Macbook Released

[Multimedia]

Next - Woodcrest Quad Mac Pro With Conroe Core 2 Duo As More Affordable Sidekicks

The Macbook simply rocks! Nothing but awesome Apple products from here on !!! I can't wait to see what's next!

What's next is an Intel QUAD made up of two Woodcrest Core 2 Duo (previously called Xeon) processors on Apple's first top of the line Mac Pro motherboard. And of course single Conroe Core 2 Duo Mac Pros along side them at lower prices. Woodcrest processors begin manufacturing next week, Conroe in July. Release date is anybody's guess with the August 7th SteveNote at the San Francisco World Wide Developer's Conference being the best bet drop dead date. IE no later than.

Quads must be Woodcrest based as Conroe processors may not be paired into Quads. Conroe is likely the Mac Pro single Core 2 Duo processor as it is much less expensive than Woodcrest with similar desktop processor specs.

I think Apple needs the 2.33 GHz Merom Core 2 Duo now more than ever. But manufacturing on those doesn't begin until August. And with the user upgradable hard drive slot in MacBook, who among us isn't thinking "They gotta put that feature in the MacBook Pro line." Apple's in a tough spot with these MacBooks taking sales away from 15" & 17" mobiles every day they don't introduce the next generation MacBook Pros. It's obvious now that the current models are stopgap and not really the first completely new mobile Pro redesign that will surely include a user upgradable HD slot. In my mind, it's a huge advantage to MacBook right now. I'm hoping Apple is using this time they have waiting for Merom to really tweak those 15" and 17" designs so the Merom Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro becomes another big hit this Fall.

On the other hand, Apple Sales may not be crazy about the user upgradable HD slot in the Pro line because they will likely sell less hard drive BTO upgrades. But I'm thinking that feature will sell a lot more MacBooks than would have otherwise been the case which will more than offset the BTO upgrade profit center. I mean it's a closing feature - IE compells people to buy it. So there may be some kind of freaky interdepartmental cat fight among Marketing, Sales and Design right now inside Apple about this very point. I think Apple would do well to put the customer first and do the right thing. I don't see how they can take back that slot, which appears to be a major innovative milestone in the history of mobile computer design or at least in Macs, do you?

 

[filterban]

has anyone tried benchmarking any games such as WOW or any others??? love to know the results.

Check http://www.xlr8yourmac.com - they have at least one report from a MacBook user, and many reports from Intel Mini users.

 

[Jawbreaker]

MacBook WoW performance and observations

I just got my MacBook 1.83ghz and have WoW updated and running, so I thought I'd add some results to this thread where the question keeps recurring.

Running around in Ironforge framerates ranged from 30 sustained in areas with few players to 8 when on horseback in front of the auction house. On average the fps were in the 18-22 range, 22-25 outdoors.

FWIW this isn't too much better from my iBook G4 1.33ghz with the Radeon 9550 but certainly not worse as so many have claimed. On the iBook I had to keep texture detail set to low, whereas I can leave it set to high on the MacBook and still have acceptable framerates. All told performance is better on the MacBook, though not dramatically, and it certainly doesn't hold a candle to my Core Duo iMac. As others have reported, all shader options are greyed out, so if, like me, you're a fan of the full-screen glow, you're out of luck.

I certainly won't be going to Molten Core on the MacBook anytime soon, but I will be very much able to solo quest comfortably on it while travelling, which was precisely the level of performance I was hoping for. WoW makes the MacBook's fans rev up something fierce.

As an aside, most of the discussion of the graphics issue has made reference to "students who will play games sometimes." When I think about my own years in college (1997-2001), first-person shooters were getting big and there were certainly students who were into that sort of thing - but they had custom built PCs for that purpose. When other classmates wanted to casually game, it wasn't intense (for the time) 3D, the most popular game was actually Snood, if you remember that, and it played just fine on my Starmax or my neighbor's Performa 6400. My sense from my students now is that those who game seriously have special hardware to that end, those that want to goof around a bit seem to like Flash-based games on the web. WoW and The Sims are two games which seem to have drawn more casual game-players into spending more time with games, s I'd be curious to know how The Sims plays on a MacBook. WoW seems okay, and as others have lamented, WoW is one of the few bright lights in the Mac gaming universe anyway.

More generally on the new MacBook: it snores, meaning the fan revs up and down at 3 second intervals when under load until the fan finally decides to come on fully. At idle, when typing for example, which is most of what I do, the noise isn't present. Since Apple seems to release new Intel firmware every other week, this will probably be fixed with a more aggressive fan schedule soon. Folks who think heat and noise are a consequence of the Intel shift either have short memories or never used the 867mhz Rev.A 12" PowerBook, that thing was absolutely scalding and was extremely noisy with a fan that never shut off. The MacBook gets hotter than an iBook G4, but not on the palmrests where the iBook's heat seemed to gather most, so my hands aren't uncomfortable. The heat is mostly around the hinge, where it should be.

I love the keyboard, it's a vast improvement. I also, surprisingly, love the glossy screen, though I've yet to go outside with it. I've actually turned the brightness down, it's that much brighter than my Core Duo iMac.

