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What to Expect in the Third Generation MacBook
- Thread starter Hellhammer
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I'm not sure the latest update qualifies as a 3rd generation. It's more of a 2.1 update. Actually, for that matter it's more like a 1.3 update to last years 1.2 update. So the whole title of the thread might be completely wrong.
Either way, the point of the thread is the same -- what substantial redesigns will be coming to the next generation MacBook. So far, all we've seen is incremental improvements, mainly in processor power, over the original generation -- no major redesign.
Actually this new 2017 MacBook is more of a new generation compared to the 2016 model than the 2016 model was compared to the original 2015 model.
We didn't only get a new keyboard mechanism but also we are getting a 16GB of RAM option and Kaby Lake processors able of playing hardware accelerated HEVC H.265 4K video. So yeah, this is the third generation MacBook. So I think it's time to shut this down and start a 4th Gen. thread.
But do we think it can run Rocket League over bootcamp? I'm still torn on either this or the 13" TBMBP... Looking for opinions on this still as I haven't pulled the trigger yet.
Also worried about if the 3rd gen will have any issues powering a 4K display at 60hz, just dont know what to expect...
next generation processor = Next generation computer in my opinion. I dont think you need a complete redesign and a list of new features to be considered next gen.
If we are gonna base what a next-gen is in whether a it can run a video game or not then we can all go to Ponyville to have some flower sandwiches along with sugar candy.
Not really the point of the question but thanks for the concise and thought-provoking answer, it has really opened my eyes.
The point of the question was lost when you answered my explanation of why it's a Gen. 3 product by using a game as an excuse. Or we should still consider the new MacBook as a Gen. 1 until it runs Battlefield at 4K 60fps???...
Wasn't the intent of my reply at all, sorry if that wasn't clear. Just was my own curiosity as to how that piece of software may run as well as if we think the 4K external performance may be improved - a more hypothetical that wasn't related to your response, not even sure why I quoted it honestly.The point of the question was lost when you answered my explanation of why it's a Gen. 3 product by using a game as an excuse. Or we should still consider the new MacBook as a Gen. 1 until it runs Battlefield at 4K 60fps???...
No problem! I'd have loved having flower sandwiches and sugar candy at Ponyville anyway. Who would say no to that?
Macbook 2017 :Intel HD Graphics 615
Dual display and video mirroring: simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 4096-by-2304 resolution at 60Hz on an external display, both at millions of colors
vs
Macbook 2015,2016
- Intel HD Graphics 5300
- Dual display and video mirroring: Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 3840 by 2160 pixels on an external display, both at millions of colors
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I believe that the Macbook 2017 information on Apple's webpage is incorrect, as Intel states the 615 graphics provides the same max resolution as the 5300 and 515 graphics: https://www.intel.com/content/www/u...logy/visual-technology/graphics-overview.html
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Certainly that's how Apple classifies their own MB for warranty purposes, where the product isn't otherwise easily identified by design, or name.
My point here would be that these are all marginal, incremental updates from the original. The major issues brought up in this thread have yet to be addressed. Therefore, they could be rolled into a 4th Gen thread, or this thread could be held open until such time the features being discussed here actually appear in the next model.
I can notice the difference on the keyboard but it very subtle, I'm happy I waited for this update , because in 2015 the keyboard was the main reason I held off buying the MacBook 12
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Must say I am happy that the discount I got on 2016 was that substantial because otherwise I would be seriously upset that I haven't waited – but since Dutch prices went even further up, I can afford to limit myself to simple "new one is shinier" envy
So I have had the i5/16/512 MacBook in for a few days to compare against my m7/8/256 MacBook. So far:
1. There is literally zero difference I can detect in processor performance. The new i5 is just as fast (or as slow, if you want to look at it from the other side) as my m7 despite having higher benchmark scores. My Prime number generating algorithm runs about 0.01s faster, if you want to nitpick. Not really something I'd lose sleep over.
2. 2nd gen keyboard still sucks as much as 1st gen too much. Too little key travel. Yes, it clicks more but it's also louder. I guess this feels better than 1st gen with one of those soft plastic keyboard covers on top but I don't use those.
3. Display is not P3 capable, and is still far worse than the rMBP 15" from 2016 or the Lenovo ThinkVision X1 displays I use at home and at work. The difference in what the MacBook can display and what the other displays can show is staggering.
