I'm hoping the Macbook Pro (uurg, hate the name) will mature to gain an eSATA port, that would solve the problem of the lost FW800. I'm assuming the 945M motherboard the macbook has didnt support eSATA on the intel sata controller? I also think the speed dump on the DVD burner was because there is no notebook sized sata DL burner available? I guess the 17" version will have the 2.0Ghz or 2.13 ghz Core Duo processor, (the 2.13Ghz is not yet available). I seriously doubt Apple will wait for Conroe before updating the 17", thats still six months away.
Is the DVD drive SATA as well? I know for certain the hard drive is, i did not read any info about the DVD drive being SATA. The Hardware Dev doc should be out in a week or so, we will see for sure then.
If this is the case then Apple should have saved a shedload of room inside using PCI-e, SATA etc they should have plenty of room for 2 more USB ports, another Firewire port, S-Video and an internal modem.
Is the DVD drive SATA as well? I know for certain the hard drive is, i did not read any info about the DVD drive being SATA. The Hardware Dev doc should be out in a week or so, we will see for sure then.
If this is the case then Apple should have saved a shedload of room inside using PCI-e, SATA etc they should have plenty of room for 2 more USB ports, another Firewire port, S-Video and an internal modem.
Its only a guess, it makes no sense to downgrade the optical drive just for the sake of it, unless the one in the Powerbook G4 cant fit or has the wrong connector (IDE). HMurch, that sata expresscard looks good, as long as it works on the Macbook it should silence the FW800 whiners.
Obviously, a 17" MacBook Pro at around $2999 will be released sometime in the near future. My bet would be within the next 3 months with perhaps a 2.0 GHz Core Duo and some other features to make it worth the price. Maybe a 1920x1200 screen resolution will finally be offered, at least as an option.
A 12" MacBook Pro might never come to exist and a supposed 13.3" iBook/Intel will replace it if the rumors about thinner iBook/Intel laptops are true. Remember the 12" Powerbook G4 was just a souped up iBook G4.
If Apple has really changed, the MacBook Pro could possibly be updated every 3 or 4 months too, so a 15.4" MacBook Pro could have 2 GHz option in 3 months along with the 17", with prices changed accordingly.
By Q3, it's going to be a 2 GHz Merom which translates to about 20 to 30% more performance per clock, 64 bit with 4+ GB memory support (if 2 GB SO-DIMM modules are affordable), maybe 800 MHz FSB and other Intel goodies.
After that, maybe a 2.33 GHz Merom in Q1 07. 1067 MHz FSB might be affordable in a laptop in 1H 07, but who knows.
As for the iMac, a 65 Watt TDP, 2.16/2.33 GHz Conroe should definitely be possible. The 2.1 GHz 970fx that was in the previous iMac most likely around 60 Watts max power consumption, so Conroe isn't out of the question. Conroe should be cheaper than Merom, so it would be advantageous for Apple to use it. 2.16 and 2.33 GHz Conroes are also low hanging fruit too since it will probably debut at 2.6, maybe 2.8 GHz, for $1000+ per chip.
If Apple has really changed, the MacBook Pro could possibly be updated every 3 or 4 months too, so a 15.4" MacBook Pro could have 2 GHz option in 3 months along with the 17", with prices changed accordingly.
With Intel normal release schedule it has to happen otherwise Apple will be perpetually 1 release of chips behind.. they just cannot do the 6-9 month update cycle anymore. Better for us to buy when we need rather than wait for expos and events.. better for them cause they have a more even buying season.. harder because they will need to be on top of their stock level game.
All up, hopefully much better for us, the consumer, their customers.
Exclusive: Intel will announce Merom in September 2006
[EDIT: as Telomar said it before in the other thread]
Quote:
Intel is on track to introduce its next-generation mobile processor "Merom", which will also serve for as foundation for a range of desktop and server processors, in September of this year, TG Daily has learned. Merom will launch at 2.33 GHz and bring 64-bit capability to a refreshed mobile processor platform, code-named Napa64.
