Waiting for the 2018 MBP

[vseera]

Even though I am not in the market for a new MacBook Pro, I'm really excited to see what Apple launches in less than a month. Its quite obvious a broad range of Macs will see updates, hopefully the Mac Mini too. I suspect, we will see further improvements to the butterfly keyboard; probably won't be perfect, but even better than the 2016/2017 models.

I think surprises might include a non-touch bar 15 inch model and possible drop in price $100 to $200. Apple might make 16 GBs of RAM standard across all models and use it as a differentiator from the MacBook.

Speaking of the MacBook, we might for the first time see that reach the $999 mark.

All this optimism around a new Mac update. What year is it? 2010?

I wish I could share your enthusiasm in Apple doing the right thing

Realistically, we are probably looking at exactly the same design for the MBP, no keyboard change and a spec bump to 4 cores (because that’s the only cpu available from intel). No Mac Mini updates for sure.
Apple hates the word Mini and has killed basically every product with Mini in its name.

 

[Mackan]

I still don't see how Apple could possibly manage to keep the 13" dual core. They could use an 8th gen i3 or Core M chip and sell a notebook with less performance than last year's model, let alone the marketing problems when promoting an "i3" in a €2000 notebook. They could also stick with the current CPUs, but in that case, they wouldn't need to introduce a new model at all.

They could keep the entry model with an old dual core CPU, and offer new 8th generation quad core for the high end one, only. Perhaps unlikely, and I really hope we have seen the last of dual cores.

 

[hajime]

Knowing Apple's greed from a decade of history, the entry 13'' will stay dual core, while high end might be available in quad core. Same strategy for the 15'' inch regarding quad core and six core, as you say.

Knowing even better, the 13'' will stay dual core altogether for another year or two. For Apple, product differentiation and maxmizing profits have more priority than offering attractive choices for the consumers. People are forced to look at PC alternatives instead.



If they are releasing updated models at WWDC, they must have been in mass production already.

So, since there will be no major redesign until 2020. Let's predict what the 2018 model will have: 16GB, no Nvidia GPU, new keyboard (could be better but also could be worse), perhaps slightly increase in battery life (don't forget Apple made the MBP thin to reduce battery life. So, with the new CPU, they may add perhaps 30 minutes longer and claim the 2018 model has an improvement in batter life without saying that they reduced it 1-2 years ago).

When I tried the 2017 MBP, it felt like a cheap toy. Keyboard felt cheap, Touch Bar looked cheap, and the requirement for adapters to use usb dongle and to connect to external display, etc. Those premium laptop for professionals feelings are gone. It was like a product made by another company.

 

[c0ppo]

We will get the new Intel CPU, so 13" will be quad core, 15" will go to six cores. Only one thing will be interesting here, will Apple offer i9 or not.

GPU will be rebranded AMD from 2017 MBP, still 16GB of ram, storage options just like before.

I'm afraid that 15" won't get nTB option at all, and the keyboard will probably be little refined, but still won't be as reliable as previous keyboard design.

And that's about it. Just a simple upgrade. We are in the mid cycle of the new design here. There won't be any radical changes until 2020. And even 2020 is doubtful, because Intel is so late with their updates, we will probably wait until 2021 for a redesign.

 

[whateverest]

Knowing Apple's greed from a decade of history, ...

True words. Additionally, making MacBooks slimmer each generation is not only for increasing portability, it drastically reduces material costs of all parts especially with smaller batteries, while prices rise. So greedy.

 

[Poki]

True words. Additionally, making MacBooks slimmer each generation is not only for increasing portability, it drastically reduces material costs of all parts especially with smaller batteries, while prices rise. So greedy.

Yeah, miniaturization in electronics always reduced cost by a ton. /s

 

[socialwill]

We will get the new Intel CPU, so 13" will be quad core, 15" will go to six cores. Only one thing will be interesting here, will Apple offer i9 or not.

GPU will be rebranded AMD from 2017 MBP, still 16GB of ram, storage options just like before.

I'm afraid that 15" won't get nTB option at all, and the keyboard will probably be little refined, but still won't be as reliable as previous keyboard design.

And that's about it. Just a simple upgrade. We are in the mid cycle of the new design here. There won't be any radical changes until 2020. And even 2020 is doubtful, because Intel is so late with their updates, we will probably wait until 2021 for a redesign.

I think we might get some other upgrades as well such as a new T series controller chip, move to supporting DP 1.4 over the TB3 ports and maybe support HDR and a higher refresh rate for the screens. Nothing monumental, but some spec bumps for a mid cycle refresh.

Just 100% guessing but Apple still wants to make its products the best it can.

 

[Poki]

I think we might get some other upgrades as well such as a new T series controller chip, move to supporting DP 1.4 over the TB3 ports and maybe support HDR and a higher refresh rate for the screens. Nothing monumental, but some spec bumps for a mid cycle refresh.

Just 100% guessing but Apple still wants to make its products the best it can.

