MacBook Pro Updates Imminent (Really), Part Numbers Appear

[Detektiv-Pinky]

Is the Intel® Core™ i7-620M (2.66GHz, 4M cache) with Turbo Boost Technology an arrendale chip? Wikipedia says it is

The laptop that this chip is in also has a desecrate 512MB NVIDIA NVS 3100M with ExpressCard. i'm not sure if those graphics are more powerful than the current MBP graphics.

I am not sure if I correctly get your question. The dilemma is as follows:

Apple has only ever used integrated graphics in the 13".
With the last models they switched to Nvidia Chipsets because their integrated graphics were much more powerful than Intels (and still are).

With the new Westmere processor generation Intel refused to grand Nvidia a license to manufacture chipsets and the processors now have the integrated graphics directly on the chip.

In order to provide decent graphics performance Apple would now need to slap a dedicated graphics card into the 13". We currently can only speculate if this will happen. The leaked specs seem to indicate that this issue is not yet been resolved...

 

[deadlydingo]

Hi,
reading here for some time waiting for the MBP upgrade I am a bit worried about the part of the discussion regarding extended warranties.
I have had a lot of notebooks beginning with a NEC Multispeed (8086 CPU, no harddrive, 2 3,5" disks, monochrome display, DOS), an Olivetti (colour DSTN disply, Windows 3.1), discounter notebooks with WIN 98 and several others to my last Samsung with Windows XP. None of these experienced hardware errors, heck even my 12 year old discounter notebook is still working (of course the battery has died some time ago).
Reading about lots of people needing an extended warranty due to hardware errors within the first 2 or 3 years after purchase makes me a bit worried about my decision to buy my first apple notebook. It seems the highly praised quality of the MBPs is not that great!? Perhaps I should stick to the brands I have experienced them not to go havoc after only some years of usage!?

Regards

ppgg

ALL of my problems have been with HP, Toshiba, and Windows. Windows 7 has been a vast improvement, but I still have too many minor problems with this and that and I just don't have the time to deal with it anymore. That's why I'm going to mac. I'm just really impressed with everything (hardware and software). My brother was the first to switch over from PC and his mbp is still chugging along fine with no problems whatsoever. It's not that old yet so who knows, but for the time being, it has been spectacular.

 

[ouimetnick]

I am not sure if I correctly get your question. The dilemma is as follows:

Apple has only ever used integrated graphics in the 13".
With the last models they switched to Nvidia Chipsets because their integrated graphics were much more powerful than Intels (and still are).

With the new Westmere processor generation Intel refused to grand Nvidia a license to manufacture chipsets and the processors now have the integrated graphics directly on the chip.

In order to provide decent graphics performance Apple would now need to slap a dedicated graphics card into the 13". We currently can only speculate if this will happen. The leaked specs seem to indicate that this issue is not yet been resolved...

I guess what i'm trying to ask is the Intel chip I listed an arrendale chip? if it is, would apple maybe use that in their high end model?

 

[ensee]

Apple's been getting better at this lately - product numbers only slipping the day or even morning before an update. Any chance this update comes on Monday?

Still, I've waited since November - 2 days won't kill me. I'm thinking low end 15" with a faster hard drive. The number of cracks on my current MacBook put me off the plastic MacBooks and a bigger screen would be ideal for AutoCAD (through Parallels and Windows 7) and Photoshop.

And Apple are doing £70 cashback on printers. I just need a good case and I'm set. If £1500 lighter...

 

[Ostepop]

If these really are the prices for an entire new lineup of macbook pros, my guess would be this:

$1799 - MBP 13" w/Core i3 or i5 & Intél + dedicated graphics
$1999 - MBP 15" w/Core i5 & Intél + dedicated graphics
$2199 - MBP 15" w/Core i7 & Intél + dedicated graphics
$2299 - MBP 17" w/Core i7 & Intél + dedicated graphics

Would be cool if they've removed the superdrive and added the possibility for an extra internal hardrive/SSD. That would also give more space to other stuff like for instance.... a dedicated graphics card in the 13".

You can forget about the bundle theory with mbp + ipad (was that a joke?). Not going to happen. The ipad isn't even launched in any other country than the US. AFAIK Apple doesn't do bundles, at least not with it's own product number.

 

[dj4uofa]

Who wants a bet they're going to drop the 13" model?

Isn't the 13' Macbook Pro Apple's best-selling notebook? Why would they drop it?

 

[cobalt79]

Is 1 GB of VRAM going to be the standard?

Not that anyone here can offer more than speculation, but from what I've seen on PC's with the new iX chips, it seems that 1 GB of VRAM is the standard.

