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Why doesn't Macbook Pro not offer Nvidia Quadro FX graphic cards?

waywardsage

waywardsage

macrumors 6502
Original poster
I'm just curious why Mac doesn't offer BTO Nvidia Quatro FX graphic cards? I mean, aren't they the standard for most graphically intensive professional software programs?

Nvidia just released the Quadro FX 3600m. HP has them in one of their top of the line notebook.

http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/21/nvidia-unveils-quadro-fx-3600m-for-laptops/

I LOVE Apple. But it just seems like Apple is content with over charging for year old hardware. I mean, charge what they want, but offer options. It is the MACBOOK PRO after all!
 
Why doesn't I has use the double negative?

On a more serious note, I think the common response is power consumption.
 
Bubba Satori said:
No, Dell and Hp just announced Penryn laptops with the new Quadro FX 3600 M. I'll get one of those if the new MBP doesn't offer an option for that card. I'd love to have a MPB, but I need the Quadro card for 3D work.
Click to expand...

Yes but, Dell and HP don't make laptops that are 1" thick when closed. I compared my MacBook to my classmate's Latitude, my laptop, lid closed is thinner than his, lid open. And I have the thickest Intel Mac laptop, so cramming a new Quadro into a MacBook Pro shell is well... probably quite tricky.
 
Sorry about the double negative, didn't read the subject before I posted it. I'd be nice if they offered options with the PRO. It kinda sucks that the Macbook Pro is so limited in its build. It's a sweet looking machine, thats why i'm buying one. I just wished they'd offer more bleeding edge kit BTO.
 
maybe because the fx 3600 M sucks 70watts of power? compared to 22watts for the 8600GT M

but sure if you only want an hour of battery life then yeah a 3600 M is definitely an option for the MBP

"BUT WAIT!!" you might say

other OEMs have higher battery life than that..ok sure, their notebooks are also 3" thick and have batteries that weight 10lbs
 
TheStu said:
Yes but, Dell and HP don't make laptops that are 1" thick when closed. I compared my MacBook to my classmate's Latitude, my laptop, lid closed is thinner than his, lid open. And I have the thickest Intel Mac laptop, so cramming a new Quadro into a MacBook Pro shell is well... probably quite tricky.
Click to expand...

Yes, but that's not the issue I was addressing, which was about Nvidia Quadro's being too hot. If Apple doesn't offer a Quadro option because of the point you bring up, I will get a Boxx, HP or Dell. Performance in 3D apps is a higher priority for me than the thinnist possible chassis. I really would rather be working in in OS X. Maybe I'll get lucky.
 
squeeks said:
maybe because the fx 3600 M sucks 70watts of power? compared to 22watts for the 8600GT M

but sure if you only want an hour of battery life then yeah a 3600 M is definitely an option for the MBP

"BUT WAIT!!" you might say

other OEMs have higher battery life than that..ok sure, their notebooks are also 3" thick and have batteries that weight 10lbs
Click to expand...

I would be content with 90 minutes on the battery. It will be plugged in 80% of the time any way. Think you're off a little bit on the weight of the batteries. I would also get an APC external battery for the bottom of the laptop that gives you another 4 hours or so of battery life.
 
Bubba Satori said:
I would be content with 90 minutes on the battery.
Click to expand...

yea, i wouldn't. Apple would rather tailor their laptops to a wider demographic than just 3d designers (i.e. college students, who are on the go a lot of the time). I like being able to have my laptop portable for two classes instead of being tethered to a plug.
 
e12a said:
yea, i wouldn't. Apple would rather tailor their laptops to a wider demographic than just 3d designers (i.e. college students, who are on the go a lot of the time). I like being able to have my laptop portable for two classes instead of being tethered to a plug.
Click to expand...

Choice is good. An 8800 for you. A Quadro for me. Let's hope we both get what we want. :apple:
 
i would also think its a cost factor.

Since apple develops/designs their own hardware, it would take a lot more money to redesign the internals (logicboard, case) to accommodate a larger and more powerful GPU. Not to mention the 85w power supply is relatively weak for what appears to be a 70w GPU. You'd be drawing power from the battery as well despite being plugged in. So a new power supply will be needed as well.
 
e12a said:
i would also think its a cost factor.

Since apple develops/designs their own hardware, it would take a lot more money to redesign the internals (logicboard, case) to accommodate a larger and more powerful GPU. Not to mention the 85w power supply is relatively weak for what appears to be a 70w GPU. You'd be drawing power from the battery as well despite being plugged in. So a new power supply will be needed as well.
Click to expand...


Doesn't seem an insurmountable obstacle. They increase the price for it like every other vendor does for the models they offer with the Quadro. The power supply issue is addressed by all the other vendors offering the Quadro and is also factored into a higher retail price. Which I'm quite happy to pay. If Apple were a small third tier cheapo pc clone company I could understand their unwillingness or inability to market and sell a mobile workstation configuration as an option on the MBP. But they're not. They make the best operating system and computers for content creation professionals. :apple:
 
squeeks said:
maybe because the fx 3600 M sucks 70watts of power? compared to 22watts for the 8600GT M

but sure if you only want an hour of battery life then yeah a 3600 M is definitely an option for the MBP

"BUT WAIT!!" you might say

other OEMs have higher battery life than that..ok sure, their notebooks are also 3" thick and have batteries that weight 10lbs
Click to expand...

