Waiting for the 2018 MBP

[Dave245]

Dell's and Asus' new gaming notebooks with these new chips will start shipping very soon, so it seems like Intel is already well into the production cycle.

Seems like an April release of the MacBook Pro is possible now. I don't see any reason why they would wait until WWDC if all the chips are available now. I mean, they most probably won't do anything besides swapping CPUs anyway.

Because if the chips are only now available surely they will have to start production? maybe I’m wrong but also if they are going to announce a new 13” MacBook then they will want to show that off at WWDC so it makes sense to wait and release them all together.

 

[AdamA9]

Intel just announced the chips with other companies unveiling laptops in the coming weeks...I sure hope Apple wouldn’t wait till October to give us better chips available today.

They'll wait until the next chips are announced to release with these chips.

 

[snortpig]

I was only saying October as the latest because that’s when Apple have held Mac events in the past, however WWDC last year saw the last update spec wise for the Mac so that may happen again this year

OR it may be possible that if they only have spec updates to roll out we could see them this month it all depends if they have anything to show off at WWDC Mac wise this year.

What I would like to know is the typical delay between Intel's release and Apple's. When Apple refreshed in October, was that because Intel released in September of that year?

 

[apiro]

"The Core i9 would also address one common complaint of MacBook Pro owners: that RAM is limited to 16GB. This is because current-generation processors are limited to LPDDR3 RAM, and using desktop RAM instead would draw too much power. The new chip supports 32GB of mobile RAM."

Unfortunately nothing changed. Intel CPUs still do not support LPDDR4. AFAIK there are still no LPDDR3 16GB modules.
So Apple can only do 2*8 GB LPDDR3 modules with low power draw or 4*8 GB LPDDR3 modules with high power draw (due to increased number of modules) or 2*16 GB DDR4 modules with high power draw (due to no support for power efficient DDR4).
All these variants were available previously and nothing changed. If Apple chose to use 2*8 GB LPDDR3 previously it will likely do so again. New Intel CPUs will not affect Apple's decision. Apple's own thoughts only can.

 

[snortpig]

I mean, they most probably won't do anything besides swapping CPUs anyway.

Butterfly gen 3 please, and 28W SKU in the nTB 13".

 

[Gata]

The new Dell XPS 15 just got announced: https://www.notebookcheck.net/The-D...-and-is-more-powerful-than-ever.293972.0.html

CPU options include the i5-8300H, i7 8750H, and the i9-8950HK. It ucan have p to 32 GB of DDR4 RAM, a full 4-lane TB3 port while retaining other USB type-A, SD card, and HDMI ports. GPU is configurable up to a 1050 Ti.

It also can have up to a 97 Whr battery.

I get that Apple wants to make thin and light machines, but we're getting to the point where their machines are meaningfully lagging behind the competition.

 

[fokmik]

i wonder if that i9 that is suppose to run 45W PLUS it can be put into the 15" MBP without making the mbp too hot or very very noisy

 

[The Mercurian]

i wonder if that i9 that is suppose to run 45W PLUS it can be put into the 15" MBP without making the mbp too hot or very very noisy

I think it is listed as 45W - 65W ....whatever that means

 

[Gata]

i wonder if that i9 that is suppose to run 45W PLUS it can be put into the 15" MBP without making the mbp too hot or very very noisy

The 7700HQ also has a TDP of 45W. If they go with a solution like the Vega M GL for graphics (which puts them somewhere between the 1050 and 1050Ti), they should be in a good place, TDP-wise.

 

[fokmik]

So we will have
base config 15" MBP with Core i7-8750H + 256 SSD 16 gb RAM
second config 15" MBP with Core i7-8850H + 512 SSD si 16 gb RAM
and both can be upgraded to one of those Xeon E-2168M /Xeon E-2176M since that i9 has 45W+

 

[Loge]

Can't see them offering the Xeons until they can increase the RAM, so think next year for that.

 

[snortpig]

Because if the chips are only now available surely they will have to start production? maybe I’m wrong but also if they are going to announce a new 13” MacBook then they will want to show that off at WWDC so it makes sense to wait and release them all together.

I think the fact that there are hands-on reviews of laptops with these chips from at least Gigabyte and Dell today means these chips have been available for a while but under publication embargo.

 

[wallysb01]

I think it is listed as 45W - 65W ....whatever that means

I believe it means it will consume more power to increase performance (i.e. this new turbo mode) if the temperatures allow it. I'm guessing the OEMs have some say in how fix the TDP too. With such a chip, you can bet you're not going to get the same performance as in a thicker laptop.

 

[fokmik]

So, we have all the cpu needed for the MBP updates for WWDC?
13" and 15" ? i wonder if the 12" Macbook has also the cpu available for intel ?

 

[sputnikBA]

The new Dell XPS 15 just got announced: https://www.notebookcheck.net/The-D...-and-is-more-powerful-than-ever.293972.0.html

CPU options include the i5-8300H, i7 8750H, and the i9-8950HK. It ucan have p to 32 GB of DDR4 RAM, a full 4-lane TB3 port while retaining other USB type-A, SD card, and HDMI ports. GPU is configurable up to a 1050 Ti.