Old MBP's had only 512MB.

Thoughts?

 

[LoganT]

If these really are the prices for an entire new lineup of macbook pros, my guess would be this:

$1799 - MBP 13" w/Core i3 or i5 & Intél + dedicated graphics
$1999 - MBP 15" w/Core i5 & Intél + dedicated graphics
$2199 - MBP 15" w/Core i7 & Intél + dedicated graphics
$2299 - MBP 17" w/Core i7 & Intél + dedicated graphics

Would be cool if they've removed the superdrive and added the possibility for an extra internal hardrive/SSD. That would also give more space to other stuff like for instance.... a dedicated graphics card in the 13".

You can forget about the bundle theory with mbp + ipad (was that a joke?). Not going to happen. The ipad isn't even launched in any other country than the US. AFAIK Apple doesn't do bundles, at least not with it's own product number.

I can't see the 13 inch MBP going for 1800 dollars. I could maybe see them dropping the low end MBP and only selling the one starting at 1500 dollars.

 

[commander.data]

In order to provide decent graphics performance Apple would now need to slap a dedicated graphics card into the 13". We currently can only speculate if this will happen. The leaked specs seem to indicate that this issue is not yet been resolved...

Personally, I look at the Arrandale IGP issue as a means to improve GPU performance in the lower-end models as long as Apple includes low-end discrete GPUs as well since any current low-end GPU would be faster than the 9400M. In any case, seeing it can take months to negotiate component contracts, make a design around them, build it, life-cycle test it, and then build up stockpiles before launch, unless Apple's not planning a refresh until after back-to-school, which October is admittedly a common mobile refresh period, then this IGP issue must be resolved already even if the laptops aren't released yet.

I guess what i'm trying to ask is the Intel chip I listed an arrendale chip? if it is, would apple maybe use that in their high end model?

Yes the Core i7 620M is a dual core Arrandale with Hyperthreading. In fact, it's really the only full Arrandale. They other Arrandale's used in the Core i5 for example have their L3 cache cut down to 3MB compared to 4MB on the Core i7 620M.

Is 1 GB of VRAM going to be the standard?

Not that anyone here can offer more than speculation, but from what I've seen on PC's with the new iX chips, it seems that 1 GB of VRAM is the standard.

Old MBP's had only 512MB.

Thoughts?

I've mentioned this before but most likely not. Apple only uses 4 VRAM chips on it's motherboards due to space constraints and the current highest density GDDR3 or GDDR5 memory chips are 128MB each. So 512MB is the max. 2Gb chips (256MB) aren't expected in mass production until later this year. The other option is going with non-graphics specific DDR3, which is cheaper and is available in 2Gb (256MB) chips, but you give up potential performance, especially compared to GDDR5. It depends on how Apple clocks it of course.

 

[AidenShaw]

There was a time when MacRumor threads didn't incite rampant flame wars.

No there wasn't.

...and I've been coming here for 8 or 9 years I think.

 

[cobalt79]

I've mentioned this before but most likely not. Apple only uses 4 VRAM chips on it's motherboards due to space constraints and the current highest density GDDR3 or GDDR5 memory chips are 128MB each. So 512MB is the max. 2Gb chips (256MB) aren't expected in mass production until later this year. The other option is going with non-graphics specific DDR3, which is cheaper and is available in 2Gb (256MB) chips, but you give up potential performance, especially compared to GDDR5. It depends on how Apple clocks it of course.

Excellent, but disappointing, information. Thank you.

I was expecting an upgrade on VRAM in the refresh. I am hoping you are wrong, but what you say makes perfect sense (unfortunately).

 

[mr.steevo]

Apple's been getting better at this lately - product numbers only slipping the day or even morning before an update. Any chance this update comes on Monday?

Still, I've waited since November - 2 days won't kill me. I'm thinking low end 15" with a faster hard drive. The number of cracks on my current MacBook put me off the plastic MacBooks and a bigger screen would be ideal for AutoCAD (through Parallels and Windows 7) and Photoshop.

And Apple are doing £70 cashback on printers. I just need a good case and I'm set. If £1500 lighter...

Hi,

My sister had cracks all over her Macbook and was told that as it was out of warranty there was nothing to be done. Recently, however, Apple has changed their tune. She took it into an Apple Store and had almost all the plastic replaced for Free! This includes the keyboard. Take it in and get it fixed as it will increase your resale value when you sell it.

s.

 

[mr.steevo]

There was a time when MacRumor threads didn't incite rampant flame wars.

Must have been before my time.

s.

