MacBook Pro Upgrade At Photokina?

[unstatusthequo]

MacBook Pro Upgrade At Photokina?

If not at the Photokina event, my "fun guess" would be the Tuesday after Columbus Day... perhaps Apple will find its way into the pocketbooks of many a waiting C2D switcher much like Columbus found his way into a new world...

 

[deputy_doofy]

Well, if it's not released next week, I suppose I'll just have to wait it out until November. After all, THAT'S when I will have officially owned my PB for 3 years.

 

[Pressure]

they are in fact underclocked quite a bit from ATI's "stock" speeds...

Please list the stock speed of ATIs Mobility X1600...oh that's right, it's whatever the OEM/AIB that buy the chips say it is.

 

[Apple Corps]

So is it more trick or more treat?

I think one of the concepts we might want to begin wrapping our collective heads around is the idea that me might not see merom MBP's until much later than Photokina.

The ZDNet article/blog could bear some truth as concerns a delay. The good that could come from it is the much sought after redesign to allow for better heat disipation, easy access HDD bay, better gfx card, mag-latch, etc. The bad is that we'll have to wait even longer than originally expected.

Come Monday, there might be much gnashing of teeth and pulling of hair as has not been seen before.

A redesign for the issues stated is very logical. The question is what the hell has their engineering team been doing since all of these problems started surfacing in late February? The fast swap hard drive bay and magnetic closure are not groundbreaking at this point - they designed the features for the MB - how long could it take to engineer them over to the the MBP for heaven's sake? It should not take this long - period.

The heat issue is more difficult to resolve - especially if an even hotter gpu is used. OTOH, there are only so many things you can do: airflow, vents, heatpipes, fans, heatsinks, etc.

An introduction later than Photokina is - IMHO - yet another indication of engineering problems at Apple.

 

[Josias]

they are in fact underclocked quite a bit from ATI's "stock" speeds...

Source on this? I know there were a lot of rumors about underclocking in the X1600's, but they were never confirmed.

The X1600's were from Apple's/ATI's side set not to run at full speed unless required, thus generating less heat and saving batterylife. This is just like my HDD doesn't spin at 5.400 revolutions per minute as soon as I open a Word document.

 

[maverick808]

Source on this? I know there were a lot of rumors about underclocking in the X1600's, but they were never confirmed.

The X1600's were from Apple's/ATI's side set not to run at full speed unless required, thus generating less heat and saving batterylife. This is just like my HDD doesn't spin at 5.400 revolutions per minute as soon as I open a Word document.

It's true, they are underclocked. Easily checked by using ATITool in Windows. They are actually quite severely underclocked by the way, not just by a small amount.

EDIT: for a source, well take your pick... http://www.google.com/search?q=macbook+pro+underclocked+graphics

 

[absurdio]

jason o'grady doesn't know jack schit. he's talking out of his ass. read all of his previous predictions. most of them are off. i am trusting macosxrumors WAY MORE than o'grady. look at all of macosxrumors postings and you will see what i mean. they rarely ever post their OWN predictions...but when they do, 9 times out of 10, it all happens just like they said.

get ready people. i can feel the merom mbp's coming.

Gad, but I hope you're right. It's not even just the wishful thinking anymore; it's the fact that i really won't be able to wait if the revisions aren't out at photokina. Classes start for me on the 25th; i'm willing (albeit reluctant) to wait until then, but there's no way i can wait through all of October, too.
...Then there's going to be the unpleasant business of trying to sell a one month old yonah mbp in early november, so's i can get the merom version. *grumble*

 

[MacinDoc]

Well, if it's not released next week, I suppose I'll just have to wait it out until November. After all, THAT'S when I will have officially owned my PB for 3 years.

Don't panic, Apple has to introduce SOMETHING at Photokina. I don't think Steve called a press event just to introduce an incremental update of Aperture. The MBPs are coming, and IMO, very soon...

 

[deputy_doofy]

Don't panic, Apple has to introduce SOMETHING at Photokina. I don't think Steve called a press event just to introduce an incremental update of Aperture. The MBPs are coming, and IMO, very soon...