*gasp* a 10 lbs laptop!?!?!? What is this world coming to?!!! 😱
 
Bubba Satori said:
7.5 pounds for the 17" model and 5.5 pounds for the 15.4 version. It's also available with blu-ray. Apple can build this if they want to. I hope they do. :apple:

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF04a/321957-321957-64295-321838-3329741.html
Click to expand...

Yeah, the exclusion of Blu ray is really annoying. The 17" MBP, (which i'm wating for) could easily accomidate the Panasonic slot loading blu ray drive out there. The format war is over too! It's rediculous that Apple won't even offer it as a BTO option.

BTO is BUILT TO ORDER Apple! I'm special ordering it for my needs. So why such a limitation on options when all your competitors are offering better BTO options?
 
Get a Mac Pro or a desktop if you need design power.

It keeps baffling me why people want more POWER from Laptops with same battery life.

Ummn, idea of a laptop is you pick it up and us it around wirelessly as long as possible.

I couldn't care less about having a stupidly powerful graphics in my laptop, and only a small amount of people (1 or so % of MBP users need it) and more likely than not have a powerhouse of a desktop!

So no, apple shouldn't. They should however have BR/SSDs in them, although only when they are cheap! 😀
 
Concorde Rules said:
Get a Mac Pro or a desktop if you need design power.

It keeps baffling me why people want more POWER from Laptops with same battery life.

Ummn, idea of a laptop is you pick it up and us it around wirelessly as long as possible.

I couldn't care less about having a stupidly powerful graphics in my laptop, and only a small amount of people (1 or so % of MBP users need it) and more likely than not have a powerhouse of a desktop!

So no, apple shouldn't. They should however have BR/SSDs in them, although only when they are cheap! 😀
Click to expand...


I just spent some time surfing the competitions websites and found more options on their top of the line laptops. Now, i'll admit, Apples website blows theirs out of the water. I downright got lost on the HP's custom design page. But, they do offer some core technologies that Apple could offer:

built in broadband
Blu ray
eSATA port built in
Other graphics card options

All i'm saying is if apple offered these, it would pretty much destroy the competition! I love the MBP, and thats why i'll be buying one, (It's pretty much necessary for Final Cut.) It just irritates me to see my favorite computer manufacturer fall behind when it could pretty much deliver the killing blow with its top of the line laptop.
 
well if you want a laptop as thick as a mac mini that wont work without being plugged in because the battery will die in 5 minutes, then get a pc. apple makes well rounded laptops that appeal to the majority of people.

plus if someone does so much 3d graphics then why dont you use a desktop.
 
landis said:
well if you want a laptop as thick as a mac mini that wont work without being plugged in because the battery will die in 5 minutes, then get a pc. apple makes well rounded laptops that appeal to the majority of people.

plus if someone does so much 3d graphics then why dont you use a desktop.
Click to expand...

Your hostility is leading you to exagerate a bit. The workstation latops that a dozen or so vendors offer with the Quadro graphics card will get around 90 minutes on a charge, not 5 minutes. I need to do my 3d modeling and animation away from a desk much of the time. It's to bad that seems to threaten you. Like I said earlier, I hope Apple offers the Quadro as an option. If they do, it won't be the end of your svelte, fashionable, laptop world. 😀
 
Bubba Satori said:
Your hostility is leading you to exagerate a bit. The workstation latops that a dozen or so vendors offer with the Quadro graphics card will get around 90 minutes on a charge, not 5 minutes. I need to do my 3d modeling and animation away from a desk much of the time. It's to bad that seems to threaten you. Like I said earlier, I hope Apple offers the Quadro as an option. If they do, it won't be the end of your svelte, fashionable, laptop world. 😀
Click to expand...

WOW! you realized that i was exaggerating, congratulations!

it is still never going to happen, i doubt it would even fit into the thin inclosure. plus, apple would never offer it as a bto option, because then everyone who gets it will start complaining about no battery life and how it has to be plugged in to use it. plus the amount of redesign that apple would have to do will not be worth the 5 laptops sold!
 
I could deal with a laptop a little thicker with more powerful graphics and/or better battery life.
 
squeeks said:
maybe because the fx 3600 M sucks 70watts of power? compared to 22watts for the 8600GT M

but sure if you only want an hour of battery life then yeah a 3600 M is definitely an option for the MBP

"BUT WAIT!!" you might say

other OEMs have higher battery life than that..ok sure, their notebooks are also 3" thick and have batteries that weight 10lbs
Click to expand...


And will last all of 2 minutes on a battery. Honestly people, it's a freaking laptop. If you need a workstation get a damn desktop/tower and stop bitching.

This is like asking why a Ford Focus can't do 0-60 in under 3 seconds, and that Ford should supercharge the engine (among other things) to make it so.
 
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