Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Quad-Core 13" MacBook Pro coming with ivy bridge?!?!?!

M

mac26

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 27, 2011
387
0
I was on wikipedia looking at ivy bridge's mobile processors and I noticed a 2.1GHz quad core 35W i7 processor (3612QM), currently the high-end MBP 13" uses a 2.8GHz dual-core 35W i7 processor (2640M) so it is the same power intake! so do you think it'll be a possibility next year? I would love for that because then I would def. consider buying that in addition to my MBA:D:D
Input appreciated!
 
If Apple keeps the current design then yes i think we will see that quad core ivy bridge in the next 13". It could be as a BTO though, but i admit it will be a hell of a 13"
 
Sweet! If buy my father his first mac next year this will be on the list along with the mac mini and the MacBook Air
 
Hmm am I the only one who thinks quad core wont be on the 13in?
As everyone said above, 13in maybe changed to MBA only.

After the MacBook got taken away, I started to think that Apple is getting rid of identical items. So either the 13in Air or the Pro.
In this case, my guess is the Pro.

If kept alive, then maybe yes.
But if left out with 13in Air only, I think dual core i7 as standard over the i5.
 
yusukeaoki said:
Hmm am I the only one who thinks quad core wont be on the 13in?
As everyone said above, 13in maybe changed to MBA only.

After the MacBook got taken away, I started to think that Apple is getting rid of identical items. So either the 13in Air or the Pro.
In this case, my guess is the Pro.

If kept alive, then maybe yes.
But if left out with 13in Air only, I think dual core i7 as standard over the i5.
Click to expand...

I doubt they would get rid of the 13" MBP, most people who I know have a 13" MBP. When I was in college last season 13" MBP seem to be everywhere and even in the refurbish store 13" seem to sell fast, so I'd think there is a strong market for it. MBA is cool and would love one but being limited to 4GB of ram and only 256 SSD it's not tempting me and does separate the two, also some of the design turns me off even if it's a small thing like the power button and no edge to edge glass screen.
 
THe MBP is very desirous - and many people can only afford the 13 or justify their spending on a 13. I think they keep it.
 
I'll give you my thoughts.
The 13" MBA will most likely not have a quad-core. It will draw too much power and detract from one of the main selling points of the Air, which is the superb all-day battery life, since the quad-cores will only be released down to 35W.

The 13" MBP, however, will have a much higher chance of getting the quad-cores, whether it be normal 35W or the higher voltage 45W used in 15"+ today. Most likely it will be the 35W, and as long as the thermal requirements are met, the 13" will have a quad-core.

What I think is that you will either have to decide between a dedicated GPU and a quad-core for the 13". Apple could be able to squeeze a GPU into the 13", but that would cause the laptop to be too hot for a quad-core. Conversely, a quad-core would be too hot for a GPU. So either a dual-core with a dedicated GPU, or quad-core with Intel graphics.

If Apple DOES redesign the MBP to be thinner, then there's practically no way either dedicated GPU or quad-core will be on them. It'll simply be too hot.

My predictions are that Apple will not redesign the MBP line, and give an option for 13" users to remove the ODD for a GPU or keep the ODD for quad-core CPU. The 15" and 17" will retain both the ODD and current design, but will have both the quad-core and dedicated GPU.
There will be no 15" MBA, because that would defeat the purpose of a 15" laptop. The 13" MBA will not have a quad-core due to power requirements.
 
I'm bumping this threat cause I think the 3612QM in a refreshed 13" might be the most interesting thing we might see in the next line-up. If this does indeed happen I think apple will keep an intro level dual core, and the quad will take the place of the current 2.8. A bigger battery (assuming the ODD will be no more) would also allow for dedicated graphics (which chip would be suitable I have no idea)

How many of you would ditch a 15" for a 13" with a quad-core processor and dedicated graphics?
 
No. Apple is going to re-introduce the Core Solo and make the 13" MacBook Pro a single-core machine. It will also be clocked down to 1.4GHz, and they will sell this as man entry-level MacBook Pro for $400.

What a prediction!

It will also conserve enough battery power so you can run it continuously on one charge for over 40 hours. Wouldn't that be great? All you really need is one core. But oh yeah, it wouldn't be able to run Mountain Lion.
 
WardC said:
No. Apple is going to re-introduce the Core Solo and make the 13" MacBook Pro a single-core machine. It will also be clocked down to 1.4GHz, and they will sell this as man entry-level MacBook Pro for $400.

What a prediction!

It will also conserve enough battery power so you can run it continuously on one charge for over 40 hours. Wouldn't that be great? All you really need is one core. But oh yeah, it wouldn't be able to run Mountain Lion.
Click to expand...

kool. get your CC ready for this! :cool:

Anyhow. I know predictions are pointless. I was just wondering if people would have an interest in such a machine or if they are happy with their 15"...
 
I was kidding about the Core Solo...

My guess is that Apple will keep dual-core processors throughout the 13" offerings, because of their TDP requirements/power draw. The updated 13" MBP lineup will all feature dual-core Ivy Bridge, while the 15" and 17" will feature Quad-core. It will be much the same as the current lineup, but will Ivy Bridge offerings. I expect a chassis/design revision to the line as well, starting with the 15-inch models. This has been predicted and talked over, many times, about a thinner-sleeker, possibly "optical drive less" design possibly using SSD as main storage and providing better battery life. Retina displays have been discussed (may be possible), but I am not sure if Apple's got Retina-display laptops ready for production right now...nobody's done it yet.
 
