You should let Apple know, they totally haven’t thought of that!
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Apple Hires ARM's Lead CPU Architect Amid Rumors of ARM-Based Macs as Early as 2020
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You should let Apple know, they totally haven’t thought of that!
The ARM cores in the current iPad pros should be fast enough to emulate x86 instructions well enough to make running basic Windows apps usable. And if it isn't, Windows computers are dirt cheap anyway.
Apple Macs are still a niche computer with Windows compatibility. What do you think they'll be without Intel/Windows support? Disaster!
If it happens, it's the end of it. It means that a machine announced this month, and not even on the market yet, would be obsolete within a year. Apple has a VERY bad history with releasing new OS versions for old hardware. Remember the PowerMac G5? A high end quad-core G5 bought in 2006 was left behind with the release of Mac OS 10.6 in October 2009. You got a bit over three years before support was effectively dropped. You had a few more years before security updates stopped, and by then almost no new software would run on PowerPC any more.
Apple needs to quash these ARM Macintosh rumors, or I'm going to have to recommend to my clients that they not buy the Mac Pro, or any other Macintosh that they're going to need to keep working for more than a few years.
What a resume. He was at AMD when they caught up to Intel and released their 64-bit chips which were pretty amazing back then. He was at Intel when they transitioned from Pentium to Core with multi-core computing. He was at ARM when mobile chips rocketed to the moon in terms of yearly performance increases. Looks like success follows this man. This is great news for Apple.
I'm pretty sure one of their first ARM Macs will be a MacBook and I'm thinking about picking it up as my next Mac (secondary to my iMac) because I think that could be interesting.
I'm pretty sure one of their first ARM Macs will be a MacBook and I'm thinking about picking it up as my next Mac (secondary to my iMac) because I think that could be interesting.
Apple will always move the Mac to the most powerful, cost effective chips. An ARM-based Apple-made 45w TDP CPU (fabbed at 5nm) would be between four to six times faster than Intels current top-of-the line H-series CPUs (the ones they put in MacBook Pros).
If Intel can close that gap in the next six to nine months, then great—the Mac will stay on Intel. But given that Intel doesn't have anything on their roadmap (a roadmap that goes out to 2025) that comes close to meeting half of that performance . . . Apple's choice is clear.
Really, my only question is whether or not Apple's chip will be 64-bit, out of the gate, or 128-bit.
If Intel can close that gap in the next six to nine months, then great—the Mac will stay on Intel. But given that Intel doesn't have anything on their roadmap (a roadmap that goes out to 2025) that comes close to meeting half of that performance . . . Apple's choice is clear.
Really, my only question is whether or not Apple's chip will be 64-bit, out of the gate, or 128-bit.
I'm sure Apple is paying attention to the math. If they do switch to ARM processors in Macs, they'll have a plan to continue selling to those of us who rely on specialty Windows apps for work. Right?
(Unless the math suggests they're better off without users like me....)
(Unless the math suggests they're better off without users like me....)
It isn't. And how many people want two computers sitting on their desk? I guarantee the majority of people will ditch the Mac if this happens.
Apple will become the iPhone company. And that's it.
I've used a Mac for years. When I started Windows still was very much a requirement - plenty of almost essential software simply lacked a Mac equivalent.Apple Macs are still a niche computer with Windows compatibility. What do you think they'll be without Intel/Windows support? Disaster!
Thing is, that isn't true anymore - in fact, if anything I'd say the opposite is true for most people. There's plenty of downright excellent software for macOS with a real lack of decent Windows alternatives.
The only real exception these days for the vast majority is when it comes to gaming.
Thank you for inserting random gibberish. I will shower you with all the likes you desire, internet person.
What other software on macOS that doesn't have a decent Windows Alternative?
I believe the Mac will have ARM and Intel both inside the machine for maximum capability. The T2 and bridgeOS on the MacBook is already a good example of a hybrid OS.
From the looks of it, the best method is to have ARM and Intel on notebooks first, this will allow the macOS and all the catalyst apps run on ARM. Any other apps that isn't supported by the ARM processor will run on the Intel chip. Why do this? Because on the mobile side, ARM's speed is near intel's speed, which means that have macOS apps running on ARM will not be slower than running on intel, but at the same time more efficient.
As the ARM speed improves, I expect ARM will eventually be included on iMacs as well.
This method is the best method as it is invisible to the end user, doesn't matter if you are a novice macOS user, or a professional user. At the same time, it will not divide up the Mac into 2 platforms (ARM Mac and Intel Mac), which definitely confuses the buyers.
But I expect the price to rise again for the notebooks, especially for the coprocessors.