I am unsure about the MagSafe connector, I just don't quite trust it yet, some extended use will determine the verdict on that one. The magnetic latch is just too cool for words.

 

[andrewface]

if you want to play games get a pc
macs are for real business

 

[Sijmen]

if you want to play games get a pc
macs are for real business

I guess you're Horde in WoW. Troll maybe?

 

[LifeCoach]

Just placed my order for my macbook. Decided to go for 1.83ghz white model with the stock 512 RAM as i'm gonna buy two 1gb sticks from orca logic in the UK. Can't wait for my first mac

 

[retroz311]

its a tiger screenshot being used as a wallpaper

Why does everyone think that? For research purposes I loaded AMD64 and MAC 10.4.5 and it runs fine. If you want a flawless performance from a generic PC, one needs only a Intel motherboard, SSE3, and GMA onboard and it's just about flawless, so am unclear as to why everyone thinks this is a wall paper.

That said, PC's are still uglier than Macs! I will be getting, Lord willing, a mac book when the black comes down in price and offers dedicated GPU as an option, then again, I may not wait for GPU, but at least for black to be the same price - - you can thank the bootleg OS for that too. The workflow and experience is what got me.....now, all mac needs are some more apps as I have many expensive audio plug ins and programs for the PC.

Hoping that the MAC rumor about creating executable .exe files comes true, i.e., running .exe files within MAC OS, that way they would have many users coming on-board and being able to keep their programs and plug ins.

Best,
retroz

 

[retroz311]

That would be Apple telling you misinformation based on the Pre-MacBook experience. But I appreciate your effort to try and persuade me that reality doesn't exist.

I know it must be hard for someone like yourself who has not been here all week to appreciate the changes most of us have gone through from skeptical to outright True Believing in a few days. But if you take the time to do your research and forget the Apple company line about "minimum requirements", going over the first thousand posts here will give you a much clearer idea of why we all have been pretty much born again about MacBooks' powerful capabilities. Save 3-D design and games, it pretty much is a 2GHz Core Duo mobile "workstation".


Love ya man!

Would, could Apple do anything to cripple this? On future MacBooks? (running FCP) or would they be shooting themselves in the foot? I would think the real MBP will be the dual dual cores and less heat memrons.

 

[andrewface]

I guess you're Horde in WoW. Troll maybe?

haha we are all nerds

 

[andrewface]

Why does everyone think that? For research purposes I loaded AMD64 and MAC 10.4.5 and it runs fine. If you want a flawless performance from a generic PC, one needs only a Intel motherboard, SSE3, and GMA onboard and it's just about flawless, so am unclear as to why everyone thinks this is a wall paper.

That said, PC's are still uglier than Macs! I will be getting, Lord willing, a mac book when the black comes down in price and offers dedicated GPU as an option, then again, I may not wait for GPU, but at least for black to be the same price - - you can thank the bootleg OS for that too. The workflow and experience is what got me.....now, all mac needs are some more apps as I have many expensive audio plug ins and programs for the PC.

Hoping that the MAC rumor about creating executable .exe files comes true, i.e., running .exe files within MAC OS, that way they would have many users coming on-board and being able to keep their programs and plug ins.

Best,
retroz

what makes you think the black will go down
its selling so well

 

[matticus008]

Why does everyone think that?

Because the Recycle bin and Windows task bar are visible on the screen! I mean, come on.

 

[Multimedia]

MacBook's Final Cut Studio Compatability Can't Be Stopped

Would, could Apple do anything to cripple this? On future MacBooks? (running FCP) or would they be shooting themselves in the foot? I would think the real MBP will be the dual dual cores and less heat meroms.

No. Merom will only be faster and cooler. Apple can't stop this from working well. With the next Intel G965 Integrated Graphics chipset with HD and 3-D support this Fall the graphics performance will be even better. And next year's Merom chipset - I think it's called Santa Rosa - will make the overall performance even faster - Plus Leopard as well. Final Cut Express 3.5 Universal should be very popular for MacBook in addition to the G5 and Core 2 Duo Final Cut Studio crowd that just wants somthing handy, small but fast for quick jobs on the run like NEWS and Video Podcasting and Blogging for example where its screen size won't make much difference for the creation of short HDV packages.

Thanks matticus008 for the above link to the X-Bit Labs' small February 23rd article on this next Intel Integrated Graphics chipset.

 

[imacintel]

Is this the largest thread in macrumor history?

 

[mkrishnan]

Is this the largest thread in macrumor history?

No.

But it's probably the largest non-ridiculous thread on MR!

 

[daneoni]

Because the Recycle bin and Windows task bar are visible on the screen! I mean, come on.

My thoughts exactly. Yes we know Mac OSX runs on PC hardware after several workarounds BUT in this case that IS a tiger screenshot being used as a wallpaper. Duh!

