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Laptop Vendors Are Left Sitting On the Sidelines Waiting For the Next Waltz To Start (pcper.com)
An anonymous reader shares a report: Intel's delayed release of a new processor is going to have a noticeable effect on the laptop market this year. As there is little chance of seeing anything new until towards the end of this year, laptop designers will not be able to offer new models for the holidays and will instead have to rework existing products. DigiTimes suggests we will see trimmed down models with lower price tags to try to entice consumers into purchasing something, as they expect lower demand than we saw last year. Hopefully some gaming machines may become more affordable, or we will start to see models incorporating AMD's new chips become more common.
There are new processors being released all the time. TFA can't even bring itself to state which processor is being delayed. This is a nonsense hit piece.
Apples 2 year behind in processors. They don't matter.
With users like this Slashdot has fallen far from it's origins.
My wish list would be:
1) Ryzen processor.
2) long battery life
3) AMD graphics (plays nice with free software)
4) sweet price point
Other stuff like SSD and generously expandable memory go without saying.
I have Intel fatigue. I'm tick-tocked out.
They're priced too high for the performance. I'm seeing them in the $600-$800 range, which puts them in competition with mobile GTA 1050s (albeit not the TI); but even then they get trounced by a 1050 unless you're talking the Vega/Intel hybrid floating around, and that one's only showing up on machines in the $1200 range, which gets you into 1060 mobile territory if you shop around.
They do have really nice TDP, but only if you're gaming on a battery and I don't know a lot of folks who do that. Most laptop gamers I know want them for lan parties or because their main machine is a laptop.
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Intel should pull a card from Nvidia's playbook and simply rebrand last years processors with a new number.
"Sitting on the sidelines waiting for the waltz to start?" So, people are ballroom dancing on grass?
My i7 Haswell based laptop is within 95% performance of a comparably priced brand new machine. Only one still works, after keyboard was replaced under extended warranty. It is now on third battery. Why would I bother upgrading?
If Apple hadn't decided to move away from Intel chips, they would have found the bug in their rigorous testing, thus the fixes would have already happened.
Does that work for you?
Your ad here. Ask me how!
Intel hasn't really released a new processor since sandy bridge. They just kept shrinking it and adding video decoder ASICs, but it's still the same CPU. Intel doesn't matter anymore.
With very few exceptions Intel has been basically selling the same performance for years.
Laptop vendors can do more than new CPUs to bring some usefulness and features. Being able to have an OS in ROM would be handy, if only to have a way to restore an OS without having to worry about recovery media. If a Tandy MS-DOS clone back in the 1980s can do this, so can a PC vendor. Other things come to mind as well, be it the ability to charge (albeit slowly) on USB-C for beefier laptops, allowing for multiple USB chargers to charge a battery at the same time, built in vitualization and encryption so one can have their gaming stuff, their work stuff, personal stuff, and stuff nobody should see, all on one laptop, perhaps using something like PhonebookFS to further hide the presence of other VMs.
Another idea would be to have better support for external GPU breakout boxes. That way, one can go from running command line stuff to Crysis fairly easily, as well as providing fast access to additional storage.
CPUs are nice, but there are still many things that can be done to differentiate one's product from everyone else.
This is true.
Recently upgraded to a Thinkpad T420 (from a T61 before). Main reason was that 4GB DDR2 Sodimms are priced ridiculously (they are more expensive now than they were when new) and 2×2GB proved too small for video editing. So now I have an i5-2520M with 16GB instead of the previous T9300 (the fastest option for a T61, a T9500, would have been disproportionally more expensive). Battery life is crazy (I have something like 80% of the original capacity and it's still good for about 10 hours of light use). I do have an i7-2630QM (slowest quadcore Sandybridge) already in the drawer and am waiting for the necessary good thermal grease (it's a TDP mismatch for this laptop, 45W instead of 35W). I am not sure I'll keep it, though. Battery life is addictive, and the large compile jobs occupy a small time in my total workday.
What I am saying: I am upgrading from 10 years old laptops to 6 year old laptops. And the sole reason I chose to do it this time was memory prices. There are a few things (like the built-in x264 encoder) likely not even getting used under Linux right now. This thing still is plenty fast for a developer laptop. Fast enough that I am pretty likely to punt on a readily affordable significant CPU power increase.
The only reason to reach for more CPU power is when Microsoft is wasting more of it. But not on my computers.
I'm still running a Core 2 Duo Laptop from 2006. It had a T5500 (1.67 GHz 2MB Cache) which I upgraded to a T7400 (2.17 GHz, 4MB cache) a few years back as the chip was $4.00 used.
I basically only browse, watch Netflix/YT, or do light office style work on that machine. If I'm doing any "real" work I'm using my desktop with a much more powerful CPU, 32 GB RAM, and triple monitor setup.
Laptops are only useful for light tasks, why replace it if it still does what's asked of it?
you get calls on it. Even if they're simple calls they're still calls. External GPUs are still in their infancy so they only show up on really expensive laptops where support costs can be baked into the cost of the laptop. A CPU upgrade doesn't add call volume to your help desk, making it a cheap and easy way to sell new laptops.
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>> blame Apple
Actually, I'll blame other laptop makers. Build me something like Apple's MacBook only more upgradable and you can have my MacBook money. (For the same reason, Apple feels no pressure to upgrade its aging set.)
Intel seems to assume customers want MORE CORES at a lower clock rate. No, I want a faster clock rate using less power!
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
I am getting really sick of all this closed hardware designed for toys being used in my professional tools!
