iris while the most intense of tasks can still be worked on the dedicated GPU. Having this allows Apple to claim a higher battery life.

Why would they do that? Having a strong iGPU and a dedicated one, that is only something like 20-30% stronger is only a huge waste of money. It's either HD4600 + dedicated GPU or Iris Pro ONLY

 

[bill-p]

Why would they do that? Having a strong iGPU and a dedicated one, that is only something like 20-30% stronger is only a huge waste of money. It's either HD4600 + dedicated GPU or Iris Pro ONLY

If the dGPU in the next rMBP is faster than the 650M, then it won't just be 20-30%. It'll be close to 50% or more.

Seriously, Iris Pro is NOT even comparable to 650M in the current rMBP 15". It's slower than stock 650M, and the rMBP 15" has an overclocked 650M.

 

[Livewings]

Why would they do that? Having a strong iGPU and a dedicated one, that is only something like 20-30% stronger is only a huge waste of money. It's either HD4600 + dedicated GPU or Iris Pro ONLY

I already said CLAIM A HIGHER BATTERY LIFE with a HIGHER DEPENDENCE on the integrated GPU.

By having a dedicated GPU WITH ITS SIDE, Apple can also claim HIGHER PERFORMANCE.

Having IRIS PRO only is NOT POSSIBLE which means a stagnancy on CPU performance and LOWER GPU performance.

Don't BS about cost. MBA2013 CPU cost is $117 higher than the previous gen.

 

[SnackTime]

Having Iris Pro only is not only possible, but logical in a lot of ways.

Going by the test results on Anandtech, the ECC memory in the Iris Pro makes it far better suited for compute tasks than the 650m. Granted, it would take a performance hit in gaming scenarios, but this isn't a gaming focused product.

It remains to be seen how it would stack up to a more modern discrete GPU, but Intel designed Crystalwell to be future proof for a while and I wouldn't be surprised if it remained better, or on par, with dGPUs in compute oriented tasks. Even without a dGPU in the refresh, Apple will still be able to claim some pretty lofty performance increase margins if they go by benchmarks oriented around professional related tasks.

Whether or not Apple does go that route remains to be seen, obviously, but if it lacks a dGPU I won't be upset as long as the laptop is better at doing what it was designed to do...

 

[Stetrain]

I already said CLAIM A HIGHER BATTERY LIFE with a HIGHER DEPENDENCE on the integrated GPU.

Pretty sure that the 15" MBP's battery life is already given with only using the integrated graphics, so using Iris Pro with a dGPU wouldn't really change that stated number.

The only reason I see to go with Iris Pro for Apple would be to drop the dGPU and provide more consistent battery life for most users.

The biggest problem with the auto graphics switching is that unless you install a third party utility it isn't clear what does and doesn't activate the dGPU.
If you don't monitor that you can end up with wildly varying battery life because you happened to run an app that kicked in the dGPU without realizing it.

Going with Iris Pro and a dGPU doesn't make much sense. Apple spent more money on the Air CPU and in return got better overall graphics performance.

If Apple spends more money to do Iris Pro and a dGPU they get the same battery life they claim now and slightly better performance when on integrated graphics. They apparently thought that the HD 4000 was sufficient as an iGPU in the 2012 models so I don't see why they wouldn't think that the HD 4600 is sufficient as long as there is a dGPU to fall back on.