Both AMD and Intel are shifting to more toward SoC solutions for the mainstream processors. You're still going to see a 2-chip system with the platform controller (southbridge) hanging around.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
13" MBPs - Core 2 Duo vs. Core i3 Processors
- Thread starter neteng101
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Well I went for a 13 w/C2D, why? I am willing to sacrifice some power for portability and to enhance the mobile experience, isnt that's why you buy a notebook in the first place? Honestly if your in to serious gaming or high end productivty software, you probably will be using a desktop for that purpose.
C2D for most is fine, yes it would have been nice to see an i3 at least in the 13" but I dont think its a dealbreaker if your looking at that model.
C2D for most is fine, yes it would have been nice to see an i3 at least in the 13" but I dont think its a dealbreaker if your looking at that model.
In what computational tasks is the GPU used besides parallel programming?
None, he just used the word "computing" improperly
Also as a side note, 5 year old GPUs are more than enough for the every day graphics processing tasks that OSX does, such as window and dock animations.
It could be anything from effecting the smoothness of dragging your windows across your desktop to the redraw rate when changing zoom level in photoshop.
OpenGL is a standard for computer graphics that isn't just limited to 3d, but 2d applications in everyday computer tasks as well.
OpenGL is a standard for computer graphics that isn't just limited to 3d, but 2d applications in everyday computer tasks as well.
Yeah but even GPU's from 5 years a go are more than adaquate for day to day tasks. Photoshop is more productivity and even it is more reliant of memory and disk space over GPU IMHO.
That's no reason to justify an i3 arrandale over a 320m. As time goes on, more and more software developers are coding for gpu acceleration in their programs, and the gpu handles the graphical tasks way better than any cpu can.
A friend of mine has an older generation 13 inch mbp, and watching livestream flash vids would max out his cpu's usage, leading to overall bad performance when multitasking and the like. He tried out the 10.1 beta with gpu acceleration and his cpu usage went down tenfold, and playback was flawless.
As for photoshop relying more on disk space and ram over gpu, that's no argument when we're talking about apple's choice to use the 320m over arrandale i3. I'm using Photoshop CS5's trial version right now and it's barely putting a dent on my cpu. Programs such as photoshop are becoming more dependent on gpu rather than cpu.
None, he just used the word "computing" improperly
Also as a side note, 5 year old GPUs are more than enough for the every day graphics processing tasks that OSX does, such as window and dock animations.
Then get a macbook. The previous generations ones, with the Intel GMA950. Those are cheap! Problem solved.
C2D + 320M is indeed a better balance between combined cpu/gpu power and cost, however being 32nm i3 does run a lot cooler than the 45nm C2D
I bought a sony vaio E series for family and the i3 idles at 26-32ºC, I tested it with youtube 1080p videos and it remained cool at around 45-50ºC
The heat really surprised me, especially when compared to my mbp that runs on a 65nm santa rosa cpu which idles at 60ºC
I bought a sony vaio E series for family and the i3 idles at 26-32ºC, I tested it with youtube 1080p videos and it remained cool at around 45-50ºC
The heat really surprised me, especially when compared to my mbp that runs on a 65nm santa rosa cpu which idles at 60ºC
i still don't know why they can't just take the superdrive out and put it as an option online and just bundle a external drive with the mbp's, because not many people use them, mostly to put software on occasionally, and you can easily do that with an external drive, and in that space they could put a discrete graphics cards so you can have an i5 and put a 1.8" ssd or something or a bigger battery it would be amazing
Most likely because Apple assumes that most people would be better benefitted by the super drive than the discrete graphics + i5 (at least in the 13" form factor) and the probably price increase that would come with such a change.
In regards to the argument about adding dedicated GPUs on the MBP13:
1. Show me a form factor where a 13" screen is paired with less than 1" thickness and a dedicated GPU. Don't bother actually, it doesn't exist.
2. The 15" and 17" both have larger battery capacities than the 13". STILL they only claim a 8-9 hour battery (compared to 13" 10 hour). Imagine how much battery life the 13" would have with 15" internals. My guess is about 5-6 hours at best, assuming the battery capacity would stay the same (which it wouldn't, because it needs to be reduced to fit the dedicated+extra heatsink). 5 hours vs 10 hours, thats a huge crippling difference.
3. Removing the superdrive isn't an option. If you go to any Apple store, you'd realize the software they sell is in CD/DVD format. Until retail switches to USB/SD retail software we will still have superdrives in Apple's most popular laptop.
What would we get in the end if Apple went this route? Nothing. Spec whores still won't ****.
1. Show me a form factor where a 13" screen is paired with less than 1" thickness and a dedicated GPU. Don't bother actually, it doesn't exist.