It also can have up to a 97 Whr battery.

I get that Apple wants to make thin and light machines, but we're getting to the point where their machines are meaningfully lagging behind the competition.

literally everything I want for the 15" MBP. If only I didn't hate using Windows.

I'll keep an eye on this and see what the good fellows on tonymac do with them...

 

[Mr. Dee]

The 2017 MacBook Pro development started in October 2016 with manufacturing February 2017 and availability June 2017. Considering that Intel just announced these updates, I don't see them adding them maybe not until October or November.

 

[socialwill]

The 2017 MacBook Pro development started in October 2016 with manufacturing February 2017 and availability June 2017. Considering that Intel just announced these updates, I don't see them adding them maybe not until October or November.

I don't think it will be that late. Several device makers announced new devices that will be shipping the next few weeks, so obviously they knew about them in advance. Dell even has a whole new 15" 2-in-1 that will use this chip.

As was stated here before, Intel gives device makers lots of lead time and it is up to them to work on drivers and hardware specs for new hardware. All of the new chips have been under NDA and I am 100% sure Apple has known about these chips for months.

 

[afir93]

I don't think it will be that late. Several device makers announced new devices that will be shipping the next few weeks, so obviously they knew about them in advance. Dell even has a whole new 15" 2-in-1 that will use this chip.

As was stated here before, Intel gives device makers lots of lead time and it is up to them to work on drivers and hardware specs for new hardware. All of the new chips have been under NDA and I am 100% sure Apple has known about these chips for months.

This exactly. Apple doesn't look at today's announcement and goes "Oh nice new chips, maybe we should start working on getting them in our MBPs aswell". The MBPs aswell as many other new laptops usually released in the weeks and months right after the official announcement of Intel's new generation, Apple usually knows about them months in advance and probably works closely together with Intel to get them into their machines.

An announcement of these chips right now means that Apple has finished or is at least in the final stages of R&D of the new MBPs and that they will soon go into full production if they aren't already. This very much supports the rumored WWDC announcement; it seems very unlikely now that we'll have to wait longer than that.

Maybe we see the new models even earlier than that in April/May with a silent press release (possibly bundled with an AirPower release which is also overdue and had been strongly rumored for March already), but I wouldn't bet on that. Announcing the new MBPs at WWDC together with some other big Mac news (new iMacs/Mac mini? preview of the new MP maybe?) would make the most sense from a marketing point of view.

 

[wxkkeup]

Ugh. Can’t they just hurry up and give us what we want/need? Whether it be Intel or Apple; I always feel like I am waiting on one of them to make a move.

I’m severely impatient and I don’t think I can deal with this waiting game much longer.
[doublepost=1522776603][/doublepost]I’m bout go crazy
[doublepost=1522776638][/doublepost]

 

[zmon]

So, we have all the cpu needed for the MBP updates for WWDC?
13" and 15" ? i wonder if the 12" Macbook has also the cpu available for intel ?

Pretty much. Unfortunately, no LPDDR4 support, so unless Apple decides otherwise, 32gb won't be happening this year.

I'll probably be picking one of these up whenever they're announced.

 

[TheralSadurns]

Quick question:

9to5mac claims that now 32GB of RAM are supported by the i9.

Checking intel's ARK page for said CPU it only reads: it supports a max of 64GB (depending on memory type), and that it supports DDR4 and LPDDR3. That is it though. Does anyone know where the information (true or false) is coming from?

See: https://ark.intel.com/products/134903/Intel-Core-i9-8950HK-Processor-12M-Cache-up-to-4_60-GHz

 

[Mr. Dee]

I was just watching a snippet of the 2005 WWDC keynote where Steve Jobs announced the Intel transition. There are important things he announced there that really taps into why Apple is doing this or is planning to do this.

Up until the Intel transition, Apple went through two major transitions:

68K to PowerPC
Classic Mac OS to OS X

By 2005, Apple was in its 3rd year of OS X releases. Steve Jobs pointed out at the time, OS X would be the flagship platform for the next 20 years. Taking into account, this would have started with the initial release of OS X Puma 10.0 in March of 2001, (gonna start with the public beta), we are now in the 18 th year.

That means by 2020, the desktop would be ripe for the next platform transition. This seems to be written in the books at Apple for a long time to always have a platform transition plan some point.

Another thing to look at is each processor transition has been at least every 10 years. But, it wasn't just about age and change for change sake. Steve said it was about performance per watt and the ability to design future Macs within a certain thermal envelope - 2008's MacBook Air is an example of this.

Looking at it with todays products, Intel is good, but in the eyes of Apple, not good enough for what they really want to do in producing products (guess), much thinner than even todays Macs, even faster, power efficient and better battery life.

So, the view is, Apple is setting us up for not one, but two major product transitions in 2020. Just like PowerPC, it will be multi year. Although there are fears this one is gonna be like PowerPC, I think Intel might enjoy a longer shelf life beside Apples potential A-Series products. Who knows, it might be even be so transparent where, they sit beside each other for a few years until you start seeing standalone A-Series MacBooks, Mac Mini's, entry level MacBook Pro's.

