Intel Launches New Broadwell Core M Processors, Likely Destined for Apple's Ultra-Slim Notebook

[BCWorld]

With the way apple has been doing things lately, I can see the specs now:
1.0 dual core Intel processor 2gb ram ddr3 60gb pcie storage starting at $1099.99 with upgrade options in online Apple Store only. ########

 

[enricopalazzo]

Could be due to slim design, high 3200x1800 resolution and reduction to 3.5W TDP. Older reviews with 4.5 TDP stated 2.67 points on cinebench and that would be good enough.

 

[Sy7ygy]

It's SO under-powered.. you will have no option but to purchase a rMacBook Pro with under-powered Integrated Graphics to power that WQXGA resolution.

This company is heading for a shortfall in specification - soon this is how it will look:

£700-900 for a MacBook that can browse the Web, Look at email - that's about it.

£1000 - £1800 - a MacBook that can edit pictures; forget Video/ graphical performance.

£2K plus - a MacBook with the specifications that should exist on the lower tiers.

F*cked up.

 

[Pressure]

People, the lowest state of the processor is 1.1/1.2Ghz. It can turbo up to 2.9Ghz, which IS faster than the current model (tops out at 2.7Ghz). This will just give you longer battery life for when the performance isn't needed.

It's a step forward, not backwards. Especially given the TDP of only 4.5W.

 

[flavr]

How much lighter can a MacBook Air get? Under 2 pounds?

About as light as the iPad Pro. Yes, these chips will power the new iPad Pro that will be running OSX. The iPad Pro will also have an ARM processor on board. The reason the iPad Pro was delayed was because of these chips.

 

[mtneer]

Mac's life cycle is ~7 years. Do you really think you can buy 800 MHz or even 1.2 GHz "Mac" in 2015 and use this calculator until 2020 with all software updates? Or now we must buy them every year or two? Who the hell needs this one-off computer?

The days of using the same hardware with minimal upgrades are slipping away. Look at Apple's latest moves with the Mini which I expect will be fully imitated by PC vendors across the spectrum. Unless you are buying a $3000+ professional rig! expect to treat anything less as appliances that you will throw out and buy a new one within 2-3 years at most.

 

[Glideslope]

looks more like a downgrade. and this time i won't be surprised.

Agreed. Apple has not made a decision to use these in the new Slim Jim.
They are testing, yes. But there are big tradeoffs in this silicon to consume such low energy. IMO, ARM architecture is superior to X86 in every way for this type of implementation.

However, I do acknowledge the segment of users who simply want a tiny thin device somewhat resembling a Notebook is increasing. I this M chip does go in an Apple Slim Jim it will be a Dog.

I'd get over the rice paper syndrome and buy a 2014 today.

 

[mtneer]

Even though Skylake (tock) will also probably launch in 2015 ?

Processor family releases don't all happen at the same time - at least not since the days of Penryn/ Merom. Now you get the Broadwell lead "M" chips released in 2014, with the bulk of the laptop chips coming 2015 and some of the Xeon Broadwells showing up in 2016, even 2017. So a "Skylake release" in 2015 may not apply to the chips you want, it will be a 1 year cadence to the Broadwells released in 2014.

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I am sure 800 Mhz wont be too bad, but honestly on a modern OS like Mac OSX 800 Mhz seems to be pushing it.

These chips seem good for $300- $400 Chromebooks not for $1000+ Apple products.

Since when has Apple played the spec game. It's all about the efficiency of the OS and the experience.

 

[Milese3]

There is no way Apple is releasing an 800mhz MacBook Air, that's just a throwback idea from well over a decade ago.

The clock speed isn't everything. Look at iPhone's. With half the frequency of Android rivals, they beat them in performance.

 

[VMukhtarov]

The days of using the same hardware with minimal upgrades are slipping away. Look at Apple's latest moves with the Mini which I expect will be fully imitated by PC vendors across the spectrum. Unless you are buying a $3000+ professional rig! expect to treat anything less as appliances that you will throw out and buy a new one within 2-3 years at most.

So why we should buy Air every 2 years if we can add $200-300 once and buy Pro for the next 3-4 years?

 

[mtneer]

So why we should buy Air every 2 years if we can add $200-300 once and buy Pro for the next 3-4 years?

That's a choice you still face today. They will dangle that "1/2 lb lighter" or "1/2" thinner" carrot on the Air and many will find that irresistable.

 

[Stephroll]

I won't buy an ARM based MBA because, unfortunately, even though I don't want to, I must dual boot over to Windies from time to time... Windies WTF autocorrect... Anyway. I guess Windies lol could run via emulated X86 instruction set, but goddam they would be so dog slow I don't think I could stand it.

