Okay, so I really have a comprehensive understanding of computers. By comprehensive, I mean a basic understanding of the basics. Not the specifics and surely not the more advanced details. I like to learn these though and I have a few questions which will both help me increase my own knowledge, and help me get an idea of the potential value in buying a new computer.
This thread is assuming that the Ivy Bridge CPUs will, sooner or later, appear in the MacBook Pro. I am curious as to what benefits we can expect and how the changes made result in benefits. I have read that the mobile processors for performance (the ones that usually appear in the MBP) will be:
Presumably, the flagship to replace the current 2.5 GHz quad core and the previous 2.3 GHz from early 2011 will be a 2.7 GHz quad core capable of maxing at 3.7 GHz with an 8 MB cache. It also appears it will use less power than the current model in that tier with its power advances. So obviously, we will get USB3 support, which will be huge for some people (myself included). I am also curious about what we can expect in terms of performance differences of the 2.7 over the 2.5 and 2.3. On paper, a 200 MHz bump with the same L3 cache does not sound like a lot, but again, I have only a basic understanding here so please help me out. The graphics clock rate also seems to be unchanged (actually turbo goes down 50 MHz). It also seems that the max RAM speed that will be supported is 1600 MHZ, which IIRC has been like that since the early 2011 MBP. I also understand that the transistor change will allow a significant boost in power efficiency, which is huge for mobile users who need battery life (myself also included).
So what else am I missing? What can we look forward to and what aspects of Ivy Bridge will be the real 'deciding' factors in upgrading or not. Obviously, the MacBook Pro may or may not get a face-lift or design overhaul, but I am interested more in the internals in this particular instance. Thank you in advance for taking the time to explain. A previous thread was a major deciding factor in me going to a 15 inch to get the quad core CPU over the dual core in the 13, and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it and enjoy that computer every day.
This thread is assuming that the Ivy Bridge CPUs will, sooner or later, appear in the MacBook Pro. I am curious as to what benefits we can expect and how the changes made result in benefits. I have read that the mobile processors for performance (the ones that usually appear in the MBP) will be:

Presumably, the flagship to replace the current 2.5 GHz quad core and the previous 2.3 GHz from early 2011 will be a 2.7 GHz quad core capable of maxing at 3.7 GHz with an 8 MB cache. It also appears it will use less power than the current model in that tier with its power advances. So obviously, we will get USB3 support, which will be huge for some people (myself included). I am also curious about what we can expect in terms of performance differences of the 2.7 over the 2.5 and 2.3. On paper, a 200 MHz bump with the same L3 cache does not sound like a lot, but again, I have only a basic understanding here so please help me out. The graphics clock rate also seems to be unchanged (actually turbo goes down 50 MHz). It also seems that the max RAM speed that will be supported is 1600 MHZ, which IIRC has been like that since the early 2011 MBP. I also understand that the transistor change will allow a significant boost in power efficiency, which is huge for mobile users who need battery life (myself also included).
So what else am I missing? What can we look forward to and what aspects of Ivy Bridge will be the real 'deciding' factors in upgrading or not. Obviously, the MacBook Pro may or may not get a face-lift or design overhaul, but I am interested more in the internals in this particular instance. Thank you in advance for taking the time to explain. A previous thread was a major deciding factor in me going to a 15 inch to get the quad core CPU over the dual core in the 13, and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it and enjoy that computer every day.