2018 MacBook Pro Review

HRTApps.com ^ | July 12, 2018 | By Craig A. Hunter

[Squantos]

Thank you ....

[Swordmaker]

And how much does it cost with 4TB SSD?

That's the $6699 figure.

My cost estimates:

• Intel i9 processor 2.9 GHz with 6-cores (a Core i9-8950HK to be specific, (Intel’s just released Coffee Lake family) retail list: $583.00
• latest Samsung 860 Pro 4TB SSD Sequential Read 560MB/s, Sequential Write 530MB/s (announced February 2018) retail list: $1896.00
• 32GB 2400MHz DDR4 RAM (comparable from Crucial) retail list: $325.00
• Radeon Pro 560X with 4GB of GDDR5 is not yet available retail at this time. . . but the older 2015, 560 version is discount priced @ $165, so the latest 2018 X version is likely: $265.00
• logic board would be around: $550.00
• HD 15.4" TrueTone Retina display: $450.00
• Aircraft Aluminum mono bloc machined case, fans, battery, keyboard, touchpad, Power supply, etc.: $375.00
• OS, software, overhead, warranty, etc.: $340.00

Total costs: $4,786.00
Add Apple's historic profit margin of ~40%: $1914.00
Total Selling Price: $6,700.00

[Swordmaker]

Would run circles around my 9 year old MacBook Air. And I assume it comes without wine and pizza stains?

Those are extra charge options.

[Swordmaker]

Still driving a 13” late 2012 Mac Book Pro w 8GB memory that works perfect..... shy of needing a new battery. It only runs about 8hrs with standard use of surfing, reading, writing ..... add u-toob videos and its 3 hours at best. Plug it in to charger and it provides as needed.

Where can I get a new battery installed , reliably , quality ?

[Squantos]

My first thought as well .... Actually enjoy the build quality and materials ..... mine has been through a lot of travel since I’ve bought it and its the best bucks I’ve spent ever on a laptop. Software upgrades have caught me flatfooted a few times but Sword got me back on track quick.....

[Swordmaker]

So when the hell are laptops going to have internet connectivity without a hot spot. Moreover, why the hell don’t they????? Imean, if a small iPad can connect to the internet, then why in Sam Hill are laptops stuck only with WiFi unless you have an idiotic hot spot.

Do designers not understand how detestably aggravating this is? It is almost 2020 for goodness sake!

From my understanding it has something to do with legal agreements with the carriers and also with the definitions of the devices and the FCC. Once you put a cellular radio into a laptop a manufacturer makes then ALL their laptops are subject to regulation by the FCC for cellular regulations, or something like that. You can use them by linking to a hotspot without regulation by the FCC, but if you ever dare to add a cellular radio in them, the Federal camel is in the tent. So long as the cellular radio is counted as an add on, you are OK, it is certified separately from your laptops. Build it in, and before you can release each model, the new one has to go through the full FCC certifications. No computer maker wants that. It takes too damn long!

[Swordmaker]

Still driving a 13” late 2012 Mac Book Pro w 8GB memory that works perfect..... shy of needing a new battery. It only runs about 8hrs with standard use of surfing, reading, writing ..... add u-toob videos and its 3 hours at best. Plug it in to charger and it provides as needed.

Where can I get a new battery installed , reliably , quality ?

It really isn't that difficult if you are at all ept with tools. just follow the instructions on ifixit. You can generally get a higher capacity battery on ebay or Amazon than the original spec battery as well. Just be certain you put in the correct specs for your MacBook Pro when ordering the battery to get the right format to fit inside.

[tubebender]

I had a Mac repair shop replace the battery in Lady Benders Mac Book Pro here a couple of years ago then we gave it to our grandson’s wife and she is still using it in college...

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

I appreciate the explanation. It does make me scratch my head. I mean, smart phones are on a faster cycle than laptops are and yet nobody seems to complain about the FFC cert process for those. It seems to me something else is going on here. I am having a hard time accepting that the FCC cert process is the only reason laptops don’t have cellular radio in them.

It may have more to do with a semi-conspiracy that laptop sellers feel their sales of tablets and smart phones might take a hit once people could use their laptops for the same functions. I think it is a GREED thing.

But what do I know. All I know is I would pay another $500 easy for any given laptop to have cell capability. You would think laptop makers would be drooling over that kind of profit margin. Add a cell receiver, mark up $500, and profit.

[Squantos]

I can render safe IED’s , ... I figure I can do this .... Thanks for the info.

[Swordmaker]

It may have more to do with a semi-conspiracy that laptop sellers feel their sales of tablets and smart phones might take a hit once people could use their laptops for the same functions. I think it is a GREED thing.

No, I'm pretty sure it's the FCC thing. The issue is the FCC requires the entire widget must be submitted for certification which can take up to six months for complex electronic devices. During that time anything in your device can be leaked to the public, read competition, who may not be installing a cellular phone in it and add those features to there products.

When the iPhone was first released the FCC had a production prototype from January 9th 2007, until mid June before final certs were issued. . . because it was Apple's first cellular phone. . . and stuff did leak out. These new MacBook Pros have processors in them that are just now being released. Adding six months to the release date, moving it into January 2019, to add a cellular capability is not a good idea. Other makers would get a huge advantage in selling their models sans cellular with these processors.

[Yaelle]

I have the iMac pro and why would I need a laptop? It’s lighter, it’s big, it’s fast, it doesn’t get hot, you can use it all day. Easy to carry around.

[Swordmaker]

I have the iMac pro and why would I need a laptop? It’s lighter, it’s big, it’s fast, it doesn’t get hot, you can use it all day. Easy to carry around.

Well, it's a bit hard to use on your lap. . . not to mention the batteries to power them things are huge! ;^)

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

I defer to you. Your expertise is far greater than mine so I expect you have a much better handle on the real cause then me. Such a shame though. I really want connectivity in a laptop without having a hotspot I always forget and costs a doubled monthly fee from Verizon compared to my ipad.

[Yaelle]

It’s on my lap all the time. I don’t know why you say that. It powers with the regular cube batteries, and I keep them all over the house because they charge everyone’s phones super fast. I’m sure there are applications like gaming and analysis I couldn’t do but I don’t need them. You’d have to pry my iPad Pro out of my cold dead hands.

The first couple weeks I found it “too big” and heavy but I’ve adjusted and reg iPads seem like phones to me now.

[SunkenCiv]

Yeah, it's always a huge mystery that newer models will be coming out. :^)

[rdl6989]

My early 2015 pro is still in great shape, and I plan to keep it until the proverbial wheels fall off.

[zeugma]

And I assume it comes without wine and pizza stains?

Those are extra