 

[NoelEiffe]

I mean it's a closing feature - IE compells people to buy it. So there may be some kind of freaky interdepartmental cat fight among Marketing, Sales and Design right now inside Apple about this very point. I think Apple would do well to put the customer first and do the right thing

This seems pretty reasonable. I think the thinking is that Merom and Conroe machines will increasingly differentiate from the MacBook through the next quarter+, and in 2-3 months the MB will not look as powerful in comparison to Merom MBPs ... and Apple decided to live with that, expecting a good quarter selling lots and lots of MBs.

I bought a white midrange MB (comes wednesday), my first Mac after 20 years of Wintel, with the expectation that if it can turn me, I hand that to my kids and slide in a Merom MBP once they're out.

Apple has the choice of lowering prices or raising specs always now. The MBPs will move up more quickly than the MB's perhaps and at various times they'll be more or less of a good deal in comparison. I think that's ok.

Me, I didn't want to wait 3+ more months to switch, so I'm in now. Market share now officially up to 5.01%?

noel, switcher

 

[DavidM]

Sudden Motion Sensor

Does replacing the stock hard drive in the MacBook remove the Sudden Motion Sensor, or is that a separate piece of hardware? Do most hard drives now come with that feature if it isn't a separate piece of hardware?

Thanks

 

[MacMan93]

I think it is just sensors in the MacBook that sense it is being droped so it parks the HD.....I don't think the HD has anything ot do with it.

 

[astaples]

Macbook Whining

Damn... I love my macbook - everything I had hoped it would be and more. One thing though is that I suffer from the whining problem that many have noticed, but only when the computer is plugged into an AC power source. Anyone know of a remedy yet?

 

[bloodycape]

No. Merom will only be faster and cooler. Apple can't stop this from working well. With the next Intel G965 Integrated Graphics chipset with HD and 3-D support this Fall the graphics performance will be even better. .

Is that realy the next chipset, when I googled for the next chipset after the 950 all I got was that there is plus or oc'ed version of the 950. I also saw specs for a 128mb version of the 950 with 128bits but that could ben a typo?

 

[MSchen01]

I keep reading about the macbooks getting really hot (like 83 F...yea doesn't sound that hot...but it is), and you definately do NOT want to put it on your unprotected leg...just tried that and felt like I would soon be burned...might want to stay away from that idea

but its so ridiculously sexy anyway...I go out of control whenever I use it...it is like Apple has designed a computer that makes you so happy when you're using it that you don't mind doing your work.

 

[matticus008]

I keep reading about the macbooks getting really hot (like 83 F...yea doesn't sound that hot...but it is), and you definately do NOT want to put it on your unprotected leg...just tried that and felt like I would soon be burned...might want to stay away from that idea

83˚F will not burn you. It'll feel lukewarm at the very worst (things don't feel uncomfortable until around 108˚F). The MacBook Pros are the ones with the intermittent heat issues and even they are not at burning temperatures.

 

[MSchen01]

oh i know, it was just a dumb joke...

 

[iHateGates]

macbook heat

I think I read online that someone had already taken his apart to reapply the heat sink grease. I know there's also something you can do to some laptops where you "polish" the heat sink. Anyone know about this? Will this void the warranty?

 

[Multimedia]

The Next Major Intel G965 Integrated Graphics Chipset

Page 95 Post #2372

Would, could Apple do anything to cripple this? On future MacBooks? (running FCP) or would they be shooting themselves in the foot? I would think the real MBP will be the dual dual cores and less heat meroms.

No. Merom will only be faster and cooler. Apple can't stop this from working well. With the next Intel G965 Integrated Graphics chipset with HD and 3-D Shading support this Fall the graphics performance will be even better. And next year's Merom chipset - I think it's called Santa Rosa - will make the overall performance even faster - Plus Leopard as well. Final Cut Express 3.5 Universal should be very popular for MacBook in addition to the G5 and Core 2 Duo Final Cut Studio crowd that just wants somthing handy, small but fast for quick jobs on the run like NEWS and Video Podcasting and Blogging for example where its screen size won't make much difference for the creation of short HDV packages.

Thanks matticus008 for the above link to the X-Bit Labs' small February 23rd article on this next Intel Integrated Graphics chipset.

Page 96 Post #2380

Is that realy the next chipset, when I googled for the next chipset after the 950 all I got was that there is plus or oc'ed version of the 950. I also saw specs for a 128mb version of the 950 with 128bits but that could ben a typo?

That would be the enhanced version of the current chipset. Yeah I know what you mean. Google appears to not find anything about the G965 IG Chipset unless you search for it by name. Weird. Try "G965 Intel". Here's a good overview of what's coming up from an AnandTech Intel Integrated Graphics Roadmap article.

I specifically link to the article that explains the next Major Revision G965 with additional features supporting HD Streaming and 3-D Shading due in 3rd Quarter 2007 - IE July-September - which will probably translate into a Fall revision of Mac mini and MacBook Integrated Graphics along with Merom for faster, cooler and 64-bit capabilities. Did you read this article "Intel G965 core-logic will support Shader Model 3.0, including pixel shaders 3.0 and vertex shaders 3.0 as well as hardware decoding of WMV9b HD high-definition video streams..."?