Intel launches next-gen Ivy Bridge processors with 3D transistors
Intel has officially launched the first wave of its Ivy Bridge processors with a new tri-gate transistor technology, touting the new chips as the "world's first 22 nanometer product."
The chipmaker released 13 quad-core processors on Sunday and promised that new dual-core processors will arrive later in the spring. MacNN reports that the first batch of chips are from the Core i5 and i7 families.
CEO Paul Otellini said earlier this month that the "bulk" of the initial Ivy Bridge lineup would arrive in desktop PCs. However, Apple is expected to use the new quad-core chips in an update to its MacBook Pro line.
After moving to a 22nm process for Ivy Bridge, Intel boasts 20 percent more performance while using 20 percent less power. Intel PC business chief Kirk Skaugen told the BBC that the launch will be Intel's "fastest ramp ever."
"There will be 50% more supply than we had early in the product cycle of our last generation, Sandy Bridge, a year ago. And we're still constrained based on the amount of demand we're seeing in the marketplace," he said.
Ivy Bridge also introduces a transistor technology 11 years in the making. By moving from flat two-dimensional transistors to new three-dimensional "tri-gate transistors," Intel has managed to improve both performance and energy efficiency with minimal cost increases.
"A lot of people had thought that Moore's law was coming to an end," Skaugen told the BBC. "What Intel has been able to do is instead of just shrinking the transistor in two dimensions, we have been able to create a three-dimensional transistor for the first time.
Graphics are a key area of improvement for the new processors. Ivy Bridge supports 4K resolution and will feature as much as a 60 percent performance boost over the current-generation Sandy Bridge chips.
Dwindling inventory points to an upcoming upgrade of Apple's 15-inch MacBook Pro. AppleInsider reported in February that the company would first revamp its 15-inch MacBook Pro before eventually overhauling its 17-inch notebook.
Apple is expected draw upon the success of the MacBook Air by removing the optical disk drive from its pro-level notebooks. Reports have also suggested that the Mac maker may significantly increase the screen resolution of its laptops.
The chipmaker released 13 quad-core processors on Sunday and promised that new dual-core processors will arrive later in the spring. MacNN reports that the first batch of chips are from the Core i5 and i7 families.
CEO Paul Otellini said earlier this month that the "bulk" of the initial Ivy Bridge lineup would arrive in desktop PCs. However, Apple is expected to use the new quad-core chips in an update to its MacBook Pro line.
After moving to a 22nm process for Ivy Bridge, Intel boasts 20 percent more performance while using 20 percent less power. Intel PC business chief Kirk Skaugen told the BBC that the launch will be Intel's "fastest ramp ever."
"There will be 50% more supply than we had early in the product cycle of our last generation, Sandy Bridge, a year ago. And we're still constrained based on the amount of demand we're seeing in the marketplace," he said.
Ivy Bridge also introduces a transistor technology 11 years in the making. By moving from flat two-dimensional transistors to new three-dimensional "tri-gate transistors," Intel has managed to improve both performance and energy efficiency with minimal cost increases.
"A lot of people had thought that Moore's law was coming to an end," Skaugen told the BBC. "What Intel has been able to do is instead of just shrinking the transistor in two dimensions, we have been able to create a three-dimensional transistor for the first time.
Graphics are a key area of improvement for the new processors. Ivy Bridge supports 4K resolution and will feature as much as a 60 percent performance boost over the current-generation Sandy Bridge chips.
Dwindling inventory points to an upcoming upgrade of Apple's 15-inch MacBook Pro. AppleInsider reported in February that the company would first revamp its 15-inch MacBook Pro before eventually overhauling its 17-inch notebook.
Apple is expected draw upon the success of the MacBook Air by removing the optical disk drive from its pro-level notebooks. Reports have also suggested that the Mac maker may significantly increase the screen resolution of its laptops.
Comments
Daddy needs a new 13" MacBook Pro with REAL graphics power... but will settle for a lighter and thinner MacBook Air-like 15" MacBook Pro if the new 13" MBP (if they even decide to keep offering it) doesn't offer a dedicated graphics card, which it probably won't.
I think Apple will dump the 13" MBP if it doesn't have a discreet GPU because then it is essentially a MBA.
I guess I'll have to see benchmarks for the new Ivy Bridge integrated graphics processor though before choosing between IGP in a 13" MBA and discreet GPU in a 15" MBP.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MacQuest
C'mon Apple!
Daddy needs a new 13" MacBook Pro with REAL graphics power... but will settle for a lighter and thinner MacBook Air-like 15" MacBook Pro if the new 13" MBP (if they even decide to keep offering it) doesn't offer a dedicated graphics card, which it probably won't.
I think Apple will dump the 13" MBP if it doesn't have a discreet GPU because then it is essentially a MBA.
I guess I'll have to see benchmarks for the new Ivy Bridge integrated graphics processor though before choosing between IGP in a 13" MBA and discreet GPU in a 15" MBP.
Repeating that over and over doesn't make it true. It still has a lot of functionality over an Air. I don't know how sales compare between the two.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton
Ivy Bridge? Intel doesn't seem in a hurry to update the Xeon. Poor Mac Pro.
