Macbook Pro updates soon? (Nehalem?)
I want to know when the Nehalem chip can be expected in a macbook pro. I currently have a first generation macbook air 1.6Ghz, which I've actually enjoyed. However, times have changed in that I have been spending weeks away from my desktop, and thus I really need a more powerful portable.
I've noticed I can get a macbook pro 2.4Ghz at macmall for 1800 (no tax), and I suspect I can sell my air for 1200 or so on ebay at the moment. However, If the nahalem is coming out for the macbook pro within less than 6 months, I might just wait.
Any good opinions? Insightful speculation? Inside info? Or, bad opinions, made up inside info, un-insightful speculation? It's all good...
I've noticed I can get a macbook pro 2.4Ghz at macmall for 1800 (no tax), and I suspect I can sell my air for 1200 or so on ebay at the moment. However, If the nahalem is coming out for the macbook pro within less than 6 months, I might just wait.
Any good opinions? Insightful speculation? Inside info? Or, bad opinions, made up inside info, un-insightful speculation? It's all good...
Comments
I want to know when the Nehalem chip can be expected in a macbook pro. I currently have a first generation macbook air 1.6Ghz, which I've actually enjoyed. However, times have changed in that I have been spending weeks away from my desktop, and thus I really need a more powerful portable.
I've noticed I can get a macbook pro 2.4Ghz at macmall for 1800 (no tax), and I suspect I can sell my air for 1200 or so on ebay at the moment. However, If the nahalem is coming out for the macbook pro within less than 6 months, I might just wait.
Any good opinions? Insightful speculation? Inside info? Or, bad opinions, made up inside info, un-insightful speculation? It's all good...
I think 6 months is probably the timeline. The Air will probably be the last to get upped, so it probably won't depreciate quite so steeply when the Nehalem units ship. I just bought a regular macbook ... needed it now. I think I'll buy a Nehalem iMac, especially if they ship the rumored 28".
Graphics should be faster overall, not only because of new tech but because the CPU will have the PCI Express controller right on the same package.
The processor is expected at the second half of this year so we MIGHT see an October surprise launch of all new mobiles.
I think 6 months is probably the timeline. The Air will probably be the last to get upped, so it probably won't depreciate quite so steeply when the Nehalem units ship. I just bought a regular macbook ... needed it now. I think I'll buy a Nehalem iMac, especially if they ship the rumored 28".
Did the same with the iMac. Got a good deal. I'm finally back in the Mac camp. I'd love a quad core Nehalem iMac with better gpu and a 28 inch monitor. I'd be all over that.
In the meantime, I intend to enjoy the one I've just got!
Lemon Bon Bon.
Next chip will be the mobile Lynnfield variant of Nehalem, Clarksfield. It'll finally be the quad core we've been waiting for but memory support will probably stay at 8GB likely because 8GB SO-DIMMs will stay prohibitively expensive throughout 2010-2011.
Graphics should be faster overall, not only because of new tech but because the CPU will have the PCI Express controller right on the same package.
at the cost of the QuickPath bus and only x16 2.0.
Does amazon sell apple products?
It's just too much work to go to the Amazon.com website yourself
at the cost of the QuickPath bus and only x16 2.0.
So? You have an on-die memory controller freeing up the FSB for all the rest of the I/O. In a laptop you only have need for one really high performance slot, the graphics card. The rest, USB, firewire, SATA, audio, the FSB bus is overkill.
Looks as though the pricing guide was updated and the MacBook and MacBook Pros are discounted until mid April... Is this a sign? Maybe.
http://www.appleinsider.com/mac_price_guide/
Looks as though the pricing guide was updated and the MacBook and MacBook Pros are discounted until mid April... Is this a sign? Maybe.
whatever... don't expect nehalem notebooks before early 2010.
The Clarksfields cpus are expensive 55W parts that will never see the inside of a MacBook (Pro).
Dual-core nehalem mobile cpus (Arrandale) will be available early 2010 (maybe a tad before Xmas, but that doesn't mean Apple will be able to ship them).
If anything happens this year, it will probably be just a speedbump of the current penryn cpus. New versions are planned for late this quarter, and they could be used in a late Summer refresh from Apple (MB up to 2.66GHz, MBA up to 2.13GHz, MBP up to 3.06GHz).
FSB or quickpath, number and type of PCIe lanes are pretty much irrelevant on Apple's (and most) notebooks.
16 PCIe 2.0 lanes are more that enough for the low-midrange gpus Apple is using in the notebooks and any low-end southbridge/ioh will offer twice the ports capacity Apple provides to the user.
