We continue talking, in this case, about the possible renewal-update of the current 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina models since Intel has launched some new Haswell Core i5 and i7 processors specifically for these.
These new processors have been designed for high-end laptops, which comes unpainted for a possible upgrade of the Cupertino workhorses, the gorgeous 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina. With this, Apple could present a processor update without becoming the long-awaited Broadwell for possible 12-inch MacBook Retina.
As the media is picking up, Intel has released three new Core i5 chips and three new Core i7 chips that are all successors to the chips currently used in the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina. The new processors offer a modest 200 MHz speed boost over existing Haswell chips.
Processor Core i7 4770HQ 2,2 GHz is a direct replacement for the 7 GHz Core i4750-2,0 used in the lower-end 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina, while the Core i7 4870HQ 2,5 GHz it is a direct replacement for the existing 7 GHz Core i4850-2,3 chip in the high-end 15-inch MacBook Pro Retina. Processor Core i7 4980HQ 2,8 GHz Replaces the 7 GHz Core i4960-2,6 high-end configuration processor.
As for the 13-inch MacBook Pro Retina, the processors 4278U-Core i5, Core i5-4308U and Core i7-4578U also jump 200MHz more over the existing ones Core i5-4258, Core i5-4288 and Core i7-4558 with 2,6 GHz for the basic range, 2,8 GHz for the mid-range and 3,0 GHz for the high range.
Earlier this year, an Intel roadmap revealed direct Haswell successors to the MacBook Air and the iMac, but at the time, there didn't seem to be any available to upgrade the 15-inch MacBook Pros Retina. As the improvement offered by these chips is only a small 200MHz boost over the existing chips, probably Apple will do a minor update.