Potential Intel CPU + AMD Vega MCM for iMac and maybe MBP15 leaked

thttht
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware
https://www.anandtech.com/show/12207/intel-with-radeon-rx-vega-graphics-core-i78809g-with-31-ghz-base-100w-target-tdp-overclockable

Kind of a mini iMac Pro, with less CPU cores, less GPU compute units, but all in a MCM. 100 W is a bit sporty for the MBP15 as it is currently at 80 W for CPU+GPU. But, if the PCB ends up being smaller, it means more room for batteries.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 5
    tenthousandthingstenthousandthings Posts: 1,037member
    Still don't really get how this works for an iMac. MBP, maybe somehow, but iMac, no. Mac mini makes sense. I still don't think it was a coincidence that Tim Cook said "we do plan for Mac mini to be an important part of our product line going forward" (October 19) shortly before Intel publicly announced this deal with AMD (November 6). The timing just seems right -- Apple gets confirmation that this is official a month or so before it's announced and makes the internal decision to move forward with the new-generation Mac mini; but the timeline for how long it will take to bring to market is longer than they would like, so they decide to issue a specific reassurance.

    "We do plan" isn't the strongest possible language, as plans "do" change, so AI's skepticism with regard to the mini's future is warranted, but it still seems pretty clear that Apple has been waiting for something to happen. This is likely to have been it?
    edited January 2018
  • Reply 2 of 5
    thttht Posts: 5,452member
    It allows the iMac to get thinner and lighter. The iMac form factor is about 5 years old now. Wouldn’t be surprised if there is a new form factor this year. One that is thinner.

    It’s hard to believe this could be for the Mac mini because of cost. It’s a quad core with a Vega GPU. I don’t think those will go into a $500 Mac mini in the near future. The MCM in of itself could be $500, and it’s doubtful they are putting in a 50 to 100 W MCM into the Mac mini as well.

    One thing though, it is an MCM. Intel can put any combo of CPU and GPU they want into the package as long as it fits into the TDP envelope. Intel could combine a 15 W Core i5 blah blah blah with a more neutered Vega to get it to the price and Wattage envelope, but by they time they mind as well use Intel graphics.
  • Reply 3 of 5
    tenthousandthingstenthousandthings Posts: 1,037member
    Yes, I see.  Maybe so on a new iMac, but it's hard for me to see how this can fly in the higher-end 5K Retina iMac (not Pro) configurations that Apple sells a lot of, but maybe I just don't understand where this is going.

    On the Mac mini, I'll argue for a "Pro" edition keeping in mind that the current price range of the mini is $500 to $2000. It's not a big step for them to stretch that a little further to something that can meet the demands of a significant portion of the "I want to use my own displays" crowd. The maxed-out unit would be Xeon-E (formerly E3), 32GB RAM, discrete AMD graphics with 4GB HBM2. The midrange would be based on the Core-H "G" processors noted in the article. Apple could offer a low-end without discrete graphics, but still using the EMIB MCM to incorporate a T2-like component into the design.
    edited January 2018
  • Reply 4 of 5
    thttht Posts: 5,452member
    Announced at CES:

    https://www.anandtech.com/show/12220/how-to-make-8th-gen-more-complex-intel-core-with-radeon-rx-vega-m-graphics-launched


    Only 5 SKUs so far, all 4 core CPUs with two Vega performance levels with MCM TDPs of 65 and 100 Watts. This is only suitable for the MacBook Pro 15 imo and maybe the MacBook Pro 13. The 65 Watt versions may be able to fit inside a MBP13, and a notional Mac mini if the price is right.

    For iMacs, there’s a dilemma if these are the only SKUs available. There are 6 core processors now available, and I’m not sure what the actual benefit for iMacs are with Vega in-package if HBM capacity is maxed out at 4 GB. Might be a good fit for the iMac 21.5 model, but the 27” model, can have a 6 core Coffee Lake and an 4/8 GB discrete Vega in it. Even with a new ID that is thinner, that is SSD only, I think Apple can fit a Core i7-8700, 8 GB Vega, and 64 GB of RAM in it.

    Also inevitable for core counts to increase in the iMac Pro in late 2018 if the regular iMac goes to 6 core.


  • Reply 5 of 5
    tenthousandthingstenthousandthings Posts: 1,037member
    HP and Dell agree with you, using these in 15-inch "pro" laptop/2-in-1s. BUT, both companies' announced products use only the 65W units, not the 100W.

    So it's still not clear what the industry sees for the 100W units. 17-inch? Or a new mini/Mini, in line with the $999 Intel NUC that is the only instance so far of an actual product with this in it?
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