Rumor: New MacBooks enroute

[Jørgen Ramskov]

They're pretty expensive though
+ $600 for 1Tb SSD
+ $1400 for 2Tb SSD

[Jakov Minić]

No matter how large your SSD is, you will need to clean it once in a while, or at least back it up, so I will not be spending my extra cash on storage.
My question to you experts is whether there is a huge difference between i5 and i7 processors?

[aerobat]

I've got a 15" retina MBP (late 2013) with quad core i7, 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD. I really appreciate the large(ish) screen for editing and ample speed to work fluently.
An i5 would certainly do ok but over the years you may regret to buy anything smaller. MacBooks are usually kept longer than comparable Windows machines.
At the moment I can have just a bit more than 1 year worth of pictures on the SSD. So at the beginning of a new year I move the pictures to an external HDD.
I've only switched two years ago and never looked back.

[Jørgen Ramskov]

Same thinking here. Got a similar 15" from 2013, though with 16gb memory and 512gb SSD. Still running great. I bought the top model, except for the size of the SSD because you can't upgrade it later.

[Erik Lund]

They're pretty expensive though
+ $600 for 1Tb SSD
+ $1400 for 2Tb SSD

Yes that is a bit strange,,,

They look really nice though, but no new 4K or 5K displays,,,

[elsa hoffmann]

Can someone please come visit me and bring me a new MacPro. Unaffordable here!   
I am getting Mac-Acquisition-syndrome.
I am getting by on 256 HD  - as soon as my images are converted from RAW- the NEF's move off to an external. Then when the final product is delivered - those move off to another HD.
There is no point for me to keep it all on my Mac Drive.
I do keep 1024 x 1024 size copies on my HD though.
But I want more RAM.

[charlie]

My question to you experts is whether there is a huge difference between i5 and i7 processors?

I can share my experience with a dual core i5 vs quad core i7.

I have a mid 2014 13" macbook pro with 2.6 GHz Intel Core i5 and 16gb ram, 250gb SSD. 
Using Capture One To process out around 3000 22 megapixel CR2 files to jpgs takes about 8 - 10 hours.
Doing the same process on an iMac with 16GB ram and an i7 processor takes 2-3 hours.
Granted that might be a bit of an apples to oranges comparison, but watching the activity monitors on both machines I always found the CPU working overtime and there was RAM to spare.

Next macbook I buy I will be upgrading to the faster CPU as that seems to be the bottleneck. 

[pluton]

Same thinking here. Got a similar 15" from 2013, though with 16gb memory and 512gb SSD. Still running great. I bought the top model, except for the size of the SSD because you can't upgrade it later.

The SSD cannot be exchanged?  Did you mean the RAM cannot be exchanged?

[PedroS]

The SSD cannot be exchanged?  Did you mean the RAM cannot be exchanged?

Both can be upgraded... I have done on my Mac, in fact, on all familly's Macs
And I'm using Samsung SSDs
On my workhorse Mac, a 15" MBP and have two SSDs inside (changed the CD/DVD to an SSD), not possible with the newer ones, thought.
A 256GB SSD just for apps, and a 500GB for files

[Jørgen Ramskov]

The ram can't be upgraded as far as I know.

[Jakov Minić]

Unfortunately, there isn't a quad-core i7 processor for the 13" MacBook Pro.
I am sorry for not being precise in the original question, but I guess one should pay and get the best possible in order for it to last a while.
It's just that I am using a 2009 MacBook Pro, so I guess everything will fly in comparison...

Pedro what about the MacBook Pro? Don't tell me that RAM and SSD cannot be easily exchanged? That would be a shame!

And how many additional little cables will one need to be able to attach peripherals like external hard drives, card readers, etc...

[PedroS]

The ram can't be upgraded as far as I know.

Do you mean configurable to? For same models, yes 16Gb is the max it could be used

[simato73]

For a few years already all Apple notebooks cannot be upgraded from what you purchase. You can select custom builds  (options for ssd, cpu, ram, gpu) but once the choice is made there is no further upgrade possible because the components are soldered in.
Many have moaned but clearly this is how Apple wants to operate.
AFAIAC the new MBP's are not attractive because they have only thunderbolt ports and there is no ram upgrade option.
Oh and I forgot to say they are way too much bloody expensive.

[pkol]

Unfortunately, there isn't a quad-core i7 processor for the 13" MacBook Pro.
I am sorry for not being precise in the original question, but I guess one should pay and get the best possible in order for it to last a while.
It's just that I am using a 2009 MacBook Pro, so I guess everything will fly in comparison...

Pedro what about the MacBook Pro? Don't tell me that RAM and SSD cannot be easily exchanged? That would be a shame!

And how many additional little cables will one need to be able to attach peripherals like external hard drives, card readers, etc...

Hi Jacov,
All the macbook pros are no longer user upgradeable since the introduction of the retina display. So you need to configure the memory and storage and pay Apple prices for the upgrades. Pedro is right (see post below) I wasn't aware of the new option from OWC. While is indeed possible to upgarde the PCIe storage it will be a pretty tricky afair to open a brand new MacbookPro and possibly void the warranty... I guess that the RAM is soldered to the main board.

With regards to the expasion ports, I would reccomend buying a docking station for when you work at home or the inevitable dongles for when you are on the road. You can buy adapter directly from apple (USB C to USB A, Thundebolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2, etc).

Now for the docking station you can get something like this:
https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/usb-c/owc/usb-c-dock or
http://www.belkin.com/us/F4U095-Belkin/p/P-F4U095;jsessionid=75F1FF0850C854897845F77D1C5790F4/
You can buy this in Europe on this website
https://www.megamac.com/collections/usb-c-docks

I have a TB2 docking station for my macbook pro and is very convenient. When you get home plug one cable from the mac to the dock and everything get connected (multiple hard drives, external monitor, card reader) and it also doubles up as a USB charger. Pretty neat.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Paulo

[PedroS]

Pedro what about the MacBook Pro? Don't tell me that RAM and SSD cannot be easily exchanged? That would be a shame!

And how many additional little cables will one need to be able to attach peripherals like external hard drives, card readers, etc...

New models, seem in fact harder to work, but some has solutions
But look here
https://www.owcdigital.com/products/ssd/aura-mid-2013-and-later-macs-overview