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I'm really hoping we don't have to wait any longer than January 26th for the new MBP's. I really want to get a macbook pro but I don't want to dive in right at the end of a cycle.
 
Just add a discrete and turn off the integrated

What sucks about this is that Intel is using their great new CPU to push their inferior graphics chips. Having a complete platform for system builders is fine, but including the graphics chip on the CPU die was fail from the start.

Apple doesn't have to use the integrated graphics - the chips are cheap so that it's not a serious drawback.

Intel isn't forcing anyone to use the GPU.
 
Only time will tell if Apple will include these in the new MBPs.

Let's hope we hear something at the media event!

In the meantime, enjoy CES this weekend.
 
igp is on die with qpi/memory/pcie/dmi controllers, they can't separate it, so maybe will just disable.
 
I'm really hoping we don't have to wait any longer than January 26th for the new MBP's. I really want to get a macbook pro but I don't want to dive in right at the end of a cycle.

Yeah - that's my concern. I want one to replace my now very old G4 powerbook, but I can wait another couple of months. I'd like to think it will be announced by the end of January.
 
Apple doesn't have to use the integrated graphics - the chips are cheap so that it's not a serious drawback.

Intel isn't forcing anyone to use the GPU.

You don't have to use it, but now it's part of the IGP so you're getting it whether you want it or not. What chipsets are out there that allow you to use the new Intel procs, but a 3rd party graphics chip?
 
Looks good. I think I'll wait for the lower power update of these chips though. Lower power and less heat with these speeds would be very desirable.

article said:
If you can wait even longer we expect to see a second rev of Arrandale silicon towards the middle of the year with better power characteristics.

If you like mid-year updates for the "books", then Apple's preference for extreme power management and their likely first access to Intel silicon ought to make this update interesting.

I wonder if the larger tablet will also use this variant so they have motherboard compatibility between tablet, book, mini, and future iMac form factors.

I am voting for quad core, GPU acceleration and Arrandale low power all under the hood.

Rocketman

Double battery BTO option please Steve.
 
Apple doesn't have to use the integrated graphics - the chips are cheap so that it's not a serious drawback.

Intel isn't forcing anyone to use the GPU.

I hope you are right, but am not so sure this statement is correct.

In any case, this is a statement from another (clarkdale) review :

We have Westmere parts in our hands (a bit earlier than we expected last year) with Clarkdale and while I am impressed to see the technology working, the processor really fills a specific market segment. The most specific thing I can say to a potential buyer of a Clarkdale processor is this: it only makes sense to buy one if you are going to utilize the integrated graphics. If you plan on adding a discrete graphics card anyway, then it makes more sense to use that processor budget for a Lynnfield part.

In other words : IGP still is worthless, unfortunately. That's why I still believe the news that Apple will be calling Intel for a specific cpu part without the GPU, whether they'll get it will be interesting.
 
You don't have to use it, but now it's part of the IGP so you're getting it whether you want it or not. What chipsets are out there that allow you to use the new Intel procs, but a 3rd party graphics chip?

Could Apple just include 2 Discrete graphics chipsets, and leave the intel Integrated just for extra OpenCL processing or something ?

Or an extra monitor port would be nice :) I would love two external screens on my MBP
 
Apple doesn't have to use the integrated graphics - the chips are cheap so that it's not a serious drawback.

Intel isn't forcing anyone to use the GPU.

What kind of tortuous logic is this? Typical as it might be for this user of course.

Intel isn't forcing anyone to use their gpu by including it in all the mobile chips and not offering an option without it?
 
You don't have to use it, but now it's part of the IGP so you're getting it whether you want it or not. What chipsets are out there that allow you to use the new Intel procs, but a 3rd party graphics chip?

That would be PM55. Also: GPU is part of the IGP but you can disable it (with clarkdale anyway).
 
My 15" MBP won't be a year old till the beginning of April. I think I'll hold out till Apple can work it's customary magic on a quad core mobile MBP with decent battery life and design characteristics.

lol! "hold out"? A Mac should last around 5 years! Getting the new version each year would be quite a waste indeed!
 
You don't have to use it, but now it's part of the IGP so you're getting it whether you want it or not. What chipsets are out there that allow you to use the new Intel procs, but a 3rd party graphics chip?

Arrandale itself supports discrete graphics - the PCIe x16 lanes can be sent outside the chip - note the iGFX inside the CPU package, and PCIe discrete outside:

12.jpg
click to enlarge, full story at http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=787

The whining about the integrated graphics is not reasonable - just turn it off if you don't want it. Intel is saving money with the two-chip package, and so will you.
 
even so, i would rather have more hardware then design updates. to me, not having quad core at this point as an option is a little insulting.