I think I have to agree with that logic (press event is not just for an incremental upgrade of Aperture). Not saying that it couldn't happen, just that it's not likely.

Of course, we are talking about the same man who couldn't wait to get 1000's of people in a room to show them the disco-ball iMac G3.......

 

[HecubusPro]

Don't panic, Apple has to introduce SOMETHING at Photokina. I don't think Steve called a press event just to introduce an incremental update of Aperture. The MBPs are coming, and IMO, very soon...

That would be grand, and I would be eternally grateful, at least until such time as I needed to get another computer.

But barring MBP announcements at Photokina, here are a couple of other possibilities...

- New iSight cameras. It was noted recently (a few weeks ago I think) that the current model had the ship date pushed back to October. It's also in need of an update.

- New Cinema Displays. They were recently discounted at WWDC. Perhaps they're getting ready to introduce new Cinema Displays--larger screen sizes, built in, adjustable iSights, etc.

Those are two potentially big announcements (relatively) that could happen in place of MBP's.

I think I'm just trying not to get my hopes up so I'm not too terribly disappointed if they don't introduce C2D MBP's at Photokina.

 

[MacinDoc]

That would be grand, and I would be eternally grateful, at least until such time as I needed to get another computer.

But barring MBP announcements at Photokina, here are a couple of other possibilities...

- New iSight cameras. It was noted recently (a few weeks ago I think) that the current model had the ship date pushed back to October. It's also in need of an update.

- New Cinema Displays. They were recently discounted at WWDC. Perhaps they're getting ready to introduce new Cinema Displays--larger screen sizes, built in, adjustable iSights, etc.

Those are two potentially big announcements (relatively) that could happen in place of MBP's.

I think I'm just trying not to get my hopes up so I'm not too terribly disappointed if they don't introduce C2D MBP's at Photokina.

Agree that these are also probable. And not getting your hopes up with Apple is always a good strategy, it's much better to be pleasantly surprised than disappointed...

 

[cfanyc]

where is this "latest" oct mpb rumor? wondering why everyone seems deflated and defeated at the moment about photokina being the mbp unveiling?

 

[aaronb]

Yeah, I don't understand why things look very well for a certain product to be updated, then when all the waiting is almost over, people start saying, "Maybe next event..."

I still don't see why the MBPs would NOT be updated at Photokina. It seems like a logical move to keep up with the PC market. However, I'm not an Apple adviser so I cannot claim that I know all about the notebook game.

 

[HecubusPro]

Yeah, I don't understand why things look very well for a certain product to be updated, then when all the waiting is almost over, people start saying, "Maybe next event..."

I still don't see why the MBPs would NOT be updated at Photokina. It seems like a logical move to keep up with the PC market. However, I'm not an Apple adviser so I cannot claim that I know all about the notebook game.

Just as there's no reason to believe they wouldn't have already been updated or updated after Photokina, or on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. That's just the nature of rumor I suppose.

I don't think there's a sense of defeatism. There would be if apple came out and said, "there will be no MBP update at all this year." I for one am just being a little more sedate with my anticipation of a possible update. I still can't wait to get one.

 

[Apple Corps]

where is this "latest" oct mpb rumor? wondering why everyone seems deflated and defeated at the moment about photokina being the mbp unveiling?

One reason is exhaustion - this has been going on since before WWDC. The many problems with the MBP also play into the thinking that the introduction will take longer due to all of the fixes required.

Less than a week to go - if no new MBP - who knows.....

 

[cfanyc]

One reason is exhaustion - this has been going on since before WWDC. The many problems with the MBP also play into the thinking that the introduction will take longer due to all of the fixes required.

Less than a week to go - if no new MBP - who knows.....

yah im burnt out as well, but more specifically there was a reference here I think multimedia mentioned about the latest rumor being October, and I wondered where that was from?

 

[deputy_doofy]

yah im burnt out as well, but more specifically there was a reference here I think multimedia mentioned about the latest rumor being October, and I wondered where that was from?

