Next-gen MacBook Pro "Penryn" chips revealed

[AppleInsider]

The next evolution of Apple Inc.'s MacBook Pro professional notebook line, on track for the first quarter of 2008, will tap a new breed of Core 2 Duo processors, details of which have just leaked on the web.

Rooted in Intel's Penryn technology, the future processors will share the same underpinnings as the Santa Rosa-based chip designs found in today's MacBook Pro systems but will shrink the manufacturing size from 65 nanometers (nm) down to 45, simultaneously cooling the processors and clearing room for both a ramp-up of clock speeds as well as more on-chip features.

In speaking to developers at its IDF forum this week, Intel chief executive Paul Otellini said the initial line of Penryn processors will provide up to a 20 percent performance increase over the 65nm models they will replace. The new chips will also use halogen-free packaging, he added, yielding chips that will not only be more energy efficient but also better for the environment.

Previous reports have indicated that Intel plans to launch the first five Penryn-based mobile Core 2 Duo processors in January, and thanks to the increasingly reliable DigiTimes, there are now part numbers and pricing to go along with those chips. The cost of the new chips, when viewed alongside their corresponding clock frequencies, offers a near fail-safe method for determining which variants Apple will inevitably adopt for its professional notebook refresh.

The chips scheduled to launch in January will have the model names X9000 for the 2.8GHz CPU, T9500 for the 2.6GHz, T9300 for the 2.5GHz, T8300 for the 2.4GHz and T8100 for the 2.1GHz. They'll be priced at $851, $530, $316, $241 and $209 in 1000-unit tray quantities, respectively. All five of the chips will continue to make use of an 800MHz front-side bus like those in the current iteration of Apple's MacBook Pro line.

Of the five chips, the X9000 2.8GHz model is considered a mobile Core 2 Extreme processor, and it's unclear if Apple has any plans for that variant in a notebook system. In its brief history of using Intel processors, the Cupertino-based company has shied away from using the pricier, more power-hungry Extremes in its streamlined portable systems.

MacBook Pro-bound Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile Penryn specs and prices

On the other hand, the upcoming T9500 2.6GHz and T9300 2.5GHz Penryn chips are slated to arrive at exactly the same price points ($530 and $316) as the T7700 2.4GHz and T7500 2.2GHz Merom-based processors currently situated in the Mac maker's Santa Rosa-based MacBook Pro line, almost assuring their adoption in next year's models. The 2.6GHz and 2.5GHz chips will also sport 6MB of L2 Cache, differentiating them the 2.4GHz and 2.1GHz models, which contain only 3MB of L2 Cache.

Expectations for the next refresh to Apple's consumer-oriented 13-inch MacBook notebooks are less certain, however. Since the MacBook did not make the jump to Intel's Santa Rosa platform earlier this year, Apple effectively holds two options for progressing the portable line -- it could introduce a more cost-effective 65nm Merom-based line in the coming months or alternatively make the leap to the fresher 45nm Penryn-based chips early next year.

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[mgkwho]

I think the MacBook market is marketed towards people who are more concerned with price than performance. If performance were the priority, surely the money to spend would be less of a priority?

So that makes me thing Apple would use the less-costly 65nm chip in the next MacBook refresh.

-=|Mgkwho

[jwdawso]

The price differences don't make much sense. From 2.4 to 2.5GHz (plus more cache) is only $75, whereas 2.5 to 2.6GHz - only difference being .1Ghz - is $214. If these numbers are true, why would anyone buy the 2.6GHz because there would be (almost) no discernible difference? Based on that, I think the pricing/speed are not true.

[samurai1999]

New Intel Chips are all fine & dandy

- but when will we see a mid-range single-socket screenless Mac, for Stevessake?!!

[Tomohr]

I'm just annoyed cause I need a new laptop, but I don't want to be outdated in 3 months *sigh*

[rjharary]

Originally Posted by Tomohr

I'm just annoyed cause I need a new laptop, but I don't want to be outdated in 3 months *sigh*

C'est la vie

[Tomohr]

yes, I think I will just wait till the day that leopard drops so I can have it a little while before they release the new chips so it seems like I didn't know it was going to happen

[syklee26]

looks like we might get new MBPs in January.

