Ivy Bridge Implementation

[alksion]

Just looking through the wikipedia page and doing a little research, but feel more confused than when I started.

Is Ivy Bridge going to offer a six core model?
If so, probable clock speed and chances of it being implemented in the higher end iMac?

If you could clarify and possibly provide sources too, thanks!

 

[JaHull]

Hey,
Having a look at the Ivy bridge Wikipedia page where the chips are listed all models will continue to be 4 core i5/i7 the only 6 core processors that will be available at the time will be Sandy bridge extreme processors with 130W TDP or 2P Server processors.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivy_Bridge_(microarchitecture)

 

[alksion]

Really? Why are people saying that they will sell their Mac Pros for the 6 core iMac?

Is it possible that Apple (I know it's hard to guess, but your opinion) would implement one of the 6 core Sandy Bridge as the top of the line BTO, while offering Ivy Bridge as standard on the rest of the line.

And if so, would it be like buying into an old (newer) CPU or would its performance still crush the highest end Ivy Bridge?

 

[derbothaus]

Because this is a rumor site. 6-core SB-E would melt the iMac case. Unless it was clocked below 2.5GHz or something. THE 6-core iMac does not exist, yet. The TDP on SB-E is too much for Apple's historical offerings in the iMac. Almost too much wattage for what they use in the Mac Pro's. 130-150W!!! Ivy will bring power requirements down a "little bit" but I am not expecting a game changer just like the performance, the samples that have seen the light of day are 5-10% faster. Nothing mind blowing so far for Ivy Bridge even though everyone is all excited. Mainly excited for the integrated graphics which does not matter to me.

 

[alksion]

Hmm.. It would be nice to eventually have a 6 core option

 

[alksion]

" If Intel had kept the 90W TDP, higher frequencies would have been likely and we might have even seen a hex-core part without a loss in frequency"

http://www.anandtech.com/show/5166/ivy-bridge-overview

---------------------------

Honestly, I am not so excited for Ivy Bridge as I previously was. I will still probably buy it becuase my late 2009 i5 2.66 is getting ready for an upgrade, but regardless, there really isn't a significant change for the desktop user.

I am in no way bashing this release or trying to put it down, but the "tick" "tock" updating just got a little more surreal for me

 

[derbothaus]

They may get 6-cores for IB-E in a year or so. But Apple will probably not use them for cost reasons. Anything is possible. A Quad core is just fine for most things you should use an iMac for. If you need more, you also need more cooling so get a Mac Pro. They will have 6 and 8-core single and dual offerings in Xeon variants of SB-E soon enough.

 

[alksion]

They may get 6-cores for IB-E in a year or so. But Apple will probably not use them for cost reasons. Anything is possible. A Quad core is just fine for most things you should use an iMac for. If you need more, you also need more cooling so get a Mac Pro. They will have 6 and 8-core single and dual offerings in Xeon variants of SB-E soon enough.

No I completely agree with you, given the fact that most software is barely catching up with 4 cores let alone 6. I just thought it would be cool

Wait there is another processor after Ivy Bridge that is suppose to be 60% faster? Looks like I am going to be waiting 1.5 years to upgrade

 

[derbothaus]

Wait there is another processor after Ivy Bridge that is suppose to be 60% faster? Looks like I am going to be waiting 1.5 years to upgrade

If you keep that up you will never end up buying anything. Intel will release more chips after those. I would just wait till the next refresh and get then. I can guarantee it won't be slower. No-one but Apple knows if they go 6-core or not. They could come up with an amazing new CPU cooler allowing for hotter processors and shove a 6-core in for a CTO. Anything goes.

 

[alksion]

If you keep that up you will never end up buying anything. Intel will release more chips after those. I would just wait till the next refresh and get then. I can guarantee it won't be slower. No-one but Apple knows if they go 6-core or not. They could come up with an amazing new CPU cooler allowing for hotter processors and shove a 6-core in for a CTO. Anything goes.

Missed the sarcasm by a long shot, but it's okay.. No one ever gets it around here!

 

[derbothaus]

"Sarcasm is the lowest form of humor, but the highest form of wit" - Oscar Wilde

 

[alksion]

"Sarcasm is the lowest form of humor, but the highest form of wit" - Oscar Wilde

Hmm.. I would say that the part about humor is completely subjective.