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how likely will there be a graphics card update on the MBP?

G

gothamm

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Nov 18, 2007
844
3
the 8600 gt is a good card and one of the few ones that is thin enough to fit the MBP enclosure. i was really looking towards a graphics card update, because a 5% boost in cpu performance doesnt mean much to me.

Are there any other mobile graphic cards out there better than the 8600 gt? if so, how likely do you think the GPU will get updated?
 
Are you serious? its gonna be a minute before the upgrade again when does apple usually upgrade their equipment?
 
I'd say that the most possible upgrade, if any to the GPU, is an increase to 256mb for the standard base model, and a 512 for the 17" or something (maybe a special BTO option?)
 
aiterum said:
I'd say that the most possible upgrade, if any to the GPU, is an increase to 256mb for the standard base model, and a 512 for the 17" or something (maybe a special BTO option?)
Click to expand...

that is what I am thinking, as there is no card slim enough to fit the aluminum enclosure.
 
ArmyKnight12 said:
The MBP will probably be upgraded in August sometime, hopefully with new graphic cards.
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You're crazy if you think they're gonna go 14 months between updates.

MBP is gonna get upgraded to Penryn within the next month. Graphics card will remain the same though.

8800 gives off too much heat, 8700 is just an overclocked 8600 (the MBP 8600 is underclocked anyways).
 
zioxide said:
8800 gives off too much heat, 8700 is just an overclocked 8600 (the MBP 8600 is underclocked anyways).
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Which is exactly why I think we'll see 8700s in the new batch of MBPs. Since the current 8600s are currently underclocked as it is, going to an 8700 will be an greater performance boost than just going to an 8700 from a stock 8600.

That, and the higher series number allows Apple to market it as a better card.

Also, when nVidia first announced the 8700s, they touted them as having performance comparable or greater to (can't remember off the top of my head, sorry) the XBox 360's Xenos... giving Apple a further nudge into Microsoft's side.
 
blurb23 said:
Which is exactly why I think we'll see 8700s in the new batch of MBPs. Since the current 8600s are currently underclocked as it is, going to an 8700 will be an greater performance boost than just going to an 8700 from a stock 8600.

That, and the higher series number allows Apple to market it as a better card.

Also, when nVidia first announced the 8700s, they touted them as having performance comparable or greater to (can't remember off the top of my head, sorry) the XBox 360's Xenos... giving Apple a further nudge into Microsoft's side.
Click to expand...

It would be more likely for them to just clock the current 8600 higher if they wanted to increase performance..
 
zioxide said:
It would be more likely for them to just clock the current 8600 higher if they wanted to increase performance..
Click to expand...

I think that makes more sense from a technical standpoint, but if they up it to the 8700 it seems like an entirely new card to a lot of people's perspective.

I have to buy an MBP in a few weeks, and I'm really hoping to see a processor bump and 256 VRAM in the base model before I have to bite... but I'm not overly hopeful of that.
 
Yeah, I think they will bump the CPU up to 2.4GHz on the base model. Not sure what they'll do with the GPU though. On one hand, I can see the point about them boosting the current 8600, but then if they change it for the 8700, it'll be better for marketing because it'll be "new penryn processors, and a new graphics card".

I'm waiting to buy a MBP but refuse to do so until they update.
 
gazfocus said:
Yeah, I think they will bump the CPU up to 2.4GHz on the base model. Not sure what they'll do with the GPU though. On one hand, I can see the point about them boosting the current 8600, but then if they change it for the 8700, it'll be better for marketing because it'll be "new penryn processors, and a new graphics card".

I'm waiting to buy a MBP but refuse to do so until they update.
Click to expand...

My point exactly.

Even if the 8700 generates more heat than the current underclocked 8600, some of that may be abated by the fact that Penryn generates less heat than Merom. And a new case design would further help dissipating more heat.
 
I'm putting my money on a Mobility Radeon HD 3600 if they update the graphics. Hopefully we'll see an update soon, I need a laptop for college.
 
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