The next MacBook Pro redesign (merged)

[AirdanMR]

If I wanted a laptop without a dGPU I would have just opted for the 12-inch MacBook. I'm saying it's ridiculous for Apple to be selling MacBook Pros as premium, pro-level notebooks without a dGPU. The Surface Book looked like a real competition to the 13-inch MacBook Pro because they're priced about the same and yet the Surface Book offers a NVidia dGPU which delivers superior graphical performance that iGPUs can never do.

The surface book with the 940m cost 1900$.

Also there is absolutely nothing "pro" that you could do with a 940m that you couldn't with the upcoming Iris 550/580.

I use a 8 year old computer as device "on the go" with a 170 GFLOPS dGPU to work with Autocad and 3Ds Max proyects with +1.000.000 polygons and no problems.

If you want something to play games at school just buy a razer.

 

[cmChimera]

If I wanted a laptop without a dGPU I would have just opted for the 12-inch MacBook.

Then you would miss out on a lot of processing power and ports.

I'm saying it's ridiculous for Apple to be selling MacBook Pros as premium, pro-level notebooks without a dGPU.

Some Macbook Pros have dGPUs

The Surface Book looked like a real competition to the 13-inch MacBook Pro because they're priced about the same and yet the Surface Book offers a NVidia dGPU which delivers superior graphical performance that iGPUs can never do.

They didn't price them the same. The Surfacebook with a dGPU is more expensive than the 13" Macbook Pro. Additionally, never is a strong word.

 

[Oppenheim]

The surface book with the 940m cost 1900$.

Also there is absolutely nothing "pro" that you could do with a 940m that you couldn't with the upcoming Iris 550/580.

I use a 8 year old computer as device "on the go" with a 170 GFLOPS dGPU to work with Autocad and 3Ds Max proyects with +1.000.000 polygons and no problems.

If you want something to play games at school just buy a razer.

Yep. I'm writing this on a 2010 MBP connected to a 2k display via DP.

I'm well overdue an upgrade. I don't mind waiting till WWDC. It'll be a stretch, but well worth the wait.

 

[doitdada]

WWDC makes sense. Developers and creatives are the key target market for Pro machines now that the common public have moved unto smartphones for Internet access. College and office are Air and Macbook.

 

[Oppenheim]

WWDC makes sense. Developers and creatives are the key target market for Pro machines now that the common public have moved unto smartphones for Internet access. College and office are Air and Macbook.

I don't believe Apple are in any major rush to ship. The current MBP is so good!

I think a new MacBook (14") might be released simultaneously. MacBook Air retired.

That would leave the Airs and current-gen MBP having to be worked through the supply chain. A big launch at WWDC 2016.

 

[Jolly-boo]

Right around next year (next semester actually, but I can wait) is when I'll have more use for a laptop for my studies. And while better hardware is constantly around, a new design isn't, and I don't want to buy a laptop right before a design refresh. So I'm hoping it announced/released around july-october. Along with a iMac redesign. Like last, I think they'll come in pair.

And the current design is still fantastic, but it's time to evolve. The machine will get thinner, but I don't believe it will be anything drastic. Curious to see if they'll use the Scissor or Butterfly keyboard. USB-C is expected. Bezel reduction, hopefully (especially on the iMac. It's too large!).

Don't know about the color options though.

 

[ChinkyBob]

I have to say that Surface Book probably has the best Windows PC trackpad I used to date. That being said, it is still lacking as compared to any Mac I've used in the past 4-5 years. It boggles my mind that something as important as the primary user interface still eludes the PC world.

I too am astounded that the best trackpad Ive ever used on Windows is on my Macbook Air using bootcamp.
Nothing else even comes close.

 

[spacebro]

I too am astounded that the best trackpad Ive ever used on Windows is on my Macbook Air using bootcamp.
Nothing else even comes close.

You only get that trackpad support because of bootcamp. I use windows a lot on my macbook and love the trackpad, so much that I bought the new magic trackpad 2 when it came out. I tried to give the magic trackpad to my wife who uses a windows laptop. It would kind of work but none of the 2 or more finger gestures work, not even scrolling. There is a guide out there for getting it to work, you have to hack a bootcamp installation file and install some shady exe file. Even if that works it sounds like it could break on updates, and its a security risk.

 

[iBilal]

I love the MBP shape/chasis .. I remember when they went from the old silver keys to the chiklet keyboard .. the silver keys used to be so soft to type on but I slowly got used to the new chicklet design .. plus had no choice .. since the Pro/Retina line was so much cooler .. slimmer, no cd/dvd drive ..

I wonder how they can improve on this? .. make it thinner? .. less bezel around the screen?

 

[Oppenheim]

I love the MBP shape/chasis .. I remember when they went from the old silver keys to the chiklet keyboard .. the silver keys used to be so soft to type on but I slowly got used to the new chicklet design .. plus had no choice .. since the Pro/Retina line was so much cooler .. slimmer, no cd/dvd drive ..

