Holding out for MBP refresh

[palmerc2]

Currently on 24" Alu iMac, and was going to get a 17" any day but now with certain situations I will not be able to get it until January - perfect timing for a refresh! With rumors swirling for an imminent refresh in January or February, it will be well timed.

Hoping for a new GPU, besides nvidia. When I used to build PCs I was big fan of nvidia, it just seems they are messing up like crazy now. Sounds like ATI is a better choice.

What do you guys think about having 2 GPUs?? Seems like a waste of resources and space to have two of them, don't you think? With arrandale coming, won't intel need to redesign the motherboard? Let's get rid of 2 GPUs, and have one powerful one, methinks...

And of course, new CPU!

 

[thegoldenmackid]

Umm... the two GPU's are best for most people iThink, there are a lot of people that do not need the higher graphics most the time.

 

[liquidsuns]

Do you know why Apple puts two gpus in the macbook pros? They do that so that when you aren't in need of the dedicated gpu, which is most of the time, you can just use the integrated gpu and conserve A LOT of battery power. It's a great idea and not one that they are likely to get rid of any time soon.

 

[palmerc2]

Do you know why Apple puts two gpus in the macbook pros? They do that so that when you aren't in need of the dedicated gpu, which is most of the time, you can just use the integrated gpu and conserve A LOT of battery power. It's a great idea and not one that they are likely to get rid of any time soon.

I knew that was why apple put it in, was to save battery life, I just didn't know it conseved a lot of it. I figured it would save 1 hour maximum battery life.

 

[Zyniker]

I knew that was why apple put it in, was to save battery life, I just didn't know it conseved a lot of it. I figured it would save 1 hour maximum battery life.

When did battery technology advance to the point that an hour no longer constituted "a lot"?

 

[Morn]

Arrandale wil have a GPU built into the CPU, that will be switchable, meaning Apple will be able to have an Intel GPU and an ATI GPU in the next revision.

 

[palmerc2]

When did battery technology advance to the point that an hour no longer constituted "a lot"?

Heh, I guess cuz I'm coming from a different place? I've only had one laptop in my life and it was a low end Dell circa 2002, so not so powerful. I've been on a desktops for the past 7 years so battery life isn't exactly on my top 10 gripes about a computer, ha!! Maybe my story will change after a months use of the MBP....I guess maybe I was just thinking apple was sacrificing power for battery. Since there has been some points made, maybe they'll keep a lower end GPU in, and place a much better one in...guess we'll have to wait and find out




Is anyone else holding out for refresh, too?

 

[maflynn]

What do you guys think about having 2 GPUs?? Seems like a waste of resources and space to have two of them, don't you think? With arrandale coming, won't intel need to redesign the motherboard? Let's get rid of 2 GPUs, and have one powerful one, methinks...

The dual GPU setup really doesn't consume too much internal real estate and as for resources, its actually better since you can run on the integrated GPU on battery and the discrete when on the A/C.

 

[cluthz]

I think apple will stick with a nvidia GPU, at least in one of the options.
If apple chose ATI only in all MBP they would basically only have the lowend iMac left with nvidia and the MP, and i think apple have to sell quite a few nvidia GPUs to keep them interested in making GPUs for mac. Nvidia has also been the standard GPU for macs for ages, with ATI as an option.

 

[Morn]

I think apple will stick with a nvidia GPU, at least in one of the options.

Supposedly, ATI is the first to support Intel's switchable graphics, at least from what I can gather. If they want to maintain the ability to switch to a slower more efficient GPU, they'll go for ATI+Intel I expect.

 

[jshelton]

So what will likely be refreshed? Just the graphics?

 

[barkomatic]

So what will likely be refreshed? Just the graphics?

No one knows. Apple has been offering pretty lame upgrades the past few cycles IMO so I'm hoping we're due for something more significant when they do another refresh. Apple seems to have lost enthusiasm for its MBP line of late.

 

[jshelton]

No one knows. Apple has been offering pretty lame upgrades the past few cycles IMO so I'm hoping we're due for something more significant when they do another refresh. Apple seems to have lost enthusiasm for its MBP line of late.

So I should go with a low end 21.5" iMac rather than wait for the low end 15" MBP to be refreshed?

 

[barkomatic]

So I should go with a low end 21.5" iMac rather than wait for the low end 15" MBP to be refreshed?

Whether or not you get a notebook or a desktop depends upon your specific needs no matter where we are in the upgrade cycle. If you don't really need a notebook I'd go with the iMac as they've just been refreshed. If you're really just *settling* for an iMac but would rather prefer a MBP then I'd wait--they are due for an upgrade early next year.