The next MacBook Pro redesign (merged)

[nope7308]

I'm interested in buying a 13" rMBP next week, but I'm worried about purchasing it at the end of its design cycle. I recall Tim Cook saying that major hardware redesigns would be introduced in 2013-14 (I think), but it wasn't clear if this applied to Apple's notebook line. Can anyone comment on this?

Basically, I'm worried about purchasing a rMBP only to discover a major redesign next year. I don't want to be like that poor sucker who dropped $1.5k on a white macbook just before the aluminum unibody was released. Catch my drift? I don't care about minor spec bumps.

Speaking of which, what real-world improvements will Haswell bring? I thought of it as only a spec bump, but apparently others disagree? Truthfully, I've never noticed a difference based on processor speed, probably because I do simple stuff like movies, web, etc. I'm just hoping the graphics performance improves because that's the one area where the MB has always underwhelmed, even though I rarely play intensive games. My current machine could barely handled COD4 at medium.

Anyway, thanks for the help!

 

[fratey]

You'll probably see longer battery life (this rarely happens!) and substantially better graphics performance.

 

[smoge]

If I was you I would wait till the mba get a refresh an go for a 13" mba with max ram. I don't see how apple can make that thing any thinner or lighter if it gets a redesign in a year to two so you should be good there. But I cant see into the future and at the end of the day the decision is yours.

 

[nope7308]

Thanks for the responses. Any word on the hardware redesign, though?

Also, I still haven't seen anything regarding the new wireless standard. Is it safe to assume that the new rMBP will come with it?

FYI, I'm not interested in the MBA whatsoever:
- No retina screen
- no native HDMI port
- too thin/fragile
- really dislike the slant

Yes, I do have slight OCD.

 

[fratey]

Cook was probably talking about the Pro segment (as in, the "Mac Pro" segment)

 

[PDFierro]

Thanks for the responses. Any word on the hardware redesign, though?

Also, I still haven't seen anything regarding the new wireless standard. Is it safe to assume that the new rMBP will come with it?

FYI, I'm not interested in the MBA whatsoever:
- No retina screen
- no native HDMI port
- too thin/fragile
- really dislike the slant

Yes, I do have slight OCD.

Um, they just did a complete re-design last year. You're safe.

 

[GermanyChris]

Cook was probably talking about the Pro segment (as in, the "Mac Pro" segment)

I'd prefer they redesign the everything else first..

 

[smoge]

I remember something about the gigabit wifi chips but it would surprise me if they were introduced this year. The only redesign the rmap can go is to look more like the air (and you don't like that look) the 13" rmbp dosent have dedicated graphics so hold out for the ones that have the haswell chips (which it sounds like you was planing to do anyway)

 

[nope7308]

Um, they just did a complete re-design last year. You're safe.

They did? What the hell did they change? The machines are slightly slimmer, but I haven't noticed much else.

All the better, I guess!

 

[PDFierro]

They did? What the hell did they change? The machines are slightly slimmer, but I haven't noticed much else.

All the better, I guess!

Really? They may have the same basic design principle, but they pretty much changed everything. Word is that the 13-inch rMBP will get slimmer to match the thickness of the 15-inch, but that's about it.

I understand not wanting to buy a product and have it be outdated in a year, but you're looking at several years before they change things up again.

I personally can't wait to pick one up next week.

 

[nope7308]

I remember something about the gigabit wifi chips but it would surprise me if they were introduced this year. The only redesign the rmap can go is to look more like the air (and you don't like that look) the 13" rmbp dosent have dedicated graphics so hold out for the ones that have the haswell chips (which it sounds like you was planing to do anyway)

Huh? I thought 802.11ac was already released this year, with some notebook PCs carrying the chip?

This is actually pretty important because I wouldn't want to purchase the computer unless I'm able to upgrade the chip next year. I still experience issues with wifi coverage and HD streaming, so this would measurably improve day-to-day performance.

