More Reports of NVIDIA Graphics Chips in Next-Generation MacBook Pro

[MacRumors]

As long ago as last November, SemiAccurate claimed that Apple would be switching back to NVIDIA from AMD for the graphics chips in the next-generation MacBook Pro. With MacBook Pro rumors flooding out today, that claim is gathering renewed momentum from several sources.

In its roundup of the latest MacBook Pro rumors, ABC News specifically claims that Apple will be using NVIDIA graphics chips in the new MacBook Pro reportedly set for introduction at next month's Worldwide Developers Conference.

The new laptops are expected to be powered by Intel's latest processors, called Ivy Bridge. Those processors will be faster than the current generation of Intel processors and improve graphics. However, the laptops will also get a graphics boost from Nvidia's latest graphics, the GeForce GT 650M card. ABC News has heard the same from its sources, which say Apple will move from AMD to Nvidia graphics chips in this version of the MacBook Pro.

The Verge offers similar claims, with the growing reports suggesting that the switch from AMD to NVIDIA may indeed be taking place.

Apple's updated MacBook Pro rumored to arrive this summer will feature Nvidia graphics alongside Intel's Ivy Bridge processors, a switch from the AMD GPUs in the current models. The news comes to us directly from a trusted source, and it's further corroborated by Joanna Stern at ABC News, whose sources also tell her that the new machines will indeed feature high resolution Retina Displays.

Apple has moved back and forth between NVIDIA and AMD several times over the years, taking advantage of whichever graphics chip firm is offering the better product with the right pricing and timing. Consequently, a shift to NVIDIA should not be taken as an indication that it is a long-term decision, although Apple has been rumored to be making a similar move for the Mac Pro.

Article Link: More Reports of NVIDIA Graphics Chips in Next-Generation MacBook Pro

 

[Mr. Gates]

Nice.

Better be 2 Gig's dedicated

 

[Rilely]

Is the 650M really any good? I've seen reports that it is only mildly better than the current generation of AMDs.

 

[dlimes13]

GT 650 2 GB, USB 3.0, Retina, Ivy Bridge, etc. One ultimate machine I'll be getting.

 

[macduke]

Whoa! So many Mac-related rumors today. These are making me really excited.

I just went to my last-ever college final today and I graduate on Friday. Hope I can still pull a student discount!! Fingers crossed…

 

[SilianRail]

Does this card exist yet? Any benchmark comparison to the current MBP gfx cards?

 

[kylepro88]

My BIG question is how is its OpenCL performance? They rewrote FCPX from the ground up to take advantage of that so I hope it's a chip that will work well with the program. I mean, I can't imagine them picking items in their hardware that wouldn't work well with it, but you never know.

 

[Mackan]

Nice.

Better be 2 Gig's dedicated

I guarantee you will not see 2 Gb. It's Apple we are talking about. They'll give you 512 Mb, custom version.

 

[Acidsplat]

Is the 650M really any good? I've seen reports that it is only mildly better than the current generation of AMDs.

Well, the GTX 560m performed great (a lot of gaming notebooks used it), and the GT 650m is 11% better than that.
It's definitely faster than the Radeon 6770m.

 

[darwiniandude]

Obviously performance and price are factors, but I think Apple probably is most concerned with:
Yields, ability to meet demand
Performance per watt / thermal design power (TDP)

Eg if the nVidia chip runs cooler at the same performance (no idea, just speculation) than Apple can ship a higher powered CPU, or make the case thinner, or fans run quieter, etc.

 

[GREEN4U]

Whoa! So many Mac-related rumors today. These are making me really excited.

I just went to my last-ever college final today and I graduate on Friday. Hope I can still pull a student discount!! Fingers crossed…

Yeah it'll be really easy. You just need to show them your student ID or show that you can login to your school email. Anything really. They don't actually check whether you're enrolled in classes or not. And if you buy online they don't check at all.

 

[Rudy69]

Makes sense considering all the work that has been going on with the Nvidia drivers for ML

 

[Beezzy]

I love when MacRumors has Mac Rumors! I just hope this will get more people excited into Macs! Mine is a gaming beast and very happy! They need to do the same on the 13" to have a better built in graphics card since their prob isn't much room for a dedicated graphics card.

 

[ThunderSkunk]

They pretty much switch to & from NVIDIA every update on the MBP's, don't they?

Kinda nice, for those of us who work primarily in applications optimized for one card mfg or another. Ensures theres a MBP for everybody.

 

[Liddle]

But i guess VRAM is supposed to be more than 512mb, i mean we're speaking of "Apple" in here and if the rumours about the retina display is correct, even Apple has to increase it.

 

[GREEN4U]

I love when MacRumors has Mac Rumors! I just hope this will get more people excited into Macs! Mine is a gaming beast and very happy! They need to do the same on the 13" to have a better built in graphics card since their prob isn't much room for a dedicated graphics card.

I gave you an upvote but I don't really care if more people get into Macs. In fact, I'd rather they didn't. I like how Macs are still sparse - not like how everyone and their mother has an iPhone.

 

[q64ceo]

Sigh

Will Apple ever learn their lesson? I thought millions of dollars lost on a major recall would tell them that nVidia may not be the best when it comes to quality

 

[mdriftmeyer]

Nvidia's yields are garbage. AMD's 7770 is designed for the Ultrathin and the card smokes in performance and power.

Same goes for the 7800/7900 series for MacBook Pros.

Apple writes the driver so don't throw out the Catalyst excuse, not to mention TSMC fabs the AMD chips.

AMD should be the obvious choice with it's CPU/GPGPU performance and maturity in OpenCL/OpenGL integration.

----------

But i guess VRAM is supposed to be more than 512mb, i mean we're speaking of "Apple" in here and if the rumours about the retina display is correct, even Apple has to increase it.

AMD's GPGPUs sport up to 2GB of DDR5 RAM.

 

[sputnikv]

i really wish they would just either update or drop the mac pro line. it makes little sense for them to keep it as is for much longer

 

[mdriftmeyer]

Makes sense considering all the work that has been going on with the Nvidia drivers for ML

You said the same copy and pasted statement on AppleInsider. It doesn't make sense at all.

 

[PrayForDeath]

Is the 650M really any good? I've seen reports that it is only mildly better than the current generation of AMDs.

Not really, it's not.

 

[MythicFrost]

I hope Apple doesn't opt for NVidia in the iMac's, as the 7970M is the beefiest mobile GPU right now.

 

[Zwhaler]

But will it have a retina display? Or at least hi-res as standard?

 

[TMar]

Nice.

Better be 2 Gig's dedicated

What kind of resolution do you think you'll be running that thing at...

 

[reden]

Dang, I really hope Apple also introduces Mac Pros at WWDC. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one that's been waiting for this update. I've been working off a MacBook Pro for almost a year now. Not that it isn't a great machine, but definitely miss having more horsepower. Need SATA 3 Mac Pro!