1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Apple New MacBook Pro 2018 How powerful is it?

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by firefaceseven, 17 Jul 2018.

?

Is it worth buying

  1. Yes

    20.0%
  2. No

    30.0%
  3. You can buy better for this money

    50.0%
  1. firefaceseven

    firefaceseven What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    16 Jul 2018
    Posts:
    1
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hi all,
    Soon I will go to the US for work and want to buy a new macbook pro 2018 because in Germany it will be 20% more expensive, about Euro 3800 EUR = 4447.99 USD US Dollar rate by 1.17
    Ideally, I want to buy what is in the picture, but this is an additional 700 dollars, very expensive.
    Questions:
    1. How much i7 will be i9 in performance?
    2. Will I be able to upgrade the RAM in the future if I initially buy 16GB?
    [​IMG]
    If there is anything better for this money, I'm ready to listen to you. Write.
     
  2. Anfield

    Anfield Multimodder

    Joined:
    15 Jan 2010
    Posts:
    7,059
    Likes Received:
    970
    As for the RAM, nope its soldered, zero upgrades allowed in the cult of Apple.

    As for the i7 vs i9 issue, no reliable numbers comparing the two in such a thermally restricted environment exist yet.
    General logic based on CPU specs alone however suggests that the $300 premium is far too much and nowhere close to justifiable.

    But most importantly, what do you actually need from a Laptop?

    1: Just something to write and browse the web on?
    2: Something to game on?
    3: Something to work on?

    Because if it is either one of the first two options then buying a MacBook Pro would be worse than setting your money on fire.
    If it is the third option then it gets a little bit less straightforward.

    Sub questions for option 3:
    What OS does the software you already have / are familiar with / intend to use in the future run on?
    And which part of a PC is actually doing the heavy lifting with your particular workload? The CPU or the GPU?

    When it comes to finding an alternative, the sea is nearly infinite so it will need narrowing down based on what you value most? Performance? Size? Weight? Price?
     
  3. The_Crapman

    The_Crapman World's worst stuntman. Lover of bit-tech

    Joined:
    5 Dec 2011
    Posts:
    7,653
    Likes Received:
    3,909
     
    GeorgeK likes this.
  4. RedFlames

    RedFlames ...is not a Belgian football team

    Joined:
    23 Apr 2009
    Posts:
    15,401
    Likes Received:
    2,996
    Does it poisitively have to be a mac? I.e do you use macos-only software?

    If yes - buy the mac
    If no - don't buy the mac, buy something else.

    The updated kb is still a steaming pile of **** and for that reason alone i wouldn't touch the mbp unless I absolutely had to.

    EDIT: A Similarly specced XPS15 weighs in at $3359 which gets you -

    i9 8950HK [same as the mbp]
    32GB DDR4-2666MHz [same as the mbp]
    1TB PCI-E SSD
    1050ti GPU
    4k screen, which is either better or worse than the retina, depending who you ask.
     
    Last edited: 17 Jul 2018
  5. silk186

    silk186 Derp

    Joined:
    1 Dec 2014
    Posts:
    1,935
    Likes Received:
    150
    If you don't know if you need an i9 ... you don't need one.
    Nothing can be upgraded in the Macbook, memory or storage.
    My wife will get a 13" this week with the student deal, 10% off + free beats headphones.
    Find a uni student to go with you and flash his student ID. link
    My main complaint with the 13" is that they didn't update the non-touch bar models.
    You should be fine with stock configuration unless you photo/video editing or engineering software.
     
  6. RedFlames

    RedFlames ...is not a Belgian football team

    Joined:
    23 Apr 2009
    Posts:
    15,401
    Likes Received:
    2,996
    Only just noticed this bit -

    That's because in Germany the price includes VAT... the US price doesn't include sales tax [that also applies to the Dell example i gave too].
     