Guess it must be pretty Windows where you live

 

[ricci]

With almost 2 years delay with the problems in manufacturing , it's a welcome upgrade but I got to say, with Skylake on the release late next year, Skylake blows away Broadwell and is the next huge step in advanced processors! Just look up Skylake and it will blow you away what Intel has planned! For one example, "No more wires,!!! NONE" wow! What will the MacPro look like? Wireless charging ? Bring it on baby!!! Check it out !

 

[ValSalva]

The clock speed is meaningless because you're missing some factors unless you're comparing the same type and generation of processors. There were 3.0GHz Pentium 4 processors back in the day.

The new iMac has a BTO option for a 4.0GHz Haswell. It beats the entry level nMP in some benchmarks. I know these are desktops but just saying...

 

[spaceballl]

I just looked at the specs of the 5Y71, and it's significantly slower than the i7 in my wife's MacBook Air. We have been talking about upgrading her when the new retina models come out, but I definitely won't be "upgrading" her for a performance drop!

That being said, the CPU in her MacBook Air has a 15W TDP, while the 5Y71 is just a third of that. Hopefully Intel has a CPU that's right in the middle, in terms of TDP, and has more performance packed in.

 

[WannaGoMac]

It's getting harder to think macs are the right choice anymore given their stance on totally not upgradeable computers now. It's really disappointing... why cant they let us upgrade ram and hard drives??

 

[mtneer]

It's getting harder to think macs are the right choice anymore given their stance on totally not upgradeable computers now. It's really disappointing... why cant they let us upgrade ram and hard drives??

Apple makes it's money on hardware sales. If a user gets frustrated with performance on a non upgradeable machine after 2 years and decides to upgrade - Apple makes revenue and it's legendary margins.

If the user can replace parts, Apple makes nothing on the parts - some random vendor on Newegg gets that and more importantly, Apple loses out on a complete hardware upgrade cycle since the user can put off buying a new machine for another year or two.

 

[thingstoponder]

Some of you really think a current 800 MHz processor will perform the same as an old one? Seriously?

 

[WardC]

800MHz? Here's an image of what comes to mind...in full TITANIUM:

 

[maconservative]

Or this...

You guys just wait till Apple start to use floppy disks again...

Or this...

 

[WardC]

Some of you really think a current 800 MHz processor will perform the same as an old one? Seriously?

I am thinking power consumption will be a lot yes, and battery life will be worlds better, but the performance stats really won't stack up to any huge monumental gains over the current generation. That's been the way with every one of these lower power processors when a new one comes out.

 

[thingstoponder]

isnt it completely obvious that this 12" macbook air and the 12" ipad pro are one and the same device?!

No, because they aren't. One is a 11.88 inch fanless macbook and one is a 12.9 or 12.2 inch larger iPad. Why would the rumors be so wrong that they're both the same device? They're distinctly separate rumors for separate devices.

 

[WardC]

"This is our single greatest product ever...it is an exemplary example of sheer elegance of design and it is carved from a single piece of ALUM-IN-IUM!!"

 

[mw360]

How different this thread would be if they just changed the nomenclature to "2.4GHz base clock speed with 900MHz power save mode"

 

[Pentad]

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.

I'm always amused by comments like these. I realize that people think CPUs are all the same but ARM isn't even in the same universe as Intel when it comes to performance.

I don't mean surfing the web, wandering around FaceBook, writing an email or doing something frivolous while waiting for your coffee at StarBucks. I'm talking real work most people do on a notebook computer.

ARM is great at power management (RISC Instructions) but sacrifice's performance for that power management. Your iPad and iPhone run a lite version of OS X in a very tightly controlled environment with limited multitasking.

Now imagine that same ARM processor in a MBP with a full version of OS X running many heavy duty applications (think Photoshop, X-Code, Word, Excel, Dreamweaver, etc...) all at the same time. ARM based CPUs are just not designed to work in that kind of environment.

So you think Intel is struggling? Intel has the most advanced and cutting edge R&D facilities in the world when it comes to microprocessor technology. Nobody comes close. They are years ahead of everyone else.

Intel has had to maintain the same instruction set while moving forward in a world where people want insane performance out a multicore chip with all day battery life in a tiny package.

When you look at Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge and Haswell, their performance has gone up while power usage has gone down. That is impressive advancement given everything that Intel has to maintain.

I think the limits of ARM will hurt them in the end. I think that Intel's R&D and industry might will move their chips to match the power efficiency of ARM with that added performance and instruction compatibility that people want (even if they don't really know it).

I think devices like the iPad and iPhone will eventually move to Intel processors.



Here is an older article with more information.