15-inch MacBook Pro Retina 201515-inch MacBook Pro Retina 2015

In late May Apple unveiled its new 15-inch MacBook Pro with retina display. A news that should have been well received by all users of the brand but that was not so. The new equipment came with two important details: a higher price and the same generation of processors of the 2013 and 2014 models.

As you can imagine, the controversy erupted. The price increase was understood as it was a question of taxes and the euro-dollar exchange. But the processor thing… that cost more even if there was a real motive behind it. Therefore, this analysis has something different from the rest. It’s not just about seeing what it offers, but how well it’s worth buying a new 15-inch MacBook Pro with a retina display. Started.

Maintaining an amazing design

Those of you who know Apple’s MacBook Pro range can skip this point. Those of you who are looking for information to know it for the first time read on.

-The new MacBook Pro maintains a design in place today-

The new MacBook Pro maintains the same design from previous generations, a unibody body with the same sleek lines and that high-quality finish that Apple offers. There’s not much to say about it and nothing better than seeing it physically to check that both the materials and assembly are at a high level. It’s an amazing team.

However, there is a difference that will then become one of the reasons that invite you to upgrade to this new team. This is the new trackpad with Force Touch technology. If you touch it with the equipment off you will find no answer, it is a solid piece in which there are no moving parts to make the traditional click.

Now, to click the computer must be turned on. That’s when the new vibration engine comes into operation that brings this Force Touch trackpad to life. Thanks to it and the ability to recognize different pressure levels is that we feel the feedback of the click.

It may seem exaggerated but when you start using it you appreciate how great it is and then how the user experience changes. Especially in applications like Quicktime where we can increase the pressure level to advance or rewind a video more or less quickly. Or on any text to see its meaning in the dictionary or link to the app store. There are many uses that can be given to this new trackpad although for now few applications take advantage of it.

Therefore, while at the design level we have no change, the new MacBook Pro retina offers the same incredible design to which we were used more than the additive of the new trackpad. A novelty that adds value.

Inside is the controversy

The new 15-inch MacBook Pro with retina display (model mid 2015) arrives with a controversy that arises from inside. Why? Because unlike in the 13-inch model here the company decided to keep the same CPUs that already used in the Late 2013 and Mid 2014 models. That is, quad-core Intel Core i7 processors and Haswell architecture, nothing from Broadwell.

-Apple has decided to continue using the same CPUs as previous generations. That has generated criticism as an update to Broadwell-

The reason for this decision was none other than the delays that Intel has been experiencing lately, or almost. As of its introduction Intel did not yet have quad-core processors based on the Broadwell architecture for Apple to use. Therefore, if they did not want to delay the upgrade – something I think they did because of the need for the price change, possible discounts for the bulk purchase of CPUs and introduction of Force Touch – had to be decided.

And Apple’s decision was to bet on the same Intel Core i7 4770HQ, 4870HQ and 4890HQ. Eye, which are good mics but are two years old and, above all, includes the integrated Intel Iris Pro 5200 GPU. That means that 2013 or even 2012 models with dedicated GPUs like the Nvidia GT650M theoretically offer equal or higher graphics performance.

Therefore, if you only look at that component it is difficult to justify the upgrade. For already the previous generation – mid 2014 – came as one of those silent updates, in which only a few more hertz in the clock frequency was the novelty.

So as a picky user I would have liked them not to touch anything and they would have chosen to wait for the new processor family that Intel introduced weeks later. These new chips, beyond their best energy efficiency, are based on 14nm, slightly higher clock frequencies or the possibility of using 1866 Mhz memories have as their main appeal the new Intel Iris Pro 6200 GPU.

Why do I say I’d better wait for those chips? Why do I say I’d better wait for those chips? Well, because despite no data to compare performance with, the possible improvement that Iris Pro 6200 graphics would introduce, thanks to their faster memory, compared to the 5200 would make these new laptops more attractive. Well, because despite no data to compare performance with, the possible improvement that Iris Pro 6200 graphics would introduce, thanks to their faster memory, compared to the 5200 would make these new laptops more attractive. Similarly, the MacBook Pro range is waiting for Skylake, Intel’s next-generation processor – which is also late.

Similarly, the MacBook Pro range is waiting for Skylake, Intel’s next-generation processor – which is also late.

-Betting on the new Broadwell chip would have brought as the main advantage a better integrated graphics, with faster access memory-However, it is what there is, Apple decided and now we have to assess whether or not we are interested in buying now. Especially if the intention is to renew equipment. Similarly let’s not kid ourselves, the performance of the CPUs used is still very high as you’ll see now.

Performance

What is the performance of this new MacBook Pro with 15-inch retina display? To get started, let’s get started, as always, the overall performance of your computer can only be measured by considering three key components: CPU, GPU, and storage unit.

If we take the base models, which do not include dedicated GPUs, the key will be in the storage unit. A major difference in performance but despite almost doubling transfer speeds is something I don’t consider so differentiating. Therefore, if you can qualify for the 2014 models at a better price I would. Even without having the new PCIe flash drive or trackpad with Force Touch. But let’s imagine that we compare the top-of-the-range models.

New 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina: a question of price

After ten days testing and using the new 15-inch MacBook Pro with retina display as the main computer I can only say that it is a great computer. I can not forget the aforementioned controversy of using a CPU that is already two years old but I also do not see it as a big problem and not buy it. At least if we talk about the option with AMD graphics.

In the case of computers with integrated graphics the price could be the main problem to convince users. But if you need it and if you can afford what it costs ahead. Especially if you intend to purchase the new 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina with AMD Graphics forward.

Likewise, for what is coming, these teams will perform very well with the arrival of OS X El Capitan thanks to the use of Metal. And if it’s any use to you, I’ve come forward and tested the first beta on this computer with the expected result: great performance.

Apple, in my opinion, continues to manufacture the best laptops on the market despite the great proposals of the competition.