Doesn't Apple usually save those things for a redesign to make it look like a bigger upgrade? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think every screen upgrade came with a redesign --> 2008 unibody came with LED backlit screens, 2012 came with retina screens, 2016 came with brighter, more colorful screens. I could see a new T-series chip, Bluetooth 5 and new display port standards though.

 

[MrGunnyPT]

Doesn't Apple usually save those things for a redesign to make it look like a bigger upgrade? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think every screen upgrade came with a redesign --> 2008 unibody came with LED backlit screens, 2012 came with retina screens, 2016 came with brighter, more colorful screens. I could see a new T-series chip, Bluetooth 5 and new display port standards though.

Well yeah, but then again they are a bit behind on some things so maybe 2018 refresh will be bigger than last year "under the hood" upgrade.

I'm expecting the following

- Upgraded Butterfly keyboard

- Touch bar with Taptic Engine

- 8th Gen Quad Cores on the 13"

- Upgraded screen of 2560x1600 with smaller bezels

 

[The Reasonable One]

Doesn't Apple usually save those things for a redesign to make it look like a bigger upgrade? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think every screen upgrade came with a redesign --> 2008 unibody came with LED backlit screens, 2012 came with retina screens, 2016 came with brighter, more colorful screens. I could see a new T-series chip, Bluetooth 5 and new display port standards though.

Idk you’re probably right but they fake out with force touch trackpads the year or two after the big 2012 launch. So a cool feature might make it to these
[doublepost=1526598301][/doublepost]

Well yeah, but then again they are a bit behind on some things so maybe 2018 refresh will be bigger than last year "under the hood" upgrade.

I'm expecting the following

- Upgraded Butterfly keyboard

- Touch bar with Taptic Engine

- 8th Gen Quad Cores on the 13"

- Upgraded screen of 2560x1600 with smaller bezels

What does the 13 inch have right now in terms of pixels?

 

[koyoot]

Don't quote me on this guys, but I dug up some info, about next gen Intel CPUs, and there may lie a good news, but there is no proof in it, only speculation

Next Gen. Intel CPUs are codenamed Whiskey Lake. The fact, that those CPUs are derived from Coffee Lake, with Cannon Lake PCH, which MAY mean they may have LPDDR4 compatiblity, but that remains to be confirmed.

If that is the case - expect bump in RAM speeds to 2400 MHz, and potentially - 32 GB. If there is no support for LPDDR4 - there still will be 2133 MHz, and 16 GB's in MBPs.

 

[stevemiller]

Well yeah, but then again they are a bit behind on some things so maybe 2018 refresh will be bigger than last year "under the hood" upgrade.

I'm expecting the following

- Upgraded Butterfly keyboard

- Touch bar with Taptic Engine

- 8th Gen Quad Cores on the 13"

- Upgraded screen of 2560x1600 with smaller bezels

Curious what people feel would be the benefit of a Taptic Engine for the touchbar. Taptic only gives feedback to what you've already pressed, it doesn't help usability at all that I can see.

 

[afir93]

Curious what people feel would be the benefit of a Taptic Engine for the touchbar. Taptic only gives feedback to what you've already pressed, it doesn't help usability at all that I can see.

I mean by the same logic, wouldn't the Taptic Engine also be pointless on the iPhone, trackpads and so on, since it's usually "only" giving you feedback once you have already pressed something?

The main benefit of a Taptic Engine for the Touch Bar would essentially be the same as it is on other devices where it's used: it would give you a more stimulatory feedback to the action you were trying to perform. Instead of only the visual feedback from the button changing color or something happening on-screen, you would immediately get a sensory feedback that you were "pressing/tapping the right thing", you would instantly feel a haptic confirmation in your fingertips instead of having to wait for and rely on visual cues alone. IMO it would be one of the best additions Apple could make towards the TB in its current state, as the lack of any immediate sensory feedback when touching the solid, immobile glass surface is one of its biggest issues right now.

 

[JSt83]

Well yeah, but then again they are a bit behind on some things so maybe 2018 refresh will be bigger than last year "under the hood" upgrade.

I'm expecting the following

- Upgraded Butterfly keyboard

- Touch bar with Taptic Engine

- 8th Gen Quad Cores on the 13"

- Upgraded screen of 2560x1600 with smaller bezels

that would make sense, I would consider buying a tb version.

 

[ddeaneth]

Hi, I'm waiting to buy a MacBook Pro and hoping they launch the 2018 model at WWDC.

Question - Based on 2017 - how long after WWDC are the new machines available to order? I'm in Canada, is Canada release usually the same as US?

Thanks for any info!

 

[Anandc]

Hi, I'm waiting to buy a MacBook Pro and hoping they launch the 2018 model at WWDC.

Question - Based on 2017 - how long after WWDC are the new machines available to order? I'm in Canada, is Canada release usually the same as US?

Thanks for any info!

Yeah, even I would want to know when it would be released worldwide, especially in Japan?

 

[hellopupy]

One thing is for sure, if they do fix the keyboard, they're going to try to make some cute joke about it and the media will eat it up.

 

[c0ppo]

I think we might get some other upgrades as well such as a new T series controller chip, move to supporting DP 1.4 over the TB3 ports and maybe support HDR and a higher refresh rate for the screens. Nothing monumental, but some spec bumps for a mid cycle refresh.

