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Next Generation Intel Platform (Santa Rosa) Tracking For May

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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TG Daily reports that Intel's next generation mobile platform, code-named Santa Rosa, is currently tracking for a May release.

The platform will feature many improvements over today's incarnation found in the iMac, MacBook, and MacBook Pro. While the processor will remain of the Core 2 Duo "Merom" variety and will top out at 2.4 GHz, the front side bus speed will be increased to 800 MHz.

Also, systems that use integrated graphics (MacBook, Mac Mini) will stand to see a big boost from Intel's latest graphics technology. The GMA X3000 will implement several important graphics features in hardware and support pixel and vertex shader models 3.0, whereas GMA 950 only supports pixel shader model 2.0. This improvement will no doubt be a boost for casual gamers and for Apple's desire to include even more impressive visual effects in their systems.

Lastly, Santa Rosa will feature Intel's flash caching technology, code-named Robson. The technology should bring better system performance, especially in the areas of battery life, system startup, and access of frequently used applications.
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2007/02/25/next-generation-intel-platform-santa-rosa-tracking-for-may/
P-Worm

P-Worm

macrumors 68020
Jul 16, 2002
2,045
1
Salt Lake City, UT
I think the part I find most interesting is that the mac mini and macbook are getting Pixel shader model 3.0. Hopefully we can start getting some games for the Mac platform.

P-Worm
 
U

Ultimatetone

macrumors member
Feb 29, 2004
41
0
Macrumors said:
...Santa Rosa will feature Intel's flash caching technology, code-named Robson.

The technology should bring better system performance,
especially in the areas of battery life, system startup, and access of frequently used applications.
Click to expand...

FINALLY -

This is what I have been waiting for from INTEL!

Hey Steve (J) - You're on top of this, right?


Ultimatetone
 
mkrishnan

mkrishnan

Moderator emeritus
Jan 9, 2004
29,776
15
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
P-Worm said:
I think the part I find most interesting is that the mac mini and macbook are getting Pixel shader model 3.0. Hopefully we can start getting some games for the Mac platform.
Click to expand...

Sounds like possibly also DirectX 10 in Vista, should people be so inclined. Hopefully we'll see this roll out quickly to the MacBook and Mini, alongside a C2D update in the Mini.

For the others, it does still sounds like this will mean a small bump in speed by virtue of the FSB and so on. I wonder if any of them will allow for simultaneous use of both their ATI/etc graphics chipset and their Intel one, as some of the Windows computers do?

Also, I wonder if Apple still plans to not use Robson caching?
 
Vidd

Vidd

macrumors 65816
Mar 7, 2006
1,001
108
This is exactly what I'm waiting for along with Leopard.
I'm wondering though based on the very low upgrade to Merom, how quickly Apple will put Santa Rosa into its lower end laptops.
 
thejadedmonkey

thejadedmonkey

macrumors G3
May 28, 2005
9,182
3,339
Pennsylvania
Vidd said:
This is exactly what I'm waiting for along with Leopard.
I'm wondering though based on the very low upgrade to Merom, how quickly Apple will put Santa Rosa into its lower end laptops.
Click to expand...

Hopefully soon. All the bad PR Apple gets about the MacBook is a lack of a read GPU. The x3000 (while not nVidia or ATI) is such a huge step up that it would stop most of the bitching people do, solving the PR problem. I think it'll happen fast.

And it'll give the MBP a longer battery life, so it'll probably happen there fast too!

Samwise592 said:
I'm hoping very soon, as that's what I'm waiting for before i buy a MacBook.
Click to expand...
Me too
 
Grimace

Grimace

macrumors 68040
Feb 17, 2003
3,568
226
with Hamburglar.
Right, but Apple rarely has the latest and greatest available immediately. I'd say we'll have a month or two of "Where is my Santa Rosa machine?" threads. :rolleyes:
 
nsbio

nsbio

macrumors 6502a
Aug 8, 2006
634
0
NC
Grimace said:
Right, but Apple rarely has the latest and greatest available immediately. I'd say we'll have a month or two of "Where is my Santa Rosa machine?" threads. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Maybe I am wrong (so do not throw too much flak at me then), but wasn't :apple: one of the first to implement C2D chip in a laptop?
 
C

colinmack

macrumors regular
Feb 25, 2006
246
1
Personally, I'm more keen about the fact that the X3000 supports dual independent displays.
 
B

brucku

macrumors regular
Jun 19, 2003
193
20
reply

phillipjfry said:
Figures, I decide to order an iMac and they go and update the chips :)
At least the mini is getting an update. My gf will love to hear that!
Click to expand...

While this is great news, it's the "on track for May" that's new. This chip has been talked about for a few months now.
 
Swarmlord

Swarmlord

macrumors 6502a
Sep 18, 2006
535
0
Vidd said:
This is exactly what I'm waiting for along with Leopard.
I'm wondering though based on the very low upgrade to Merom, how quickly Apple will put Santa Rosa into its lower end laptops.
Click to expand...

Yup. Me too. I figured there was some hardware upgrade in the works that would release in conjunction with Leopard and it looks like that's exactly what's going to happen.
 
Umbongo

Umbongo

macrumors 601
Sep 14, 2006
4,934
55
England
Grimace said:
Right, but Apple rarely has the latest and greatest available immediately. I'd say we'll have a month or two of "Where is my Santa Rosa machine?" threads. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Being that in all likely hood Apple's whole line except the Mac Pro will be based on this platform, I'd expect a reasonably quick rollout. Apple will have been working with this for a while developing the next line of products.
 
Eidorian

Eidorian

macrumors Penryn
Mar 23, 2005
29,190
386
Indianapolis
Vidd said:
Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly does that mean?
Click to expand...
It'll support two monitors outside of the onboard LCD.

Rocketman said:
Isn't one of the several benefits the ability to address more than 3.0GB of memory? And a "true" 64 bit bus rather than parts 64 and parts 32?

Rocketman
Click to expand...
Correct. It'll be a pain with only two memory sockets though.

Umbongo said:
Being that in all likely hood Apple's whole line except the Mac Pro will be based on this platform, I'd expect a reasonably quick rollout. Apple will have been working with this for a while developing the next line of products.
Click to expand...
The 965 (Santa Rosa) is the latest update over the current 945 (Napa) platform. Everything but the Mac Pro uses 945 right now. So expect all the lines to be upgraded to the Santa Rosa platform except the Mac Pro.

That is unless Apple makes some changes to the other lines...

Umbongo said:
Being that in all likely hood Apple's whole line except the Mac Pro will be based on this platform, I'd expect a reasonably quick rollout. Apple will have been working with this for a while developing the next line of products.
Click to expand...

Mavimao said:
I'm very interested in this new integrated graphics chip. I don't really understand the pixel shader lingo, could anyone describe in real-world use, how this is better than the old Intel Integrated Graphics?
Click to expand...
No more running 3D games in software emulation mode for transform and lighting. In essence it makes the Intel integrated graphics card much more like REAL video cards have been since 2001.
 
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