The Clarksfields cpus are expensive 55W parts that will never see the inside of a MacBook (Pro).
What do you think the odds are that the Clarksfield cpus will make their way into an iMac?
So? You have an on-die memory controller freeing up the FSB for all the rest of the I/O. In a laptop you only have need for one really high performance slot, the graphics card. The rest, USB, firewire, SATA, audio, the FSB bus is overkill.
no FSB on these cpus and firewire, wifi, networking all needed there own pci-e lane
no FSB on these cpus and firewire, wifi, networking all needed there own pci-e lane
They have a front side bus called DMI; a dedicated connection to the southbridge. This is in addition to the 16 PCIe lanes.
What do you think the odds are that the Clarksfield cpus will make their way into an iMac?
Apple can do whatever they want. My only problem with Clarksfield is that it will be expensive (just like the current mobile quads at $350-850-1,050). In the iMac that could lead to a $500 price increase in the mid/high-end models vs the current custom C2D. Given what Apple has done with the new Mac Pro, it wouldn't surprise me if they release a couple of 24" iMac "Pro" in the fall at $2199/2499.
Moving to 65W desktop quads (s series at $245-320-369) would have been a more customer-friendly solution. nvidia has a single chip desktop chipset that supports those cpus (9300/9400). And Intel has planned to release 65W Lynnfield cpus early 2010.
While I'm at it, LV Xeons (50-60W) would be (IMO) a nicer solution for the high-end iMac than current/clarksfield mobile quads.
Also I think that the iMac lacks matching displays and some kind of expansion slot (ExpressCard, AMD's XGH,...).
I don't think we will see a quad-core notebook from Apple before the end of 2010.
no FSB on these cpus and firewire, wifi, networking all needed there own pci-e lane
THere is absolutly no difference between the current architecture (CPU+NB+SB) and the mobile nehalem one (CPU+ IOH) in terms of the number of lanes/ports available. The new CPU is equivalent to the old cpu+NB and the IOH is equivalent to the SB. The NB used to be linked to the SB by a DMI bus, the new CPU is linked to the new IOH by a DMI bus. The IOH will have all the ports and PCIe lanes that you used to get on a SB.
It seems to me that Apple are committed to mobile cpus in the iMac. I hope we see Clarksfield instead of Arrandale as Clarksfield should be 'higher' performing compared to
Arrandale.
whatever... don't expect nehalem notebooks before early 2010.
The Clarksfields cpus are expensive 55W parts that will never see the inside of a MacBook (Pro).
Dual-core nehalem mobile cpus (Arrandale) will be available early 2010 (maybe a tad before Xmas, but that doesn't mean Apple will be able to ship them).
If anything happens this year, it will probably be just a speedbump of the current penryn cpus. New versions are planned for late this quarter, and they could be used in a late Summer refresh from Apple (MB up to 2.66GHz, MBA up to 2.13GHz, MBP up to 3.06GHz).
FSB or quickpath, number and type of PCIe lanes are pretty much irrelevant on Apple's (and most) notebooks.
16 PCIe 2.0 lanes are more that enough for the low-midrange gpus Apple is using in the notebooks and any low-end southbridge/ioh will offer twice the ports capacity Apple provides to the user.
mjteix seems to have the minority view. Anyone else with him?
so current architecture unibody mbp + Snow Leopard = no problem?
We shouldn't discount the possibility of a custom Clarksfield processor with lower TDP (45-35w) just for Apple. The iMacs use mobile processors that are custom, in that no other PC maker uses them.
Why do that? The current iMac CPUs are 55 watt parts IIRC. That's why many of us were disappointed that Apple didn't adopt the 65 watt low power desk top CPU at the last refresh. It's not that big of a leap to do so, it would seem.
I'm more inclined to think that Apple will use an overclocked Arrandsle chip in the next iMac. Maybe another minor Pemrun speed bump along the way. Maybe not.
As to the OP question, I really doubt that the laptops will see Clarksvield chips. Apple are't going to redesign the new unibody enclosures to handle hotter chips. The iMac would be lucky to get these chips.
Why do that? The current iMac CPUs are 55 watt parts IIRC. That's why many of us were disappointed that Apple didn't adopt the 65 watt low power desk top CPU at the last refresh. It's not that big of a leap to do so, it would seem.
I'm more inclined to think that Apple will use an overclocked Arrandsle chip in the next iMac. Maybe another minor Pemrun speed bump along the way. Maybe not.
As to the OP question, I really doubt that the laptops will see Clarksvield chips. Apple are't going to redesign the new unibody enclosures to handle hotter chips. The iMac would be lucky to get these chips.
I was thinking for the MacBook Pros.