Quad-Core Nehalem Apple Notebooks Possible in Q3 2009?

[Michael CM1]

Another batch of uber-confusing news, even when read by someone who knows kinda what they're talking about.

I first of all don't get the appeal of a quad-core mobile processor -- yet. Does that benefit performance more than a little faster clock speed or just finding out how to reduce power use? I have a C2D 2.16, and when my CPU is heavily used, the temperature gets up to near 180 degrees F. Comparatively, my dad's G5 iMac rarely gets even past 120 F, if ever. Do we really need to see CPU makers in a space race if the processor eventually melts?

Also, enough with these stupid code names for processor lines. I know they're good for people who work at Intel and AMD, but "Nehalem" and all those other terms really just seem to be like name-dropping celebrities. I have read multiple times what those processor code names mean, but I still can't recall it from memory. All the change is is usually a smaller die and/or system bus speed boost, along with the obvious slight clock speed hike. The fact that Intel markets these things on computers as crap like "Core2Duo C-3PO" instead of "Core2Duo 2.4Ghz" makes no sense at all.

Lastly, can't Intel and NVIDIA play nice? I know they're competitors, but geez. How much is there to letting someone else make a logic board/chipset? Isn't it like using USB or DVD standards?

 

[manu chao]

The Macbooks and Macbook Air have the same LED screen.

They both have LED backlighting but they don't have the same screen. The Air has a higher quality screen (eg, viewing angles).

 

[Eric S.]

1.6GHz This is 2009 is it not!

Tell that to the Macbook Air.

 

[applecultvictim]

I didn't know AMD had jumped the curve

You can now go back to sleep. And keep eating whole the intel $$$$ hype media intead of actual CPU tests.

Second, Nehalem absolutely smokes Core 2 in every single benchmark. A 2.0 GHz Quad-core Nehalem is more than equal to a 3 GHz Core 2 Duo; even for single or dual-threaded apps; and completely dominates on anything that uses three or more threads.

Oh yeah? Can you link us here to that preposterous benchmark intead of taking your word for it, comparing c2d dual core and i7 quads in REAL applications? And is it about $800 better? Huh? Cause you seem completely oblivious of the price.

 

[SACD02]

I didn't know AMD had jumped the curve

AMD had ditched FSB as early as 2003 with their Athlon 64 processors and their mobile processors also came with no FSB as early as 2005. I'm not sayings AMDs are better (they used to be), but they definitely had jumped the curve on this one way ahead of Intel

The current desktop Nehalems are not branded "Core 2", they are branded "Core i7". Most rumor sites claim that the lower-end Nehalem parts will be "Core i5". It would be rather silly to brand the mobile Nehalems as "Core 2". So those prices may be for the newer Core 2, not for the Nehalem.

Core i5 is not a rumor. Core i7 is the enthusiast category of chips while Core i5 will be the mainstream ones

 

[badNameErr]

Somebody wake me when I can get a Quad-core iMac.

 

[Eric S.]

"Nehalem" and all those other terms really just seem to be like name-dropping celebrities. I have read multiple times what those processor code names mean, but I still can't recall it from memory. All the change is is usually a smaller die and/or system bus speed boost, along with the obvious slight clock speed hike.

I agree the names get confusing. But the Nehalem architecture has some significant differences to the previous generation Core architecture, not just die and clock speed improvements. I'm thinking mainly of its dumping the FSB for a point-to-point interconnect, allowing for a NUMA memory architecture, and a return to processor hyperthreading.

 

[Sun Baked]

Somebody wake me when I can get a Quad-core iMac.

Haven't looked at the Intel vs. the Nvidia mobile solutions with QPI.

If Intel is still a 3 chip solution for the integrated GPU version and Nvidia the 2 chip solution like it is now. Apple may wait, and wait, and wait for Nvidia to update the current style chipset.

 

[HailToTheVictor]

Apple gets $2,000 from me the day I can get a Nehalem based MBP, and I really hope it can come with a matte screen.

 

[applecultvictim]

If intel won't allow nvidia to provide their motherboards and gpus and instead saddle us as in these quads with their stone age gpus that will make their cheaps hotter, then apple is in for a messy situation considering their close ties with both intel and nvidia. And pretty soon AMD at their prices and ATI's gpus being IMMENSLY better architecture than intel is the winning combo to anyone with half a brain outside the pocketed by intel online pundits. Now with snow leopard using the gpu more effectively too, it's even more so. Who will get a $1000 intel quad with crap intel graphics instead of an amd quad with ati which will be maybe 5-10% cpuwise worse off than intel but HALF the price and with a 10 times better graphics solution from ati, or for that matter nvidia. It's a no brainer.

 

[fokket]

What are AMD's offering nowadays?


I have Athlon 3800+ myself, good CPU, but gets hot.


