Do you think Apple, and intel will use a standard intel Woodcrest chipset?
Yes, most certainly. At least, that's the option with the highest odds.
A custom chipset for Apple would cost some nontrivial amount of money for both Apple and Intel, while Intel giving Apple a nice discount on the CPU and chipset would do virtually the same thing for Apple's and Intel's bottom line. Do the thing that costs less for the same benefit.
Also, there simply isn't many low hanging fruit. The only one I can think of is changing the memory controller from Fully Buffered memory to DDR2 memory which should make Apple systems cheaper, and probably perform a little better for Apple's non-server purposes.
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I'm not sure they will. I think being that intel has a team designated to the mac Motherboard design, and to Apple themselves, they created an Apple only, unique chipset for the MacPro board.
If the rumors of Intel handling Apple's Mac Pro motherboard are true, I'm thinking it is more about motherboard layout than chipset features, not implementing a unique Apple chipset. There could be some Apple unique hardware hanging off a PCIe lane (like Robson). Firewire 800 will most likely be one of those.
The current PowerMac board has 32 PCIe lanes (16 + 8 + 4 + 4). The Mac Pro board shouldn't have less. It'll need at least 2 more even, to cover the Airport/BT and Firewire. That's one reason Apple may go for a custom board.
Comments
Originally posted by onlooker
Other than EFI I think there will be something unique on Apples motherboard. Call it a hunch.
Do I win?
Originally posted by Placebo
Do I win?
I was gonna mention that, but the TPM is getting increasingly common with other manufacturers, too, so it doesn't quite fit the "unique" criteria.
Originally posted by onlooker
Do you think Apple, and intel will use a standard intel Woodcrest chipset?
Yes, most certainly. At least, that's the option with the highest odds.
A custom chipset for Apple would cost some nontrivial amount of money for both Apple and Intel, while Intel giving Apple a nice discount on the CPU and chipset would do virtually the same thing for Apple's and Intel's bottom line. Do the thing that costs less for the same benefit.
Also, there simply isn't many low hanging fruit. The only one I can think of is changing the memory controller from Fully Buffered memory to DDR2 memory which should make Apple systems cheaper, and probably perform a little better for Apple's non-server purposes.
I'm not sure they will. I think being that intel has a team designated to the mac Motherboard design, and to Apple themselves, they created an Apple only, unique chipset for the MacPro board.
If the rumors of Intel handling Apple's Mac Pro motherboard are true, I'm thinking it is more about motherboard layout than chipset features, not implementing a unique Apple chipset. There could be some Apple unique hardware hanging off a PCIe lane (like Robson). Firewire 800 will most likely be one of those.
Originally posted by onlooker
none what so ever.