Hi everyone! 
First post here, although I've lurked here for two years.
There's been considerable speculation on when Apple will adopt quad-core for the rest of the Mac line besides the Mac Pro. You've probably heard the news that Intel will be releasing a quad-core processor for portable computers next month. That quad-core processor is 2.53 GHz but 45 W, most likely too hot for usage in the MacBook Pro. Apparently Intel will be releasing a 2.27 GHz quad-core mobile processor in Q4 2008, that is only 35 W, fit for the MacBook Pro. It would also be logical to assume that quad-core will be going in the iMac too, as it supports up to 55 W (2.67 GHz quad anyone?).
But if my hypothesis is right (and it's just a hypothesis), we may see quad-core in either Mac not with Montevina, not with Nehalem (Q3 2009), but with Westmere (H1 2010).
My hypothesis is this: Within a lineup, not only does the core count rise or stay constant, so does processor speed. So in other words, a 2.53 GHz dual-core cannot coexist with a 2.27 GHz quad-core.
My reasoning is:
This is probably why the Mac Pro (August 2006, 2x 2.0/2.67/3.0 GHz dual) did not adopt the 2x 2.67 GHz quad-core upon its release in November 2006. Instead, it used the 2x 3.0 GHz quad-core 5 months later. Also, this may be why the current Mac Pro does not have the option for a single 3.0/3.2 GHz quad-core processor or 2x 3.4 GHz dual-core.
The current (unofficial) mobile roadmap shows that through 2009, there will be only one quad-core processor model suitable for the MacBook Pro (Montevina: ≤ 35 W, Nehalem: ≤ 45 W). Apple doesn't normally use just one processor model in any lineup, and any dual-core would be so slow (2.27 GHz for Montevina, that's low-end MacBook territory) that it may be unsuitable for the MacBook Pro. If the MacBook Pro were thicker to accommodate 45 W CPUs, then we could see a 2.4/2.53 GHz dual-core base and a 2.53 GHz quad-core option (as that doesn't violate my hypothesis).
The iMac would support multiple quad-core models, but I think there will be too much of a price gap between a dual-core and its equivalently-clocked quad-core for quad-core to be an option (unless Intel delivers interesting "Apple-only" models).
I do not know the details of mobile Westmere aside from a likely 2010 release; I am assuming that the Nehalem » Westmere transition will be like the 2005 Dothan » 2006 Yonah transition in core count, but more subtle. Westmere may allow for multiple 35 W quad-cores at lower price points than Montevina/Nehalem quad-cores. So that would be when quad-core moves to the MacBook Pro and iMac. In other words, compared to high-end PC notebooks, the MacBook Pro may be over a year behind in the quad-core race.
What are your thoughts?
First post here, although I've lurked here for two years. There's been considerable speculation on when Apple will adopt quad-core for the rest of the Mac line besides the Mac Pro. You've probably heard the news that Intel will be releasing a quad-core processor for portable computers next month. That quad-core processor is 2.53 GHz but 45 W, most likely too hot for usage in the MacBook Pro. Apparently Intel will be releasing a 2.27 GHz quad-core mobile processor in Q4 2008, that is only 35 W, fit for the MacBook Pro. It would also be logical to assume that quad-core will be going in the iMac too, as it supports up to 55 W (2.67 GHz quad anyone?).
But if my hypothesis is right (and it's just a hypothesis), we may see quad-core in either Mac not with Montevina, not with Nehalem (Q3 2009), but with Westmere (H1 2010).
My hypothesis is this: Within a lineup, not only does the core count rise or stay constant, so does processor speed. So in other words, a 2.53 GHz dual-core cannot coexist with a 2.27 GHz quad-core.
My reasoning is:
This is probably why the Mac Pro (August 2006, 2x 2.0/2.67/3.0 GHz dual) did not adopt the 2x 2.67 GHz quad-core upon its release in November 2006. Instead, it used the 2x 3.0 GHz quad-core 5 months later. Also, this may be why the current Mac Pro does not have the option for a single 3.0/3.2 GHz quad-core processor or 2x 3.4 GHz dual-core.
The current (unofficial) mobile roadmap shows that through 2009, there will be only one quad-core processor model suitable for the MacBook Pro (Montevina: ≤ 35 W, Nehalem: ≤ 45 W). Apple doesn't normally use just one processor model in any lineup, and any dual-core would be so slow (2.27 GHz for Montevina, that's low-end MacBook territory) that it may be unsuitable for the MacBook Pro. If the MacBook Pro were thicker to accommodate 45 W CPUs, then we could see a 2.4/2.53 GHz dual-core base and a 2.53 GHz quad-core option (as that doesn't violate my hypothesis).
The iMac would support multiple quad-core models, but I think there will be too much of a price gap between a dual-core and its equivalently-clocked quad-core for quad-core to be an option (unless Intel delivers interesting "Apple-only" models
). I do not know the details of mobile Westmere aside from a likely 2010 release; I am assuming that the Nehalem » Westmere transition will be like the 2005 Dothan » 2006 Yonah transition in core count, but more subtle. Westmere may allow for multiple 35 W quad-cores at lower price points than Montevina/Nehalem quad-cores. So that would be when quad-core moves to the MacBook Pro and iMac. In other words, compared to high-end PC notebooks, the MacBook Pro may be over a year behind in the quad-core race.
What are your thoughts?
