quad macbook pros soon?

LabR@t · 20 Aug 2008 at 18:38

Dadi Perlmutter, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Intel’s Mobility Group, announced that Intel has launched its first mobile quad-core processors based on the company’s 45nm Penryn architecture during his keynote.

The first processors will be the Core 2 Extreme QX9300 and Core 2 Quad Q9100 and will come clocked at 2.53GHz and 2.26GHz respectively. Both feature a 1,066MHz front side bus and 12MB of L2 cache.

reckon new macbooks will be quad core

jkmoogle · 20 Aug 2008 at 19:56

Highly doubtful. Maybe in the future, but not soon. The mobile processors have been announced, but I believe not available until Q2 2009. That's what I took from it anyway. Even still, the power consumption will also be an issue to apple, and as of now, they haven't used the "Extreme" processors in their mobile range at all, so the chances of a sudden change are low. However, this is Apple, and Jobs' has a habit of nonsensical releases, take the last MB and MB Pro updates with custom processors for example. But either way, HIGHLY doubtful, but we can all dream!

+EDIT+
Just a quick note to this one, made a little wrong presumption, mobile quad core WILL be available in a month or so. I was thinking of Nehalem (Core i7). But still, the argument of never having used the "extreme" processors before still stands

JK

LabR@t · 20 Aug 2008 at 21:17

Intel has announced the introduction of small form factor Penryn and Montevina chips at IDF – these will introduce a new breed of sleek and stylish Centrino 2 notebooks.

There will be eight small form factor mobile processors, including two Power Optimised performance chips, two new low-voltage and two new ultra-low voltage Core 2 Duos, along with new Core 2 Solo and Celeron processors.

The new CPU packaging measures just 22 x 22mm—which compares to the standard 35 x 35mm—while the TDPs are also said to be lower than the 35W TDP carried by Intel’s standard mobile Core 2 Duo processors.

Additionally, Intel has announced the introduction of the Intel GS45 Express chipset, which is a full-featured small form factor of the GM45 Express chipset that’s at the heart of the Montevina platform. The two chips that make up the GS45 Express chipset are just 25 x 27mm and 16 x 16mm, compared to 34 x 34mm and 31 x 31mm respectively.

I guess this means the rumours about the Penryn update for the Macbook Air might actually come true. Let’s hope Apple fixes the other problems with the Macbook Air at the same time...

from a site i can't mention

looks good though

FreeStream · 20 Aug 2008 at 21:28

My next MBP will have either a 2.8ghz C2D or a 2.4Ghz C2Q in it.

Can't wait

iMacMart · 26 Aug 2008 at 22:12

I'm thinking about a MBP is there any price drops planned???

Seen some brand new one's on the bay, I'd collect in person though to make sure everything was 100%

NickK · 26 Aug 2008 at 23:07

Other rumours are that the new series of MBP will do 8GB without the issues the current MBPs have when used with 2x4GB SODIMMs (gets to allocating over 4GB and then OSX goes into go-slow mode).

starfighter · 26 Aug 2008 at 23:27

forget the processor, the 8600GT is about 2 years old! we need grafix.

bigredshark · 26 Aug 2008 at 23:37

starfighter said:
forget the processor, the 8600GT is about 2 years old! we need grafix.

No we don't, it's not a gaming machine. A new graphics card would make no difference to day to day performance for me and a lot of other users, a quad core would make a huge difference.

If we do get one this year I suspect it'll be a special version for apple, maybe clocked a little power to push down the power usage and heat...

NickK · 26 Aug 2008 at 23:41

actually a GPU that doesn't cook things would be good

FreeStream · 27 Aug 2008 at 22:18

bigredshark said:
No we don't, it's not a gaming machine. A new graphics card would make no difference to day to day performance for me and a lot of other users, a quad core would make a huge difference.

If we do get one this year I suspect it'll be a special version for apple, maybe clocked a little power to push down the power usage and heat...

I disagree.

The GPU *is* outdated now.

There is new technology now that reduces power usage at desktop with the power to get 10k 3D Mark 2005 (which is roughly what a X1900XT was doing Jan 2006).

Its about time we got a new GPU as for me, im still missing the GPU power of a desktop. I don't want a top GPU, I just don't want something that is 20% of the power of something new or 40% of something that is nearly 3 years old!!!

Quad + 4870M + 4Gb + 500gb 7200RPM = win

NickK · 27 Aug 2008 at 23:49

8GB would be good as an option too - there's plenty of real word applications that would make use of it as well as virtualisation.

bigredshark · 28 Aug 2008 at 00:05

Concorde Rules said:
I disagree.

The GPU *is* outdated now.

There is new technology now that reduces power usage at desktop with the power to get 10k 3D Mark 2005 (which is roughly what a X1900XT was doing Jan 2006).

Its about time we got a new GPU as for me, im still missing the GPU power of a desktop. I don't want a top GPU, I just don't want something that is 20% of the power of something new or 40% of something that is nearly 3 years old!!!

Quad + 4870M + 4Gb + 500gb 7200RPM = win

What professional use though? It's not and I don't think will ever get options for gaming so what pro app is going to use a 4870m usefully?

I don't believe the 500GB drives exist yet and it's not like apple ever kept up with hard drive space increases, 4GB isn't enough on a pro machine particularly a quad core so that needs to go up to 8GB...

Adrianr · 28 Aug 2008 at 00:11

These chips will also be used in the new iMacs i presume? Or would be eventually?

bigredshark · 28 Aug 2008 at 00:14

Adrianr said:
These chips will also be used in the new iMacs i presume? Or would be eventually?

More likely before the macbook pro, less cooling problems in the imac...

1337z0r · 28 Aug 2008 at 08:01

If they release a quad MBP with proper support of 8GB of ram I would seriously consider buying one and use it as my main machine along with a Matrox Tripple Head 2 GO to power 2 x 24" monitors. The only reason I may buy a Mac Pro next year is because I need more ram and at least a quad, but a Quad MBP with 8GB would be the icing on the cake.

steveo · 28 Aug 2008 at 11:59

what would be the chances of quad imacs in the near future :confused:

i only ask as am looking at getting one and the specs of the current ones just dont do it for me at present

FreeStream · 28 Aug 2008 at 17:46

bigredshark said:
What professional use though? It's not and I don't think will ever get options for gaming so what pro app is going to use a 4870m usefully?

I don't believe the 500GB drives exist yet and it's not like apple ever kept up with hard drive space increases, 4GB isn't enough on a pro machine particularly a quad core so that needs to go up to 8GB...

I agree with no pro use for high powered GPU, but I do have a use for it as I really don't want to shell out another £500/600 or even more to build a desktop just for a better GPU so I can run FS-X occasionally.

Other laptops by the end of the year with new GPUs hitting 10k 2005 with the same TDP as a 8600GTM.

Its not just about what is or isn't needed, its about the value for money too. Apple is pushing it as it is without being behind in GPUs (although from what i've seen atm its only 8700GTM - but give it time for ATi to get its new chips to manufacturers!).

I think in the new line we will see a new GPU.

Edit: That spec is my perfect spec. I don't need 8Gb (yet) in lightroom, but a quad, 320Gb 7200RPM and a nice new GPU and im sold!