>> blame Apple
Actually, I'll blame other laptop makers. Build me something like Apple's MacBook only more upgradable and you can have my MacBook money. (For the same reason, Apple feels no pressure to upgrade its aging set.)
There is nothing "Aging" in a 2017 MacBook Pro, iMac, or iMac Pro. Those all use CPUs and GPUs that were released within 6 months or less of the models where they appear. Well, the GPUs in the 2017 MacBook Pro and iMac are maybe more like 9 months before the Macs they appear; but especially in the iMac Pro, both the CPU and GPU are REALLY fresh, and the CPUs in the MacBook Pro and iMac were only a couple of months old, too.
The other Mac models, not so much...
Apples 2 year behind in processors. They don't matter.
Really?
The CPU in the iMac Pro was barely off the design bench when Apple announced its use in that model.
The CPUs in the 2017 MacBook Pro and iMac were about a month old when Apple announced their use in those models.
Now kindly FOAD.
I've been wanting to buy several laptops the past few years, but there just aren't any that meet my needs:
Yes to Apple software, so it will run some essential programs that versions don't exist for my favored OS, variants of Linux.
No Microsoft software - it's buggy, horrible stuff.
17" laptop or larger.
Every kind of port imaginable.
Replaceable, upgradable battery and hardware.
Guess I'll be waiting a long time, since laptop manufacturers (Apple) don't seem to have a clue that they have potential new customers waiting interminably for some good products like they used to make.
Venkman: this man has no dick
While AMD is absolutely kicking ass - especially when you consider its market cap compared to Intel or Nvidia - I see an industry that is plagued with implied 'tit for tat' arrangements unwilling to piss off Intel.
We're seeing all sorts of 'bargain-bin' consumer laptops with AMD processors - but we're really not seeing business-grade laptops available at all using AMD. The industry knows Intel is basically stuck in the mud and AMD has it beat for a while. Meanwhile, no one dares build a laptop with such business essential items like a docking station, durable build, and customization.
In any other industry, we'd see tons of new high-end models if the competition got better. In this industry, we see laptops limited by the unwillingness of the industry to build what everyone wants. Remember when Steve Jobs was so damn disruptive with the Ipod? He basically just built what everyone wanted at the time while the music industry (and players like Sony) refused to build anything with mp3 for an embarrassingly long time. I wonder how long it will take until someone is disruptive in this space.
I can't wait to upgrade my 3 year old Macbook Pro.. but there is nothing available right now that beats it across the board. I don't want to 'upgrade' to a bigger heavier laptop. Nor do I want it to have less resolution or battery life. I want what everyone upgrading a laptop wants - more processing power, more cores, more memory, hard drive space, speed, etc..
--- We need more Ron Paul!
They tried everything to drive their customers away. Outdated hardware. High price tag. Soldering components in to prevent customers from upgrading or replacing them. No enough ports. That shitty Island keyboard.
Apple fanboys couldn't take the hint: "Oh Hello my name is Sebastian and I'd like a Frappe Grande and don't you think "Island" sounds so exotic!? '.
Even when Apple released an iPhone without a headphone jack, Apple fanboys still shot their load.
Apple has tried everything to drive their fanboys to PCs. It just doesn't work. So sorry PC vendors: You are on your own!
How about a real keyboard? Business is booming for clicky keyboards bu unfortunately you have to lug it around with your laptop or typed on chopped liver
Hear that vendors? I can wait, can you? And it better be able to run Linux or BSD dammit.
2017 MacBook Pro released June 2017.
Kaby Lake mobile "U" series processors launched January 2017.
Your reality has oddly long months, and appears to omit February, March, April, and May.
Now kindly remind yourself that it is now the end of June 2018, and that 1.5 years is far closer to 2 years than one, however oddly long, month. Plan to see a 6 core Macbook Pro anytime soon? Thought not.
Moore's Law is already dead. We're now just seeing the effect it has on the market. Sure, things are made cheaper with more mass production, but without any real advancement, we may be stuck in a technological plateau.
Fast Federal Court and I.T.C. updates
why would they need to upgrade their laptop lines?
just follow apple's lead and don't do anything for over 3 years while keeping the price the same.
Intel used to be a strong tech company which delivers.
Nowadays Intel has become a company which can't deliver.
What is happening in Intel? What has gone wrong?
2017 MacBook Pro released June 2017.
Kaby Lake mobile "U" series processors launched January 2017.
Your reality has oddly long months, and appears to omit February, March, April, and May.
Now kindly remind yourself that it is now the end of June 2018, and that 1.5 years is far closer to 2 years than one, however oddly long, month. Plan to see a 6 core Macbook Pro anytime soon? Thought not.
1 month or 5, it was STILL the most-current CPU when the MBPs and iMacs were shipped. So, what's your point, Mr. Pedantic?
As far as the 6 core MBPs go, probably October-November. Qualifying the new component and setting up CM logistics takes a little time. Plus you've gotta admit that Intel has been getting pretty spastic as to their "Roadmap" these days. That makes OEMs kind of nervous.
Being the most current CPUs when the line first shipped more than a year ago does not carry over to now - way to miss both his implied point and my express point.
Apple will be affected by this in about 3 years when they catch up to using the processors you can get in a PC today.
because I looked up a review and they were running Street Fighter V in 720p/low spec mode and not getting a consistent 60. I'm not even sure if Capcom will let you play online with that. A mobile 1050 will run it in 1080p normal mode (SFV only has to 2 modes, low spec and regular). The 1050 based laptop will usually cost more but if you shop around I've seen them for less (Costco had one for $600 not to long ago, but I think they were clearing them out).
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