  7. edzieba

    edzieba Virtual Realist

    Joined:
    14 Jan 2009
    Posts:
    3,909
    Likes Received:
    591
    Technically, you're meant to declare the value of the laptop when you pass through Customs on re-entering the UK and pay VAT on it. Effectively nobody does (and the chances of being caught are vanishingly slim), but it is tax evasion. Same as in the US with inter-state online sales skipping sales tax: illegal, but everyone did it and just took it as a de-facto benefit of online shopping (loopholes are being rapidly closed now).
     
  8. Zoon

    Zoon Hunting Wabbits since the 80s

    Joined:
    12 Mar 2001
    Posts:
    5,869
    Likes Received:
    809
    I saw one article that states the i9 throttles so much it's below the performance of the i7 chip.
     
  9. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

    Joined:
    4 Dec 2007
    Posts:
    17,085
    Likes Received:
    6,635
    And to extend that, you need to pay the 20% VAT at the border when you bring your shiny new laptop into the country or you're smuggling. Yes, I know nobody actually pays. It's still smuggling.
     
  10. Anfield

    Anfield Multimodder

    Joined:
    15 Jan 2010
    Posts:
    7,059
    Likes Received:
    970
    Open the box and touch it = It instantly becomes just another used item of undetermined value like your toothbrush.
     
  11. GeordieStew

    GeordieStew Minimodder

    Joined:
    7 Oct 2011
    Posts:
    191
    Likes Received:
    13
    I went for Surface Book 2 15". No regrets at all.
     
  12. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

    Joined:
    4 Dec 2007
    Posts:
    17,085
    Likes Received:
    6,635
    I think you forgot "officer" (or possibly "your Honour") at the end of that. Me, I'd rather just pay the VAT and not have to worry about a Customs officer deciding he doesn't like my face. (Added bonuses: my laptop has a UK instead of a US keyboard, I don't have to send it to the US if it breaks, I can claim it as a business expense and save myself well above the 20% VAT I paid, I get to keep the box instead of having to throw it away so my "it's an old laptop I took with me honest" excuse is vaguely believable...)
     
  13. Ljs

    Ljs Modder

    Joined:
    4 Sep 2009
    Posts:
    2,234
    Likes Received:
    117
    I saw this also on Reddit.
     
  14. RedFlames

    RedFlames ...is not a Belgian football team

    Joined:
    23 Apr 2009
    Posts:
    15,401
    Likes Received:
    2,996
  15. Gareth Halfacree

    Gareth Halfacree WIIGII! Lover of bit-tech Administrator Super Moderator Moderator

    Joined:
    4 Dec 2007
    Posts:
    17,085
    Likes Received:
    6,635
    Fixed that for you.
     
  16. RedFlames

    RedFlames ...is not a Belgian football team

    Joined:
    23 Apr 2009
    Posts:
    15,401
    Likes Received:
    2,996
    Well yes, not having the glaring flaw in the first place would be a better solution, but I'm curious how/if the Dell XP 15 avoids the same problem.
     
  17. Xlog

    Xlog Minimodder

    Joined:
    16 Dec 2006
    Posts:
    714
    Likes Received:
    80
    Also worth noting is that Apple removed data recovery connector.
     
  18. fix-the-spade

    fix-the-spade Multimodder

    Joined:
    4 Jul 2011
    Posts:
    5,489
    Likes Received:
    1,275
    So the solution to the high end CPU overheating is to undervolt the high end CPU until it performs worse than a Sandy Bridge-E cpu from 2011?

    I think the solution is to take it back to Apple and demand a refund, then beat whoever says no to you to death with it before demanding again.
     
  19. RedFlames

    RedFlames ...is not a Belgian football team

    Joined:
    23 Apr 2009
    Posts:
    15,401
    Likes Received:
    2,996
    Didn't say it was a good solution...
     
  20. aLtikal

    aLtikal 1338-One step infront of the pro's

    Joined:
    7 May 2008
    Posts:
    944
    Likes Received:
    30
    Apple have fixed the i9 issue and have released a minor OS Update
     

Share This Page