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Intel Shipping New 1.7GHz-1.8GHz MacBook Air-Class Processors

FanBoyTroll said:
Mmm... I would like to know if Thundebolt can be used for anything at all. I doubt anyone really needs it. :apple:
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I understand what you mean in terms of currently lacking TB peripherals, but... I would have probably bought a MBA recently to use for tethered photography (Medium Format) which uses FireWire only. That is absolutely not an option with the current "USB only" MBA as a USB->FW bridge is impossible (or so I'm told).

Rumor has it that TB can provide a TB->FW bridge, which would make the 11" MBA the perfect computer for tethered photographers.

This is just one example... I am sure there are many others for similar specialties.
 
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Hey all,

So I'm currently planning on picking up either a MBA (this next one) or a MBP.
I can't really swallow the price of a 15" MBP, but all the concessions involved in getting a 13" MBP are kind of driving me towards a 13" MBA...if it's gonna be a lil' underwhelming in the graphics dept, it might as well look extra pretty ;)

Question is, especially with these new chips (potentially) being included: exactly *how* gimped is the SB/3000 setup, graphically? I know I'm not gonna be playing Crysis 2 on the thing, but Eve? WoW? Farmville? Pong?

Completely discounting the prospect of playing *any* games on it seems a bit overboard to me...could I get a a realistic approximation of what I can/can't play on it?
 
asdf542 said:
You may have seen it running on developer builds prior to version 4, but you can not make the Finder run in DP4 or later on Core Solo/Duo machines. It's only compiled in 64-bit, and I'm sure that many other apps will follow. There ARE technical reasons as to why Apple is dropping 32-bit machines.
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Interesting... that's the first I've heard and new since last week on the Developer Builds. Thanks for the updated info. Although, imho, of course they want to update the codebase but weird that they'd leave the x86 Finder in Developer Preview 1-3 but not in Developer Preview 4...

Guess maybe it wasn't ready?

apdg said:
I don't know, I think we do have a fair comparison. Primate labs lists the processor in the i5 13" MBP as a 2415 which I believe has a 650/1200 base/turbo on its HD 3000. While the base CPU speeds of the MBP's i5 are higher, the turbo is the same as the turbo of this 1.8 i7. There are some decent tests of that machine here.

I'll admit it seems a little weird to be comparing the 2.3ghz MBP to a 1.8ghz MBA but the turbo speeds for both CPU and GPU are identical which might suggest comparable top end performance if thermals can be kept in a happy place.
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Yeah, the thermals will be the thing (as all - like me - who've owned original MBAs with heavy throttling can attest to!).

But yeah, if they manage to fit a 25W CPU/GPU into the 13" model, than the included Intel IGP shouldn't lose much oomph from the 320M. Interesting!
 
ess5 said:
Question is, especially with these new chips (potentially) being included: exactly *how* gimped is the SB/3000 setup, graphically? I know I'm not gonna be playing Crysis 2 on the thing, but Eve? WoW? Farmville? Pong?

Completely discounting the prospect of playing *any* games on it seems a bit overboard to me...could I get a a realistic approximation of what I can/can't play on it?
Click to expand...

apdg posted some reference benchmarks for the Intel HD 3000 in the 2011 13" MBP. If Apple can fit a 25W Sandy Bridge CPU/GPU into the 13" MBA, then you'll see performance similar to that in those benchmarks.

And if the 11" uses these new chips this thread is based on - and the Graphics can turbo up - I think you'll see a ~20% max drop in gaming performance for things like WoW.

The Intel HD 3000 (even the LV version) should be about on par with the Nvidia 9400m, if not a wee bit better. So look at those for the pretty much "worse case" scenario.

Obviously all casual games are fine. Flash-based (farmville) and otherwise (Plants vs. Zombies! :D ).
 
So is this the end of the MacBook Pro line? Apple has emphasized that the MacBook Air will lead the design for the next generation laptops.
Does this mean my 13" MBP will be a waste when a much cheaper Mac will become more efficient? So in 3 years will it be time to start thinking about selling it?

So at my home i'll have: an iMac, Apple TV (maybe), MacBook Air, iPad, iPhone, and my company's PC laptop. Yikes, so many computing devices for one person.
 
