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shrhaider

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 10, 2006
65
0
Seoul
Am looking to switch to mac after using PCs for years, and need some advice. Waiting on the Macbook, really excited about it. 2 things:

first, given all the speculation that the Macbook's internals will be similar to the Mac Mini, what is the likelihood that the CPU will be socketed rather than soldered (like the MBP)?

second, any guesses about whether the MB will support screen spanning or clamshell mode?


EDIT: Sorry for the newbie questions. obviously I know diddly about laptop manufacturing. thanks for the info.
 

animefx

macrumors regular
May 10, 2005
157
0
Illinois
shrhaider said:
Am looking to switch to mac after using PCs for years, and need some advice. Waiting on the Macbook, really excited about it. 2 things:

first, given all the speculation that the Macbook's internals will be similar to the Mac Mini, what is the likelihood that the CPU will be socketed rather than soldered (like the MBP)?

second, any guesses about whether the MB will support screen spanning or clamshell mode?


Thanks a lot

my suggestion would be to buy the maximum amount of ram when its released, you'll probably see a performance increase... then when there is a macbook thats twice as fast a year or two from now, sell your current macbook and make 68-70% what you paid for it, and reinvest it into a new macbook (faster).
 

shrhaider

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 10, 2006
65
0
Seoul
thanks for the info. like I said, I'm looking forward to the MacBook release, but am also thinking about getting an Intel MacMini instead. The upgradeability is a big factor to me, getting more life out of the product.
 

Gurutech

macrumors 6502
Jan 22, 2006
268
2
Well.
No one even knows the actual specification for "Intel iBook".


so.. no one can really answer your question....

I'm guessing that new ibook won't be user upgradable cpu wise...
 

w8ing4intelmacs

macrumors 6502a
Feb 22, 2006
559
4
East Coast, US
Gurutech said:
Well.
No one even knows the actual specification for "Intel iBook".

What are you talking about? I have some insider information on the specs.

Intel iBook/MacBook
Colors: Red, Green, Light Blue, and, of course, White
Power Supply: MagSafe
Screen Size: 13.3" Widescreen with TV Tuner built-in
Resolution: 1680x1024 ultra high definition
Weight: 2.9 pounds
CPU: 2.0GHz Intel Core Trio processor
Memory: 3GB DDR3-9800 SDRAM (upgradeable to 16GB)
Hard Drive: 1TB with 16GB Flash HD for the OS
Optical Drive: 64x DVD-RW Quad Layer SuperDrive
Software: Mac OS X 10.8 Mufasa with pre-releases of iLife '10 and Final Cut Studio 9 installed
 

tonyl

macrumors 6502
Jan 18, 2006
284
0
w8ing4intelmacs said:
What are you talking about? I have some insider information on the specs.

Intel iBook/MacBook
Colors: Red, Green, Light Blue, and, of course, White
Power Supply: MagSafe
Screen Size: 13.3" Widescreen with TV Tuner built-in
Resolution: 1680x1024 ultra high definition
Weight: 2.9 pounds
CPU: 2.0GHz Intel Core Trio processor
Memory: 3GB DDR3-9800 SDRAM (upgradeable to 16GB)
Hard Drive: 1TB with 16GB Flash HD for the OS
Optical Drive: 64x DVD-RW Quad Layer SuperDrive
Software: Mac OS X 10.8 Mufasa with pre-releases of iLife '10 and Final Cut Studio 9 installed

2.9 Lbs? That's crazy, I'd die for one :D
 

tonyl

macrumors 6502
Jan 18, 2006
284
0
shrhaider said:
thanks for the info. like I said, I'm looking forward to the MacBook release, but am also thinking about getting an Intel MacMini instead. The upgradeability is a big factor to me, getting more life out of the product.

Then why not an intel iMac? It has socket CPU.
 

