Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro • Hacker News Board

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#181

Post by microtonal » Tue, May 21, 2019, 6:07 PM UTC

gilbetron wrote: post #74

After 8 years of macbooks, after using the 2018 model, I switched to a Dell Precision 5530 running Ubuntu 18.04 and it is awesome. The hardware is great, and having Unix under it all was the only real reason I liked Macs (used to be hardware, too). Granted, I don't need Adobe stuff, or anything else that doesn't run or have an alternative on Ubuntu (although it is dual-booted with Win10, but I've never used it, just…

I am still using a MacBook Pro 2018 as my laptop, but do my primary work on an Intel NUC8i5BEH with Linux. I work remotely from my home, so I rarely need the laptop anymore.

The NUC has the same quad core Intel i5-8259U, with double the RAM and double the SSD size at approximately a quarter of the price of MacBook Pro. If you don't have an existing screen, you can buy a good Dell HiDPI screen for ~500 Euros.

The Linux NUC feels much faster than the MacBook Pro, probably because of faster syscalls on Linux, and generally better optimizations in Linux. But for me the killer feature is NixOS. NixOS has a steep learning curve, but with atomic updates/rollbacks, declarative system configuration, and the ability to have virtualenvs with any package, it is hard to go back to a system that does not have these features. (I use Nix on macOS, but it is more of a gateway drug than the whole experience.)

Of course, there are some sharp edges, Bluetooth headset (including Airpods) support is better on macOS, you can't beat Microsoft Office for Office compatibility (duh), and Skype works better on macOS.

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#182

Post by jonplackett » Tue, May 21, 2019, 6:08 PM UTC

mmartinson wrote: post #90

I'm currently using the last, best 2015 macbook, and having tried a newer model as a work computer for a short while previously, am dreading the day I need to think about replacing it. How about this apple. "macbook util". The pro line can keep the thin delicate stuff. Give me the 2015 case, screen, keyboard, and magsafe, with some new internals and a usb-c. I'd happily hand over my money.

YES YES YES YES!

Sign me up.

Take my money!

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#183

Post by akamel » Tue, May 21, 2019, 6:08 PM UTC

masklinn wrote: post #151

akamel wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They are not 'suspicious' they really are that fast compared to the standard cheap SSDs. It's the difference between cheap SATA SSDs and expensive NVMe PCIe SSDs. Search for comps on any online retailer and you'll see how expensive and fast those are.

> It's the difference between cheap SATA SSDs and expensive NVMe PCIe SSDs. > Search for comps on any online retailer and you'll see how expensive and fast those are. $250 for a 1TB 970 EVO Plus. Which has better write throughput.

Here is what Lenevo charges for a similar upgrade using a slightly slower SSD

https://imgur.com/a/ug87MaI

That 250$ more to upgrade to the 1tb from the 512gb.

the retail price of the upgrade is 450$

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#184

Post by simongr3dal » Tue, May 21, 2019, 6:09 PM UTC

They can try to cram all the overheating CPU power into the thin chassis as much as they like, but it is lagging so much behind in GPU power.

The top-of-the-line option, a Radeon Pro Vega 20 with 4GB of HBM2, doesn't seems like it's going to perform much better than an NVidia Geforce GTX 1050[0], and at $350 extra it's twice the cost of a standalone NVidia Geforce GTX 1050.

[0]: https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/radeon-pro-vega-20.c32...

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#185

Post by FireBeyond » Tue, May 21, 2019, 6:09 PM UTC

akamel wrote: post #67

nothis wrote: post #46

I checked their store out of curiosity. Switching from 512MB to 1TB SSD: +$400 WHY? This is literally the only thing that bothers me about Apple pricing. I get that you pay for the design, I get the quirks like introducing touch bar, everything. But I don't get why upgrading from a $50 to a $100 SSD adds 400 dollars.

Because they don't use slow SSDs. The read / write speeds on the SSD in the Macbook Pro are insane. see: https://www.macrumors.com/2018/07/13/2018-macbook-pro-fastes... we are talking at least 6x what other laptops use.