Fack, Apple computers always lack one or two features that would make them perfect (discreet graphics in 13" form factor being one of them).

----------

Really? They may have the same basic design principle, but they pretty much changed everything. Word is that the 13-inch rMBP will get slimmer to match the thickness of the 15-inch, but that's about it.

I understand not wanting to buy a product and have it be outdated in a year, but you're looking at several years before they change things up again.

I personally can't wait to pick one up next week.

What did they change? To my knowledge, it's a slimmer profile with improved air circulation. That, and now everything is glued to the damn board. I wouldn't really classify that as a major redesign, but perhaps I'm overlooking something?

I'm probably going to buy one next week too, but mostly out of necessity. Honestly, I'm unimpressed with the current offerings, but I'm not prepared to go back to windows. This feels like voting - choosing the lesser evil as opposed to getting what you really want.

 

[tgi]

This feels like voting - choosing the lesser evil as opposed to getting what you really want.

What are your ideal specs for your 13" rMBP? Do you have a budget?

 

[PDFierro]

Huh? I thought 802.11ac was already released this year, with some notebook PCs carrying the chip?

This is actually pretty important because I wouldn't want to purchase the computer unless I'm able to upgrade the chip next year. I still experience issues with wifi coverage and HD streaming, so this would measurably improve day-to-day performance.

Fack, Apple computers always lack one or two features that would make them perfect (discreet graphics in 13" form factor being one of them).

----------



What did they change? To my knowledge, it's a slimmer profile with improved air circulation. That, and now everything is glued to the damn board. I wouldn't really classify that as a major redesign, but perhaps I'm overlooking something?

I'm probably going to buy one next week too, but mostly out of necessity. Honestly, I'm unimpressed with the current offerings, but I'm not prepared to go back to windows. This feels like voting - choosing the lesser evil as opposed to getting what you really want.

I guess it depends how you look at things. I mean, what else can they do with the design?

They got slimmer, added a Retina display, changed some ports around, newer technology, etc. To me, that is as big of an upgrade as when the MacBook Pro went unibody some years ago. But your opinion may differ.

I'm using Windows right now and can't stand it. I'm ready to go back to a Mac.

 

[nope7308]

What are your ideal specs for your 13" rMBP? Do you have a budget?

My ideal specs are a pipe dream at best:
- $1500 or less
- 13.3" Retina display
- dGPU
- 10 hour battery life
- 802.11ac
- 500GB SSD HDD
- USB 3.0
- 1080p camera
- less than 4lb
- 4-16GB RAM

I know, it will never happen.

 

[WhiteIphone5]

My ideal specs are a pipe dream at best:
- $1500 or less
- 13.3" Retina display
- dGPU
- 10 hour battery life
- 802.11ac
- 500GB SSD HDD
- USB 3.0
- 1080p camera
- less than 4lb
- 4-16GB RAM

I know, it will never happen.

one can dream cant they?
but
dGPU? NO
10 Hour battery? NO
500GB SSD lol no.
i wish though.

 

[jmdMac]

My ideal specs are a pipe dream at best:
- $1500 or less
- 13.3" Retina display
- dGPU
- 10 hour battery life
- 802.11ac
- 500GB SSD HDD
- USB 3.0
- 1080p camera
- less than 4lb
- 4-16GB RAM

I know, it will never happen.

Definitely not in this update sorry. At least not all those features for $1500 or less.

 

[B...]

one can dream cant they?
but
dGPU? NO
10 Hour battery? NO
500GB SSD lol no.
i wish though.

10 hour battery? Yes, in a few (1-3) years.

 

[duervo]

... I recall Tim Cook saying that major hardware redesigns would be introduced in 2013-14 (I think), but it wasn't clear if this applied to Apple's notebook line. Can anyone comment on this?

My comment is that they just did the Retina MBP's last year, so they aren't going to do anything major to them again so soon. They may do something with the MBA, but my money (FWIW) is on something relatively major happening with the Mac mini and Mac Pro within the time frame Cook mentioned.