Nermal

Moderator
Staff member
Dec 7, 2002
20,595
3,936
New Zealand
I believe the MBP uses a socketed CPU. It'll be interesting to see what the new iBook has, although personally I wouldn't change the CPU due to heat issues.
 

yankeefan24

macrumors 65816
Dec 24, 2005
1,104
0
NYC
Nermal said:
I believe the MBP uses a socketed CPU. It'll be interesting to see what the new iBook has, although personally I wouldn't change the CPU due to heat issues.

the MBP CPU is soldered. iMac and mini are socketed.

I wish it was socketed, though.
 

tonyl

macrumors 6502
Jan 18, 2006
284
0
w8ing4intelmacs said:
Oh, really? I would like a list of specific PC laptops with upgradeable CPUs. Model numbers would be helpful.

Dell, IBM, Acer.... esp. Yonah laptops
 

Gurutech

macrumors 6502
Jan 22, 2006
268
2
w8ing4intelmacs said:
Oh, really? I would like a list of specific PC laptops with upgradeable CPUs. Model numbers would be helpful.

My Thinkpad T41 has banias based Pentium M inside clocked at 1.6 Ghz
But it's soketed, and I can upgrade the cpu to Dothan based 2.0 Ghz for pretty cheap.
The north and south bridge chips inside my t41 supports Dothan.
So basically yes. and yes to the post just above this one.

So when Dothan based Pentium M was new, theoritically, I could put the newest CPU inside my laptop..


just one of the examples...
 

tonyl

macrumors 6502
Jan 18, 2006
284
0
Gurutech said:
My Thinkpad T41 has banias based Pentium M inside clocked at 1.6 Ghz
But it's soketed, and I can upgrade the cpu to Dothan based 2.0 Ghz for pretty cheap.
The north and south bridge chips inside my t41 supports Dothan.
So basically yes. and yes to the post just above this one.

So when Dothan based Pentium M was new, theoritically, I could put the newest CPU inside my laptop..


just one of the examples...

Right, I also did it for my Dell i6000 laptop.
 

Laser47

macrumors 6502a
Jan 8, 2004
856
0
Maryland
Just because the mini's CPU is upgradeable does not mean the now ibooks will be. Yea the might be based on the same specs, but its not like they are going to take mini logicboards and shove it into an ibook.
Also as noted before sockets take up a lot of space, so why would they put one in their notebooks?. The only reason almost all PC notebooks have sockets is because the cpu's they use only come in socket form.
 

Gurutech

macrumors 6502
Jan 22, 2006
268
2
Laser47 said:
The only reason almost all PC notebooks have sockets is because the cpu's they use only come in socket form.

not really true...

It all depends on the form factor.
And believe or not, soket motherboard is cheap for both manufacturer and consumer.

Think when you gotta change your MBP motherboard for any reason.. and changing entire motherboard including CPU or unsoldering and soldering old cpu to new motherboard costs more money to them...(and think about possible manufacturing defects... )

That's why most PC vendors adapt soket cpu... unless they have to, (like Toshiba Liberto or one of those really tiny 'laptops'), they use soket cpu.

I'm pretty disappointed with Apple's choice on soldered CPU. Yes the form factor of MBP is beautiful and perfact... but Id rather sacrifice additional .1 or two in. of thickness for better cooling and soket cpu.

Anyhow, it's a great laptop..
 

thecheda

macrumors 6502
Apr 9, 2006
255
0
Los Angeles
?

yankeefan24 said:
the MBP CPU is soldered. iMac and mini are socketed.

I wish it was socketed, though.

We all wish. Just buy now! There will always be something new over the hill.

Sell the new ibook a year or two from now (probably will depreciate down to 60 %) and upgrade to whatever comes out in the future. Ive been doing it for years. My ibook and 12 inch powerbook became a macbook pro overnight.
 

shrhaider

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 10, 2006
65
0
Seoul
I probably will buy the new iBook. Still considering the MacMini. Thanks for all the info.
 
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