Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro • Hacker News Board

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#521

Post by stephenr » Tue, May 21, 2019, 8:39 PM UTC

swozey wrote: post #14

These used to excite me because I've desperately needed 32gb and faster procs and used to upgrade every 2-3 years but now I just yawn at MBP releases. I'm so unexcited by everything about this form factor other than the fact that it has OSX. I'm guessing I'll be on my 2016 until I finally bite the bullet and quit using OSX if they don't make a more compelling package to spend my $3k on in the next few years. I don't…

I don’t get the touch pad complaint (I don’t agree with the others either but that’s a boring worn out argument) - macOS has had excellent “accidental touch” detection in my experience.

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#522

Post by zrail » Tue, May 21, 2019, 8:40 PM UTC

TomVDB wrote: post #306

golfer wrote: post #261

Earlier quoted context omitted.

100% agree. I'm typing this on a 2015 Macbook Pro, and holding on for dear life, even as it has started alerting me about servicing the battery. It's a great machine. I tried using the touchbar on my son's newer MBP. It's awful, and not meant for serious use. His laptop has been replaced once already due to keyboard issue, and starting to show defects again.

Replace the battery. I did it last year on my 2012 rMBpro after it have been complaining about servicing the battery for about a year, and while it wasn't a walk in the park, it all worked out great. Tip: there are 2 ways to replace the battery. One is by following the official iFixit etc instructions where you remove absolutely everything before you peel off the battery with acetone. The other is by immediately peel…

Or just take it to the Apple Store and pay them $199 to repair the battery which also gets you an entirely new top case and keyboard (old, original stock)

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#523

Post by dzhiurgis » Tue, May 21, 2019, 8:41 PM UTC

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

Also I'd love an option without external GPU. GPU switching is still slow and occasionally buggy, wastes power and has no benefit for me when writing any app.

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#524

Post by dzhiurgis » Tue, May 21, 2019, 8:42 PM UTC

TimTheTinker wrote: post #89

andyfleming wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been using MacBook Pro's with the touch bar for a while now, but I just picked up a MacBook Air (in addition to my MacBook Pro). It has a mechanical top row, with just the Touch ID button at the end and it's fantastic. It's so nice to have those keys back! I would pay $100 extra for a MacBook Pro without the touch bar. Here's the keyboard in all its glory (if you're curious): https://www.apple.com/newsroom/image…

I actually really like the touch bar. I'd enjoy my 2016 MBP if it wasn't for the 2 keys that are now unreliable on the keyboard. That and the fact that it crashes every time the battery runs out.

> I actually really like the touch bar. An app called Pock supposed to make it vaguely useful, but fails to display consistently...

> the fact that it crashes every time the battery runs out.

This. Mine crashed with caffeinate on and would boot into state where display is off. Took me an hour and bunch of stress reset SMC/NVRAM/etc that brought it back to life.

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#525

Post by znpy » Tue, May 21, 2019, 8:42 PM UTC

Meanwhile, non-touchbar 13" macbook pros still have dual-core cpus.

Somebody might say "Apple continues the war against its own users".

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#526

Post by tomduncalf » Tue, May 21, 2019, 8:42 PM UTC

afandian wrote: post #444

A few months after purchase and my MacBook Pro's keyboard has already been in for repairs and the screen glitch is too intermittent to replicate so they won't fix it. A Mac without Applecare+ is foolhardy -- these machines are engineered to fail under normal use -- so this should be considered as part of the base price IMHO. Applecare only covers 3 years so that's the lifetime of the product. That's an expensive valu…

Ugh yeah the 4 year thing sucks. Apple should be saying 8 years or thereabouts in my opinion. It’s clearly a design flaw that they were aware of (and still are trying to paper over) on a very expensive product, but one which is usually loved by customers. Seeing all the negativity this issue causes sucks, as does knowing my 2017 will probably be useless as a laptop one day because of it

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#527

Post by mikepurvis » Tue, May 21, 2019, 8:44 PM UTC

plasma wrote: post #519

mikepurvis wrote: post #373

I'm a few weeks into an XPS 15 after a decade of Apple. I'm really liking it as well. I'm even running Windows 10, of all things— between WSL and native SSH + git and friends on powershell via Chocolatey, I'm finding it surprisingly comfortable. I think my main frustration is just that a few things about the trackpad aren't quite right. For example, I can't find a combination of settings under Windows which give the…

I’m really considering the switch to XPS also; I think their latest model moves the camera back to the top as well. What about the track pad isn’t working? And do you notice any “coil whine” I’ve been reading about? My other choice may be a Precision but haven’t read enough about it. Thank you

I haven't experienced the coil whine issue, but I'm also mostly powering it from a USB-C dock, if that makes any difference.

I love how big the screen is— it's a 15" display in a chassis that's barely bigger than my old 13" MBP. That said, camera below the screen is a definite negative, so that's great if it's been moved back; I've just assumed I'll get a clip-on USB cam and leave it at home for VC use.

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#528

Post by dzhiurgis » Tue, May 21, 2019, 8:44 PM UTC

klodolph wrote: post #48

neural_thing wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just want a MBP that is a late 2013 body with modern hardware inside it. I know there are many others like me.

Are you sure you wouldn't rather have the 2008-2012 body? It's a bit easier to upgrade or repair. (At work I have a 15" MBP with the 2013 body. I'm eligible for upgrading it, but what would I replace it with that could possibly be better? Literally the only downside that I care about is the fact that most conference rooms at work no longer have magsafes lying around.)

I'd shelve another k for 17"...

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#529

Post by Mindwipe » Tue, May 21, 2019, 8:45 PM UTC

ubercow13 wrote: post #124

skierguy wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought the same thing. Now I'm stuck with a $1500 Asus laptop that barely plays Netflix a year and a half later. despite an 7th gen i7 and 16gb of DDR4. Now I'm saving up for a Macbook Pro again, despite my hatred for the keyboard and touchbar.

Why does it barely play Netflix? Why would a Macbook be better?

If they're using Chrome rather than Edge or the native app then the video is rendered in software, which will quite possibly result in a poor experience on an underpowered machine.

(TBH the same issue happens on a Mac though, except Safari instead of Edge).

Re: Apple introduces 8-core MacBook Pro

#530

Post by kod » Tue, May 21, 2019, 8:45 PM UTC

Typing this on a Dell Precision 7530. Comes stock with Ubuntu. 128gb of ram, 4 times what Apple offers, at close to the same cost. Linux font rendering still sucks, but I may never use another Apple product again.