Next-Generation 13-Inch MacBook Pro Benchmarked with Modest Performance Gains

As we noted last week, Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference came and went without seeing the introduction of updated MacBook Pro models, to the surprise and disappointment of many observers.

But just like with Apple's upcoming Mac Pro, benchmarks for an updated MacBook Pro have begun appearing in the Geekbench results database. The result was posted two days ago, and was noticed by pikeralpha (via forum member Sneakz) yesterday.

macbook_pro_13_2013_geekbench
As with the Mac Pro, this MacBook Pro appears under a code name of "AAPLJ44,1" and appears to correspond to a 13" MacBook Pro, and while it is not exactly clear whether it refers to a Retina or non-Retina model, the two machines would perform roughly equally when using the same processor. Apple has, however, been rumored to be phasing out the non-Retina models, and if true this result would seem to point to a new Haswell-based Retina MacBook Pro.

The machine shown in the benchmark results is running a dual-core Intel Core i5-4258U processor running at 2.4 GHz with 8 GB of RAM and a Boot ROM dated June 5. Like the Mac Pro, this MacBook Pro is running a special build of OS X Mavericks, termed Build 13A2050.

Primate Labs' John Poole has put together a graphic showing how the Geekbench performance of this new machine compares to that of other recent 13-inch MacBook Pro models, revealing a 5-8% boost in performance compared to the previous low-end models while running at a lower clock speed.

macbook_pro_13_2013_geekbench_comparison
As seen in the MacBook Air released last week, one of the major benefits to Intel's new Haswell platform is reduced energy consumption, with Apple choosing to offer only a modest boost in performance while bringing massive increases in battery life that see the new 13-inch MacBook Air reaching 12 hours or more of battery life.

It has been unclear exactly how Apple will prioritize battery life and performance in the MacBook Pro, but it appears that the company may be pursuing a similar strategy to that seen in the MacBook Air, boosting performance only slightly while pushing much of the energy savings into increased battery life.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro currently offers 7 hours of battery life, and while Apple may not be able to duplicate the 80% increase in battery life seen with the MacBook Air's switch to Haswell due to other power-hungry components such as the MacBook Pro's Retina display, the company may still be able to offer substantial battery life improvements in its new machines.

Related Forum: MacBook Pro

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Sunday July 13, 2025 10:30 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iPhone 17 Air Colors Thumb 2

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air Rumored to Come in These 9 Colors

Friday July 11, 2025 12:30 am PDT by
The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will be available in a total of nine color options, according to new information coming out of Asia. The iPhone 17 Air's expected color options. According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean blog Naver, accessory manufacturers are now producing camera protector rings for the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air in colors to match their...

Top Rated Comments

jrswizzle Avatar
158 months ago
Wow... soon they will begin making less-powerful computers just to accommodate design.
What a bunch of nonsense.....

A majority of users who buy these computers have no need for benchmarks to go higher and higher.

Ya know what EVERYONE would love? More battery life. Apple is doing a great thing by pushing the envelope here. 12 hours in a laptop is unheard of (the new MBAs). If they can get a rMBP with this kind of power to 8-9 hours?

Slower clock speeds, more power AND more battery life. Again, Apple is doing it right.

Wow is right, though not the way you used it.
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
crispytreat Avatar
158 months ago
I am really looking forward to the new 13" retina.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Stetrain Avatar
158 months ago
This is good news.

Using the 28W CPUs means:

- Similar CPU performance at much lower power use
- Large increase in GPU performance

These CPUs have the HD 5100 Iris integrated graphics. Here's a comparison chart:



Leftmost bars are the old HD 4000 graphics.

Middle bars are the new HD 5000 graphics like those in the 2013 Air.

Rightmost bars are the HD 5100 graphics that will probably be in the new 13" retina.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Supermule Avatar
158 months ago
Nope. People buying Macbook Pro wants power over battery. People buying Macbook Air wants battery over power.



What a bunch of nonsense.....

A majority of users who buy these computers have no need for benchmarks to go higher and higher.

Ya know what EVERYONE would love? More battery life. Apple is doing a great thing by pushing the envelope here. 12 hours in a laptop is unheard of (the new MBAs). If they can get a rMBP with this kind of power to 8-9 hours?

Slower clock speeds, more power AND more battery life. Again, Apple is doing it right.

Wow is right, though not the way you used it.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lesser Evets Avatar
158 months ago
Wow... soon they will begin making less-powerful computers just to accommodate design.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hockeyfanatic Avatar
158 months ago
The release date is the leak I'm interested in.:)
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)