 

[ch900712]

you might be able to get 10h battery lofe webbrowsing on the haswell chip even the desktop version of the cpu idles at 0.2volts while ivy bridge idles at 1.2 thats a whole volt difference when idle and if your web browsing ot wont draw more than 0.5volts

 

[Krazy Bill]

Basically, I'm worried about purchasing a rMBP only to discover a major redesign next year.

Then your stomach must be riddled with new ulcers every year when the car makers come out with a new model making yours a year older. Seriously? You worry about this kind of stuff? Especially in the technology market?

 

[Azathoth]

If you're worried about Apple doing a major case redesign late 2013/ early 2014 think about it this way:

New Apple enclosures have always had Rev A problems, either regarding overheating (Rev A MBA), cracking (plastic Macbooks, Mac Cube), Ti Powerbook hinges and battiers. At least if you buy the old design now, you don't have to worry about that.

 

[dusk007]

Intel claims up to a 50% battery life improvement on the ULV parts or 10h where one used to have 6.5h with a 50Wh battery.

That was on one of their slides. Supposedly the biggest battery life gains between any two generations. For now there are nothing but the non BGA Haswell reviewed. But it will be the BGA ULV ones which will be interesting for battery life the rest only get slight improvements.

10h on the next MBA isn't so far of. The rMBP 13" likely will not get a 28W ULV but rather something faster I expect so not that great of a battery life improvement. With a newer more efficient display, its 70Wh battery and the improvments even in the normal Haswell it might still get close to 10h.

 

[omgitsbees]

I'm interested in buying a 13" rMBP next week, but I'm worried about purchasing it at the end of its design cycle.

This is the wrong way to go about looking at buying computer hardware. No matter what you get, it's going to be obsolete pretty quickly. Buy what you want now so long as it meets your personal criteria. There's no need to upgrade if what you have currently performs well enough to meet your needs.

 

[nope7308]

This is the wrong way to go about looking at buying computer hardware. No matter what you get, it's going to be obsolete pretty quickly. Buy what you want now so long as it meets your personal criteria. There's no need to upgrade if what you have currently performs well enough to meet your needs.

I'm simply trying to purchase the computer at the beginning of the design cycle, so that I can maximize the life of the machine. I think that's a sensible move.

There's always going to be better technology/software on the horizon, but that doesn't mean you can't time your purchase properly. Using vehicles as an example, it doesn't always make sense to continually wait for the next model, as they are often announced prior to going on sale (i.e., you'd be waiting indefinitely). However, I wouldn't purchase a 2013 VW Golf because I know the 2014 model is based on a new platform with an improved chassis and more efficient turbocharged motor. This is one example where it does pay to wait and see what happens, even if the current model meets all of my present critera.

I use most of my computers for 5 years or more, so it makes perfect sense to ask these kinds of questions. If I had purchased a white macbook in 2008 instead of waiting for the alumunium unibody, I know I would have regretted that purchase.

 

[PDFierro]

I'm simply trying to purchase the computer at the beginning of the design cycle, so that I can maximize the life of the machine. I think that's a sensible move.

There's always going to be better technology/software on the horizon, but that doesn't mean you can't time your purchase properly. Using vehicles as an example, it doesn't always make sense to continually wait for the next model, as they are often announced prior to going on sale (i.e., you'd be waiting indefinitely). However, I wouldn't purchase a 2013 VW Golf because I know the 2014 model is based on a new platform with an improved chassis and more efficient turbocharged motor. This is one example where it does pay to wait and see what happens, even if the current model meets all of my present critera.

I use most of my computers for 5 years or more, so it makes perfect sense to ask these kinds of questions. If I had purchased a white macbook in 2008 instead of waiting for the alumunium unibody, I know I would have regretted that purchase.

I still don't see how the rMBP is not considered to be at the beginning of its design cycle right now.