Skylake-M supports 4K60p, so there must be another technical reason why the MacBook does not (perhaps it is the thermal requirements or the limitations of USB-C 3.1 Gen 1).
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
What to Expect in the Third Generation MacBook
- Thread starter Hellhammer
- WikiPost WikiPost
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
- Status
I believe the necessary chips will be integrated into the Core M chips next year . It would still be up to Apple though to implement support for TB3/USB 3.1 Gen 2
I'm pretty sure USB-C will replace Lightning connector within a few years. The two serve the same exact purpose and have the same feature set, so keeping Lightning around seems redundant. With the MacBook already having USB-C, Apple is already showing support and the rest of the Mac lineup will adopt it too with Thunderbolt 3. Makes much more sense to just have USB-C in all instead of clunky Lightning to USB adapters.
As for the second USB-C port in the MacBook, I don't think we will see one, at least not before a redesign. It was a design decision Apple made a long time ago and they knew exactly what they were doing.
4K at 60Hz support is unlikely. The issue isn't the GPU, but the USB-C connector. USB-C has a total of four lanes, which are shared by USB 3.0 and DisplayPort. With DisplayPort 1.2, all four lanes would have to be dedicated to DP in order to run a 4K display at 60Hz. That would drop the USB speed down to 2.0, and it seems that Apple decided not to allow this (or the adapter don't support this). DisplayPort 1.3 will increase the bandwidth per lane and allow 4K at 60Hz with just two lanes, but there is no word on whether Kaby Lake will support 1.2 or 1.3. I'm inclined to believe it will still be 1.2, though.
I'll add this to the OP in a bit with a bit more detail.
Additional MR discussion on Kaby Lake, 4K, etc.: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/4k60hz-on-2016-macbook-the-issue-is-not-usb-3.1968782/page-2
I am thinking a 15" Retina Macbook would be just about perfect. Then, two usb-c ports would be no big deal.
I have a 15" Macbook pro, and I love the screen, don't love the weight when traveling. The 12 screen seems to small.
I have a 15" Macbook pro, and I love the screen, don't love the weight when traveling. The 12 screen seems to small.
Last edited:
Thanks again, suspected something similar. Do you know if there're any public specs for Skylake/Kaby Lake Core-m eDP? I was wondering if Skylake/Kaby Lake CPUs would implement VESA DSC that would reduce bandwidth requirements to fit 4k60p 30bit stream over 2 lanes.
DSC is supported in eDP 1.4a spec, which is essentially DP 1.3 with some additional features. Unfortunately, DP 1.3 doesn't seem to be supported so that makes eDP 1.4a very unlikely and thus no DSC.
I also found the above slide, which suggests that 4K requires additional cooling. That might be a reason why Apple isn't allowing 4K@60Hz, even though it could be done by allocating all four lanes for DP.
4K @ 60 Hz is possible using this patch. It will make the MacBook use all four lanes (Usb is at 2.0 then).
https://github.com/Floris497/mac-pixel-clock-patch-V2
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-with-the-2016-macbook.1970509/#post-22884299
It was confirmed by several users here on the forums as well as on the other forums listed in the post.
https://github.com/Floris497/mac-pixel-clock-patch-V2
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-with-the-2016-macbook.1970509/#post-22884299
It was confirmed by several users here on the forums as well as on the other forums listed in the post.
Seems like this patch, which some posters are reporting works successfully, should be stickied in the MacBook forum, being that 4K@30Hz is one of the more frequently cited criticisms. Moreover, it seems Apple could have added an option in settings that let you switch between 4K@30Hz and USB 3 speed vs 4K@60Hz and USB 2 speed.
Pshhhh ... Everybody knows the Centurion card is where it's at. Platinum is for poor middle to upper class losers.
A new battery is only $199 for Apple to replace but of course then you don't get cover for other problems it's a judgement call that might be worth the extra $50 for peace of mind for another 2years.