Just 100% guessing but Apple still wants to make its products the best it can.

Indeed, they will probably introduce new T chip in MBP. Or the same one as in iMP.
1.4 DP over TB3? To be honest, I have no clue about this one at all. Didn't do my homework about DP 1.4 at all

But higher refresh rate for the screens? Highly unlikely, but I do hope that you are right about this one.

 

[leman]

We will get the new Intel CPU, so 13" will be quad core, 15" will go to six cores. Only one thing will be interesting here, will Apple offer i9 or not.

Or whether they even use the Xeons.

GPU will be rebranded AMD from 2017 MBP, still 16GB of ram, storage options just like before.

I bet that the GPU will be a brand new not yet released Vega. There are no AMD GPUs from 2017 to rebrand, since all of them are the rebranded 2016 GPUs

Additionally, making MacBooks slimmer each generation is not only for increasing portability, it drastically reduces material costs of all parts especially with smaller batteries, while prices rise. So greedy.

Right. Reducing costs. Exclusive CPUs, exclusive custom-processed GPUs, premium expensive RAM, exclusive WiFi chips, full no-expenses saved TB3 implementation (as the only laptop out there). Yeah, all that stuff is expensive.

If they wanted to be especially greedy, they'd slap a 15W CPU into all of their models like most other manufacturers out there.

don't forget Apple made the MBP thin to reduce battery life

No, they didn't. They made the laptop thinner, lighter, faster and kept the same battery life as earlier. Look up the independent tests and stop doing fake news

When I tried the 2017 MBP, it felt like a cheap toy.

If the MBP feels cheap to you, I even dread asking what you think of Dells, Surfaces, Lenovos and other major players.

 

[The Mercurian]

Curious what people feel would be the benefit of a Taptic Engine for the touchbar. Taptic only gives feedback to what you've already pressed, it doesn't help usability at all that I can see.

Sounds expensive. I'll pass

 

[Falhófnir]

If the MBP feels cheap to you, I even dread asking what you think of Dells, Surfaces, Lenovos and other major players.

I wouldn’t say it feels cheap by any stretch, but it definitely feels less substantial and solid than the previous gen - the price to pay for more portable I suppose?

 

[The Reasonable One]

Don't quote me on this guys, but I dug up some info, about next gen Intel CPUs, and there may lie a good news, but there is no proof in it, only speculation

Next Gen. Intel CPUs are codenamed Whiskey Lake. The fact, that those CPUs are derived from Coffee Lake, with Cannon Lake PCH, which MAY mean they may have LPDDR4 compatiblity, but that remains to be confirmed.

If that is the case - expect bump in RAM speeds to 2400 MHz, and potentially - 32 GB. If there is no support for LPDDR4 - there still will be 2133 MHz, and 16 GB's in MBPs.

Quick question, how the hell did you find this and what is this from. Also I doubt this can be real. I hope it is but unless you’re the magical Serban I will doubt you til WWDC. But good ol serban was maybe right on a few things so I’m hoping you’re discovery is correct. Also can you post the link I’m curious to the source.

 

[Queen6]

No, they didn't. They made the laptop thinner, lighter, faster and kept the same battery life as earlier. Look up the independent tests and stop doing fake news

Less usable, far more reliant on 3rd party solutions (docks) more prone to failure; keyboards, blown speakers, cracking displays, the battery. Simple reduce the capacity by 25%, you have 25% less pool of power dip into, well unless you just strictly follow Apple's fantasy world guideline, in the meantime in the real world...

No fake news here, just the sad reality of Apple in 2018

Q-6

 

[navaira]

But good ol serban was maybe right on a few things

I loved the comedy value of Serban's predictions, but really if you predict enough things at some point you will strike gold.

MBP 2018 will or will not be released. It will or will not have support for 32 GB RAM. The keyboard will be updated or not. Multiple models are being tested. It will not have a VGA slot. You've heard it here first!

 

[PeterJP]

Less usable, far more reliant on 3rd party solutions (docks) more prone to failure; keyboards, blown speakers, cracking displays, the battery.

Oh, you mean: unusable as in the Air & MacBook? All complete failures because of keyboard, lack of connectors, crappy displays, and the like. Strange though: why do I keep seeing them everywhere?

I always find it amusing when people bash laptops for being unusable and broken by design. Yet, those laptops are some of the few that actually have increasing sales in a contracting market. Sounds a bit like the iPhone X "flop" doomsday news. At the same time, Apple must be doing a good job because many people appreciate their products. The last few times I saw one of the "MBP killers" (an Asus and a Dell), I was appalled by the crap, flakey, rubby fingerprint cover around the keyboard and other "details" that should just be OK in products with that price.

Apple did decrease the battery size, battery life remained the same. Sure, they could've plonked in a terraced battery, if they had managed to build one on time. Sure, they should fix the keyboard. I think, with the class action suit, the message will be heard. But I can't blame any company on trying to hit the brakes on a multi-million device callback for a $700 repair each.