From the looks of it, the best method is to have ARM and Intel on notebooks first, this will allow the macOS and all the catalyst apps run on ARM. Any other apps that isn't supported by the ARM processor will run on the Intel chip. Why do this? Because on the mobile side, ARM's speed is near intel's speed, which means that have macOS apps running on ARM will not be slower than running on intel, but at the same time more efficient.
As the ARM speed improves, I expect ARM will eventually be included on iMacs as well.
This method is the best method as it is invisible to the end user, doesn't matter if you are a novice macOS user, or a professional user. At the same time, it will not divide up the Mac into 2 platforms (ARM Mac and Intel Mac), which definitely confuses the buyers.
But I expect the price to rise again for the notebooks, especially for the coprocessors.
Have a look at this article (also from today), you may find it interesting. Microsoft is already transitioning to ARM processors. And maintaining x64 application compatibility too.
From this article it would seem Microsoft are considering AMD processors in a future range of devices as well.
Anyway, my takeaway from all of this is that if Windows can run on ARM processors, then there is a chance that Bootcamp will continue to be possible with Macs with ARM processors.
Fingers crossed...
Would they be comfortable with releasing ARM based devices not that long after having committed to a new Intel based Mac Pro? I guess they could run them in parallel but it would be a bit of a strange mix and match.
It will be interesting to see what direction all of it takes.
I see the ultra high end machines staying x86 for the foreseeable future. But what about emulation and virtual machines as an alternative?
Sure, no more boot camp, but what if (a big IF) Intel continues to stagnate and ARM pulls ahead in computing power enough that users prefer it over x86?
Stranger things have happened.
I see the ultra high end machines staying x86 for the foreseeable future. But what about emulation and virtual machines as an alternative?
Sure, no more boot camp, but what if (a big IF) Intel continues to stagnate and ARM pulls ahead in computing power enough that users prefer it over x86?
Stranger things have happened.
1. Intel 7nm is roughly = to TSMC 5nm. So if you mean 7nm used by TSMC and AMD, you are looking at Intel 10nm, coming out in end of 2019 for Low Power Laptops and 2020 for Server / Workstation. ( Edit: assuming Intel stick to their words.... )
2. Designing a 200W TDP CPU is completely different to 2W SoC. Different Node, Different Design, Different Trade Off,
3. Unless Apple decide to spend hundreds of Millions into designing their own Mac Pro CPU, otherwise it is much better to stick with x86. Had Apple discontinued Mac Pro, it might have make sense, but they seems to have double down on it.
4. I thought it was obvious in WWDC when Apple introduce Mac Pro and iPadOS. Apple will milk and update the Mac for the rest of us. For majority of users, their first computer, should be an iPad. Mac will be for Prosumers and Professionals only. Or old folks like me who don't want to switch.
5. It make much more sense for Apple to talk with AMD and use it as leverage against Intel rather than designing their own SoC. ( Of course Apple will still need to buy all the patents and modem business asset from Intel first before breaking ties or hard balling, the Mac is nothing next to the importance of iPhone )
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Well that's that then.
Do I get the 2019 MBP or should I just wait for the entirely new architecture machines to come out...
Do I get the 2019 MBP or should I just wait for the entirely new architecture machines to come out...
You should wait for the 2019, I believe the 2019, the notebooks will have ARM and Intel processors inside. Which is probably the reason why they needed to increase the size to 16". Thermal issue has already been solved for 15.4", so the only reason why they would increase the size to 16" is to fit an ARM processor.
Apple's not going to shift their whole chip paradigm because they've got an ARM chip that's marginally faster than Intel's. This is going to be a massive performance break. And Apple will add to that massive performance gap the year after that, and the year after that.
Three generations (years) after the break from Intel, Intel's fastest chips will look like 800MHz 486 chips compared to Apple's.
I hope I'm wrong. Intel has been good to computing. But . . . that's not what I see when I look into my crystal ball.
Would this mean I wouldn’t be able to run Windows 10 on a MacBook anymore? If so, then no thanks. I use boot camp to run Windows for some games and other things and it would be disappointing if I won’t be able to do that anymore, so I guess I’ll keep my old MacBook forever.
Only non-pros even consider ARM CPUs for Macs LMAO. There's a reason workstation and datacenter are predominantly x86. x86 competition with AMD's revival would only produce better and better x86 CPUs over the years, whereas ARM CPUs will still be chasing lowend x86 CPUs from previous generations.
The T2 is an ARMv8 processor ala what's in the iPad and it's a Security, HEVC/HEIF encode/decoder.
The obvious transition is to AMD Zen2+ and beyond. Nothing ARM can design will touch that architecture. AMD itself still develops ARM in-house.