Intel To Launch Quad-Core "Mobile" Processor In Q3 2008

[MacRumors]

DigiTimes is reporting that Intel will be set to launch its mobile quad-core processor, the Core 2 Extreme QX9300, in the third quarter of this year.

The processor will carry a hefty price tag at US $1,038 in thousand-unit quantities, and DigiTimes says Intel does not expect demand to really pick up until the second half of 2009. Intel had previously demoed the chip at their Fall Developer Forum.

While the processor looks to be the first quad-core mobile CPU, its adoption will be limited due to its higher-than-average thermal design power of 45 Watts. Other elements of the processor promise to be surprisingly full-featured compared to its desktop counterparts: 2.53 GHz, 1066 MHz front side bus, and 12 MB L2 cache.

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[diamond.g]

Quad Core iMac!!!! (Or 17" MBP)

[iDAG]

I think we will see this in an iMac way before a MacBook Pro.

[bbplayer5]

iMac would rule as a quad!

[longofest]

Originally Posted by iDAG

I think we will see this in an iMac way before a MacBook Pro.

Agreed. It's a bit too hot to put in MBP, but we're getting closer to truly mobile quadcore.

Notice I put mobile in quotes in the story title.

[MartinelliMinim]

THIS IS AWESOME. All i need to know is the exact date when this is to happen so i can sell my MbP and get this one =) finally they are making quadcore laptops. That would be awesome if they put like a 9800M GT graphics card. Lol.

[psychofreak]

Originally Posted by MartinelliMinim

THIS IS AWESOME. All i need to know is the exact date when this is to happen so i can sell my MbP and get this one =) finally they are making quadcore laptops. That would be awesome if they put like a 9800M GT graphics card. Lol.

Likely at least 2010 before the MBPs go Quad.

[JamesMcCain]

ugh, looks like im just going to be buying more then 1 mac now... fantastic!

[Cloudsurfer]

Fantastic news for the iMac!

[milo]

I wish they'd just use the damn desktop chips in the iMac...and we'd have seen a quad core version already.

I know they have a "thin" fetish, but I'd rather see the best price/performance instead.

[psychofreak]

Originally Posted by milo

I wish they'd just use the damn desktop chips in the iMac...and we'd have seen a quad core version already.

I know they have a "thin" fetish, but I'd rather see the best price/performance instead.

Its not gonna happen, especially with mobile chips now getting to be way above the performance most consumers need (most people just use Mail, Safari, iTunes and Word, hardly requiring four cores).

[bmb012]

Would this really benefit the iMac? I mean, I have a quad core Mac Pro, and I only get all 4 of those cores singing every once in a while, and it's mainly a work computer.

I would imagine that getting a gaming class video card in that thing would be higher priority than putting an extremely expensive processor in the iMac...

[longofest]

Originally Posted by psychofreak

Its not gonna happen, especially with mobile chips now getting to be way above the performance most consumers need (most people just use Mail, Safari, iTunes and Word, hardly requiring four cores).

The fastest mobile chips are almost beating out the fastest ever PPC chips now. I know because my QUAD is only barely beating the GeekBench numbers of the latest MacBook Pros (I think 100-200 GeekBench points if i recall)

[Chaszmyr]

I agree with others, I think it seems much more likely that we'll see this chip in iMacs than in MacBooks.

[longofest]

Originally Posted by bmb012

Would this really benefit the iMac? I mean, I have a quad core Mac Pro, and I only get all 4 of those cores singing every once in a while, and it's mainly a work computer.

I would imagine that getting a gaming class video card in that thing would be higher priority than putting an extremely expensive processor in the iMac...

It would be a BTO option, for those who really want it.

[ChrisA]

Originally Posted by bbplayer5

iMac would rule as a quad!

It would be nice but how many $2,700 iMacs could they sell?

And then with a 45W heater inside you'd need eiher run a fan or use the aluminum case as a heat sink. In which case you either hear the whiners here complain about fan noise or a hot to touch case.

HP is currently selling quad core desktop machines with 2Gb RAM, LCD monitor and a "free" printer for $1,500 out the door price.

[KingYaba]

That's hot

[DTphonehome]

Yowza! But probably won't be in run-of-the-mill MBPs until 2nd half 2009.

[QCassidy352]

Originally Posted by psychofreak

Its not gonna happen, especially with mobile chips now getting to be way above the performance most consumers need (most people just use Mail, Safari, iTunes and Word, hardly requiring four cores).

I don't understand how people can make bald assertions about what "most consumers need." I think a lot of "average consumers" these days want to do things like encode video, manage enormous photo libraries, watch HD video, playing 3d games, or just run 8 programs at once.

I can remember a time when I argued, on this site (so we're not talking 10 years ago), that some people are better off with a G3 ibook than a G4 powerbook because some people "just didn't need all the power of a G4."

[booksacool1]

Originally Posted by bmb012

Would this really benefit the iMac? I mean, I have a quad core Mac Pro, and I only get all 4 of those cores singing every once in a while, and it's mainly a work computer.

I would imagine that getting a gaming class video card in that thing would be higher priority than putting an extremely expensive processor in the iMac...

The only real benefit it has (imo) is that a quad core processor has real future potential. Demanding programs may eventually become 'faster' as the computer ages because they start to make real use of the other two or three cores. Meaning you won't (ever) need a processor upgrade (for the life of the machine).

But yeah, keeping the cpu fast doesn't really help gamers. A quad core coupled with one or two gpu upgrades could keep your computer running fast for years, but honestly though, I don't imagine apple releasing graphics cards for sale (bastards!).

[EagerDragon]

I would love one, but likely this would come out in an iMac before we ever see it in an MBP.

A 4 core iMac would be very sweet but at htat price point per CPU, it would be a very expensive iMac.

Originally Posted by ChrisA

It would be nice but how many $2,700 iMacs could they sell?

And then with a 45W heater inside you'd need eiher run a fan or use the aluminum case as a heat sink. In which case you either hear the whiners here complain about fan noise or a hot to touch case.

HP is currently selling quad core desktop machines with 2Gb RAM, LCD monitor and a "free" printer for $1,500 out the door price.

2700 would be the same price as an Octal Mac Pro (minus scree). That would kill it from seeing the light of day.

PS... HP does not make Macs or run OSX, not the same, also not likely HP is giving you a monitor with the quality of the iMac 24.

[andiwm2003]

so this story puts the earliest release date for a MBP quadcore in mid 2009. (i belive in 2010)

but since the rumor is out now the wait begins and i can see the threads: should one buy an dual core MBP now or wait for a quad core? and: how can a PRO machine only have two cores when a CONSUMER imac has four (a quad core imac is more likely to arrive in 2009)?

i personally hope more for a 3.2 GHz Dual Core MBP. That may be actually better for most users since single treads are faster than on a quad. together with all the core features of OS X it would be really fast. and i think it could be there end of 2008 or beginning of 2009.

[virtuatony]

Wasn't the previous "extreme" 2.6ghz merom processor in the previous santa rosa MBPs of 44 watts tdp?

[hvfsl]

Originally Posted by DTphonehome

Yowza! But probably won't be in run-of-the-mill MBPs until 2nd half 2009.

And then probably just in the 17inch MBP as a BTO option.

[BongoBanger]

There isn't really that much software that's optimised for quad core at the moment so it's difficult to see where the initial demand for quad core laptops is going to come from. That said, it's an inevitable step forward and I suspect most of these will end up in high end gaming laptops and iMacs.