# New 15" MacBook Pro with 3.1 GHz i7 slower than 2014 2.8 GHz



## AlanF (Jul 24, 2017)

I just tested DxO Optics Pro 11 on a new model 15" MacBook Pro with 3.1 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7. It's about 20% slower than on a mid-2014 model with a 2.8GHz quad-core Intel Core i7. DPP is a similar speed on both. The local Apple store said the new model would be much faster. What is going on?


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## Khalai (Jul 24, 2017)

AlanF said:


> I just tested DxO Optics Pro 11 on a new model 15" MacBook Pro with 3.1 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7. It's about 20% slower than on a mid-2014 model with a 2.8GHz quad-core Intel Core i7. DPP is a similar speed on both. The local Apple store said the new model would be much faster. What is going on?



Are CPU frequencies holding up? No thermal throttling?


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## ethanz (Jul 24, 2017)

Via CPUBenchmark

Intel Core i7-7920HQ @ 3.10GHz, Single Thread Rating: 2141, Average CPU Mark: 10037

Intel Core i7-4980HQ @ 2.80GHz, Single Thread Rating: 2232, Average CPU Mark: 10081

The 4980 is the same one in the 2015 Macbook Pros (it is the model I have). So I think you blame Intel, not Apple.


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## AlanF (Jul 24, 2017)

Thanks ethanz, just what I needed to know. What a useful forum this is!


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## ethanz (Jul 24, 2017)

You're welcome Alan. I frequently use http://www.cpubenchmark.net and http://www.everymac.com to find out that info.

I have heard a lot that Intel really hasn't sped up their processors over the last few years. Their 4980 Haswell generation was used for several years because Intel was stalled in developing new processors. Their newer CPUs supposedly are better at power consumption and graphics. Of course there is plenty to fault Apple with regarding their newer laptops...


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## Khalai (Jul 24, 2017)

ethanz said:


> You're welcome Alan. I frequently use http://www.cpubenchmark.net and http://www.everymac.com to find out that info.
> 
> I have heard a lot that Intel really hasn't sped up their processors over the last few years. There 4980 Haswell generation was used for several years because Intel was stalled in developing new processors. Their newer CPUs supposedly are better at power consumption and graphics. Of course there is plenty to fault Apple with regarding their newer laptops...



Intel's IPC hasn't been increasing much from generation to generation. With decent hexacore from Sandy-Bridge generation, you can build a decent workstation even today. And in mobile, Intel has been pursuing power consumption (for obvious reasons in mobile segment), but performance was rather stagnant. What was dramatically improved was performance/watt ratio.


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## neuroanatomist (Jul 24, 2017)

ethanz said:


> I have heard a lot that Intel really hasn't sped up their processors over the last few years.



Holy crap, you mean a major manufacturer released a new sensor chip that has pretty much the same dynamic range processing speed as the one from a few years ago? I bet Intel didn't even bother adding a second L3 cache slot, just to slap their professional users in the face...


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## langdonb (Jul 24, 2017)

AlanF said:


> Thanks ethanz, just what I needed to know. What a useful forum this is!



Alan, you could also download a trial of geekbench 4 and run both macbooks to get a more detailed report on cpu performance.


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## ethanz (Jul 24, 2017)

neuroanatomist said:


> ethanz said:
> 
> 
> > I have heard a lot that Intel really hasn't sped up their processors over the last few years.
> ...



Intel must be ******* too. I guess we should all switch to AMD. :


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## AlanF (Jul 24, 2017)

Apple is a real pain as well. I want a lightweight laptop for travel to replace my old MacBook Air with its 1.3ghz dual-core. The new 13" MacBook Pros have only dual-core processors and you have to go up to the heavier 15" machines for the quad-cores that are recommended by DxO. The 13" is deliberately nerfed. DxO and DPP use all 4 cores and run twice as fast as on the dual-core machines.


