[smackfu]

The systems listed on the first page are the advertised base models from Apple. The unit they benchmarked for the review is presumably a review unit that they had no choice about.

OTOH, it's a little surprising that Apple gave out 12 core review units, since the 8 core seems to be better at benchmarking.

[rsynnott]

They gave Macworld and The Verge, at least, 8 core units. Perhaps a case of know your audience; neither of those sites would be necessarily too inclined to go into _why_ the 12 core part is slower in many benchmarks, whereas Anandtech, of course, will.

[brudgers]

The author chose what to write and the editor chose what to edit and the publisher chose what to publish. Likewise, Apple chose what to send AnandTech, and chose to send the influential publication an $8300 machine rather than a more common model for benchmarking.

In light of the fact that much less expensive machines often performed better, it seems obvious that the favorable conclusion of the review ought to provide some rational case for being so.