MBs won't see Penryn update.....me thinks it's going to be SR update to MB line on January.

Remember, it's not about how much it costs to buy chips to put in those books. it's about how to differentiate the market to be effective in both MB and MBP markets

[desarc]

my laptop is almost a year old and it's still cruising along fine. clock speed isn't the only measure of performance. it's a 2.33 ghz c2d and it *seems* to run just as fast as the current models @ 2.4.

i do wish i had the denser screen at 1680x1050.
sadly, my TV [sharp aquos] is becoming obsolete faster than my laptop. [no hdmi 1.3, a portly 5.5" thick, and it's 10 months old]

you can't wait for the NEXT great thing anymore, or you'll never buy anything.

[Constable Odo]

Yeh, my almost year-old MacBook Pro 2.33 C2D is running like a top. Not a single problem. I'd have to declare it the best Mac I've ever owned. Still I wouldn't mind a 2.8 GHz processor with more on-chip cache. If we were still using IBM or Moto chips, we would have had to wait two or three years for that .5 GHz jolt. Thank goodness for Intel inside.

[polvadis]

I agree that you can't always just wait for the next best thing, but when you can afford to wait knowing something's coming out around the corner, then why not? I sold my G4 iBook just last week, and am currently in the market for a Mac. But I don't know which one. I think it's still low end, maybe between the best Mini through MacBook to 24" iMac. But the the MacBook Pro looks not too far off pricewise. So I'm stuck and all the update rumours are only prolonging my wait. It's back to my AMD machine in the mean time.

[Haggar]

Will future Apple laptops allow people to remove the battery? Will users be required to sign up for an iTunes store account before they can use the laptop at all?

[1984]

What happened to the subnotebook they were supposedly working on?

[MacTel]

Originally Posted by syklee26

looks like we might get new MBPs in January.

MBs won't see Penryn update.....me thinks it's going to be SR update to MB line on January.

Remember, it's not about how much it costs to buy chips to put in those books. it's about how to differentiate the market to be effective in both MB and MBP markets

Sure, and the MacBook Pro could differentiate a bit more if they offered a flash memory drive option.

[kenaustus]

It will be interesting to see if this is the processor that Apple wants for an ultra lite notebook - probably in the Pro range.

As for the MacBook, it could go with the lowest 2 speeds in this range, leaving the speed and L2 difference as the differentiation between the MB & MBP. It would seem that this approach would keep the engineering at the same level, making it cheaper and easier to update both.

[Rich-Myster]

Originally Posted by MacTel

Sure, and the MacBook Pro could differentiate a bit more if they offered a flash memory drive option.

if i get a macbook pro with the current processer, is it possible to replace that processer with a new one?

[MacTel]

Originally Posted by Rich-Myster

if i get a macbook pro with the current processer, is it possible to replace that processer with a new one?

From the second paragraph of the article I would believe so.

[studiomusic]

If you know how to solder!

[mstone]

I bought a MacBook Pro this year, I think I deserve a rebate since they are coming out with a new model so soon

[Rich-Myster]

sweet so basically, what i think i'm going to do is yell at apple when it comes out and try to get them to replace the processer or something. hopefully this will work. i havn't even gotten my santa rosa one yet D: and i find out today it's going out of date in like 3 months. crazy.

[backtomac]

Originally Posted by kenaustus

It will be interesting to see if this is the processor that Apple wants for an ultra lite notebook - probably in the Pro range.

As for the MacBook, it could go with the lowest 2 speeds in this range, leaving the speed and L2 difference as the differentiation between the MB & MBP. It would seem that this approach would keep the engineering at the same level, making it cheaper and easier to update both.

Presumably battery life would be better as well if Apple wen with Penryn in the MB vs. the SR meroms.

[Haiduc210]

It certainly looks like we can expect an updated MacBook Pro at MWSF, at least an introduction of it even if it takes a few weeks for them to ramp up production with the freshly released Penryn chips.

[Lafe]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

...the increasingly reliable DigiTimes...

Heh.

[Zenga]

I'd like to see a 12-13" macbook pro with this babies inside..

