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So when is Apple going to update the Macbook Pros?

drake

drake

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 5, 2005
532
0
Man, they're using three year old technology on their Macbook Pro 13", you'd think they would have slipped in a i5 by now?? You can get a PC notebook for half what the Macbooks go for with sparkling new technology. Why would anyone continue to wait?
 
Intel IGP is worse than 9400M. CPU wise it would be an upgrade but GPU wise it would be a huge downgrade.
 
drake said:
you'd think they would have slipped in a i5 by now??
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Since manufacturers legally can't use one of the new Intel processors and some other manufactures integrated graphics, that means Apple has to use Intel's weak integrated graphics offering.

That's obviously not a workable solution (one small step forward with processor performance), but one HUGE step backwards with the video performance), so what they'd have to do is design the 13" MacBook Pros to use Intel's weak integrated graphics AND also include a more-powerful discreet graphics card.

I honestly don't know if they can do all of that without having to physically redesign the 13" MacBook Pro, and I don't know if they will do that without increasing the MacBook Pro price. They are all about their margins...
 
Str8edgepunker said:
Actually it's 2 year old technology. Penryn is a different processor than Merom. But you can blame Intel for not allowing Nvidia to produce video cards/chipsets for the Core i series.

http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=35568

Honestly though, If you really don't like it, go get one of those pc's with Intel integrated graphics. Core 2 is still plenty fast so what's your problem?
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I can get a PC with a discrete ATI HD5470 graphics card (switchable to Intel), i5-430M cpu, 500gb drive, 4gb of ram, 13" screen for under $600cdn. What's Apple offering at twice the money? You really think Apple is making a reasonable offering?
 
aristobrat said:
Since manufacturers legally can't use one of the new Intel processors and some other manufactures integrated graphics, that means Apple has to use Intel's weak integrated graphics offering.

That's obviously not a workable solution (one small step forward with processor performance), but one HUGE step backwards with the video performance), so what they'd have to do is design the 13" MacBook Pros to use Intel's weak integrated graphics AND also include a more-powerful discreet graphics card.

I honestly don't know if they can do all of that without having to physically redesign the 13" MacBook Pro, and I don't know if they will do that without increasing the MacBook Pro price. They are all about their margins...
Click to expand...

You have me totally confused. You most definitely CAN get a PC with the new Intel processors AND an ATI graphics card. They're not hard to find.
 
drake said:
You have me totally confused. You most definitely CAN get a PC with the new Intel processors AND an ATI graphics card. They're not hard to find.
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Wrong. You can get one with a discrete gpu, but not an integrated gpu. A discrete gpu wouldn't fit without major redesign of the 13" if you don't know the difference of what makes the Apple offering better, go enjoy a crappy dell.
 
aimbdd said:
Wrong. You can get one with a discrete gpu, but not an integrated gpu. A discrete gpu wouldn't fit without major redesign of the 13" if you don't know the difference of what makes the Apple offering better, go enjoy a crappy dell.
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Actually, its a crappy Acer, but I'll only have it for a year before I get another crappy Acer (or Dell, Thinkpad or whatever).

Thanks for all the support guys! I needed someone to push me forward on placing the order!
 
drake said:
Actually, its a crappy Acer, but I'll only have it for a year before I get another crappy Acer (or Dell, Thinkpad or whatever).

Thanks for all the support guys! I needed someone to push me forward on placing the order!
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wait.. order for the crappy acer or an expensive MBP???
 
drake said:
You have me totally confused. You most definitely CAN get a PC with the new Intel processors AND an ATI graphics card. They're not hard to find.
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Yes, you can buy a new PC with both i-series processors and discrete graphics. But your paying for it in 1 of 2 ways: lower battery life from a smaller battery so all of the chips required can fit or a thicker laptop so all the components and a reasonably sized battery can fit.

With the i-series processors you need a 3rd chip to play the controller between the graphics and processor. Intel does not let other manufactures integrate controllers and graphics into one chip as they did with the core 2 duo platform.

On the 13" MBP there is literally not enough space for the 3rd chip so Apple's solution was to stay with the core 2 duo series and use better a single controller and graphics unit that is available now. On the 15" MBP there is enough space for the controller (the third chip).

