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While Intel's next-generation Broadwell processors for most Macs are not shipping until early 2015 or even later, the company began shipping some ultra low-power Broadwell chips known as Core M a couple of months ago. These chips are designed to run at just 4.5 watts and are intended for next-generation fanless PCs and tablets, fitting perfectly with circulating rumors of a thinner, fanless 12-inch MacBook Air, potentially with a Retina display.

The first batch of Core M chips launched in early September consisted of the 5Y10/5Y10a running at a base frequency of 800 MHz with a maximum of 2 GHz turbo, along with the more powerful 5Y70 running at 1.1 GHz with a max turbo of 2.6 GHz. But as pointed out by CPU World, Intel now appears to have quietly added several new processor options to the Core M family. Internal roadmaps had targeted an early 2015 launch for these chips, but Intel's chip database shows the new chips as having launched this quarter.

The new chips, which we understand Apple has indeed been testing with the upcoming 12-inch MacBook Air, include a new high-end 5Y71 chip running at 1.2 GHz with a max turbo of 2.9 GHz, two new mid-range chips arriving as 5Y51 and 5Y31, and a new low-end 5Y10c variant. As noted by CPU World, all of the new chips offer faster graphics than the initial batch of Core M chips, with base graphics frequencies moving from 100 MHz to 300 MHz across the board and turbo frequencies in some cases rising slightly to as high as 900 MHz.

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Lenovo's Yoga 3 Pro is the first PC to take advantage of the first batch of Broadwell Core M chips, and performance has been lackluster. It is unclear, however, whether the issues are due more to Core M's limitations for the sake of power efficiency or to Lenovo's design decisions. Still, the new second batch of Core M chips appears to mark a significant step forward from the earlier versions while maintaining the same low power draw.

The launch timing of Apple's rumored 12-inch MacBook Air remains up in the air, with one rumor pointing to a likely mid-2015 launch. But with Intel moving forward on its Broadwell Core M chip lineup and perhaps accelerating its launch plans for those chips, it will be interesting to see if Apple looks to launch the new, thinner MacBook Air earlier in the year.

Article Link: Intel Launches New Broadwell Core M Processors, Likely Destined for Apple's Ultra-Slim Notebook
 
Seems like Intel is really struggling to compete with ARM in this category. I can't imagine Intel will be used for much longer in the MBA. With the performance of the A8X it would seem logical for Apple to move to ARM in the next couple years.
 
So... relatively weak (but power efficient) processors... and Retina in the new Macbook Air?

I hope those integrated Intel graphics are hella powerful. :confused:
 
I'm keeping some cash on hand waiting to see if these MacBook Air predictions come to market. A threshold for me is that it would have to run Logic Pro X at least well enough to be useful. The low clock rates make me skeptical.
 
Quad Core?

What about the Quad-core processors in Broadwell? Haven't found any data on that yet. Seems interesting that they're focusing on the ultra slim factor, but what about the next gen MacBook Pros?
 
800 MHz clock on these? I trust that they'll be plenty fast and OK for new machines...Intel know its stuff...but am I the only one having a bit of throwback seeing numbers like that? :)
 
Introducing the 2015 MacBook Air. It has a processor speed from a decade ago, the same amount of RAM as a decade ago, the same amount of storage as a decade ago and finally to round things up it has the same price as a decade ago.

And introducing the "new" Apple logo, rainbow-colored.

We might as well buy old PowerBooks at this point. :rolleyes:
 
I will be waiting broadwell macbook pro. or perhaps skylake, with 5k capable display output.
 
Introducing the 2015 MacBook Air. It has a processor speed from a decade ago, the same amount of RAM as a decade ago, the same amount of storage as a decade ago and finally to round things up it has the same price as a decade ago.

And introducing the "new" Apple logo, rainbow-colored.

We might as well buy old PowerBooks at this point. :rolleyes:

I think you'd be surprised how much faster even these CPUs are. You may not be aware, but these CPUs are typically turbo-boosting somewhat the entire time (while plugged in). These things are designed to not kill themselves even if they're being smothered with a pillow and can't dissipate their heat. Keep your laptop in a room-temperature environment with good circulation, and these CPUs should probably hold steady (even during heavy usage) a good few hundred MHz higher than advertised. This comes from experience with my out of date 2011 MBA. It has likely improved since then. :p

Plus, MHz isn't really a good metric for CPU performance... There's a reason Intel CPUs still destroy ARM CPUs running at the same frequency. Architecture matters more than frequency does.
 
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Introducing the 2015 MacBook Air. It has a processor speed from a decade ago, the same amount of RAM as a decade ago, the same amount of storage as a decade ago and finally to round things up it has the same price as a decade ago.

But look at how THIN it is!

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I will wait for Anandtech benchmarks.

Once form starts gimping performance, one needs to reevaluate priorities.
 
I think you'd be surprised how much faster even these CPUs are. You may not be aware, but these CPUs are typically turbo-boosting somewhat the entire time (while plugged in). These things are designed to not kill themselves even if they're being smothered with a pillow and can't dissipate their heat. Keep your laptop in a room-temperature environment with good circulation, and these CPUs should probably hold steady (even during heavy usage) a good few hundred MHz higher than advertised. This comes from experience with my out of date 2011 MBA. It has likely improved since then. :p

Plus, MHz isn't really a good metric for CPU performance... There's a reason Intel CPUs still destroy ARM CPUs running at the same frequency. Architecture matters more than frequency does.

No. Thinhgs that dissipate heat have fans for a reason. I’m pretty sure that when this starts to do anything more taxing than browsing and mails you’ll notice. And turn down your central heating. And have a heat related failure a couple of years down the road.
 
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