Intel Nehalem Delayed Until Q4 2009/Q1 2010, MBP Redesign More Likely

[MICHAELSD]

http://en.expreview.com/2008/09/04/...windows-prepare-for-holiday-refresh-2009.html

The Auburndale version of Nehalem, designed for mainstream notebooks (MacBook, MacBook Pro) has been delayed until January 2010. The performance version of Nehalem, Clarksfield isn't coming out until Q4 2009. This should be good news for anyone that wants to buy a MBP in the next few months (like me ) since we won't see a huge performance leap until at least a year from when the next MBP is released.

It would make a lot of sense for Apple to redesign the MBP now, which is probably why they've been taking so long to release a MBP with the Montevina chipset. If they didn't release a redesigned MBP now, then there would be a full four-year gap between the original MBP design and a new one. I wonder what Apple would do in 2009. Update the MBP at the end of '09 and then update it again two months later? Will they keep the same model all year? Switch over to AMD (I couldn't see them doing that)? Design a custom chipset for the MBP? At least this is good news for anyone looking to buy now since it would be stupid for Apple to wait until Nehalem to release a redesigned MBP.

 

[zer0tails]

thanks for this news.

What is the performance version, clarkesfield for? Desktops?

 

[Logos327]

This couldn't have gone in one of the other NEW MBP !!!! OMG !!! threads

I think the information is interesting (and worthy of some discussion) but not worthy of new thread. Just try not to clutter the forum up.

 

[MICHAELSD]

No, that's the mobile performance version. I'm not sure if Apple would want to upgrade the MBP to that with an even better mobile version of Nehalem coming out 1-3 months later.

 

[J the Ninja]

thanks for this news.

What is the performance version, clarkesfield for? Desktops?

Clarksfield is for higher-end laptops. I believe Auburndale has an on-die GPU, Clarksfield does not (it's assumed the user would want a better, discrete one). Auburndale might be missing quad core versions as well (not sure on that). A quick guide to the core codenames:

Auburndale - Low-end/Mainestream laptops

Clarksfield - High end laptops

Lynnfield - Mainstream/low-end desktops

Bloomfield - High-end desktops (mainly gaming PCs)

Gainestown - Small (1 or 2 CPU) servers, high-powered workstations

Beckton - Large, multi-processor servers. Share's socket/chipset with the new version of Itanium (supposedly. Said Itanium proc is called Tukwilla, btw)

 

[zer0tails]

@ J the Ninja: thanks for that useful info. So if i assume correctly, Auburndale is what they're going to put into macbooks, and clarksfield for the macbook pros right?

Nehalem seems awesome, but i guess awesome takes time.

If it's going to take this long..i'm interested to know what Apple is going to be putting in the next rumored macbooks/macbook pros.

I agree with OP. Redesign seems very likely.

 

[iMacmatician]

http://en.expreview.com/2008/09/04/...windows-prepare-for-holiday-refresh-2009.html

That's been around for a while.

@ J the Ninja: thanks for that useful info. So if i assume correctly, Auburndale is what they're going to put into macbooks, and clarksfield for the macbook pros right?

Most Clarksfields are too hot for the MacBook Pro, so I doubt we'll see those. The lowest-clocked version of it will be cool enough, but its GHz is likely to be so low compared to the Auburndales that Apple may skip that Clarksfield and use all Auburndales in the MacBook Pro.

 

[danielwsmithee]

Most Clarksfields are too hot for the MacBook Pro, so I doubt we'll see those. The lowest-clocked version of it will be cool enough, but its GHz is likely to be so low compared to the Auburndales that Apple may skip that Clarksfield and use all Auburndales in the MacBook Pro.

I don't think so. The Clarksfield has the Northbridge now built into the processor so a 45W Clarksfield is equivalent to the 35W Penryn + 10 W Northbridge in the current design.

The Clarksfield TurboBoost is very aggressive, the 1.73 Ghz jumps to 3.06 Ghz when single threaded applications are running.

Apple is going to use Clraksfield in the machines that have discrete graphics. High end 15" and 17", and iMac.

They will use the Arrandale in the machines that currently use the 9400M.

 

[Hellhammer]

That's been around for a while.

Most Clarksfields are too hot for the MacBook Pro, so I doubt we'll see those. The lowest-clocked version of it will be cool enough, but its GHz is likely to be so low compared to the Auburndales that Apple may skip that Clarksfield and use all Auburndales in the MacBook Pro.

Auburndale = Arrandale?

I agree with you. I doubt Apple will use Clarksfield

 

[J the Ninja]

Auburndale = Arrandale?

I agree with you. I doubt Apple will use Clarksfield

Auburndale /= Arrandale!


This is what happens when year-old threads get necro'd. Sometimes they are full of obsolete info. Auburndale was to be a 45nm part, but it was canned. Arrandale was meant to be the 32nm shrink of it, IIRC, but Intel bumped it up. Apparently, the 32nm transition was going better than planned.

 

[Hellhammer]

Auburndale /= Arrandale!


This is what happens when year-old threads get necro'd. Sometimes they are full of obsolete info. Auburndale was to be a 45nm part, but it was canned. Arrandale was meant to be the 32nm shrink of it, IIRC, but Intel bumped it up. Apparently, the 32nm transition was going better than planned.

OK, so I just read that Auburndale was meant to be dual-core, 45nm Nehalem CPU and it was meant to be releases in mid 2009, but it wasn't, right? And now Arrandale is ahead of the schedule and is already being manufactured and soon to be released, so is Auburndale rebranded Arrandale or what? Sorry I'm just so lost now with the names and so on. Everyone was talking about Arrandale but now Auburndale came from bushes and I have no idea what it is

 

[Firefly2002]

Auburndale /= Arrandale!


This is what happens when year-old threads get necro'd. Sometimes they are full of obsolete info. Auburndale was to be a 45nm part, but it was canned. Arrandale was meant to be the 32nm shrink of it, IIRC, but Intel bumped it up. Apparently, the 32nm transition was going better than planned.

Necro'd? As in necromanced? Lol... hi Jayne = p

 

[tofagerl]

Auburndale is nothing, forget it. And I haven't heard anything about arrandale coming out early, where's that from?

 

[Hellhammer]

Auburndale is nothing, forget it. And I haven't heard anything about arrandale coming out early, where's that from?

The company says its 32-nm process has now been certified, and wafers of 32-nm Clarkdale and Arrandale processors "are moving through the factory in support of planned [fourth-quarter] revenue production." In related news, Intel has developed a process that lets it build full-featured system-on-a-chip devices at the 32-nm node.

Take a look at this thread for more info. Also there's s chance that Apple gets them earlier than others