I wonder how they can improve on this? .. make it thinner? .. less bezel around the screen?

Yes. There'll be a design shift alright - a shift that has continuity with the past and a design that brings us forward into the future.

 

[zayjay]

Yep. I'm writing this on a 2010 MBP connected to a 2k display via DP.

I'm well overdue an upgrade. I don't mind waiting till WWDC. It'll be a stretch, but well worth the wait.

When will be the next WWDC please? I'm using the 2012 MBPr, not sure if I want to do the update right now

 

[Rodrigo Yoshida]

If you don't need a dGPU, then you're likely not professional enough. You really can't run AutoCAD or any other Pro-level software smoothly on iGPUs.

Not every PRO user needs AutoCAD to work. I wonder how I would use it instead of xcode to make iOS apps, or should developers not be considered as PRO users?

 

[terminator-jq]

The current MBP looks really good but if they are planning a redesign, here is what I think they should do:

1. Either slim down the bezels, or add half an inch of screen to both sizes (so they would be 13.5" and 15.5")

2. Make 256gb the entry level SSD size. 128gb is too small by todays standards, especially for people who plan to do real work.

3. Make it available in Silver, Gold and Black like the new Macbook but keep the iconic glowing Apple logo.

4. Trade the SD card slot for a USB-C input. Keep all of the other inputs though.

5. Put a dedicated GPU in all models, both 13" and 15".

6. DCI-P3 color gamut support (this is important for video editors and graphic designers).

7. Perhaps make the screen OLED to provide better contrast and more efficiency.

Also, for anyone saying there that the current MBP is not good enough for Pro's, think again. I have a late 2013 13" retina MBP (so no dedicated GPU) and I am able to run Maya, Keyshot, Photoshop and Unity 3D on it smoothly. I work making games for iOS and Android and I also do a lot of photorealistic 3D renderings for architectural visualization. My MBP is my only computer and it has certainly been "Pro" enough to handle all of my high demanding task. Not to mention, it does all of this and still maintains good battery life. This means that unlike most Windows laptops, the MBP is actually portable, in that you don't really have to lug around the charger everywhere you go.

 

[Rodrigo Yoshida]

5. Put a dedicated GPU in all models, both 13" and 15".

For some people (like me) a dGPU is just a waste of resource and battery. They could also offer one model with it though.

 

[PFKMan23]

When will be the next WWDC please? I'm using the 2012 MBPr, not sure if I want to do the update right now

WWDC was in early June this year, so I'd expect similar for next year.

 

[Oppenheim]

For some people (like me) a dGPU is just a waste of resource and battery. They could also offer one model with it though.

Yep. There may be a dedicated GPU option.

I predict the main theme of the new MBP will be power. Amazing power efficiency. That means getting rid of the light behind the logo. OLED display is something I didn't consider. I guess that would be more fuel efficient alright.

Every single peripheral (memory, disk, monitor, WiFi, bluetooth, glowing logos, etc.) will need to shave ~10% off its power while keeping performance (at the very least). But the noticeable power savings will be with Skylake + integrated GPU + El Capitan + new battery chemistry + larger battery volume + OLED display. It will be quite a combination.

 

[techedude]

Yep. There may be a dedicated GPU option.

I predict the main theme of the new MBP will be power. Amazing power efficiency. That means getting rid of the light behind the logo. OLED display is something I didn't consider. I guess that would be more fuel efficient alright.

Every single peripheral (memory, disk, monitor, WiFi, bluetooth, glowing logos, etc.) will need to shave ~10% off its power while keeping performance (at the very least). But the noticeable power savings will be with Skylake + integrated GPU + El Capitan + new battery chemistry + larger battery volume + OLED display. It will be quite a combination.

Actually there is no light behind the logo. The only reason why the logo is backlit is because the LCD illuminates it. I've ripped apart thousands of MacBooks at my old job. If the screen is lit up then the logo is illuminated.

 

[Patrick-Photo]

Yep. There may be a dedicated GPU option.

I predict the main theme of the new MBP will be power. Amazing power efficiency. That means getting rid of the light behind the logo. OLED display is something I didn't consider. I guess that would be more fuel efficient alright.

Every single peripheral (memory, disk, monitor, WiFi, bluetooth, glowing logos, etc.) will need to shave ~10% off its power while keeping performance (at the very least). But the noticeable power savings will be with Skylake + integrated GPU + El Capitan + new battery chemistry + larger battery volume + OLED display. It will be quite a combination.

IGZO IPS display, instead of the regular IPS they use now (I believe at least). Do you think Apple can produce an entirely new battery tech/chemistry? Specialized companies are struggling with that for years. I do how ever embrace the opinion of a larger Wh battery, look at what they did with the 12" rMB logic board. They shrunk it quite a bit and added that space to the battery which resulted in a larger Wh battery (if they can do the same with the 15" they could maybe increase the battery from roughly 100Wh to 105 or 110Wh, a 5 or 10% increase).

