Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Waiting for the 2018 MBP

I'm still wondering about what Apple will do about the lingering 2015 15" model - replace, leave alone, cut price or discontinue? I think this will be a watershed year where it will be a much harder sell at it's current price. Up until now it's not been an unreasonable buy, but when the rest of the 15" line presumably moves to hexa-core, and the 13" line moves up to quad-core for considerably less, it's relative value is going to start plummeting.

A lower end touch bar (or non Touch Bar) replacement has a couple of options outside the Intel-AMD hookup that doesn't look to be a suitable replacement after all:
  • core i5-7300HQ (45W) and low end graphics card (radeon RX 540?).
  • core i7-8560U (15W, up to 20W) and similar low end graphics card.
  • core i7-7567U (28W) with Iris plus graphics.
It's difficult to say when the 8th gen H series aren't announced yet, but I don't think there's been any suggestion of Intel reviving Iris graphics on their higher end chips?
 
  • Like
Reactions: RandomDSdevel
Falhófnir said:
I'm still wondering about what Apple will do about the lingering 2015 15" model - replace, leave alone, cut price or discontinue? I think this will be a watershed year where it will be a much harder sell at it's current price. Up until now it's not been an unreasonable buy, but when the rest of the 15" line presumably moves to hexa-core, and the 13" line moves up to quad-core for considerably less, it's relative value is going to start plummeting.

A lower end touch bar (or non Touch Bar) replacement has a couple of options outside the Intel-AMD hookup that doesn't look to be a suitable replacement after all:
  • core i5-7300HQ (45W) and low end graphics card (radeon RX 540?).
  • core i7-8560U (15W, up to 20W) and similar low end graphics card.
  • core i7-7567U (28W) with Iris plus graphics.
It's difficult to say when the 8th gen H series aren't announced yet, but I don't think there's been any suggestion of Intel reviving Iris graphics on their higher end chips?
Click to expand...

I hope Apple will offer a 15" 2018 model without dGPU and native support for eGPU. That would be a sweet spot in terms of reliability and performance.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Falhófnir
Bravo3013 said:
I hope Apple will offer a 15" 2018 model without dGPU and native support for eGPU. That would be a sweet spot in terms of reliability and performance.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how a lack of a dGPU would benefit the reliability. Sure, the 2011 model had some problems with the dGPU, and yes, it's one more part which could fail, but failure rates of notebook GPUs are all in all relatively minor.

Native support for eGPUs is already here since macOS 10.13. I too hope they'll improve it even further and maybe offer an actual Apple branded eGPU enclosure, because I'm not totally happy with any of the offerings out there (they're either too big, too loud or have too little ports).
 
  • Like
Reactions: RandomDSdevel
Poki said:
I'm not sure how a lack of a dGPU would benefit the reliability. Sure, the 2011 model had some problems with the dGPU, and yes, it's one more part which could fail, but failure rates of notebook GPUs are all in all relatively minor.

Native support for eGPUs is already here since macOS 10.13. I too hope they'll improve it even further and maybe offer an actual Apple branded eGPU enclosure, because I'm not totally happy with any of the offerings out there (they're either too big, too loud or have too little ports).
Click to expand...

leman said:
If you are fine with a 15” that will have slower graphics than the 13”, sure. Rather unlikely that Apple will be fine with it though.
Click to expand...


Yeah, I have a 2011 with broken dGPU. The experience have made me not want a dGPU again. The newer models might be fine though, but it can take multiple years for symptoms to show. I would rather have slightly less graphics performance on the go in return of much better performance at home with an eGPU. It would also increase the lifespan of the mac, one less component to cool and thermal throttling one the CPU might be less of a concern. It would allow Apple to use more powerful CPUs, and together with an eGPU the result would be desktop class performance in a small and prtable form factor. It would also make the Mac a little cheaper, although the whole setup might cost more.

This is just some of my thoughts, I dont know if its practical or doable in reality but I find the thought quite interesting :)

I also hope Apple will launch eGPU compatibility with nvidia cards aswell.
 