 

[echocpt]

Depends what you call 'high speed'. Our internet here (North-West, England) is only 1.2mb most days. Go figure

Consider yourself lucky, over in east anglia (suffolk, UK) we are lucky to hit 0.8mb even off-peak. Man, to think of having 1.2mb is like thinking of going to the moon. Alas it aint gonna happen BT have said we aint getting high speed internet county wide for years...

O man i can't wait for new pros...be my first one and its gonna be a 17" maxed out beauty

 

[LagunaSol]

No there wasn't.

...and I've been coming here for 8 or 9 years I think.

So the flamewars must have started 8 or 9 years ago?

(And yes TurboSC, the flames have been far higher and far hotter over the last couple of years. Anyone who thinks this place hasn't been infested by determined agitators with ulterior motives are foolish and naive.)

 

[commander.data]

Excellent, but disappointing, information. Thank you.

I was expecting an upgrade on VRAM in the refresh. I am hoping you are wrong, but what you say makes perfect sense (unfortunately).

In most cases, these mid-range mobile GPUs that Apple would use wouldn't really benefit from 1GB of VRAM compared to 512MB of VRAM. By the time you increase the textures or resolution high enough to justify 1GB of VRAM your GPU wouldn't have the processing power to maintain decent frame rates anyways. I think it's only something desktop HD4870 performance level that really starts to show the benefits of 1GB over 512MB. Even a desktop HD4850 can make due with 512MB so any Mobility HD5600, HD5700 series or even the Mobility HD5830 won't really be disadvantaged by 512MB of VRAM. Often PC laptops that quote 1GB of VRAM are using cheap, low clock speed DDR2, maybe DDR3 now, because higher VRAM counts are more marketable. Memory clock speeds are never mentioned, but I'd prefer 512MB of fast GDDR3 or preferably GDDR5 over 1GB of DDR2 or DDR3.

 

[paddler40]

Am I missing something a new MBP for $2200 how is this a price hike? Its $2499.99 right now?

 

[ppgg]

An iPad can do all that on a nice display

... on a nice little and glossy display... where you won't see anything if being outside on a day with a little sunshine...

Regards

ppgg

 

[commander.data]

Am I missing something a new MBP for $2200 how is this a price hike? Its $2499.99 right now?

The entry 15" model, presumably the higher volume or more popular one, would have increased $100 to $1799 if these prices are accurate.

 

[paddler40]

The entry 15" model, presumably the higher volume or more popular one, would have increased $100 to $1799 if these prices are accurate.

thanks

 

[MacNewb99]

Speculation regarding dropping 13" pros... Do you think that will increase or decrease the eBay price if they do so? I for one want a 13" and if Apple drops them or boosts the price too much, I'll go after a current model on eBay.

 

[mcmlxix]

Unless you are hurting for $'s I'd say just go with the 15".

Price isn't the only consideration. Weight and size are also important. Size is also a double edged sword...portability versus screen real estate.

Being on a bike a lot, low weight and the size of the envelope are noticeably of a narrow margin for me, but the screen real estate of the 13" MBP doesn't compare to a 14" iBook.

To all of those who bemoan that their 6 month old MBP is now obsolete, yes, I'm typing on a 60 GB iBook G4 running Tiger. And it still works. I can run multiple tabs in Safari, many images in Photoshop, iTunes, and MS Word simultaneously. It's true that the hardware does have to work hard, and unfortunately it weighs a ton compared to my 13" MBP.

 

[oddfactor]

Speculation regarding dropping 13" pros... Do you think that will increase or decrease the eBay price if they do so? I for one want a 13" and if Apple drops them or boosts the price too much, I'll go after a current model on eBay.

You can also check the refurb store.

 

[mikeo007]

Intel Integrated Graphics!

Since the Arrandale chip now comes with integrated graphics that is way less powerfull than the current Nvidia 9400, this would actually a step backwards for the 13".

We will see how this gets resolved by Apple.

Totally wrong, the intel igp included with arrandale is marginally better than the 9400m. Do you research.

 

[ppgg]

ALL of my problems have been with HP, Toshiba, and Windows.

Well, my concerns mentioned are about the hardware. I didn't have major problems with my Windows installations (maybe due to my kind of use) but I would have stayed with OS/2 if it would not have been dropped by IBM. Now I have got curious to have a look into the Apple world and didn't think I have to expect problems with the Apple hardware.
At least being in Europe I have the advantage of having 2 years of warranty by law. But I will have to think about an extended warranty for 3 or 4 years because I tend to use my notebooks for a long time even if I have already bought a newer one...
Anyway, I will wait until the new MBP have arrived. Perhaps to buy a new one, perhaps to find a good deal on one of the old ones

Regards

ppgg