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## Don Haines (Jul 24, 2017)

I am not very knowledgeable on Apple laptops, but quite often on Windows laptops you can go into the Bios and turn hyperthreading off. Quite often, when you have one program that has a heavy CPU load, this will improve performance. You would have to try it with and without to tell if it will help you.....


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## NancyP (Jul 25, 2017)

I chose to get a late 2016 MBP. Good enough. Lots cheaper.


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## weixing (Jul 25, 2017)

Hi,
Recent Intel processor are more on power efficiency... the speed don't increase much. Some older Intel processor run very fast, but also use a lot of power. 

Anyway, you don't have many choice for mac especially macbook.

Have a nice day.


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## Pookie (Jul 25, 2017)

Apple is *******... they'll never sell another computer again.


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## AlanF (Jul 25, 2017)

Thanks for the useful comments and pointing me in the right direction. It's been a quick learning session for me about CPUs i5s, i7s, threading etc. You are all correct, the processing power for mobile CPUs has been at a standstill for the past three years. There is a good parallel between the sensors of the 6DII and 6D and the CPUs of new and old 15" MacBook Pros. At least for Canon the 5DIV is step up in every way from the 5DIII.


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## stevelee (Jul 25, 2017)

Single-core performance and multi-core performance will often be different comparatively in different machines. Even several years ago, single-core was better in iMacs than in Mac Pros that would run rings around the iMacs in multi-threaded applications.

I don't usually have any need for a laptop, so I'm not familiar with what the current processors will do. My iPad is more than adequate for anything I want to do on the road. I'll wait and use Photoshop and Final Cut Pro when I get home.

I did need to use my old laptop a couple of weeks ago, though. I was trying to get a refund from American Airlines, and their web page for that didn't work. I called a representative, and she spent twenty minutes trying to find a way for me to contact the refund department. She finally found a fax number. So I got out the old 14" G4 iBook and charged it up. I weighed it out of curiosity: It weighs about six pounds! I wrote a letter on the ancient version of Word and sent the fax. Several days later I got email saying they had credited my credit card. So I'm hanging on to that fax number and my old brick-weighted "laptop."


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## Khalai (Jul 25, 2017)

AlanF said:


> Thanks for the useful comments and pointing me in the right direction. It's been a quick learning session for me about CPUs i5s, i7s, threading etc. You are all correct, the processing power for mobile CPUs has been at a standstill for the past three years. There is a good parallel between the sensors of the 6DII and 6D and the CPUs of new and old 15" MacBook Pros. At least for Canon the 5DIV is step up in every way from the 5DIII.



If you want a brute power performance, you'll still need something like Intel i7-5820K and newer/higher models with applied overclock over 4000 MHz or recent AMD offering such as Ryzen R7 or Threadripper processor. You can't find such performance in any mobile device as TDP is usually well over 140-180 Watts.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jul 25, 2017)

I seem to see many complaints about slow Lightroom performance from people who build their own high powered computers. Things are just not so simple, different configurations and driver mismatches can slow things way down.

I am surprised that the MBP is slower though. They should at least gain a few percent in speed. I purchased two additional of the old case style DELL XPS desktops earlier this year, they use the previous generation I7 which is just as fast as current ones, but I liked the old case style better, it has space for dual DVD Drives while the new one does not. The only ones with the old case were refurbs, I can't tell them from new. Not only were they $600, but they had Windows 10 pro rather than home, and 16GB memory not 8GB. I just add a SSD for the boot and programs, and replace the spinning HD with a large one, along with 16GB more memory. I did pop in a better video card on one, the card that comes with them is really slow. 

I have a huge collection now of new 1TB Hard drives with the original OS that have never even been setup. I clone them to a SSD and pull them out. If the SSD dies, I do have weekly disk images, but if all else fails, I still can clone those original drives once again. I bought a bunch of 64GB thumb drives intending to clone those old drives, but have been too busy to do it. It would save a lot of storage space.


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## Don Haines (Jul 25, 2017)

Another thing to look for is GPU processing. Does your software support GPU processing? If so, a kick-ass video card can make a huge difference.....


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