Waiting for the 2017 MBP (Kaby Lake / Cannonlake / Coffee Lake??)

[pocketdoc]

No matter what you do, once you buy a laptop, it is obsolete. A new processor will come out.

Too bad they just can't be swapped out, but PC makers want you to buy another computer.

 

[MrGuder]

I was just looking at the timeline for the WWDC each year and noticed the only time they had the WWDC and also announced new Macbook Pro's was 2012. So it seems very unlikely they will announce 2017 Macbook Pro's with Kaby Lake...is that a fair guess?

 

[Sanpete]

I was just looking at the timeline for the WWDC each year and noticed the only time they had the WWDC and also announced new Macbook Pro's was 2012. So it seems very unlikely they will announce 2017 Macbook Pro's with Kaby Lake...is that a fair guess?

That was the time they introduced the retina screen. It wasn't that long after the late-2011 models, but it represented a major update following a quiet, minor update. This time, a major update occurred in the fall, so unless Apple has something really big up their sleeve, I doubt there will be an update that early.

 

[hajime]

No matter what you do, once you buy a laptop, it is obsolete. A new processor will come out.

Too bad they just can't be swapped out, but PC makers want you to buy another computer.

I recall that I could swap the processor of earlier Apple computers.

 

[Eason85]

I recall that I could swap the processor of earlier Apple computers.

My powerbook 2400 got a G3 upgrade

 

[hajime]

I miss the Duo Dock which allowed users to add video cards. Why there is no such dock for MacBook Prof these days?

 

[Malzone]

There already are. You can use the Akitio Node (https://www.akitio.com/expansion/node) or Thunder 3 (https://www.akitio.com/expansion/thunder3-pcie-box) with the 2016 MacBook Pro or the Thunder 2 (https://www.akitio.com/expansion/thunder2-pcie-box) with older ones. I am running a GTX 950 in an Akitio Thunder 2 on the mid 2014 rMBP without issues.
Of course, they are not officially supported and they are not plug-and-play, but I'm not bothered to restart when I use the eGPU.

 

[rezwits]

I miss the Duo Dock which allowed users to add video cards. Why there is no such dock for MacBook Prof these days?

There are, like quite a few. Some require, rigging the drivers properly, but you don't like PUT YOUR MBP inside...

 

[spencer elliott]

my apologies if this question has been covered, but is there an estimated release date for the 2017 models? any rumores on when it may be? im still using my 2010, but its time to upgrade. ill keep lurking around here, but i need to upgrade soon. trying to decide if i should wait or not. any help is appreciated.

 

[MrGuder]

my apologies if this question has been covered, but is there an estimated release date for the 2017 models? any rumores on when it may be? im still using my 2010, but its time to upgrade. ill keep lurking around here, but i need to upgrade soon. trying to decide if i should wait or not. any help is appreciated.

Apple never gives away secret release dates. We only have prior events to go on and the only time a new MacBook Pro was released other than in the fall was in 2012 at the wwdc. So likely not to happen again, most likely you will see a new MacBook Pro in fall of 2017. However by then wouldn't Kaby Lake already have been out for a while?

 

[Mr. Dee]

Use what you have until it fails.

 

[moxxham]

Does anyone think they'll include the contoured battery in the updated version that was meant to be in the 2016 redesign? Or will they keep that for another eventual redesign?

 

[Sanpete]

Does anyone think they'll include the contoured battery in the updated version that was meant to be in the 2016 redesign? Or will they keep that for another eventual redesign?

If they can get it to work, sure.

 

[Ries]

No matter what you do, once you buy a laptop, it is obsolete. A new processor will come out.

Too bad they just can't be swapped out, but PC makers want you to buy another computer.

But the different processors will include tech that either can or can't run future stuff. kaby lake has next gen video format support, skylake doesn't (mitigated if you have a dGPU laptop). Bluetooth 5 is on the steps of going main stream. It all about getting caught on the right side of the wall if you want it to last 5 years.

 

[Sanpete]

But the different processors will include tech that either can or can't run future stuff. kaby lake has next gen video format support, skylake doesn't (mitigated if you have a dGPU laptop). Bluetooth 5 is on the steps of going main stream. It all about getting caught on the right side of the wall if you want it to last 5 years.

