Initial 2018 MacBook Air benchmarks show modest improvement over 2017 MacBook
Results posted to benchmarking service Geekbench this week purportedly show Apple's new MacBook Air outperforming last year's 12-inch MacBook with Intel Core i5 processor, but falling short of the same model equipped with a Core i7 CPU.
Supposed MacBook Air benchmark from Geekbench.
If numbers from Geekbench 4, posted to the service's Geekbench Browser on Wednesday, are legitimate, Apple's new thin-and-light is indeed powered by Intel's new Core i5-8210Y.
The chip was officially announced through Intel's ARK database this week shortly after Apple unveiled its MacBook Air refresh. Specifications provided by Intel and Apple detail a 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz, 4MB of L3 cache, support for up to 16GB of 2133MHz LPDDR3 memory and integrated UHD Graphics 617.
Performance metrics for the Y-series silicon have been unavailable, as the CPU remained under wraps until the MacBook Air reveal.
According to Geekbench, Apple's new Air clocks in with a single-core score of 4,248 and a multi-core score of 7,828. The single-core performance is roughly equivalent to an aggregate of scores reported for the 2017 12-inch MacBook with Core i7 clocked at 1.4GHz. MacBook Air's multi-core scores fall expectedly short of the i7, but are higher than those put in by Core i5 MacBooks.
Existing MacBook models rely on 7th generation Core i5 and i7 Kaby Lake technology -- or Core m for base configurations -- while the MacBook Air's i5 is an 8th generation Amber Lake chip. Both families are built on Intel's 14-nanometer process.
Apple is trading performance potential for efficiency by opting for Amber Lake, though the newly designed CPU and integrated GPU pairing is a step up from the Broadwell architecture currently used by the non-Retina display MacBook Air. Apple's 2015 MacBook Air models relied on 5th generation Intel Core i5 and i7 U-series processors.
Interestingly, Apple has opted to incorporate an "active cooling system" -- a fan -- in the latest MacBook Air iteration despite the Y-series' low 7 watt TDP. By comparison, the previous Air's Broadwell chips ran at 15W, configurable down to 9.5W.
Supposed MacBook Air benchmark from Geekbench.
If numbers from Geekbench 4, posted to the service's Geekbench Browser on Wednesday, are legitimate, Apple's new thin-and-light is indeed powered by Intel's new Core i5-8210Y.
The chip was officially announced through Intel's ARK database this week shortly after Apple unveiled its MacBook Air refresh. Specifications provided by Intel and Apple detail a 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz, 4MB of L3 cache, support for up to 16GB of 2133MHz LPDDR3 memory and integrated UHD Graphics 617.
Performance metrics for the Y-series silicon have been unavailable, as the CPU remained under wraps until the MacBook Air reveal.
According to Geekbench, Apple's new Air clocks in with a single-core score of 4,248 and a multi-core score of 7,828. The single-core performance is roughly equivalent to an aggregate of scores reported for the 2017 12-inch MacBook with Core i7 clocked at 1.4GHz. MacBook Air's multi-core scores fall expectedly short of the i7, but are higher than those put in by Core i5 MacBooks.
Existing MacBook models rely on 7th generation Core i5 and i7 Kaby Lake technology -- or Core m for base configurations -- while the MacBook Air's i5 is an 8th generation Amber Lake chip. Both families are built on Intel's 14-nanometer process.
Apple is trading performance potential for efficiency by opting for Amber Lake, though the newly designed CPU and integrated GPU pairing is a step up from the Broadwell architecture currently used by the non-Retina display MacBook Air. Apple's 2015 MacBook Air models relied on 5th generation Intel Core i5 and i7 U-series processors.
Interestingly, Apple has opted to incorporate an "active cooling system" -- a fan -- in the latest MacBook Air iteration despite the Y-series' low 7 watt TDP. By comparison, the previous Air's Broadwell chips ran at 15W, configurable down to 9.5W.
Comments
After that the MacBook will be the first touch screen Apple NoteBook.
Over time, the Air's price will come down and the specs will go up.
Basically, like the iPad, the goal is to get off the 'every year redesign crazy train!'
It's a very strong offering, with a smaller form factor, Touch ID, improved trackpad and a Retina display.
Unfortunately, it's the Retina display that has made the price over the $1,000 price point. But they had do it!
As far as the MacBook...it can still remain in the lineup as a premium device focusing on being the ultimate in a portability device (that isn't an iPad). .75 pounds less than the new MacBook Air is a lot.
Next year, the MacBook could have the upgraded trackpad, TouchID, be a little lighter, less bezel around the screen, another port or two and faster processors.
I paid a little more for my rose gold 2017 MacBook most importantly for the two pounds. I would do it again.
Actually it means nothing in terms of machine performance, because the SSD controller is tied to the T2 chip, not Intel and the benchmark cannot take that into account, obviously. Since the SSD controller is driven by the T2 chip the two processors work in tandem, probably in a high level of parallelism.
To me this issue is, is the nTB MBP a better buy? It isn’t a straight forward decision. The MBP has a seventh gen chip, and a second gen butterfly keyboard.
The benchmark may be outdated or misleading on the new Macs.
It does make the 13" MBP more appealing at least, though still not thrilled at the notion of $2899 for the fairly well-equipped with the dead end touch bar and.... ....that Keyboard. Clackety-clack here I come...??
Maybe Intel will deliver in 2019 and they'll deliver a less thermally constrained 15" with 32GB of lower power RAM and drain my wallet of $4,000 for a pretty great machine with still challenged input (with a year to show that the KB holds up to the crumb menace). And finally start doing all of those power-needing projects I've been deferring.....
"Geekbench 4 benchmarks have already leaked, revealing the new iPad Pro's processor is nearing the performance of Apple's new 15-inch MacBook Pro, and it's even closer to the performance of the best processor in the 2017 5K iMac. The new iPad Pro actually outperforms the best processor in the 2018 13-inch MacBook Pro, and even the best processor in the 2017 15-inch MacBook Pro."
Obviously, if portability and battery life isn’t priority #1 and #2, then the Pro models is the way to go.
My only complaint is price. I suspect the AIR will be Apple’s most popular laptop, so my complaint isn’t worth much.
Personally, I’d rather have an IPad 12.9 but Apple has filled out their product line nicely.
My wish list is LTE everywhere and better support for NFC for 2FA (security).
Besides this is not a very compelling product. Get a MacBook Pro 13” instead for just a bit more and have much more power available.
Ps: am I seeing this right - is the new iPad much faster benchmark wise?
http://browser.geekbench.com/v4/cpu/10588316
Hmm...I believe Laporte said they were using the same processors.