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Apple Gains Early Access to Intel's Z68 Chipset for New iMacs

Maybe

In October we are going to see refreshed (Lion) Macbook Pro's that have styling more in-line with the Macbook Air and that utilize this chipset for onboard SSD (not user replaceable) while still keeping the good ole' fashioned spinning drive (because it's a Pro device and even 256GB SSD just ain't enough for a "Pro").

I could be completely wrong on this.
 
theshakomaster said:
In October we are going to see refreshed (Lion) Macbook Pro's that have styling more in-line with the Macbook Air and that utilize this chipset for onboard SSD (not user replaceable) while still keeping the good ole' fashioned spinning drive (because it's a Pro device and even 256GB SSD just ain't enough for a "Pro").

I could be completely wrong on this.
Click to expand...

You could well be right.

I don't know, but perhaps even a 64GB SSD Linked directly to say a 1TB or 2TB fast HDD could offer 99% of users the very best price/performance that could be needed today.
 
iPad 2 said:
Glad you're increasing support for SSDs.

Now please add a basic file system to iOS with drag and drop functionality for media files and you're gold.

iTunes is fine and all, but sometimes we quickly want to drag a song, or movie or photo onto our phone without having resync the whole damn thing.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/25/editorial-hey-apple-why-does-it-take-an-hour-to-put-an-album-o/

A wireless/OTA file-soup solution allowing apps to push and pull files from a cloud-synced file-collection would supplement this very well.
Click to expand...

iDisk. I drag a file to my iDisk from my Mac, it is accessible from my iOS device within seconds, via the iDisk app.
 
Piggie said:
Unless I'm reading this wrong.....

Apple did a great deal in getting early versions of new Intel chips which have a brand new feature built into them, which Apple are failing to correctly utilise.

Errrr, great :confused:
Click to expand...

That's kinda how I read it. It's like "Oh cool, but wait, dam!"

Nothing like SSD caching support in a machine with no SSD!
 
0815 said:
All nice ... but really worth going down that road?
Click to expand...

It would be for me. SSD prices are falling, but not fast enough for people with data approaching a terabyte or more who need more speed.
 
theshakomaster said:
In October we are going to see refreshed (Lion) Macbook Pro's that have styling more in-line with the Macbook Air and that utilize this chipset for onboard SSD (not user replaceable) while still keeping the good ole' fashioned spinning drive (because it's a Pro device and even 256GB SSD just ain't enough for a "Pro").

I could be completely wrong on this.
Click to expand...

I thought Z68 was a desktop chipset?
 
daneoni said:
I thought Z68 was a desktop chipset?
Click to expand...

I hadn't thought to make the distinction I guess. I should have said something like "chipset family" then. To me it seems like the line between 'desktop' and 'laptop' is becoming less clear, especially when it comes to Apple products.
 
commander.data said:
Yes. It's weird that all news reports of the Z68 in the iMac focus on the possibility of SSD caching support rather than the possibility of QuickSync compatibility with discrete GPUs, which is the more useful feature for most users.
Click to expand...

IIRC The Z68 chipset will also allow you to use the onboard GPU/QuickSync (sounds like an Apple technology) AND over-clock the CPU (2500K and 2600K only).
 
iSee said:
I don't think we should focus too much on SSD caching.

It's just a transitional technology until we can get what we *really* want: large capacity, reasonably priced SSDs.
Click to expand...

THIS...
I have a small 49g SSD in my Mac Pro, and by just having the OS on it, there is a huge uptick in performance.
--C. Alan
 
Wow, now this is just totally unexpected and awesome in so many ways. Z68 is the high end chipset, this isn't your grandma's solitaire machine's chipset. Well done Apple. :D
 
daneoni said:
I thought Z68 was a desktop chipset?
Click to expand...

Z68 is but I wouldn't be surprised to see Z68M in near future. "Larsen Creek" caching SSD will be available in mSATA form factor as well so mobile version of Z68 would make a lot sense.

Mac-Rumours said:
IIRC The Z68 chipset will also allow you to use the onboard GPU/QuickSync (sounds like an Apple technology) AND over-clock the CPU (2500K and 2600K only).
Click to expand...

Which is basically a combination of P67 and H67. You can't use the IGP unless you have a monitor connected to it or you utilize some kind of a GPU switching system.
 
Piggie said:
Unless I'm reading this wrong.....

Apple did a great deal in getting early versions of new Intel chips which have a brand new feature built into them, which Apple are failing to correctly utilise.

Errrr, great :confused:
Click to expand...

Yes, you are reading it wrong! Plus, say huh?

Since you know NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING, did I mention NOTHING?

about Apple's plans on how to use this new chip for new or current Macs,
how can you criticize them for not utilising this correctly?

Looking forward to your detailed info:)
 
Thunderhawks said:
Yes, you are reading it wrong! Plus, say huh?

Since you know NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING, did I mention NOTHING?

about Apple's plans on how to use this new chip for new or current Macs,
how can you criticize them for not utilising this correctly?