Mr. Dee said:
How was it stolen, did you leave it unattended somewhere or did you get held up?
Click to expand...

Car was broken into, it wasn't in sight, but my rental was a freakin Expedition EL which i'm thinking screams rental/tourist in Santa Monica (it also has the little window stickers that rental companies put on)

Admiral said:
But look on the bright side: The thief or whoever buys your stolen computer will enjoy and appreciate the excellent Apple service.
Click to expand...

This actually made me chuckle.....
 
Falhófnir said:
I'm still wondering about what Apple will do about the lingering 2015 15" model - replace, leave alone, cut price or discontinue? I think this will be a watershed year where it will be a much harder sell at it's current price. Up until now it's not been an unreasonable buy, but when the rest of the 15" line presumably moves to hexa-core, and the 13" line moves up to quad-core for considerably less, it's relative value is going to start plummeting.

A lower end touch bar (or non Touch Bar) replacement has a couple of options outside the Intel-AMD hookup that doesn't look to be a suitable replacement after all:
  • core i5-7300HQ (45W) and low end graphics card (radeon RX 540?).
  • core i7-8560U (15W, up to 20W) and similar low end graphics card.
  • core i7-7567U (28W) with Iris plus graphics.
It's difficult to say when the 8th gen H series aren't announced yet, but I don't think there's been any suggestion of Intel reviving Iris graphics on their higher end chips?
Click to expand...
Probably discontinue 2015 soon. Only still around because 2017 MBP starts at $2400 and Apple won’t release NTB 15 inch.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RandomDSdevel and gobikerider
Poki said:
Do we actually know the failure rates of the keyboards of the 2017 MBP? For what we know, the keyboard already might be fixed in this model.
Click to expand...
This is true; as far as I know Apple has released no data on failures.

That being said, I know 3 coworkers with 2016/2017 models and one of the three has had 3x top case replacements so far. Another has had a few stuck keys, and the third has had no problems. This is purely anecodatal.

I also went to an apple store and talked to a repair tech, who said that (again anecdotally, but with a much larger sample size) he has seen many more 2016/2017 keyboards come back for replacements. Also walking around this particular apple store I found several machines with at least one key that didn't work (one the left shift, another it was the H key)
 
  • Like
Reactions: RandomDSdevel, No. 44, mentaluproar and 1 other person
gobikerider said:
I have good news pointing to likely June refresh of Macs again. We may even see Apple refresh the Macbook in March and EOL the MBA. Anyway here’s the link. https://wccftech.com/intel-10nm-ice-lake-cannonlake-14nm-coffee-lake-cpus-spotted/ Feel free to share thoughts below.
Click to expand...
The i7-8559U looks very ideal for an update to the non-TB non-dGPU 15" Macbook Pro... which only exists in my dreams.

Ideally, I'd like to see
  • i7-8559U
  • Same case/keyboard/battery/trackpad as 2015
  • Updated ports (TB3)
This probably makes too much sense for the customer and hence Apple doesn't want it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheralSadurns
snortpig said:
This is true; as far as I know Apple has released no data on failures.

That being said, I know 3 coworkers with 2016/2017 models and one of the three has had 3x top case replacements so far. Another has had a few stuck keys, and the third has had no problems. This is purely anecodatal.

I also went to an apple store and talked to a repair tech, who said that (again anecdotally, but with a much larger sample size) he has seen many more 2016/2017 keyboards come back for replacements. Also walking around this particular apple store I found several machines with at least one key that didn't work (one the left shift, another it was the H key)
Click to expand...

One of the members recently quoted an Apple employee stating as many as 1 in 5 MBP's are returning due to keyboard issues, equally this doesn't split out or indicate the differences between the 2016 & 2017 where here we observe a "slowdown" in posts related to the keyboard failing.

Apple will never release the actual numbers of MBP's affected as it's simply not their way. More likely Apple will continue to silently resolve the issue, nor may it be a simplistic task depending on the root cause. To me Apple's failure was not to fully qualify the new keyboard design over the full operating temperature range of the notebooks.