I know their server CPUs have a good reputation, but what about consumer lines?


Apple recently hired ex-ATI guy.


Oh yeah I do see this Nvidia vs Intel thing getting ugly for Apple.

 

[iMacmatician]

So..what's the difference between these Calpellas and the Arrandales, besides release dates?

Clarksfield is 45 nm while Arrandale is 32 nm + 45 nm iGPU.

And why do the new models have such low clock speeds? I know it's not supposed to be about clock anymore, but really? A whole gigahertz dropped and they're supposed to be comparable to or better than what we have now?

Clarksfield TDP is 35 W, which is equivalent to 25 W Penryns. That's probably why the clock speed went down so much, since current 45 W Penryn quad-cores are at 2.53 GHz.

Another batch of uber-confusing news, even when read by someone who knows kinda what they're talking about.

I first of all don't get the appeal of a quad-core mobile processor -- yet. Does that benefit performance more than a little faster clock speed or just finding out how to reduce power use? I have a C2D 2.16, and when my CPU is heavily used, the temperature gets up to near 180 degrees F. Comparatively, my dad's G5 iMac rarely gets even past 120 F, if ever. Do we really need to see CPU makers in a space race if the processor eventually melts?

 

[applecultvictim]

I have a 3800 too, lol. Great CPU. Amd is admittedly a step behind intel but the way they ve priced their products their consumer line is better, cheaper, and cooler than intel, such as some phenoms are. The only place where intel is ahead is the very high high end which is ridiculusly expensive to beginwith. Amd has also just released better cooler cheaps for netbooks than intel atom.

 

[iMpathetic]

1.6GHz This is 2009 is it not!

Megahertz Myth FTW

 

[BMWFan]

I hope Apple's closed hardware comes to bite them in their backside. Or is Apple going to sue Intel for abusing their monopoly.

 

[twoodcc]

i think apple will skip this batch. i just don't see the need for apple to adopt these, when better ones are coming early next year

 

[iMacmatician]

i think apple will skip this batch. i just don't see the need for apple to adopt these, when better ones are coming early next year

Arrandale is 2 cores, I guess "better" depends on whether or not 4 cores can be used.

Clarksfield may not go 32 nm until midyear, or may not go 32 nm at all (skip to Sandy Bridge).

 

[applecultvictim]

For me the scenery will be very misty until early 2011 when amd and intel go h2h with sandy bridge and bulldozer, this will be the real leap forward not nehalem. -don t buy the hyp-e, and I expect amd to regain the high end advantage too. Let's also see what larabee will be and how the nvdia people negotiate with the chip giants. Btw q1 2009 amd won 5% market share over intel but I guess it's more important for macrumors to report Trent reznors swearing than that....

 

[michael.lauden]

For me the scenery will be very misty until early 2011 when amd and intel go h2h with sandy bridge and bulldozer, this will be the real leap forward not nehalem. -don t buy the hyp-e, and I expect amd to regain the high end advantage too. Let's also see what larabee will be and how the nvdia people negotiate with the chip giants. Btw q1 2009 amd won 5% market share over intel but I guess it's more important for macrumors to report Trent reznors swearing than that....

hah true. then again it doesn't really apply to Mac - as all processors are intel...........

 

[Digital Skunk]

They both have LED backlighting but they don't have the same screen. The Air has a higher quality screen (eg, viewing angles).

So then the poster was even more incorrect.

As far as i heard the "major" changes would be changing the display type, so it will be possible to select glossy screens as know from the other macbook series.

If they were going to change anything I hope they change the price and the

 

[antominus]

Megahertz Myth FTW

Which is faster... a 2.4 liter or a 1.8 liter?

The 2.4 liter has to be faster. A Lotus Exige can't beat a Toyota Camry because the Camry has a bigger engine.

 

[iMpathetic]

Which is faster... a 2.4 liter or a 1.8 liter?

The 2.4 liter has to be faster. A Lotus Exige can't beat a Toyota Camry because the Camry has a bigger engine.

Again, you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

A 1.6GHz mobile quad-core could beat the sh*t out of a 3.8GHz Pentium 4.
Don't whine about clock speeds.

 

[DELLsFan]

I'll never get around to buying my Mac Pro and Macbook if I keep following this type of processor news!!

 

[t0mat0]

Which is faster... a 2.4 liter or a 1.8 liter?

The 2.4 liter has to be faster. A Lotus Exige can't beat a Toyota Camry because the Camry has a bigger engine.

Not forgetting power to weight ratio - that some things with smaller engines go faster than ones with larger engines.

 

[Apple Corps]

Is Apple going to use Calpella? As I recall they don't use Montevina (or enough of it to allow them to use Intel's trademarks like other laptop manufacturers do).

Yes

They have used Montevina

Do you really think Apple wants to put Intel stickers on their machines?