Have a look at the 13" and 15" MBP logic boards to see (from iFixits teardown pages). The 15" MBP has 3 chips: one for graphics, the controller and the processor. The 13" MBP has 2 chips one for graphics/controller and one for the processor.
 

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drake said:
Actually, its a crappy Acer, but I'll only have it for a year before I get another crappy Acer (or Dell, Thinkpad or whatever).

Thanks for all the support guys! I needed someone to push me forward on placing the order!
Click to expand...

The MBP is cheaper than buying a crappy Acer year after year.

however ... you do always get the latest version of the crappy Acer :cool:
 
drake said:
i can get a lousy pc with a mediocre ati hd5470 graphics card (switchable to the pitifully slow intel), i5-430m cpu, 500gb drive, 4gb of ram, 13" screen for under $600cdn. Apple is offering a much nicer looking computer for twice the money. While it is far more expensive, i really think apple is making a reasonable offering despite the specification difference.
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FTFY

If you wish to continue this tirade be my guest.

Oh, and the 320m is better than the 5470.
 
TheIguana said:
Yes, you can buy a new PC with both i-series processors and discrete graphics. But your paying for it in 1 of 2 ways: lower battery life from a smaller battery so all of the chips required can fit or a thicker laptop so all the components and a reasonably sized battery can fit.

With the i-series processors you need a 3rd chip to play the controller between the graphics and processor. Intel does not let other manufactures integrate controllers and graphics into one chip as they did with the core 2 duo platform.

On the 13" MBP there is literally not enough space for the 3rd chip so Apple's solution was to stay with the core 2 duo series and use better a single controller and graphics unit that is available now. On the 15" MBP there is enough space for the controller (the third chip).

Have a look at the 13" and 15" MBP logic boards to see (from iFixits teardown pages). The 15" MBP has 3 chips: one for graphics, the controller and the processor. The 13" MBP has 2 chips one for graphics/controller and one for the processor.
Click to expand...

People are reporting they're regularly getting six hours out of the Acer, and it weights less than the MBP. I doesn't have an optical drive though, not a huge issue for me.

Apple OC said:
The MBP is cheaper than buying a crappy Acer year after year.

however ... you do always get the latest version of the crappy Acer :cool:
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Exactly, and every year the Acer will be that much cheaper to where they're giving them away in cereal boxes. :p
 
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One option for apple would be to drop optical drive in 13" model (assuming there's no other way) to fit discrete video and possibly more battery.
 
drake said:
People are reporting they're regularly getting six hours out of the Acer, and it weights less than the MBP. I doesn't have an optical drive though, not a huge issue for me.
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Well then go for it.

Its your money, your decision and you need to live with it. If you think Acer is a better deal, then by all means.
 
drake said:
Man, they're using three year old technology on their Macbook Pro 13", you'd think they would have slipped in a i5 by now?? You can get a PC notebook for half what the Macbooks go for with sparkling new technology. Why would anyone continue to wait?
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Wow, you've just posted one out of about 15,000 threads with the same complaint!

If you don't like it buy elsewhere. Apple'll update whenever they feel like doing so and you have barely any say over it, and that's that. You should get out in the sun some more instead of worrying about a laptop's spec sheet.
 
TheIguana said:
Yes, you can buy a new PC with both i-series processors and discrete graphics. But your paying for it in 1 of 2 ways: lower battery life from a smaller battery so all of the chips required can fit or a thicker laptop so all the components and a reasonably sized battery can fit.

With the i-series processors you need a 3rd chip to play the controller between the graphics and processor. Intel does not let other manufactures integrate controllers and graphics into one chip as they did with the core 2 duo platform.

On the 13" MBP there is literally not enough space for the 3rd chip so Apple's solution was to stay with the core 2 duo series and use better a single controller and graphics unit that is available now. On the 15" MBP there is enough space for the controller (the third chip).

Have a look at the 13" and 15" MBP logic boards to see (from iFixits teardown pages). The 15" MBP has 3 chips: one for graphics, the controller and the processor. The 13" MBP has 2 chips one for graphics/controller and one for the processor.
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting that.... I learned something.
 
Unfortunately, the half-price PC will have a crappier screen, higher weight, and lower battery life. It will almost certainly have an inferior trackpad. Finally, for the software that many of users are running, the faster processor provides no practical advantage.
 
Sandybridge is one update on the line, what other new stuff you expect? SSD like in the mba comes to my mind.
 
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