Similar to the double life OS X led on Intel, I suspect Apple did the same with macOS on A series. The first time they probably got macOS running on A Series was with the release of the A7 in 2013. I remember Phil Schiller describing it as desktop class performance. Apple's A11 Bionic development goes back to 2014. This means, they are already 5 years ahead in terms of the road map for the A series. Imagine what they have ready for 2020?

By WWDC 2020 we are gonna see a fully developed, optimized brand new Apple OS, not only for the desktop, but mobile products too.

The pieces themselves kinda give a clue as to what Apple wants to make: APFS, Apple Pencil, Touch Bar, Touch ID, Taptic Engine, T1, AR, A11 Bionic.

Don't be surprised when major third party apps are shown off fully running on this thing. The NDA's are already signed and think clues have been leaked, thats why Gurman knows about it.

 

[TheralSadurns]

I was just watching a snippet of the 2005 WWDC keynote where Steve Jobs announced the Intel transition. There are important things he announced there that really taps into why Apple is doing this or is planning to do this.

Up until the Intel transition, Apple went through two major transitions:

68K to PowerPC
Classic Mac OS to OS X

By 2005, Apple was in its 3rd year of OS X releases. Steve Jobs pointed out at the time, OS X would be the flagship platform for the next 20 years. Taking into account, this would have started with the initial release of OS X Puma 10.0 in March of 2001, (gonna start with the public beta), we are now in the 18 th year.

That means by 2020, the desktop would be ripe for the next platform transition. This seems to be written in the books at Apple for a long time to always have a platform transition plan some point.

Another thing to look at is each processor transition has been at least every 10 years. But, it wasn't just about age and change for change sake. Steve said it was about performance per watt and the ability to design future Macs within a certain thermal envelope - 2008's MacBook Air is an example of this.

Looking at it with todays products, Intel is good, but in the eyes of Apple, not good enough for what they really want to do in producing products (guess), much thinner than even todays Macs, even faster, power efficient and better battery life.

So, the view is, Apple is setting us up for not one, but two major product transitions in 2020. Just like PowerPC, it will be multi year. Although there are fears this one is gonna be like PowerPC, I think Intel might enjoy a longer shelf life beside Apples potential A-Series products. Who knows, it might be even be so transparent where, they sit beside each other for a few years until you start seeing standalone A-Series MacBooks, Mac Mini's, entry level MacBook Pro's.

Similar to the double life OS X led on Intel, I suspect Apple did the same with macOS on A series. The first time they probably got macOS running on A Series was with the release of the A7 in 2013. I remember Phil Schiller describing it as desktop class performance. Apple's A11 Bionic development goes back to 2014. This means, they are already 5 years ahead in terms of the road map for the A series. Imagine what they have ready for 2020?

By WWDC 2020 we are gonna see a fully developed, optimized brand new Apple OS, not only for the desktop, but mobile products too.

The pieces themselves kinda give a clue as to what Apple wants to make: APFS, Apple Pencil, Touch Bar, Touch ID, Taptic Engine, T1, AR, A11 Bionic.

Don't be surprised when major third party apps are shown off fully running on this thing. The NDA's are already signed and think clues have been leaked, thats why Gurman knows about it.

Another thought just came to me (I talked about this like 20 pages back concerning the shared App platform allowing one app to run on both macOS and iOS)... when Apple moves to ARM CPUs. What will be the difference between an iPad an a MacBook Pro?
Exactly. Nothing.
Really makes me think that after
2003 - 2008 PowerBook G4 Aluminum and MBP design
2008 - 2012 Unibody MBP
2012 - 2016 rMBP
2016 - 2020 TBMBP
2020 - ??? Surface Book style iPad/MBP Combo Device is "in the books"


Oh and... While I agree with Apple that upright touchscreen SUCK... they seem to kinda embrace it. What else can you call the iPad Pro that is advertised as a computer replacement... sitting in its keyboard case/smart keyboard. This is also an ergonomic nightmare... still Apple is doing it.


Oh and... completely off topic... but does anyone know where to get this wallpaper that Dell is currently using ?
Tried Google Image Search and Tineye... nada.

 

[Corbet]

I can't be the only one who thinks the MacBook Pro line would be the last line to switch to ARM processors. Macbook/MacBook Air, I can totally understand how they could justify ARM-only processors, but at the end of the day, a laptop with the "Pro" moniker is going to still need to boot camp Windows and other x86 architecture.

 

[mendosasenemy]

I had anticipated an announcement after pulling the plug on the top line 15”. I was getting to a point it was affecting my income so it’s not an issue.

I’m excited to see what happens and thinking ahead, I would like to upgrade when we see a redesign and 32gb RAM (possibly next year).

Now I know a lot of debate has been around RAM, however, I use large sample libraries for music production and certainly could benefit from a mobile solution when composing in addition to a desk top set up!!!

I can’t see a new refresh until October but we shall see.