Looking forward to your detailed info:)
Click to expand...

Well the article said Apple are not using the new feature this chip offers.

This time next year, with the next Mac revision perhaps they will do, but it's a bit pointless using a chip NOW that offers a feature and not using that feature for another year.
Unless you are saying we will soon be seeing another Mac refresh that takes advantage of this CPU they have got a tiny bit early?
 
What about the Seagate Momentus XT? Doesn't that achieve the same effect without requiring any special chipset?
 
kenman884 said:
What about the Seagate Momentus XT? Doesn't that achieve the same effect without requiring any special chipset?
Click to expand...

You make a good point.

A few years ago there was lots and lots of talk about HDD makers were struggling to make physical drives much faster and they were going to start incorporating a chunk of solid state memory inside the drives to act like an ultra fast buffer to give almost solid state speeds with HDD price/capacities.

But it never really happened.

I'm wondering if it was mostly down to the fierce competition to keep HDD prices low, and for most people a normal modern HDD is, to be honest, plenty fast enough to perform it's function and drives with the solid state inside them would be at a price level that most people would not go for.
 
Piggie said:
Well the article said Apple are not using the new feature this chip offers.

This time next year, with the next Mac revision perhaps they will do, but it's a bit pointless using a chip NOW that offers a feature and not using that feature for another year.
Unless you are saying we will soon be seeing another Mac refresh that takes advantage of this CPU they have got a tiny bit early?
Click to expand...

No not really and who knows what they will use when?

We all know NOTHING about their plans!

If the price Intel gave them was right, why not put a more capable chip into
their machines? It obviously will do the current job and has an upside.

They added Thunderbolt early too.

Again why not if the price is right?
 
puckhead193 said:
now apple needs to get their hands on the next chip for the mac pro!!
Click to expand...

They also need to redesign the motherboard to accomodate multiples of 3 RAM modules seeing as the current design means leaving one slot per 4 empty. They also need to upgrade the hard drive controllers to SATA III at the same time with a new chipset.

As far as the iMacs are concerned, I'm looking at the specs and wondering why Apple STILL aren't using Sandforce based SSDs or offering lower capacity SSD options. 128Gb is more than enough for all your applications when you also have a 500Gb+ 7200rpm drive for general storage and you can pick up a 500Gb drive for £30, Apple's buying power would probably be even cheaper than that.

They "Could" offer an iMac with those specs for hundreds less than they're charging for the 256Gb SSD they currently offer as a BTO option and give everyone the best of both worlds.

I imagine they have contracts with certain vendors for their parts and any reasonably modern SSD is still MUCH faster than a hard drive but when 1 SATA III drive with the sandforce chipset is hitting over 500MB/s, they're really letting their customers down on how snappy their systems could be as far as booting and loading applications is concerned.

Early geekbench results show the entry level 2.5Ghz iMac is much faster than the original Quad 2.66Ghz Mac Pro and the Quad 2.8Ghz Mac Pro from 2008. Even the current Quad 2.8Ghz Mac Pro only beats the iMac by 23%.

I just wish I could get the entry level model with a 100Gb SSD as a £200 BTO option. upping the 7200 drive to a 1Tb and partitioning it so I can use the first 100Gb for recording and the rest for general storage would suit me down to the ground. All I'd need is a pair of sheilded nearfield monitors so I can have an iMac on my desk to start with and an adapter to connect my 23" 1080p LCD as a second display.

They don't even offer drive options on the entry level model and the model above has a £400 premium to swap the 7200rpm drive for a 256Gb SSD and £480 premium to keep the drive it comes with as standard and have an SSD as well!
 
Apple tax in £

barkmonster said:
They don't even offer drive options on the entry level model and the model above has a £400 premium to swap the 7200rpm drive for a 256Gb SSD and £480 premium to keep the drive it comes with as standard and have an SSD as well!
Click to expand...

But, many here will claim that there is no Apple tax - you seem to be proving them wrong! ;)

I assume that the 7200 RPM drive that Apple will let you keep for £80 can be picked up at any high street merchant for £25....
 
AidenShaw said:
But, many here will claim that there is no Apple tax - you seem to be proving them wrong! ;)
Click to expand...

But it's a super special Apple installed hard drive. Everything you store on it will be actually be magic for all that extra cash. Apple have to spend £80 on a 1Tb drive and £400 on low spec SSDs with no over-provisioning and low read/write speeds compared with other drives available because they're actually better when Apple decide to use them. ;)

It's rediculous price gouging.
 
Last edited:
I really didn't expect that. I was fretting about whether to buy the iMac with SSD built in. Seems like my decision is made.
 
well, the Z68 is there... must be a reason.

Is it being utilized now? If so, in what ways?

When OSX Lion is released, no doubt it will be put to more use (I say 'no doubt', but really, what do I know? I don't even know why it's there today...! ;))

We can see the various potential of it (speculating), but I remain very curious about what it's doing there now in the new machines.

Is it being utilized at all by Snow Leopard?
 
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