
New iPad Pro Has Comparable Performance to 2018 15“ MacBook Pro in Benchmarks - ghobs91
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/11/01/2018-ipad-pro-benchmarks-geekbench/
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asdgklnionio
Geekbench? Yeah, that's nice.

[https://browser.geekbench.com/processors/2134](https://browser.geekbench.com/processors/2134)

If you believe a tablet can beat a 24-core $1500 server processor in a highly
threaded workload, you may be interested in my upcoming ICO!

Geekbench is only good as a punchline.

~~~
Analemma_
Even if the absolute value of the Geekbench score isn’t useful, the fact that
the delta between the MBP Geekbench score and the iPad Geekbench score has
narrowed from huge to zero would still be meaningful.

~~~
asdgklnionio
The delta between an iPad and a $5000 server is zero, but the iPad is $700 and
draws only a dozen watts! That's why Google is throwing out all their servers
and filling their datacenters with iPads.

I know I'm being flippant, but I'm sick and tired of talking about Geekbench.

~~~
mcphage
What's a better metric?

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AdmiralAsshat
Benchmarks often don't tell the whole story. I remember a similar headline
from a couple years ago lauding the Nexus 9 for having comparable benchmarks
to a Macbook Pro:

[https://9to5google.com/2014/10/16/nexus-9-benchmark-is-
compa...](https://9to5google.com/2014/10/16/nexus-9-benchmark-is-comparable-
to-a-2012-mac-pro/)

The device still got mixed reviews.[0][1][2]

[0][https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/11/nexus-9-review-a-
pre...](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/11/nexus-9-review-a-premium-
tablet-with-a-not-so-premium-feel/)

[1][https://www.androidpolice.com/2014/11/03/nexus-9-review-a-
li...](https://www.androidpolice.com/2014/11/03/nexus-9-review-a-little-
better-on-paper-than-in-practice/)

[2][https://www.engadget.com/2014/11/03/google-
nexus-9-review/](https://www.engadget.com/2014/11/03/google-nexus-9-review/)

~~~
api
A major difference is in sustained performance, not peak performance. Mobile
CPUs often have cores these days that are comparable to desktop/server CPU
cores but they lack the cooling to sustain peak performance for very long.
They're thermally throttled very rapidly.

That being said you could take such a CPU and given it desktop-like power and
cooling and it could perform like a desktop chip.

~~~
Pulcinella
Yeah it would be interesting to see how the apple tv performs compared to an
ipad over sustained loads. It has wired power and I think the 4K even has a
cooling fan.

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samwillis
I honestly think they are going in the right direction and are purposely
taking their time to perfect each development before over complicating iOS.
They have an opportunity with iOS to start from scratch and develop new ways
of using and interacting with a computer and have decided not to rush it.

My iPad Pro wish list:

\- A “Proper” file system

\- Ability to run my own code written on it (and leave it running in
background, e.g. a development web server)

\- Terminal access

\- A detachable keyboard with touchpad (far better ergonomics than a touch
screen when typing at a desk)

\- Support for a mouse (less important)

Steve Jobs said they would never do a stylus, now they have one. Just wait to
see what they do next.

~~~
pentae
My wish list is short:

\- Ability to share my iOS software with my own customers without Apple
deciding if it's politically correct or benefits Apples profit sheet

I'm not holding my breath on that one

~~~
Elidrake24
Thank goodness too, have you seen the Android store?

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jdlyga
A train also has a more horsepower than an SUV, but it can only go back and
forth along tracks.

~~~
mattkevan
Ever been on the Eurostar? The experience is spectacularly good when compared
to driving or flying...

~~~
ericd
It's also $$$

~~~
hyperbovine
So the analogy holds...

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mrkstu
At this point it's a good bet the next plain 'MacBook' will be an A series
processor.

We're looking at the leading edge of an eventual transition to Apple's full
hardware stack using its own IP top to bottom, though I expect a long Intel
tail for 'Pro' users.

~~~
whitepoplar
I wonder how long it'll take before `brew install whatever` works reasonably
well on ARM chips.

~~~
api
It's no harder than having Debian for x86, x64, arm, arm64, etc.

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goalieca
Intel is toast.

~~~
TwoNineA
Wake me up when I can run VirtualBox on these fancy iPad Pros and be able to
run 1-2 virtual machines for development purposes.

~~~
basch
id love to see a "what percent of devices are sold to developers" statistic.
youre not their target market.

you can already run VMs on azure or aws and access them with rdp.

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ghobs91
If Apple is getting this kind of performance out of their CPU/GPUs, especially
the "Xbox One X level performance" they mentioned about their iPad Pro,
curious if they'll turn Apple TV into a gaming console.

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maelito
If only you could plug an Android phone in desktop mode (Samsung's Dex or
Huawei's projection) to power such a perfect mobile touchscreen and keyboard.

Android chips lag behind, but they're good enough for occasional development.

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grecy
Surely this has to fuel the flames on the "2019 MacPro will be ARM based"
fire.

At this point, it seems Apple could pull it off if they wanted to, while
thumping Intel in the process.

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chrisper
I wish the iPad had a useful OS rather than just a magnified iPhone. It should
be the apple equivalent of the surface.

~~~
digianarchist
Right. The fact that iOS is so crippled compared to OSX is putting me off
buying one.

CPU architecture I assume is the reason these things cannot run OSX.

~~~
coldtea
> _The fact that iOS is so crippled compared to OSX is putting me off buying
> one._

That's its main allure.

If one just wants a computer to run arbitrary OS with desktop-like experience
there are tons of them, it doesn't even have to be a tablet.

~~~
tluyben2
I too see this as an advantage; sometimes I want to develop and tinker,
sometimes I need to to get work done that does not require that freedom but
does require: stability, focus, long battery life etc and for that the iPad
pro with keyboard is perfect (in my opinion). I had a Surface Pro and for that
‘just work’ kind of experience it sucks in my experience; updates, crashes,
battery life etc. It turns out 80% of my work can be done really well on the
iPad Pro and I indeed find myself using it far more than my laptop these days.
I think a combination has to screw up that experience as it has for all other
more free devices besides maybe Android but there is no iPad quality hardware
for Android.

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keymone
how does it compare in performance/watt?

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foobarbazetc
Zzzzzzzz geekbench.

------
IBM
Intel's gross margins are high enough (especially on the higher end chips)
that it makes sense for Apple to design their own chips for Macs. Rumors are
pointing to 2020 for when it will first happen.

Macs could then be cheaper _and_ better than the competition (or significantly
more profitable).

