Are apple likely to use the i3 in any of the Macbooks?

MikeHunt79 · 28 Sep 2010 at 16:25

I know the whole thing about Mac's is that you don't worry about the spec sheet, but I'm surprised to see that Apple are still using the C2D CPU in some of the Macbooks.

I was wondering if they are likely to ever upgrade these to i3 CPU's? Even if there isn't a big speed difference, the i3 is 32nm meaning it should use less power and run cooler which is always nice in a portable.

Rainmaker · 28 Sep 2010 at 16:52

I was wondering about this too, as I'm currently looking at buying a 13" MBP. From what (admittedly little) I've read, Apple may have kept the C2D in the 13" due to i3 needing to change the graphics to integrated Intel HD. Keeping the C2D allowed them to upgrade the onboard gfx to the 350M.

I don't know how true that is, or what bearing it has, but it seems to make sense?

MikeHunt79 · 28 Sep 2010 at 18:08

Oh I see, I do remember hearing that some of the i3 and i5 chips have onboard GFX so I guess this may be the stumbling block for Apple.

Surely using GFX on the CPU would reduce cost though, but if it's slow then it may be a case of 1 step forwards and 2 steps back!

I just wish they did a 13" MPB pro with an i5 or i3 cpu as I much prefer the 13" form factor over the 15" personally.

ps3ud0 · 28 Sep 2010 at 18:12

As Rainmaker said - they couldnt fit all the chips into the 13" motherboard without cutting corners (removing the dedicated nVidia solution) which would have killed any GFX performance...

Im sure theyll eventually get i3s onto the 13", but that was enough for me to have to get a 15"...

ps3ud0 :cool:

MikeHunt79 · 28 Sep 2010 at 19:12

I see, so it's possible sometime at somepoint, I guess it could be done in one of the smaller refreshes really... I'm not really too concerned about GFX performance, I'd take longer battery life if it was an option.

If so I may see how much longer my good old 13" plastic cased Macbook lasts, I'm not desperate for the MBP but even so I'd be lieing if I said I wasn't tempted!

ps3ud0 · 28 Sep 2010 at 20:06

Until Intel make an i3 chip without integrated GFX, I doubt Apple will put the i3 into their 13" laptops. A C2D with a good mobile GPU is probably the more flexible option than an i3 with integrated GFX. The difference between the two GPU options is marked...

ps3ud0 :cool:

kg648 · 28 Sep 2010 at 20:12

Yes, no doubt but it will cost 9 grand more!

pingwing · 28 Sep 2010 at 20:18

Theres an article somewhere that covers this, but basically as said there was no other way to have the 330m in the 13 inch with i3 as its a bit too big considering the chipsets needed so they stuck with the c2d.

Makes sense in the idea that they pitch the macbooks and mbp's as portable graphic studios, or at least better for doing some graphics work than the integrated option could do

topshot · 29 Sep 2010 at 08:11

It was a choice between rubbish graphics and a slightly faster cpu or better graphics and older cpu which isnt exactly slow.

Can't see them doing away with the optical drive either as that would surely allow them to run onboard intel and a dedicated gpu?

pingwing · 29 Sep 2010 at 12:15

topshot said:
Can't see them doing away with the optical drive either as that would surely allow them to run onboard intel and a dedicated gpu?

You'd end up with a fat macbook air which nobody would really want...

The i3 option will probably happen but not till there's a die shrink on the i3 and its chipsets (well probably the chipsets) as they cant realistically go back to the 9xxx series cards (mine is pretty average now)