The memory configuration is another important difference only the Vega GPUs are equipped with HBM2 memory, which supports a higher memory bandwidth.Īpple limits the performance of the MacBook Pro 15 a bit with the 87W power adapter as we have seen in previous reviews, so we checked the efficiency of the MBP 15 i9/Vega 20 compared to the MBP 15 i7/560X with the Unigine Valley benchmark running on macOS. The Radeon Pro models are still based on the GCN4 architecture and the two Vega GPUs on GCN5. The Vega 16 is a 300-Euro upgrade, while Apple charges 420 Euros (~$473) for the Vega 20.īut what are the differences between the Radeon Pro and the Radeon pro Vega? The manufacturing process is still 14nm (FinFET), but it is now a new architecture. The latter two are not available for the entry-level model though, but only as upgrades for the more expensive SKU with a starting price of 3299 Euros (~$3715). The optional 8-core (up to 5.0 GHz) for 220 Euros (~$248) is probably not much faster.Īpple currently offers four different graphics cards for the MacBook Pro 15: The two familiar models Radeon Pro 555X and 560X as well as the two newer GPUs, the Radeon Pro Vega 16 and Vega 20. We assume the clock for 8 active cores will hover around or slightly above the base frequency of 2.3 GHz, which should be sufficient for about 1300-1350 points in Cinebench R15 Multi. Only a review will show how big (or if there is any significant) performance advantage. The multi-core performance will be a bit higher, even under sustained workloads (lower clocks, but four more threads), but a lot of the Turbo potential will be untouched. This also gives us a good idea how the two new Core i9 CPUs with eight CPU cores will perform.

If you expect more performance, especially when the task takes longer than a couple of seconds (the device is targeted at pro users after all), you will be disappointed by the i9. The manufacturer certainly noticed that the i9 only has a small performance advantage in certain scenarios during testing. Still, we have to criticize Apple for even offering the i9 in the MBP 15. The new Intel 6-core CPUs consume much more power at high clocks and therefore produce more heat, which cannot be dissipated by the cooling. The cooling solution of the MacBook Pro (which has been around for a few years) was designed for 45W quad-cores and after our tests we can say that the cooling can handle about 50W. You obviously have to consider the current development of mobile processors, because Intel increased the number of cores, but without significant efficiency improvements. Please see our previous reviews for more information on the case, the ports, the input devices, and the display:

We have already reviewed the Apple MacBook Pro 15, so we won't cover all sections in this article. We are particularly eager to see whether the new Vega GPU is more efficient than the previous Radeon Pro GPUs or whether the thermal capabilities limit the performance. We will have a look at different aspects in this review, but the main focus is the performance of the two new components. This results in a total price of 8379 Euros (~$9435). Our test sample is equipped with all the expensive options: Intel Core i9 processor (+340 Euros/~$383), 32 GB RAM (+480 Euros/~$541) and massive 4 TB SSD storage, which costs an insane amount of 3840 Euros (~$4324). Apple only offers the two new GPUs as upgrades for the more expensive SKU, so you have to pay another 300 Euros (~$338/Radeon Pro Vega 16) or 420 Euros (~$473/Radeon Pro Vega 20) in addition to the base price of 3299 Euros (~$3715). However, the thermal output is most likely similar (35 watts), so we will have to wait for the benchmark results to see how big the performance advantage really is. While the two regular Radeon Pro chips (555X & 560X) are still based on the older GCN4 architecture, the two Radeon Pro Vega GPUs are based on the GCN5 architecture. They are completely new Vega GPUs from AMD. In a somewhat surprising move, Apple announced two new GPUs for the MacBook Pro 15 in the end of last year.

Macbook pro vega 20 benchmarks