The October/November round of rumors stems from THIS blog. I must point out, however, that most people have said he doesn't have much credibility, as his previous predictions have all been incorrect.

 

[ZoomZoomZoom]

It's true, they are underclocked. Easily checked by using ATITool in Windows. They are actually quite severely underclocked by the way, not just by a small amount.

EDIT: for a source, well take your pick... http://www.google.com/search?q=macbook+pro+underclocked+graphics

I know they're underclocked for the 15.4'', but are they for the 17''? I thought I read somewhere that the 17'' adjusts, but I don't remember exactly anymore. Anyone have a 17'' to confirm?

 

[Josias]

It's true, they are underclocked. Easily checked by using ATITool in Windows. They are actually quite severely underclocked by the way, not just by a small amount.

EDIT: for a source, well take your pick... http://www.google.com/search?q=macbook+pro+underclocked+graphics

I believe that ATITool only shows the X1600's running slower than ATI states they can, is because they are set not to run at full speed when not needed. These tests were alos performed by ATITool 0.25. A beta version.

BTW, your link Googling mainly show rumorsites like MR where users without a source, are stating that the X1600's are underclocked.

 

[ergle2]

Could a 64-bit application take advantage of 64-bit processor/architechture without having the 64-bit OS to run it all on? I'm just curious.

It'd be possible do it it in much the same way the G5 allows 64bit software under a 32bit OS -- ie separate back-end and GUI processes and switching between regular long mode (64bit mode) and compatibility mode (a 32bit environment under long mode, pretty much). It's kind of a pain to do due to everything you need to do every time you switch to the 64bit process, but it's possible, I believe -- note, I've not written any EM64T/AMD64 OS code and I've just skimmed the AMD developer docs (which mostly apply to EM64T too -- the latter is pretty much a clone with minor differences).

What they could do is demo a 64bit Aperture running on a 64bit Leopard with the "this is what you'll get next year" type of deal...

Having said that, I think the SSE enhancements to Merom alone should speed up Aperture significantly enough that they'd "save" the 64bit speedup for when 64bit is ready for prime-time -- assuming it does provide a performance benefit (tho' it should if SSE does, since long mode doubles the SSE register count).

 

[ergle2]

I believe that ATITool only shows the X1600's running slower than ATI states they can, is because they are set not to run at full speed when not needed. These tests were alos performed by ATITool 0.25. A beta version.

BTW, your link Googling mainly show rumorsites like MR where users without a source, are stating that the X1600's are underclocked.

I read somewhere (Ars, I think) the on-the-fly changes were only on the 17" MBP, but I've no idea if that's accurate.

I'd be very interested if someone could confirm it either way tho'.

 

[ergle2]

I don't think this guy knows what he is talking about.

There is no logical reason to delay putting in Merom.

I think at the beginning of August Jason O'Grady was saying that it would be Nov/Dec for Merom because the chips weren't actually the same size as Yonah. It seems he has abandoned that position. This might have been someone else, if so, I apologize.

It's technically correct in that Merom has a larger die size than Yonah. It's also irrelevant tho, in that the chip package as a whole is the same size and is pin-compatible.

I have wondered if the higher TDP only matters in 64bit mode, which is why current reviews don't see any likelyhood of problems -- they pretty much all tested with Windows XP SP2, which is the 32bit XP.

 

[Tejasfilm]

I heard that they're shipping out "developer" MBP's as of right now. Anyone heard this one??? Heard some professors at school discussing that they were going to be testing one of those soon. Anyone else heard of this???

 

[Apple Corps]

I heard that they're shipping out "developer" MBP's as of right now. Anyone heard this one??? Heard some professors at school discussing that they were going to be testing one of those soon. Anyone else heard of this???

I do not understand what you are referring to - Apple does not release "development" samples of their laptops to anybody - do they????

 

[ergle2]

I do not understand what you are referring to - Apple does not release "development" samples of their laptops to anybody - do they????

Could it be just they've signed up as devs and gotten the discount on hardware that goes with it?