I expect Bluetooth 5 devices will also work with earlier Bluetooth standards. There are new "walls" all the time, but most can be gotten over well enough.

 

[maflynn]

Does anyone think they'll include the contoured battery in the updated version that was meant to be in the 2016 redesign? Or will they keep that for another eventual redesign?

Yes, I think they were trying to get it into the 2016 model but the deadline meant some hard decisions - at least that's what the rumor that was floating around.

 

[SimeoneSergio]

Just throwing it:

What if the new tbMBPs get RyZEN processors rather than Kaby Lakes? The few benchmarks around are pretty impressive, especially considering the ipc/tdp... What do you guys think?

 

[koyoot]

If anything MacBook Pro can get is 35W TDP 4C/8T + 12 CU APU.

Its perfect chip for 13 inch MacBook Pro.

 

[xmonkey]

Just throwing it:

What if the new tbMBPs get RyZEN processors rather than Kaby Lakes? The few benchmarks around are pretty impressive, especially considering the ipc/tdp... What do you guys think?

There doesn't seem to be Thunderbolt 3 support for Ryzen motherboards right now (someone please correct me if I'm wrong) so I'd say it's not likely at all. Beyond that, it would probably require a redesign of the internals and I'm not sure Apple is itching to do that after having just released the new ones. Kaby Lake is dead simple to upgrade to from the current model.

edit - As always, Anandtech is up to the task. From their Ryzen review:

We discussed TB3 support, via Intel’s Alpine Ridge controller, and we were told that the AM4 platform is currently being validated for systems supporting AMD XConnect, which will require Thunderbolt support. AMD did state that they are not willing to speculate on TB3 use, and from my perspective this is because the external GPU feature is what AMD is counting on as being the primary draw for TB3 enabled systems (particularly for OEMs). I suspect the traditional motherboard manufacturers will offer wilder designs, and ASRock likes to throw some spaghetti at the wall, to see what sticks.

 

[neurodave]

I was going to wait to see what 2017 brought, but looking at Apple's history they don't generally release back-to-back MacBooks, even if they're just marginal updates. I had a first-gen 12" that I loved but I needed more power, so I sold that, and couldn't skip the great deal I got at my job for a 13" MB Pro w/ touchbar. No complaints thus far, and I kinda hope they don't refresh them until 2018 so I don't regret my decision LOL

 

[xxray]

I currently use a Late 2011 base MBP 13" everyday for college. It's slow, but it gets the job done. I was hoping to hold onto it for at least another year for the Kaby Lake model (or maybe even a couple more years really), but I just got a message under the battery status in the menu bar that I need to get it serviced. I'm guessing I need to be getting a new battery soon. I hate to invest $100 into a new battery for this thing because I've kinda been banking on it dying so I can get a new laptop, but I don't want to get a new MBP until the Kaby Lakes come out. Hmm...

 

[maltedi]

I currently use a Late 2011 base MBP 13" everyday for college. It's slow, but it gets the job done. I was hoping to hold onto it for at least another year for the Kaby Lake model (or maybe even a couple more years really), but I just got a message under the battery status in the menu bar that I need to get it serviced. I'm guessing I need to be getting a new battery soon. I hate to invest $100 into a new battery for this thing because I've kinda been banking on it dying so I can get a new laptop, but I don't want to get a new MBP until the Kaby Lakes come out. Hmm...

This warning doesn't mean you need to change it right now. Just wait a little bit till the Kaby Lakes are out. My battery needs to be serviced for a year now, and I still have a battery life of 3-4 hours.

 

[xxray]

This warning doesn't mean you need to change it right now. Just wait a little bit till the Kaby Lakes are out. My battery needs to be serviced for a year now, and I still have a battery life of 3-4 hours.

Oh, awesome! Thank you!

 

[ChrisKra]

Do you guys see the card reader coming back? With those memory upgrade prices apple charges it seems very convenient to upgrade your storage via SD-card.

@maltedi mine needs to be serviced too, but like you I don't see the point. It still runs for like 3hrs.
Anyway to resolve this, you could unplug your mac and use it until it shuts down. then recharge it. Once its fully charged, turn it back on again.

 

[Malzone]

Do you guys see the card reader coming back? With those memory upgrade prices apple charges it seems very convenient to upgrade your storage via SD-card.

Sure, but not before putting a DVD-RW inside, for the same reason