I've posted this before, but nothing is available in Ivy Bridge E before Q2 of 2013. It may suck, but there's nothing Apple can really do there. I find it a little weird that Intel is letting the Xeons slip to around Haswell's release date. I wouldn't suggest a mac pro purchase today given the potential for Apple to eol OS updates on it past mountain lion given that the board design came out in 2009.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hmm
Repeating that over and over doesn't make it true. It still has a lot of functionality over an Air. I don't know how sales compare between the two.
I've posted this before, but nothing is available in Ivy Bridge E before Q2 of 2013. It may suck, but there's nothing Apple can really do there. I find it a little weird that Intel is letting the Xeons slip to around Haswell's release date. I wouldn't suggest a mac pro purchase today given the potential for Apple to eol OS updates on it past mountain lion given that the board design came out in 2009.
The Mac Pro was never updated to Sandy Bridge E either.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aizmov
The Mac Pro was never updated to Sandy Bridge E either.
Sandy Bridge E Xeons just began to show in products on the last couple of months. It's still time for Apple to put them on the Mac Pro. Also, the Sandy Bridge E Xeon is this year's Xeon. You're not going to get anything better until next year.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton
Ivy Bridge? Intel doesn't seem in a hurry to update the Xeon. Poor Mac Pro.
I believe I heard Intel only recently got around to releasing a new Xeon Sandy Bridge "Extreme" or some such that was being speculated for a possible (and likely last gasp) Thunderbolt equipped Mac Pro, i.e., one that would keep the pros happy for awhile with the TB bus as obsolescence insurance.
Awesome, 3D technology is amazing. Good on Intel. Long may her ship sail.
Intel should just skip Ivy Bridge altogether for the Xeons and go right to Haswell next year and Apple can redesign the Pro around that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marvin
Intel should just skip Ivy Bridge altogether for the Xeons and go right to Haswell next year and Apple can redesign the Pro around that.
I think WWDC 2012 will be very exciting for everyone and I'm not speaking about Intel.
OK Apple, as quickly as you can. throw this into a super slim 30" iMac and send me the bill.
What are you smoking? It must be strong stuff.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hmm
I wouldn't suggest a mac pro purchase today given the potential for Apple to eol OS updates on it past mountain lion given that the board design came out in 2009.
The Mac Pro is bought for professional use, and professionals buy when they need to. I ordered another new Mac Pro last week in the full knowledge that it's ripe for update—OK, overripe! But we've hired a new employee, and she needs a new workstation.
My order should pretty much guarantee an imminent Mac Pro update...
New Macs on Tuesday? Might explain why they bought the announcement forward a week.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marvin
Intel should just skip Ivy Bridge altogether for the Xeons and go right to Haswell next year and Apple can redesign the Pro around that.
Intel should just skip ALL this stuff altogether and go right to Skymont.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ascii
New Macs on Tuesday? Might explain why they bought the announcement forward a week.
What's out now, just the laptop chips? The Mac Mini is the only thing that could be updated this week, then. The MacBook Pro will require an event, the iMac's chips aren't out yet, and the Mac Pro is definitely getting an event (provided it isn't being discontinued).
Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilM
...
My order should pretty much guarantee an imminent Mac Pro update...
Not to worry. My experience with Apple is that if you are ordering during a transition to a new model, then it will make available the new model of comparable or superior value to the model you ordered.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Me
Not to worry. My experience with Apple is that if you are ordering during a transition to a new model, then it will make available the new model of comparable or superior value to the model you ordered.
You know he's being facetious right?
So the corollary would be the new model will happen just late enough to be outside this window because Murphy reigns supreme.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MacQuest
C'mon Apple!
Daddy needs a new 13" MacBook Pro with REAL graphics power... but will settle for a lighter and thinner MacBook Air-like 15" MacBook Pro if the new 13" MBP (if they even decide to keep offering it) doesn't offer a dedicated graphics card, which it probably won't.
I think Apple will dump the 13" MBP if it doesn't have a discreet GPU because then it is essentially a MBA.
I guess I'll have to see benchmarks for the new Ivy Bridge integrated graphics processor though before choosing between IGP in a 13" MBA and discreet GPU in a 15" MBP.
Almost everybody that I know are using the MacBook Pro as their main work station. Without a dedicated graphics card, most of them would have to use a stationary computer as their main workstation the next time they update. The GFX chips are small enough to fit into a 15" air form factor. But with the 13" you're probably right. It probably will be all discreet.
I hope the displays will show a significant update though. The current displays are pretty bad both in colours and reflection. Probably too soon for "iPad3-displays" showing up in MacBooks though.
I dunno, Intel will probably be quite happy to see their chips used in the entire lineup again.
Well yeah but they have to get the fabrication in place and make enough money to profit from the upgrade. They already have 22nm in place due to Ivy Bridge so they might as well forget Ivy Bridge Xeons and just fab the Haswell architecture instead. Then use the profits from Haswell to fund Skylake/mont R&D, plant upgrades etc.
At this stage, they don't really have any competition though so they can do what they like.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Evilution
OK Apple, as quickly as you can. throw this into a super slim 30" iMac and send me the bill.
Yeah! Send me one too! I'm at the door looking for the UPS truck now!
I think it's pretty strange with all that is happening, that I cant find one word in any news anywhere about WWDC 2012 ???? Also makes me nervous ~