The 35W i7 in the 13" MBP is running quite hot. Ivy Bridge does have a 35W quad but with the current 2.8ghz dual running quite warm already, I'd be quite wary of any more 35W parts in the 13". Ivy Bridge is also running hotter than expected, not necessarily indicated of the mobile parts but check out the reviews of the desktop components. My 45W quad in the 15" can hit 100 very easily so I think 25W for the 13" and 35 for the 15/17" is the most ideal.
 
According to the numbers, the 13" MBP is the top selling Mac computer. It would seem silly for Apple to get rid of it, but maybe there is a big picture that I don't see.
 
theSeb said:
According to the numbers, the 13" MBP is the top selling Mac computer. It would seem silly for Apple to get rid of it, but maybe there is a big picture that I don't see.
Click to expand...

The Macbook White was their best selling laptop not long ago and Apple axed it non-the-less because it was overlapping the MBP 13".

We're seeing a similar phenomenon now with the MBA 13" and MBP 13": they're pretty much in line specs-wise, and real-word performance tests show a mere 10% gap between the two. They both target the same niche and they're both moreless in the same price range, so I would not be surprised to see the MBA 13" and MBP 13" merged in the near future.
 
KohPhiPhi said:
The Macbook White was their best selling laptop not long ago and Apple axed it non-the-less because it was overlapping the MBP 13".

We're seeing a similar phenomenon now with the MBA 13" and MBP 13": they're pretty much in line specs-wise, and real-word performance tests show a mere 10% gap between the two. They both target the same niche and they're both moreless in the same price range, so I would not be surprised to see the MBA 13" and MBP 13" merged in the near future.
Click to expand...

Was it really? According to official figures it wasn't. I realise that it was on the Apple store listed as a "top seller", but I don't know whether that's based on reality.
 
KohPhiPhi said:
We're seeing a similar phenomenon now with the MBA 13" and MBP 13": they're pretty much in line specs-wise, and real-word performance tests show a mere 10% gap between the two. They both target the same niche and they're both moreless in the same price range, so I would not be surprised to see the MBA 13" and MBP 13" merged in the near future.
Click to expand...

This is really what got me thinking. I wonder what apple's strategy for the next 13" MBP is. It sells the most not so much because the processor is marginally more powerful than the MBA, but because it has a larger, traditional, HDD, which serves better the needs of those looking for a general purpose machine. Ordinary customers see the air with its SSD and they don't care that it's faster. They see it as more money for less capacity.

Of course, apple usually imposes its own views of what things should be, so axing the MBP is not out of the question. But I remember listening to a podcast (about RED cameras and editing) in which the interviewee was complaining about what apple reps had told him concerning their strategy for the pro market. They're really pushing the powerful laptop + external display concept. I think a quad 13" would fit in this picture.

There are, of course, the technical limitation, about which I really do not know much. I guess, as I said above, that a bigger battery (and assuming apple doesn't decide to slim the MBP by much) would provide enough power for the CPU plus a GPU. Whether such a machine would have acceptable thermal specifications I have no idea.

I, for one, would be interested if apple can pull this off.
 
Does anyone even bother to see that there is a stickied topic that is exclusively for 2012 Macbook Pro discussion?
 
Yes. Just like every thread, including this one, is like "is the x model gonna have this!!!???"
 
I dont think they would, the quad core(along with the extra 2" screen) make the base 13 and 15 about 400$ different.

look at the 17" and 15" with similar specs its only about $200 difference

so it would be hard for apple to charge $400 more for the 15" if the specs are the same
 
iisforiphone said:
I dont think they would, the quad core(along with the extra 2" screen) make the base 13 and 15 about 400$ different.

look at the 17" and 15" with similar specs its only about $200 difference

so it would be hard for apple to charge $400 more for the 15" if the specs are the same
Click to expand...

Hmmm, this does have me thinking now, all because i would have been excited to see a quad core 13" macbook pro for this next refresh, all because intel now was a quad core proc with a TDP of 35W. But if there is a chance that the 13" will cannibalize on the 15" then it would seem unlikely there will be a quad core for the 13 :(

But then again, since the is no current release of the dual core i5/i7 ivy bridge processors, I'm still hoping there will be a chance for that quad core 13" :p

Again, even with there being a high res (1680 x 1050) 15" model with identical specs to the 17", people still choose to purchase the 17" because there is more screen real estate (1920 x 1200). So i guess its really hard to see what apple may do with the upcoming refresh.
 
I for one would love a 13" with quad core and proper graphics.

If I could design the perfect laptop it would be 13" with quad core, proper graphics, small ssd for os and apps + a large hard drive.

That would be an absolute beast of a machine!

I somehow see apple keeping with a dual core for the 13", I guess that with proper graphics would still be an absolutely fantastic machine! And we always have hyperthreading!

I also am not sure whether it a quad core is needed, I'm no software expert but aren't most apps written for two cores? At what clock speed would a dual core have the same performance levels as a 2.2ghz quad? Would it be a 4.4ghz?
 
theSeb said:
Was it really? According to official figures it wasn't. I realise that it was on the Apple store listed as a "top seller", but I don't know whether that's based on reality.
Click to expand...

It's wasn't that great of a seller in the end. It was $999 as compared to $1199 for the Macbook Pro.

It was shy 2GB of RAM as compared to the MBP
It didn't have a SD card slot
It didn't have the panache of an aluminum case
It didn't have a backlit keyboard.

The only people that bought the white MB where ultimately limited by their budget as it was easy to see the value of spending $200 more to gain the aforementioned features.
 
gibbo132 said:
I for one would love a 13" with quad core and proper graphics.
Click to expand...
Yeah I know what you mean, I guess Apple want you to spend more money to buy the 15" Macbook Pro, the 13" MBP is quite nice though as it is, quad core graphics would be nice but I don't see this happening ;(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back