[ecking]

Hmmmm is if they put the T9300 2.5GHz Penryn chip in the current 2.2ghz MBP slot, maybe I'll sell my Core Duo 2ghz MBP and get that, hopefully that'll also come with another gpu change.

[ecking]

Originally Posted by mgkwho

I think the MacBook market is marketed towards people who are more concerned with price than performance. If performance were the priority, surely the money to spend would be less of a priority?

So that makes me thing Apple would use the less-costly 65nm chip in the next MacBook refresh.

-=|Mgkwho

That'd make sense if the macbooks were priced more fairly but at their current prices they're close enough that they might as well use the same chip size. If they used cheaper, bigger chips and still only were like 400-500 less than the mbp they'd barely be worth it. If they used the bigger chips and dropped every macbook price by like 200 bucks then it'd make sense for the consumer.

Of course no company is really doing for the consumer so whatever, but you know what I mean.

Originally Posted by syklee26

looks like we might get new MBPs in January.

MBs won't see Penryn update.....me thinks it's going to be SR update to MB line on January.

Remember, it's not about how much it costs to buy chips to put in those books. it's about how to differentiate the market to be effective in both MB and MBP markets

Yeah except go the apple store online and look at the way they "market" the difference in architecture.
The people on this forum know better but everyone else only sees a .04 differnce in proc speed between the highest mb and the lowest mbp.

[KennyWRX]

It'll so dissapointing if Apple starts as a habit having the MacBook use previous generation tech and leave the current generation stuff for its Pro models... I mean... the difference in clock speed, screen size and graphics should be enough.

It'll be like... yeah... I'm getting the new but already outdated MacBook!!! Woohoo. Suck for non pro users.

[britwithgoodteeth]

Originally Posted by mstone

I bought a MacBook Pro this year, I think I deserve a rebate since they are coming out with a new model so soon

zzzzzzzzzzzz

[backtomac]

Originally Posted by KennyWRX

It'll so dissapointing if Apple starts as a habit having the MacBook use previous generation tech and leave the current generation stuff for its Pro models.

Why? I actually like this idea and hope they lower the price of the MB. Look at the pcs laptops at your nearest office depot. They often have core duos, AMD turions or lower clocked core 2 duo chips.

[mcarling]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

Expectations for the next refresh to Apple's consumer-oriented 13-inch MacBook notebooks are less certain, however. Since the MacBook did not make the jump to Intel's Santa Rosa platform earlier this year, Apple effectively holds two options for progressing the portable line -- it could introduce a more cost-effective 65nm Merom-based line in the coming months or alternatively make the leap to the fresher 45nm Penryn-based chips early next year.

Originally Posted by syklee26

looks like we might get new MBPs in January.

MBs won't see Penryn update.....me thinks it's going to be SR update to MB line on January.

Remember, it's not about how much it costs to buy chips to put in those books. it's about how to differentiate the market to be effective in both MB and MBP markets

Originally Posted by kenaustus

It will be interesting to see if this is the processor that Apple wants for an ultra lite notebook - probably in the Pro range.

As for the MacBook, it could go with the lowest 2 speeds in this range, leaving the speed and L2 difference as the differentiation between the MB & MBP. It would seem that this approach would keep the engineering at the same level, making it cheaper and easier to update both.

Originally Posted by backtomac

Presumably battery life would be better as well if Apple wen with Penryn in the MB vs. the SR meroms.

This looks crystal clear to me. Apple will use the T8300 and T8100 for the MB rather than Meroms due to power consumption issues. The 3MB cache and lower clock speeds will be perfect for market differentiation.

Originally Posted by Zenga

I'd like to see a 12-13" macbook pro with this babies inside..

Too big! 10 or 11 inches would be ideal.

I'd say it's a safe bet these will be announced at MWSF. It might take some weeks before they are shipping though, depending on availability of chips and other factors.

[mrtotes]

Originally Posted by Haggar

Will future Apple laptops allow people to remove the battery? Will users be required to sign up for an iTunes store account before they can use the laptop at all?

Good questions and well presented. The way Apple seems to be going ... probably.


---- ---- ----

I seriously hope Apple goes for the 2.5GHz and not the 2.6GHz. For 100MHz I'll keep the $200. Alternatively $200 buys a fair amount of flash memory which wil certainly do more for machine speed than that 100MHz.