2. The 15" and 17" both have larger battery capacities than the 13". STILL they only claim a 8-9 hour battery (compared to 13" 10 hour). Imagine how much battery life the 13" would have with 15" internals. My guess is about 5-6 hours at best, assuming the battery capacity would stay the same (which it wouldn't, because it needs to be reduced to fit the dedicated+extra heatsink). 5 hours vs 10 hours, thats a huge crippling difference.
3. Removing the superdrive isn't an option. If you go to any Apple store, you'd realize the software they sell is in CD/DVD format. Until retail switches to USB/SD retail software we will still have superdrives in Apple's most popular laptop.
What would we get in the end if Apple went this route? Nothing. Spec whores still won't ****.
I don't know what he is running but I would love an i7 with even a GMA950. I run Ableton, Logic, Reason and audio converters every single day and really don't need the GPU. At the moment the only thing my macbook is lacking is cpu power. Everyone that runs only audio programs for professional use would agree with me. I understand that apple doesn't want to make a 13" that costs more than 1200. But there are people that would like to have at least the option to buy a full spec 13".
I believe ASUS makes a one inch thick 13" notebook with switchable graphics; it does not have a disc drive.
Battery life would not be reduced because the number they use for advertising is when using the integrated graphics not discrete. Meaning the wattage between an i5 plus intel graphics is about the same as core 2 duo plus integrated nvidia graphics.
Apple could offer an external drive and/or apple could sell software where they had a disc and a lisence where you could download the software through iTunes as well as USB/SD.
You probably are not going to convince many people when you tell them to **** because you do not agree with their opinion.
Also has everyone forgot about the i5 4xx series. Apple only uses the 5xx series currently. These lower end i5s would be great for the 13".
Once again... having in mind that there's no physical space available inside the 13" to put an i3 or i5 plus dedicated GPU, the C2D plus 320m was the best option, so you get almost the same power and much better graphics.
the idea was if the superdrive was removed....
....in which case there would be room.
I think Apple probably went with the c2d because the numbers (Ghz) were higher
It was so obvious
, HIGHER NAMBERZ = MOAR PAWERS.
Thanks for posting that link.
In a perfect world this thread would be locked down now.
It's getting tough with the Core i3 350M out and the 370M coming soon enough. The Core i5 420/450M is becoming standard as well.
core i3 for a $1000 laptop, that has to be joke.
And the small form factor is ********. Toshiba is coming with very thin 13 inch laptops with even a core i7, so it's again possible.
They simply don't want the 13 inch being their best selling MBP again, they also want to sell 15 and 17 inch MBP, and it's working.
Also HP is coming with new Envy that can even get 14 hours of battery life with the optional battery, so the power consumption isn't that bad.
( If the 13inch also had the core i5, then I'd buy that one instead of the 15 inch models )
the i3 would've been a bad choice. i think an EUR1150 laptop should have at least an i5 with a true dedicated GPU (not a so so 320M with shared DDR ram).
They should have gone with the i5-4xxx series at least if they *had* to keep it underspecced from the MBP15.
A laptop that expensive should have gotten a 1366x768 resolution with a matte option as well.
sticking with the C2D and 320M combo is not about space, it is about $$$ for apple, making it their biggest cashcow of the generation. They were busy with iOS4, iPad, iPhone4 and whatnot and didn't redesign the case to make the MBP13 a half decent upgrade. Arguments about lack of space and such are all nice and well, and I'd be using it if i had gotten myself one, but of course they could have fitted a GPU and core iX series if they wanted to.
the Asus u30jc is a much more valid 13" laptop with a higher res, and now also i5 and i7 cpu's. If they will ever decide to deliver them here on the dutch market i am considering getting one instead of the MBP15 i am about to order.
They should have gone with the i5-4xxx series at least if they *had* to keep it underspecced from the MBP15.
A laptop that expensive should have gotten a 1366x768 resolution with a matte option as well.
sticking with the C2D and 320M combo is not about space, it is about $$$ for apple, making it their biggest cashcow of the generation. They were busy with iOS4, iPad, iPhone4 and whatnot and didn't redesign the case to make the MBP13 a half decent upgrade. Arguments about lack of space and such are all nice and well, and I'd be using it if i had gotten myself one, but of course they could have fitted a GPU and core iX series if they wanted to.
the Asus u30jc is a much more valid 13" laptop with a higher res, and now also i5 and i7 cpu's. If they will ever decide to deliver them here on the dutch market i am considering getting one instead of the MBP15 i am about to order.
Thanks for posting that link.
In a perfect world this thread would be locked down now.
In a perfect world, this month old thread wouldn't have been brought from the dead.