Asus announced 'Zenbook 3'. It looks almost exactly like Apple's Macbook 12' ( 
) but it has core i5/i7 processors. It starts at 1499$ with 512GB of space.
http://m.gsmarena.com/asus_zenbook_...macbook_with_a_119mm_thin_body-blog-18493.php
) but it has core i5/i7 processors. It starts at 1499$ with 512GB of space.http://m.gsmarena.com/asus_zenbook_...macbook_with_a_119mm_thin_body-blog-18493.php
Interesting. Are you saying that this MacBook 2016 with a 4K monitor attached would still transfer data at USB 3.0 speeds? I had been thinking it was either/or. If adding a 4K monitor means I can still transfer files at 5 Gbps, I'm getting one tout suite.
It's either or if we are talking about 4K at 60Hz. However, Apple has disabled that by default, so you need a hack to make 4K at 60Hz work in the first place. See this thread.
No, for now I'm talking 4K at 30Hz. If it does not cripple the USB 3.0 transfer speed, I am buying a 4K monitor.
Confirmed:
Move over, Skylake: Asus' new Surface rival rocks Intel's Kaby Lake chip
The wait for Intel’s Kaby Lake chip will end in the third quarter this year, as the first PC with the 7th Generation Core chip was announced at Computex.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/3076...th-intels-kaby-lake-chip-is-coming-in-q3.html
Move over, Skylake: Asus' new Surface rival rocks Intel's Kaby Lake chip
The wait for Intel’s Kaby Lake chip will end in the third quarter this year, as the first PC with the 7th Generation Core chip was announced at Computex.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/3076...th-intels-kaby-lake-chip-is-coming-in-q3.html
Why would apple refresh the retina macbook 12" last month and replace it again so soon? Although, they were pretty quiet announcing the refresh.
Probably not. Skylake came out last fall, but so far Apple has rolled it out only to the MacBook, and just last month. My guess is that the MacBook won't get Kaby Lake until next April. There are advantages to Apple's approach. Skylake chips had some real firmware issues when they came out last year. The Surface Pro and Surface Book were particularly hard hit.
The MacBook was something of a proving ground for a lot of technologies and approaches that we might see rolled out elsewhere in the lineup soon (i.e. the colours, USB-C, low-profile keyboard). It might be that Apple use the next generation of MacBook to do something similar, perhaps integrating one or more of the perennial suggestions like integrated 4G, wireless charging, touchscreen and/or an AMD or Apple-designed processor. Given that Kaby Lake is looking lacklustre at this end of the Intel product stack, it might suit Apple to find some ways to sell a 2017 overhaul as more than just a minor refresh.
The MacBook seems to me to be a low-ish risk market segment to innovate in, as any changes which don't work out aren't putting at risk Apple's 'core' lineup of MacBook Airs (or its replacement) and Pros. If the changes don't find favour, then the MacBook can for many people be replaced with an iPad Pro or MacBook Air.
The MacBook seems to me to be a low-ish risk market segment to innovate in, as any changes which don't work out aren't putting at risk Apple's 'core' lineup of MacBook Airs (or its replacement) and Pros. If the changes don't find favour, then the MacBook can for many people be replaced with an iPad Pro or MacBook Air.
If the OP is correct, then i'm even happier that I bought the first gen MacBook at a bargain price. I'm personally going to either spend the couple of hundred I saved on either a redesigned 13 rMBP, or a late 2014/mid 2015 rMBP 15" if the MacBook Pro redesign doesn't happen.
Perfect!
[doublepost=1465233838][/doublepost]If HP can solve the heat issues in a razor thin design, why cant Apple so we can get off these mobile chips?
It brings a different set of tradeoffs. Both HP and ASUS use fans to fit 15W processors into their ultrathin notebooks. They can be noisy, and also don't prevent throttling. While they would throttle somewhat less and be a bit more responsive, the performance increase may not be as much as the difference in base and turbo clock speeds might suggest (the m7 has a similar peak turbo speed as the Core i5 or i7 but doesn't sustain it as long).
Intel designed the Core M for use in fanless notebooks. Apple is using the chip the way Intel intended.
I sure would like to know if and how much noise and throttling actually occurs. HP has said their fan is quiet.