14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is working on a hardware upgrade for the MacBook Pro lineup that would bring us new models running on Intel Coffee Lake chipsets.
Launched more than a year ago, the most recent MacBook Pro is powered by Intel seventh-generation Kaby Lake processors, which according to Geekbench stats, averaged at 9553 multi-core and 4606 single-core.
But a new benchmark spotted earlier this week indicates that an upgraded model labeled as “MacBookPro15,2” could go all the way up to 16607 in the multi-core test and 4448 in single-core, all thanks to a processor upgrade.
The new chip could be the eight-generation Core i7-8559U clocked at 2.7GHz but reaching 4.5GHz in turbo mode. In addition to the upgraded chip, the device could also come with 16GB RAM, a welcome upgrade from the 8GB offered on the 13-inch MacBook Pro. This is the same amount that is currently available for customers of the 15-inch MacBook Pro.
More changes under the hood
Leaving the hardware refresh aside, the new MacBooks will be nearly identical with the existing generation, though there’s a good chance that Apple makes more changes under the hood for improved performance and refined reliability.
For example, Apple is expected to address the keyboard problems that have made the rounds lately, while also offering new options in terms of storage.
There are no specifics as to when these laptops could see daylight, but in addition to the eagerly-anticipated 2018 iPhone launch in September, Apple may also hold a second event to announce the new iPad with Face ID. This could be the right moment for Apple to squeeze in a MacBook refresh, though some people believe that the company could use a few minutes from the iPhone launch for a brief unveiling.
It remains to be seen how and when Apple plans to introduce the revised MacBook models, but it shouldn’t take too long until an announcement is made.