Most current era laptops use NVMe. Bargain basement laptops might still use SATA, but lets not pretend that the MBP, while extremely fast, is at all unique.

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#186

Post by gnicholas » Tue, May 21, 2019, 6:09 PM UTC

kitsunesoba wrote: post #110

nuccy wrote: post #47

8-core CPU, even presumably with HT off after all the recent Intel vulnerabilities, makes me laugh after my personal experience with my late 2016 MacBook Pro 13 touch bar with fastest (at that time) i7. During normal browsing especially with plugged charger, it was heating so much that something in the keyboard was unglueing. The space bar and 'c' produced different clicking sound. I was quite unhappy with that since…

Using Safari with an adblocking extension that makes use of WebKit’s native content blocking capabilities makes an enormous difference when it comes to heat and power draw. I’ve tried Chrome and Firefox with uBlock Origin and both are considerably more demanding in CPU use while not being that much faster. Where Chrome and Firefox has my fans ramped up to 60%, Safari has them running at 10% or switched off. Really wi…

Brave had made a huge difference for me. As much as I'd like to support Mozilla by using Firefox,i just can't justify it. Brave is amazing.

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#187

Post by omnimus » Tue, May 21, 2019, 6:10 PM UTC

everyone wrote: post #156

TimTheTinker wrote: post #94

Apple designers need a new mantra, the age-old adage: "Form follows function." As it is, they're choosing a form ahead of time and compromising on function. The vast majority of users choose Macs because of the great OS and the hardware specs. The "thinness" or "sleekness" is only a nice-to-have, and only if it doesn't require compromise elsewhere.

Lots of people on HN call the Mac OS 'great' ... But why? What is so great about it that is not similar on Linux or Windows? When ye say "great", I think ye mean "the one I am familiar with".

Well it has decent window manager with multiple desktops, does not require antivirus and supports Adobe. For graphicdesign/developer there really arent many other choices. Also if you work with sound its hands down best OS.

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#188

Post by duskwuff » Tue, May 21, 2019, 6:11 PM UTC

nothis wrote: post #36

thsowers wrote: post #7

Wish there was an option to buy a 15 inch with no touch bar. I cannot find any suitable use for it on my current model, and I often hit items inadvertently due to the lack of tactile feedback

I never got why, if they really want the touch bar, they don't do both . F-keys and touch bar. I kinda would have welcomed this because the "fn" key is a horrible presence on any laptop keyboard anyway and I'd happily would have seen them delegate screen brightness and audio to the touch bar as a separate input.

Getting away from Fn entirely is tough -- it's still useful as a way of simulating keys like PgUp/PgDn/Home/End (Fn+arrows) and forward delete (Fn+Backspace).

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#189

Post by b3b0p » Tue, May 21, 2019, 6:11 PM UTC

ericabiz wrote: post #51

We repair these as part of our business, and to be clear, both the keyboards and the screens are failing on these at an alarming rate. iFixit detailed the issues with the screens, which (in Apple's unending quest for "thinness") use a thinner flex cable to connect the display to the rest of the laptop. This thinner cable is prone to breakage, and we are already seeing 2016-2017 MacBook Pros in our shop regularly for…

Personally, I won't feel the keyboard issue is resolved until the keyboard is a user replaceable part.

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#190

Post by ericabiz » Tue, May 21, 2019, 6:11 PM UTC

aidos wrote: post #11

Is it possible to get them without the touchbar? I’ve pounded my poor old MacBook (2013) into submission and the bottom row of keys are starting to not work intermittently. We’ve got a bunch of the newer machines in the office and I just can’t get on with that keyboard and touchbar.

I strongly feel you would be better off getting the keyboard replaced in your MBP 2013 than upgrading to a new MacBook. (See my post history/other comments on this thread for my background and a more thorough explanation.) A keyboard upgrade would be around $200 or less—check local shops near you for price quotes.