4. Heat is the same. Both computers throttle when too heavy a task is run. Nothing new.
5. Faster SSD helps when trying to make backups of my VMs, so I guess that's good, but aside from that, I don't quite detect any benefit anywhere else. The old SSD is already fast enough.
6. More RAM helps with my VMs. Now both of the VMs have 4GB allocated to each of them. Not that running 2GB with each was that bad, that is. Page file still shows zero. Prime number generation runs into CPU limitation way before it blows up big enough in memory to become an issue.
7. Graphics are a little faster, admittedly, and I'm pleasantly surprised. OS responsiveness is better when connected to a 4K display. Though the difference is not really night and day. I still have to disable transparency effect to get reasonable performance when driving a 4K display, and I still can't go beyond 1920 x 1080 lookalike mode without incurring significant performance degradation, but for what it's worth, switching between desktops and apps seem to be less crazy now. A welcome change since I regularly use the machine with 4K displays. Gaming-wise, both are as good/bad as before. Games that ran well before run well now, too, and if there was anything that didn't run before, it wouldn't run now either. Overall performance improvement seems like 10% to me. Not that I have much time to do gaming. Most of my graphics work are either in Photoshop, Lightroom or Capture One, and there's no benefit to be seen in those apps.
8. Watching 4K contents on Youtube is a little smoother, too. Seemingly higher frame rate than before. Maybe a combination of the above and the new video decoder/encoder chip.
9. Upgrading worth it for 2016 owners? Not really, unless you want an i5/i7 chip instead of m5/m7, and you want the 16GB of RAM. I think the m5 model with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD at a good discount would probably be the best bargain for now. But since I like that 4K displays are more usable now, I'll keep this machine around.
1. There is literally zero difference I can detect in processor performance. The new i5 is just as fast (or as slow, if you want to look at it from the other side) as my m7 despite having higher benchmark scores. My Prime number generating algorithm runs about 0.01s faster, if you want to nitpick. Not really something I'd lose sleep over.
2. 2nd gen keyboard still sucks as much as 1st gen too much. Too little key travel. Yes, it clicks more but it's also louder. I guess this feels better than 1st gen with one of those soft plastic keyboard covers on top but I don't use those.
3. Display is not P3 capable, and is still far worse than the rMBP 15" from 2016 or the Lenovo ThinkVision X1 displays I use at home and at work. The difference in what the MacBook can display and what the other displays can show is staggering.
4. Heat is the same. Both computers throttle when too heavy a task is run. Nothing new.
5. Faster SSD helps when trying to make backups of my VMs, so I guess that's good, but aside from that, I don't quite detect any benefit anywhere else. The old SSD is already fast enough.
6. More RAM helps with my VMs. Now both of the VMs have 4GB allocated to each of them. Not that running 2GB with each was that bad, that is. Page file still shows zero. Prime number generation runs into CPU limitation way before it blows up big enough in memory to become an issue.
7. Graphics are a little faster, admittedly, and I'm pleasantly surprised. OS responsiveness is better when connected to a 4K display. Though the difference is not really night and day. I still have to disable transparency effect to get reasonable performance when driving a 4K display, and I still can't go beyond 1920 x 1080 lookalike mode without incurring significant performance degradation, but for what it's worth, switching between desktops and apps seem to be less crazy now. A welcome change since I regularly use the machine with 4K displays. Gaming-wise, both are as good/bad as before. Games that ran well before run well now, too, and if there was anything that didn't run before, it wouldn't run now either. Overall performance improvement seems like 10% to me. Not that I have much time to do gaming. Most of my graphics work are either in Photoshop, Lightroom or Capture One, and there's no benefit to be seen in those apps.
8. Watching 4K contents on Youtube is a little smoother, too. Seemingly higher frame rate than before. Maybe a combination of the above and the new video decoder/encoder chip.
9. Upgrading worth it for 2016 owners? Not really, unless you want an i5/i7 chip instead of m5/m7, and you want the 16GB of RAM. I think the m5 model with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD at a good discount would probably be the best bargain for now. But since I like that 4K displays are more usable now, I'll keep this machine around.
A fan-less model would be talking way into the future, like 10 years+, if we ever reach it!
Uhm, it doesn't really make sense: it's easier to build a fanless 15" than a 12", all things equal. I'm not saying I want it to have the performance of a Pro, I pretty much want an MB with a 15" screen.