Minhthien said:
I was holding off from the new MBP 15"! I am currently use 2010 MBP 13" and Lightroom is a bit slow. Anyone think the new MBA i7 going to be ok for Lightroom and sometime iMovie editing? The thing is its still only a Dual Core and not Quad!
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So what? So what it's a dual core and not a quad core?
It just makes you sound like someone who's just listened to everyone else talk about how great the quad core processor is-not everything in the world needs a goddamned quad core processor.

If you're really that serious about editing in iMovie or Lightroom, and you're not a professional, but you still really want the power, you can buy the MacBook Pro and have the quad core processor. That will do the job.
That or the supercomputers they have that crunch numbers to predict the weather.

I'm sorry, I'm just tired of hearing people gripe about how the Air isn't super powerful. You can only do so much with it.
Would I like it to have a massive SSD and be able to run AutoCAD and Sketchbook Designer 24/7, and actually last for a few years without burning out? Yeah. I'd love to have an Air. But I realize what it's limitations are.
 
So based on my old (a week ago) guesses, and these new processors here is what I expect to find in the new Airs. These choices are based on prices relative to the current CPUs.

11" MBA Base CPU:
Intel® Core™ i5-2557M Processor (Dual Core, 1.7 GHz(2.7GHz turbo) 3M Cache)Price:$250.00.

11" MBA BTO CPU:
Intel® Core™ i7-2677M Processor (Dual Core, 1.8 GHz(2.9GHz turbo) 4M Cache)Price:$317.00.

13" MBA Base CPU:
Intel® Core™ i7-2629M Processor (Dual Core, 2.1 GHz(3.0GHz turbo) 4M Cache)Price:$311.00.

13" MBA BTO CPU:
Intel® Core™ i7-2649M Processor (Dual Core, 2.3 GHz(3.2GHz turbo) 4M Cache)Price:$346.00.
 
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DCJ001 said:
In case you've been living in a cave for the last two weeks, with no access to the internet or news:

10.7 is a free upgrade for every Mac purchased on or after 06/06/11!
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Thanks! I have been in my parents cellar for the last month. Glad I have five different prepaid credit cards for all the counsel accounts that have been hacked.
 
MattInOz said:
Lion was never going to ship at WWDC...
If it did, by same strange act of god (Yes I would become a religious man if it did) then it would have been early.
Even July is a good month and half earlier than what most people expected when Apple said "Summer".

btw... I'm thinking these new Airs will rock.
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I didn't drink that Kool Aide at WWDC. I guess you did.
 
42streetsdown said:
So based on my old (a week ago) guesses, and these new processors here is what I expect to find in the new Airs. These choices are based on prices relative to the current CPUs.

11" MBA Base CPU:
Intel® Core™ i5-2557M Processor (Dual Core, 1.7 GHz(2.7GHz turbo) 3M Cache)Price:$250.00.

11" MBA BTO CPU:
Intel® Core™ i7-2677M Processor (Dual Core, 1.8 GHz(2.9GHz turbo) 4M Cache)Price:$317.00.

13" MBA Base CPU:
Intel® Core™ i7-2629M Processor (Dual Core, 2.1 GHz(3.0GHz turbo) 4M Cache)Price:$311.00.

13" MBA BTO CPU:
Intel® Core™ i7-2649M Processor (Dual Core, 2.3 GHz(3.2GHz turbo) 4M Cache)Price:$346.00.
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Seems reasonable to me. And these CPUs (paired with Thunderbolt and a backlit keyboard, hopefully) will make for some sick machines. :)
 
Looks like I'll be (finally) upgrading at about the right time... I'm typing this on a 2006 2GHz Intel Core Duo Macbook, haha! The only real wish I have is a backlit keyboard. I'm still working with a 100GB HDD, so I think I'll manage with a 128GB SSD. :)

The new MacBook Airs will be better in every respect to what I have now (and still enjoy using, mind you), but in a slimmer and sexier packaging.
 
battery life

what could we expect for battery life with these? is at least 8 hours a reasonable guess? if so, then I'm sold
 
datuk said:
Built-in hedge-trimmer and espresso-maker?
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And first generation iTesla anti-gravity coils. When you drop it, the coils kick in and it floats to the ground. Just recharge those batteries, a 99% mass reduction to cancel out gravity is a big power spike.
 
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