Graphics chipsets in new Intel Macs

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mjolnirmkiimjolnirmkii
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
What graphics chipset do you all think will be in the new intel macs? Built in Intel graphics on iBook and maybe ATI or Nvidia higher end chipsets in the PowerBooks? I just wanted to give that some thought because everything lately is about the processors only. Mac laptops don't have the best graphics cards in them right now, look at the difference between the ATI 9700 and the Nvidia 6600 go chips. Apple needs to step it up for the intelMacs. Any thoughts?
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  • Reply 1 of 113
    kim kap solkim kap sol Posts: 2,987member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by MjolnirMkII

    What graphics chipset do you all think will be in the new intel macs? Built in Intel graphics on iBook and maybe ATI or Nvidia higher end chipsets in the PowerBooks? I just wanted to give that some thought because everything lately is about the processors only. Mac laptops don't have the best graphics cards in them right now, look at the difference between the ATI 9700 and the Nvidia 6600 go chips. Apple needs to step it up for the intelMacs. Any thoughts?



    I think they might sport a Voodoo2 or an ATI Rage Pro.
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  • Reply 2 of 113
    mjolnirmkiimjolnirmkii Posts: 2member
    Lol. Voodoo. Sweet. I had one of those, back when Voodoo meant something.
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  • Reply 3 of 113
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    Considering the increasing importance of technologies like Core image, I doubt that Apple will use integrated video chipset. Unlike windows XP, mac os X use more and more the GPU throughput in 2 D applications.



    Just check the minimum performance recquiered to run Aperture, and you will get the picture.
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  • Reply 4 of 113
    t'hain esh kelcht'hain esh kelch Posts: 1,274member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Powerdoc

    Considering the increasing importance of technologies like Core image, I doubt that Apple will use integrated video chipset. Unlike windows XP, mac os X use more and more the GPU throughput in 2 D applications.



    Just check the minimum performance recquiered to run Aperture, and you will get the picture.



    Or check the minimum requirements for Vista, to have something to compare to. Integrated grapichscards cant even run it.
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  • Reply 5 of 113
    robin hoodrobin hood Posts: 513member
    I wouldn't be that surprised if Apple came out with a lower-cost iBook with integrated graphics.
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  • Reply 6 of 113
    jms698jms698 Posts: 102member
    I'd say they will come out with a PCI-Express video card like the ATI Mobility Radeon X700 (with 128 MB VRAM). If they are creating a whole new motherboard architecture it would only make sense to ditch AGP and go with the newer technology.
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  • Reply 7 of 113
    robin hoodrobin hood Posts: 513member
    Moving to PCI-Express for video cards is obvious, especially so because they have done it already (see PowerMac and iMac).
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  • Reply 8 of 113
    wmfwmf Posts: 1,164member
    It looks like Intel's GMA950 integrated graphics can run Vista, and of course chipsets will have advanced another generation or two by the time Vista actually comes out.



    It's hard to say what Apple will do; I could see it going either way.
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  • Reply 9 of 113
    dfilerdfiler Posts: 3,420member
    You know, back before Apple started using PCI express, there was much bemoaning here about the fact that we didn't have it yet. Now that it is here, we've quieted down but the mainstream still doesn't seem to give a damn.



    I think apple realizes that graphics performance isn't as critical to their platform as us cyber-geeks tend to assert. It seems that the masses are already satisfied somehow.



    Of course, I've got the most powerful GPU that my machine will take... but I'm not the norm.
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  • Reply 10 of 113
    jootec from marsjootec from mars Posts: 56member
    I, probably like others, would hope to see entry level macs with the latest entry level GPU from nVidia or ATi with a minimum of 64MB.



    I don't really expect any Mac to get a highend GPU as standard as they are overkill for most things other than games. I'd hope to see the latest mid range ATi or nVidia GPU in other Macs with a minimum of 128MB. To be able to upgrade at time of order to a highend GPU would be good though.



    If Apple do use Intel Graphics, I don't think they'll impress too many potential buyers.



    It's possible of course that Apple could already have used Intel Grpahics or another manufacturers equivalently specced GPU in a current Mac if they'd wanted too. But haven't.
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  • Reply 11 of 113
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Jootec from Mars



    It's possible of course that Apple could already have used Intel Grpahics or another manufacturers equivalently specced GPU in a current Mac if they'd wanted too. But haven't.



    This is a good point, Apple never choosed that road (route?)



    They could have done their integrated CPU, but they didn't. In the contrary they have taken out the integrated graphic card out of the mobo of powermac.

    The Beige powermac G3 use to have the ATI rage chipset on the mobo. Apple discontinued it with the B&W macs.
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  • Reply 12 of 113
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    Intel Extreme! yay!
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  • Reply 13 of 113
    kenaustuskenaustus Posts: 924member
    I believe the cost of VRAM is probably down to the point where Apple can have a minimum of 64 Mb on the lower end and might have the option for a 128 Mb.



    Integrated graphics are only for the super cheap PCs and even Dell "motivates" you to move up. It's not Apple's world.
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  • Reply 14 of 113
    dfilerdfiler Posts: 3,420member
    Apple has sold computers with and without integrated graphics throughout it's history. One simply can not say that they don't do integrated graphics hardware.
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  • Reply 15 of 113
    mmmpiemmmpie Posts: 628member
    The Intel GMA 900 is both faster and more sophisticated than the ATI 9200 found in the Mac Mini.



    Recently Intel made a strong move to abandon their low end chipset products, so I expect to see both improvements in their integrated graphics and a push to use offboard graphics chips. It certainly wouldnt hurt the Mac Mini to be using a GMA 900.
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  • Reply 16 of 113
    amoryaamorya Posts: 1,103member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by dfiler

    Apple has sold computers with and without integrated graphics throughout it's history. One simply can not say that they don't do integrated graphics hardware.



    As far as I know, they've never done shared video memory though (at least since the 68040 days).



    Amorya
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  • Reply 17 of 113
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    Yes the major cons of integrated graphic chipset are shared memory. The cost of today of fast GDDR memory is not that high.
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  • Reply 18 of 113
    smalmsmalm Posts: 677member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by mmmpie

    The Intel GMA 900 is both faster and more sophisticated than the ATI 9200 found in the Mac Mini.



    Recently Intel made a strong move to abandon their low end chipset products, so I expect to see both improvements in their integrated graphics and a push to use offboard graphics chips. It certainly wouldnt hurt the Mac Mini to be using a GMA 900.



    GMA900 is both, more and less sophisticated than the ATI 9200 as it has 4 pixel pipelines at directX9 level but lacks any vertex shader hardware (CPU has to do all the setup). That's ATI 7000 level....
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  • Reply 19 of 113
    tigerwoods99tigerwoods99 Posts: 2,633member
    SiS Xabre
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  • Reply 20 of 113
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by TigerWoods99

    SiS Xabre



    Hmm that was a lame GPU.
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