 

[any-key]

IGZO IPS display, instead of the regular IPS they use now (I believe at least). Do you think Apple can produce an entirely new battery tech/chemistry? Specialized companies are struggling with that for years. I do how ever embrace the opinion of a larger Wh battery, look at what they did with the 12" rMB logic board. They shrunk it quite a bit and added that space to the battery which resulted in a larger Wh battery (if they can do the same with the 15" they could maybe increase the battery from roughly 100Wh to 105 or 110Wh, a 5 or 10% increase).

No. Apple doesn't invent/develop new stuff. They take/buy tech from others and tightly integrate it into their products.

If there will be massively longer battery it will be the sum of smaller optimization through out the rMBP design. As you said similar to the nMB (shrink the logic board, more power efficient components, slight battery size increase etc).

 

[cmChimera]

No. Apple doesn't invent/develop new stuff. They take/buy tech from others and tightly integrate it into their products.

If there will be massively longer battery it will be the sum of smaller optimization through out the rMBP design. As you said similar to the nMB (shrink the logic board, more power efficient components, slight battery size increase etc).

Apple's countless patents seem to fly in the face of the idea that they don't invent things. That said, I agree that Apple isn't going to introduce a replacement to lithium ion batteries.

 

[motime61]

lol patents are so hypocritical and anti innovation. All these big firms like to act like they are for free markets but then most of their technological advancements are built upon public subsidized research for decades. Public bears a lot of costs and risks, profit is privatized, and these companies still don't want to pay taxes.

 

[xmichaelp]

1. Either slim down the bezels, or add half an inch of screen to both sizes (so they would be 13.5" and 15.5").

The screens are already 13.3 and 15.4 as is. They wouldn't even need to add a full inch to make them 14 and 16. I think they may do that.

 

[toddzrx]

No. Apple doesn't invent/develop new stuff. They take/buy tech from others and tightly integrate it into their products.

If there will be massively longer battery it will be the sum of smaller optimization through out the rMBP design. As you said similar to the nMB (shrink the logic board, more power efficient components, slight battery size increase etc).

If you've watched any of Apple's keynote presentations, they've stated (somewhat in passing) that they have teams of engineers working on battery chemistry. The new rMB battery is the latest Mac with their own battery chemistry in it. I would expect the same for a future MBP, and of course it gets utilized in all their products since so much of what they sell is mobile or portable.

 

[toddzrx]

The current MBP looks really good but if they are planning a redesign, here is what I think they should do:

1. Either slim down the bezels, or add half an inch of screen to both sizes (so they would be 13.5" and 15.5")

2. Make 256gb the entry level SSD size. 128gb is too small by todays standards, especially for people who plan to do real work.

3. Make it available in Silver, Gold and Black like the new Macbook but keep the iconic glowing Apple logo.

4. Trade the SD card slot for a USB-C input. Keep all of the other inputs though.

5. Put a dedicated GPU in all models, both 13" and 15".

6. DCI-P3 color gamut support (this is important for video editors and graphic designers).

7. Perhaps make the screen OLED to provide better contrast and more efficiency.

Also, for anyone saying there that the current MBP is not good enough for Pro's, think again. I have a late 2013 13" retina MBP (so no dedicated GPU) and I am able to run Maya, Keyshot, Photoshop and Unity 3D on it smoothly. I work making games for iOS and Android and I also do a lot of photorealistic 3D renderings for architectural visualization. My MBP is my only computer and it has certainly been "Pro" enough to handle all of my high demanding task. Not to mention, it does all of this and still maintains good battery life. This means that unlike most Windows laptops, the MBP is actually portable, in that you don't really have to lug around the charger everywhere you go.

Note that the current 13" and 15" screens are actually 13.3" and 15.4", so they are there already. I'm hoping that Apple releases a 14" rMB, a 14" rMBP, and 16" rMBP.

We'll never again see dGPU's in the 13". Would be nice if they at least had a discrete option for the high end 13" model though.

 

[Steve121178]

If I wanted a laptop without a dGPU I would have just opted for the 12-inch MacBook. I'm saying it's ridiculous for Apple to be selling MacBook Pros as premium, pro-level notebooks without a dGPU. The Surface Book looked like a real competition to the 13-inch MacBook Pro because they're priced about the same and yet the Surface Book offers a NVidia dGPU which delivers superior graphical performance that iGPUs can never do.

It's not ridiculous, I don't need a dGPU in my MacBook Pro, although it would be a 'nice to have' configurable option.

For my uses, all the dGPU would do is make my machine run much hotter and have a significant impact on battery life. Until NVIDIA can make their GPU's far more energy efficient they are going to have a very hard time convincing vendors to include them in ultrabooks/slim & light machines over integrated solutions (which are actually very good these days).