Arrandale Pros and Cons

[AppleNerd96]

Let me make sure I understand how the Arrandale would affect the MacBook Pros if it is included in the almost imminent MBP refresh in early Q1 2010 (as compared to my current MBP with the C2D T7600 (4M Cache, 2.33 GHz, 667 MHz FSB)).

Pros:
Lower Battery Usage

45nm to 32nm

Less heat

Faster FSB???

Cons:
Lower Clock Speed than current MBP's in the Apple Store; I think the max clock for the Arrandale was 2.66GHz I read somewhere on this forum I think.



Also does anyone know if apple will put more powerful GPU's in the MBP's than the 9600M GT? I don't want a computer that won't be able to play games on pretty decent settings in under a year. I bought my MBP (with an X1600, 256mb GDDR3) used 2 weeks before the ones with NVIDIA cards came out and I was pretty ticked to say the least... Now the only thing I can find it will run on the highest settings is HL2 (after an OC).

Any speculations for possible graphics cards would be excellent!

Thanks for helping clarify this for me in advance!

 

[Frosties]

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/668803/

 

[Sneakz]

T7600 is 65nm. Arrandale has no FSB and this thread is redundant.

 

[lilskaterpunk]

Also does anyone know if apple will put more powerful GPU's in the MBP's than the 9600M GT? I don't want a computer that won't be able to play games on pretty decent settings in under a year. I bought my MBP (with an X1600, 256mb GDDR3) used 2 weeks before the ones with NVIDIA cards came out and I was pretty ticked to say the least... Now the only thing I can find it will run on the highest settings is HL2 (after an OC).

Any speculations for possible graphics cards would be excellent!

Thanks for helping clarify this for me in advance!

I think it would be sweet to see new graphic cards in the 13.3'' MBP models but thats NOT going to happen for a while... These babys just been released this year and very good for the model.
15'' and 17'' I could see some newer Ati graphics but who knows...

 

[AppleNerd96]

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/668803/

It's pretty hard to sift through 66 pages to find what you're looking for, especially when tons of people all post different things.

I think it would be sweet to see new graphic cards in the 13.3'' MBP models but thats NOT going to happen for a while... These babys just been released this year and very good for the model.
15'' and 17'' I could see some newer Ati graphics but who knows...

I'm hoping for an ATI card that can play current games like HL2, FC2, MW2, etc on the highest settings with easy, if they take the red pill...

Or they could say on the NVIDIA route, but I have no idea what card they could choose from them, I only hope it's better than the 9600M GT...

(get it, red pill? as in ATI's logo is red? and the red pill of change from the matrix? )

 

[ri0ku]

It's pretty hard to sift through 66 pages to find what you're looking for, especially when tons of people all post different things.



I'm hoping for an ATI card that can play current games like HL2, FC2, MW2, etc on the highest settings with easy, if they take the red pill...

Or they could say on the NVIDIA route, but I have no idea what card they could choose from them, I only hope it's better than the 9600M GT...

(get it, red pill? as in ATI's logo is red? and the red pill of change from the matrix? )

erm I can play all the games you mentioned on high with the 9600m GT

 

[AppleNerd96]

erm I can play all the games you mentioned on high with the 9600m GT

Sorry I worded that wrong, what I meant was I want to be able to play new games on the highest settings for a good period of time, not have to run them on low like I do with my POS X1600. Don't get my wrong the 9600M GT is by no standard a bad card, it's just not going to be able to keep up so well in the next few years in terms of gaming.

 

[lilskaterpunk]

(get it, red pill? as in ATI's logo is red? and the red pill of change from the matrix? )

LOL got it!

Sorry I worded that wrong, what I meant was I want to be able to play new games on the highest settings for a good period of time, not have to run them on low like I do with my POS X1600. Don't get my wrong the 9600M GT is by no standard a bad card, it's just not going to be able to keep up so well in the next few years in terms of gaming.

I think the Nvidia 9400M graphic cards should be able to handle those games. Since most Macs have the 9400M cards, I don't see them being change for a while yet.

 

[AppleNerd96]

I think the Nvidia 9400M graphic cards should be able to handle those games. Since most Macs have the 9400M cards, I don't see them being change for a while yet.

I'd love to see the ATI Radeon HD 4830 or better with 512mb of GDDR3 (but GDDR5 would be awesome!)

 

[foiden]

However, if he's looking to play the latest games on the highest settings, the 9400M doesn't quite do that alone. It'll play the latest games, but normally tuned down to medium settings and at the right resolutions. But it will play them with satisfactory results, while still looking pretty good. (I think forcing the memory to a minimum of DDR3 ram standards really helped the 9400M perform as well as it does. It's not as much a case of better quality graphics card ram vs. lower speed and quality CPU ram.) However, trying to go top end with the latest does require a more dedicated card.

 

[AppleNerd96]

However, if he's looking to play the latest games on the highest settings, the 9400M doesn't quite do that alone. It'll play the latest games, but normally tuned down to medium settings and at the right resolutions. But it will play them with satisfactory results, while still looking pretty good. (I think forcing the memory to a minimum of DDR3 ram standards really helped the 9400M perform as well as it does. It's not as much a case of better quality graphics card ram vs. lower speed and quality CPU ram.) However, trying to go top end with the latest does require a more dedicated card.

9600M? Just so you lot know in case I wasn't clear before, I'm going to buy a 15.4", the 13" won't cut it for me, too small of a screen, and I pretty much need a dedicated GFX card.