Merom processor will bring higher frequencies and 64-bit support.
Napa64 chipset succeeding Napa will bring HDMI, HD audio and a trusted platform module (but don't iMac and MacBook Pro already have a TPM?)
Then in 2007, another chipset for Merom succeeding Napa64: Santa Rosa.
Santa Rosa was originally designed to bring DDR3 memory, FSB 1066 and HD hardware decoding, but latest information says it will fail to (in what order of magnitude, nobody knows). Fortunately ATI and NVIDIA GPUs do hardware decoding.
Please also note that Conroe is officially announced for July 2006.
Only remains the release date for the Xeon Woodcrest. The Inquirer says "Q2 2006", so June.
With Intel normal release schedule it has to happen otherwise Apple will be perpetually 1 release of chips behind.. they just cannot do the 6-9 month update cycle anymore. Better for us to buy when we need rather than wait for expos and events.. better for them cause they have a more even buying season.. harder because they will need to be on top of their stock level game.
All up, hopefully much better for us, the consumer, their customers.
I agree 100% with everything you said. Now the $64 question: Will Apple really do it?
Apple likes its fat profit margins, and after (almost) 30 years they know we (the consumers/prosumers/pros) will gripe about it but still pay the extra...
The mac book pro is based around an Intel motherboard. It says the model in the sytem profiler and conversations with people in the know at the expo, said it was.
I might have heard wrong (i wasn't paying too much attention) but i heard intel 945? as the board? I might be confused.
Comments
mac mini = core single
MacBook= core duo ( yonah vers. )
imac= core duo ( merom vers )
MacBook Pro = core duo ( merom vers )
Powermac = ? Conroe or Woodcrest ( keeping quad configuration ? )
Originally posted by Thereubster
I'm hoping the Macbook Pro (uurg, hate the name) will mature to gain an eSATA port, that would solve the problem of the lost FW800. I'm assuming the 945M motherboard the macbook has didnt support eSATA on the intel sata controller? I also think the speed dump on the DVD burner was because there is no notebook sized sata DL burner available? I guess the 17" version will have the 2.0Ghz or 2.13 ghz Core Duo processor, (the 2.13Ghz is not yet available). I seriously doubt Apple will wait for Conroe before updating the 17", thats still six months away.
Is the DVD drive SATA as well? I know for certain the hard drive is, i did not read any info about the DVD drive being SATA. The Hardware Dev doc should be out in a week or so, we will see for sure then.
If this is the case then Apple should have saved a shedload of room inside using PCI-e, SATA etc they should have plenty of room for 2 more USB ports, another Firewire port, S-Video and an internal modem.
Originally posted by Targon
Is the DVD drive SATA as well? I know for certain the hard drive is, i did not read any info about the DVD drive being SATA. The Hardware Dev doc should be out in a week or so, we will see for sure then.
If this is the case then Apple should have saved a shedload of room inside using PCI-e, SATA etc they should have plenty of room for 2 more USB ports, another Firewire port, S-Video and an internal modem.
Its only a guess, it makes no sense to downgrade the optical drive just for the sake of it, unless the one in the Powerbook G4 cant fit or has the wrong connector (IDE). HMurch, that sata expresscard looks good, as long as it works on the Macbook it should silence the FW800 whiners.
A 12" MacBook Pro might never come to exist and a supposed 13.3" iBook/Intel will replace it if the rumors about thinner iBook/Intel laptops are true. Remember the 12" Powerbook G4 was just a souped up iBook G4.
If Apple has really changed, the MacBook Pro could possibly be updated every 3 or 4 months too, so a 15.4" MacBook Pro could have 2 GHz option in 3 months along with the 17", with prices changed accordingly.
By Q3, it's going to be a 2 GHz Merom which translates to about 20 to 30% more performance per clock, 64 bit with 4+ GB memory support (if 2 GB SO-DIMM modules are affordable), maybe 800 MHz FSB and other Intel goodies.
After that, maybe a 2.33 GHz Merom in Q1 07. 1067 MHz FSB might be affordable in a laptop in 1H 07, but who knows.