"If" numbers of affected MBP's support Apple will undoubtedly be compelled to extend the warranty period as it has been required too with multiple other serious issues related to the MBP. The concern remains that the repair is lengthy with owners/users needing to wait up to and over a week for turnaround due to the design of the notebook.

Q-6
 
  • Like
Reactions: RandomDSdevel
snortpig said:
Has this happened on previous apple products / mbps?
Click to expand...

Multiple dGPU's, display image retention, display coating delamination, other products as will such as the iMac, although I don't follow them as I have no use for one. The 2016/2017 keyboards are just another problem Apple may have to deal with in the long-term.

Apple will support, however it does take time and generally court action which Apple knows it's not in position to contest and or win. IMHO if Apple can avoid extending the warrantee it will, equally that will leave a number of it's customers dealing with a $700 repair bill.

I do recommend anyone who pays for the repair that they retain the receipt as Apple will refund "if" the warrantee is extended in the future.

Q-6
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: RandomDSdevel
The battery in my 2013 rmbp is going and the keyboard has some weak keys now. I’ll be ready to upgrade in the fall, but I’m still not sure where to go. I hate the new Mac keyboards. I hate that they killed MagSafe. The new hinge design is ugly. The batteries haven’t progressed as far as I would have liked.

On the Microsoft side there are some wonderful PC laptops. It’s a good time to be a PC user. But windows 10 is abysmal. Their virtual desktop implementation feels tacked on and cumbersome. Spotlight runs laps around windows search. I should not have to opt-out of strange apps being installed on my equipment. Sleep mode almost never works on windows computers. While my MacBook regularly dies in its sleep (sudden macbook death syndrome) Surface products regularly refuse to wake up at all (sleep of death.)

The closest thing to Mac build quality is the surface book, but they use terrible WiFi chips and the OS is cancer. Mac has much better software (although they are certainly going through some growing pains right now) but shot themselves in the foot just trying to show off. The touch bar makes a lot of sense. Maybe one day we’ll look back and wonder why we tried it at all or why we ever wanted to kill it. But one thing is certain. Nobody will miss these terrible keyboards. Apple, step back and look at what the rest of the entire industry is doing and instead of wondering what you can do differently, focus on why they chose to do it that way at all.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RandomDSdevel and TheralSadurns
mentaluproar said:
The battery in my 2013 rmbp is going and the keyboard has some weak keys now. I’ll be ready to upgrade in the fall, but I’m still not sure where to go. I hate the new Mac keyboards. I hate that they killed MagSafe. The new hinge design is ugly. The batteries haven’t progressed as far as I would have liked.

On the Microsoft side there are some wonderful PC laptops. It’s a good time to be a PC user. But windows 10 is abysmal. Their virtual desktop implementation feels tacked on and cumbersome. Spotlight runs laps around windows search. I should not have to opt-out of strange apps being installed on my equipment. Sleep mode almost never works on windows computers. While my MacBook regularly dies in its sleep (sudden macbook death syndrome) Surface products regularly refuse to wake up at all (sleep of death.)

The closest thing to Mac build quality is the surface book, but they use terrible WiFi chips and the OS is cancer. Mac has much better software (although they are certainly going through some growing pains right now) but shot themselves in the foot just trying to show off. The touch bar makes a lot of sense. Maybe one day we’ll look back and wonder why we tried it at all or why we ever wanted to kill it. But one thing is certain. Nobody will miss these terrible keyboards. Apple, step back and look at what the rest of the entire industry is doing and instead of wondering what you can do differently, focus on why they chose to do it that way at all.
Click to expand...
Hah I thought I was the only one who disliked the new hinge design. From the inside it looks weird, like you shouldn’t be able to see it. Externally it looks gorgeous flushly fitting into the metal unibody. I’m so conflicted then you have the damn keyboard.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RandomDSdevel and mentaluproar
I don’t trust Lenovo since they got caught pushing malware installs via their UEFI. Windows feels enough like android without that nonsense.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back