[adamthecarny]

Any chance of a MacBook or Mac Mini update before January, say in Oct/Nov?

I'm in the market for one or both but have to buy by mid Nov.

[adamthecarny]

bah double post.

[SpamSandwich]

Originally Posted by 1984

What happened to the subnotebook they were supposedly working on?

[shanmugam]

Originally Posted by backtomac

Why? I actually like this idea and hope they lower the price of the MB. Look at the pcs laptops at your nearest office depot. They often have core duos, AMD turions or lower clocked core 2 duo chips.

because of the price, nowadays intel releases the new CPUs cheaper or same price as the old model (to move the market to latest and greatest_ ...

unless apple uses Celeron CPUs it is better to use the current CPUs (at least apple will get bigger discount by using the same CPUs for MB, MBP and iMac and oh yeah mac mini)...

my guess apple have better deal with intel than the the prices listed here OR different discount strategy

http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_...e_list9_07.pdf

[Ronbo]

Originally Posted by Constable Odo

If we were still using IBM or Moto chips, we would have had to wait two or three years for that .5 GHz jolt. Thank goodness for Intel inside.

Exactly. To the earlier poster worried about getting something that would be obsolete in 3 months, I think this is an excellent point. Back in the PowerPC era, we went a long time between processor speed bumps. So buying a laptop right before a major revision really hurt. Now, though, Intel is churning our revisions so fast, the issue of waiting--though still real--is at least markedly diminished.

[mcarling]

Originally Posted by adamthecarny

Any chance of a MacBook or Mac Mini update before January, say in Oct/Nov?

I'm in the market for one or both but have to buy by mid Nov.

Wasn't the MacMini just updated? I wouldn't say no chance for another MacMini update this year. There is a chance for a MacBook update this year, but it would seem to be a less than 50% chance.

[KennyWRX]

Originally Posted by backtomac

Why? I actually like this idea and hope they lower the price of the MB. Look at the pcs laptops at your nearest office depot. They often have core duos, AMD turions or lower clocked core 2 duo chips.

Cause if I was to buy a MacBook it would be because I don't need the big screen and/or graphics capabilities, but that doesn't mean I also want an previous generation CPU and chipset. The newer 45nm chip would help the MacBook in terms of overall speed, it would run cooler and it would provide longer battery life... even better graphics with the Santa Rosa architecture... but no, they choose to cripple it with older HW.

Like someone already mentioned... they do it because they can get away with it... all non tech people see is 2.16ghz vs 2.20ghz, but wow such huge price difference... when there is actually a lot more than that.

[BonesSK]

Originally Posted by Tomohr

I'm just annoyed cause I need a new laptop, but I don't want to be outdated in 3 months *sigh*

I'm in the same boat, and I am thinking of getting a Refurb from the apple site. The current Macbook Black is on sale there with full warranty etc for $200+ CDN off, I think it was like at 15% savings give or take. To me that is a great deal as you have a machine that rocks, full warranty, discounted price to help ease the pain of a new machine coming out a few months later. I am going to wait until Leopard ships to see if they upgrade the OS in B-Stocks as well..

To me it's a no brainer to go with these when it is 1/2 way or more to a refresh (MacRumors has a good calender and refresh history to help figure that part out). Apple seems to have new batches of Refurb's every couple of weeks or so too, so if you really want to save, wait for a older model to come and save even more.. If memory serves they have had sub $1000 macbooks (CDN $)...

Anyone ever bought a refurb Mac? Feeback on it?

[ouragan]

Originally Posted by adamthecarny

Any chance of a MacBook or Mac Mini update before January, say in Oct/Nov?

I'm in the market for one or both but have to buy by mid Nov.

I would expect a MacBook update in November for these reasons:

1) Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, to be released in late October, early November 2007;

2) Apple is in the habit of updating its consumer, family computers just before the Christmas shopping period, leaving a month or 2 months before Christmas to shop for them.

I expect the MacBook and the iMac to be refreshed with the launch of Mac OS X Leopard, a full 3 months before the February 2008 availability of Penryn CPU Core 2 Duo iMacs.