As for the iMac, a 65 Watt TDP, 2.16/2.33 GHz Conroe should definitely be possible. The 2.1 GHz 970fx that was in the previous iMac most likely around 60 Watts max power consumption, so Conroe isn't out of the question. Conroe should be cheaper than Merom, so it would be advantageous for Apple to use it. 2.16 and 2.33 GHz Conroes are also low hanging fruit too since it will probably debut at 2.6, maybe 2.8 GHz, for $1000+ per chip.
Originally posted by ghstmars
hmurchison, so when the transition is over
mac mini = core single
MacBook= core duo ( yonah vers. )
imac= core duo ( merom vers )
MacBook Pro = core duo ( merom vers )
Powermac = ? Conroe or Woodcrest ( keeping quad configuration ? )
I personaly think it would be more like:
Mac mini = Yohan Core Duo
MacBook = Yohan Core Duo
iMac = Merom Core Duo
MacBook Pro = Merom Core Duo
ProMac = Conroe (dual-core single CPU) and/or Woodcrest (dual/quad-core single/dual CPU)
Xserve = Woodcrest (dual/quad-core single/dual CPU)
I really think that Apple will distinguish itself by offering nothing but dual-core CPUs from the beginning on all Intel Macs...
Originally posted by THT
If Apple has really changed, the MacBook Pro could possibly be updated every 3 or 4 months too, so a 15.4" MacBook Pro could have 2 GHz option in 3 months along with the 17", with prices changed accordingly.
With Intel normal release schedule it has to happen otherwise Apple will be perpetually 1 release of chips behind.. they just cannot do the 6-9 month update cycle anymore. Better for us to buy when we need rather than wait for expos and events.. better for them cause they have a more even buying season.. harder because they will need to be on top of their stock level game.
All up, hopefully much better for us, the consumer, their customers.
[EDIT: as Telomar said it before in the other thread]
Intel is on track to introduce its next-generation mobile processor "Merom", which will also serve for as foundation for a range of desktop and server processors, in September of this year, TG Daily has learned. Merom will launch at 2.33 GHz and bring 64-bit capability to a refreshed mobile processor platform, code-named Napa64.
See the complete article at TGdaily.
So Yonah will live just for 9 months...
Merom processor will bring higher frequencies and 64-bit support.
Napa64 chipset succeeding Napa will bring HDMI, HD audio and a trusted platform module (but don't iMac and MacBook Pro already have a TPM?)
Then in 2007, another chipset for Merom succeeding Napa64: Santa Rosa.
Santa Rosa was originally designed to bring DDR3 memory, FSB 1066 and HD hardware decoding, but latest information says it will fail to (in what order of magnitude, nobody knows). Fortunately ATI and NVIDIA GPUs do hardware decoding.
Please also note that Conroe is officially announced for July 2006.
Only remains the release date for the Xeon Woodcrest. The Inquirer says "Q2 2006", so June.
Originally posted by gsxrboy
With Intel normal release schedule it has to happen otherwise Apple will be perpetually 1 release of chips behind.. they just cannot do the 6-9 month update cycle anymore. Better for us to buy when we need rather than wait for expos and events.. better for them cause they have a more even buying season.. harder because they will need to be on top of their stock level game.
All up, hopefully much better for us, the consumer, their customers.
I agree 100% with everything you said. Now the $64 question: Will Apple really do it?
Originally posted by Lust
I'm just worried about the prices. :-S
Safe bet to say that they won't go up...
But probably won't go down much either...
Apple likes its fat profit margins, and after (almost) 30 years they know we (the consumers/prosumers/pros) will gripe about it but still pay the extra...
I might have heard wrong (i wasn't paying too much attention) but i heard intel 945? as the board? I might be confused.
Originally posted by Blackcat
How do you know it's an Intel motherboard?
Originally posted by ghstmars
What's Next in the MacBook Pro lines?
They'll replace the 15" model with a new 15" version that has all the removed features of the PowerBook line back in place.