My 15" MBP won't be a year old till the beginning of April. I think I'll hold out till Apple can work it's customary magic on a quad core mobile MBP with decent battery life and design characteristics.
 
How about on the Bootcamp side?

I have to run Solidworks (to my utter chagrin) on Bootcamp. I'd like to know if that near 30% boost in 3D performance carries over to the Windows side of things.
 
Arrandale itself supports discrete graphics - the PCIe x16 lanes can be sent outside the chip - note the iGFX inside the CPU package, and PCIe discrete outside:

12.jpg
click to enlarge, full story at http://www.pcper.com/article.php?aid=787

The whining about the integrated graphics is not reasonable - just turn it off if you don't want it. Intel is saving money with the two-chip package, and so will you.

They support discrete graphics? Oh what a technological advantage, it's not as if every cpu on the globe does that....:rolleyes: more tortuous logic...

Turning it off is not an alternative to not having it there at all and not allowing a igfx for another brand.

Next time you buy a car, I will shove an inferior break system, and tell you just turn it off and use one from another manufacturer.
 
Next time you buy a car, I will shove an inferior break system, and tell you just turn it off and use one from another manufacturer.

Why aren't people complaining that the radio chip in the Iphone supports an FM tuner (which Apple is not using)? Is every Iphone user being penalized because a few transistors on a large scale integrated circuit aren't being utilized?

The Iphone would cost more, not less, if Apple insisted on a custom chip without the FM radio tuner. Same with Arrandale - a custom chip for Apple would cost much more.
 
Why aren't people complaining that the radio chip in the Iphone supports an FM tuner (which Apple is not using)? Is every Iphone user being penalized because a few transistors on a large scale integrated circuit aren't being utilized?

The Iphone would cost more, not less, if Apple insisted on a custom chip without the RM radio tuner. Same with Arrandale.

If Apple wanted to unlock the potential of the current iPhone 3Gs then, there would be no need to update it this June/July.

Price would still stay the same. ALL of Apple's products are "under-clocked" (for lack of a better word.
 
Igfx is obviously improved over past intel offerings because these were the bottom of the barrel. We didn't need anandtech to tell us that, if intel hadn't improved upon their worst in class offerings it would be a feat.

Why aren't anandtech saying that an improved intel igfx, is still worst in class, worst than pretty much all their competitors?

Maybe if intel wasn't bankrolling anandtech we 'd actually see an objective review.

And after all that hype a 15% or so increase in performance and no increase in performance in battery life, with a new architecture, is far from being notable. And what with the current bottlenecks being ram and ssd speed, it's actually negligible.

Of course I am not on intels big marketing payroll and I can call it like it is.

No you're not on Intels Bankroll you're on Apples ball sack and since Apple apparently wont be using Arrandale you hate it.
 
No you're not on Intels Bankroll you're on Apples ball sack ...

LOL, someone with the nickname "scroto" using "ball sack" in a post! :D


... and since Apple apparently wont be using Arrandale you hate it.

I'd expect to see Arrandale MacBook Pros soon. I suspect that the "Apple won't use Arrandale" rumour is really based on "Apple won't use Arrandale's iGFX", but it was garbled during the retelling.

They support discrete graphics? Oh what a technological advantage, it's not as if every cpu on the globe does that....:rolleyes: more tortuous logic...

Tortuous logic?

I was replying to a question
Originally Posted by eastcoastsurfer
What chipsets are out there that allow you to use the new Intel procs, but a 3rd party graphics chip?
by pointing out that Arrandale itself can support PCIe x16 graphics cards and discrete 3rd party GPU chips.

The question was asked by someone who apparently thought that iGFX precluded an external solution.
 
The whole tablet thing is probably going to be a bit of a yawn. I just want the damn Macbook Pro line to be updated so that I can get one. I don't need a new laptop, but my old G4 Powerbook is starting to die.

This was so my answer!:) After six years I'm ready for a new MacBook Pro.
 
You don't have to use it, but now it's part of the IGP so you're getting it whether you want it or not. What chipsets are out there that allow you to use the new Intel procs, but a 3rd party graphics chip?
All of them. The concern isn't about the chipset since the PCIe 2.0 controller is onboard the processor package. Though you are going to have to use H5x to support FDI to have outputs for the IGP.

P55 spinoffs will solely rely on discrete solutions.

Westmere is especially optimized for a mobile role. It fits into the Intel business platforms as well. The benchmarks are rather lacking compared to Lynnfield and Deneb on the desktop side.
 
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