Previewed at WWDC, launching in the fall.
Benchmarks for New 13-Inch MacBook Pro Beat MacBook Air, Previous MacBook Pro by 10-15%
Last week, Primate Labs summarized its Geekbench 2 database results for Apple's new MacBook Air and 15-inch MacBook Pro models, but did not address the 13-inch MacBook Pro as not enough data had been collected at that time.
But over the past week more data has come in, and the firm now shares its results which show the new 13-inch models are yielding approximately 10-15% higher Geekbench 2 scores than both the corresponding previous-generation 13-inch MacBook Pro models as well as the current 13-inch MacBook Air models against which they are directly competing.
At the low end, Primate Labs notes that the MacBook Air is showing up in the database twice as frequently as the MacBook Pro, suggesting that budget-conscious consumers are opting for the slimmer form factor of the MacBook Air as a primary factor in their decision-making. But the ratio is reversed at the high end, with the MacBook Pro appearing twice as frequently as the MacBook Air, as may be expected as the market shifts more toward professional users looking for high performance as their primary criterion.
But over the past week more data has come in, and the firm now shares its results which show the new 13-inch models are yielding approximately 10-15% higher Geekbench 2 scores than both the corresponding previous-generation 13-inch MacBook Pro models as well as the current 13-inch MacBook Air models against which they are directly competing.
The latest MacBook Pros offer a nice increase in performance over the previous MacBook Pros. Both the Core i5 and the Core i7 Mid 2012 13-inch MacBook Pros are over 10% faster than the equivalent Late 2011 13-inch MacBook Pros. Some of the increase is from higher processor speeds, while some of the increase is from the improved Ivy Bridge processor architecture.The popular Geekbench tool also provides a glimpse into the relative popularity of various models, and with the 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air coming in at the same base price points at both low and high ends, the frequency with which those machines appear provides an interesting perspective on how customers are deciding between the two lines.
The latest MacBook Pros also offer a nice increase in performance over the latest MacBook Airs. The Core i5 13-inch MacBook Pro is 10% faster than the Core i5 13-inch MacBook Air, while the Core i7 13-inch MacBook Pro is 15% faster (and $100 cheaper) than the Core i7 13-inch MacBook Air.
At the low end, Primate Labs notes that the MacBook Air is showing up in the database twice as frequently as the MacBook Pro, suggesting that budget-conscious consumers are opting for the slimmer form factor of the MacBook Air as a primary factor in their decision-making. But the ratio is reversed at the high end, with the MacBook Pro appearing twice as frequently as the MacBook Air, as may be expected as the market shifts more toward professional users looking for high performance as their primary criterion.
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79 months ago
Here's the thing: performance benchmarks for laptops no longer matter. Or at least there's absolutely no reason to benchmark laptops that get super hot and loud when you take advantage of all the processing power that's available.
Remember, people were returning the high-end 2011 MacBook Pro because of heat and fan noise issues, exchanging it for the lower specced model (e.g., http://www.marco.org/2011/09/20/heat-and-fan-issues-with-2011-15-inch-macbook-pro).
Whenever benchmarks like these get posted, there should be a decibel level, ambient temperature, and battery life estimate that goes alongside them.
Remember, people were returning the high-end 2011 MacBook Pro because of heat and fan noise issues, exchanging it for the lower specced model (e.g., http://www.marco.org/2011/09/20/heat-and-fan-issues-with-2011-15-inch-macbook-pro).
Whenever benchmarks like these get posted, there should be a decibel level, ambient temperature, and battery life estimate that goes alongside them.
79 months ago
A 10% increase over a 2011 is very minimal would be crazy to spend money just for a 10%-15% on a 2012 model. Great if your coming from something lesser than a 2011 MBP or picking this up for the first time
79 months ago
Apple doesn't realize a laptop will NEVER be able to keep up with a real Pro machine...
Idiotic sentence of the day.
79 months ago
Glad to see that new technology is faster by the exact margin everyone predicted it would be long before Ivy Bridge Macbook Pros were released.
Can't wait to see the benchmarks for the "NEW" MacPro.
The "NEW" Mac Pro is the same as my 2010 Mac Pro... It's unreal...
Still a 2 year old Machine with a 9-year old design, beats any of the latests iMacs and Mac Book Pro's...
I really can't wait for a new one. :rolleyes:
79 months ago
I usually wish they would throw in a few other platforms when they publish this stuff. Like throw an iMac in there or a Mac Pro. I know I can figure that out, but it would be easier if the graphics showed a platform you might actually be using while considering an upgrade to a 2012 laptop.
They should also throw some older and popular models on the comparison. Seriously, I don't know anyone who upgrades their laptop every year or every two years. So except for some very hardcore folks, who owns a 2011 laptop and is considering buying a 2012? I'm considering replacing my 2007 macbook this year. But since it still runs Lion like a champ I certainly don't need to.
They should also throw some older and popular models on the comparison. Seriously, I don't know anyone who upgrades their laptop every year or every two years. So except for some very hardcore folks, who owns a 2011 laptop and is considering buying a 2012? I'm considering replacing my 2007 macbook this year. But since it still runs Lion like a champ I certainly don't need to.
79 months ago
So
so the 13" was the most popular laptop in previous years, an update to this is important.
79 months ago
are these benchmarks CPU only?
Yes, which makes geekbench scores relatively useless except for people who need confirmation that the sky is blue.
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