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Sandy Bridge? Buying new MBP. Should I have this?

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2807

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 9, 2011
81
124
Hi. What/Where/when is a sandy bridge? I understand it to be a new faster processor, but is it out now or is it a future/rumor thing?

I see the MBP's have a quad core i7, is that what I should get?

What is the upside to the Sandy Bridge? Do I wait? Or is it the i7 quad core stuff?

Thanks
 
Sandy bridge is present in the new 2011 mbp's. The advantage of the CPU is that it's much faster than previous generations. Def get it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Its out now, in current MBPs.

The Quad MBP is a great device if you have the cash. Sorta of depends what you will be doing if you really need that amount of power. I'm not sure what the battery life is on it, but I assume it would be lower then slower devices like the the 2 Core MBP.

Quad MBP is one upside of the Sandy Bridge update, another is USB 3 support(which Apple didn't take advantage) so its not really any issue for the end user. Thunderbolt support is an upside. The graphic are an upside, being being better then the old Intel ones. And the updated discrete card is better as well(I presume)
 
Sandy bridge is the code name of the second generation Intel i Series of processors, and the 2011 macbook pro's have all have sandy bridge chips.
 
2807 said:
Hi. What/Where/when is a sandy bridge? I understand it to be a new faster processor, but is it out now or is it a future/rumor thing?

I see the MBP's have a quad core i7, is that what I should get?

What is the upside to the Sandy Bridge? Do I wait? Or is it the i7 quad core stuff?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I suggest digging up some reviews of the latest 2011 MBP's (anandtech, engadget, macworld, laptop magazine, etc) and reading them :) It'll pretty much answer all your questions and most likely answer any you have remaining.
 
zap2 said:
IQuad MBP is one upside of the Sandy Bridge update, another is USB 3 support(which Apple didn't take advantage) so its not really any issue for the end user.
Click to expand...

Intel did not include USB3 support in their chipsets that support Sandy Bridge. So Apple didn't fail to take advantage of anything.

Allegedly Intel will have USB3 support in their chipsets for Ivy Bridge.
 
brentsg said:
Intel did not include USB3 support in their chipsets that support Sandy Bridge. So Apple didn't fail to take advantage of anything.

Allegedly Intel will have USB3 support in their chipsets for Ivy Bridge.
Click to expand...

Just curious, what is your source? I had thought I remembers reading USB 3.0 support was one board, and the links I found on google packed me up, although I didn't get anything straight from Intel(off to look there after this post). You could very well be correct, but I just am interested in official linkage.

Here is one link I found that says it does have USB 3.0, but very clearly outdated, so I'm don't have much trust in it.
http://www.fudzilla.com/processors/item/20347-sandy-bridge-to-get-usb-30-support
 
zap2 said:
Just curious, what is your source? I had thought I remembers reading USB 3.0 support was one board, and the links I found on google packed me up, although I didn't get anything straight from Intel(off to look there after this post). You could very well be correct, but I just am interested in official linkage.
Click to expand...

I don't have a link handy, but any desktop motherboard.. or notebook to date has supported USB3 via a discrete chip. (edit: on the Intel side anyways. I don't pay attention to what AMD is up to these days)
 
brentsg said:
I don't have a link handy, but any desktop motherboard.. or notebook to date has supported USB3 via a discrete chip. (edit: on the Intel side anyways. I don't pay attention to what AMD is up to these days)
Click to expand...

I couldn't find anything on Intel's web site about USB 3.0, which would support it. And few links on MacRumors about its. Looks like I was mistaken.

(For the future, if you disagree with a claim and someone asks for a link, just repeating your claim and explain things a bit doesn't really serve to convince me of much)
 
zap2 said:
I couldn't find anything on Intel's web site about USB 3.0, which would support it. And few links on MacRumors about its. Looks like I was mistaken.

(For the future, if you disagree with a claim and someone asks for a link, just repeating your claim and explain things a bit doesn't really serve to convince me of much)
Click to expand...

I understand. It was one of those situations where I know I'm right, but unwilling to go digging around to prove it. Believe it, don't, whatever.. that kind of thing.

It's not easy to Google really. It was to be excluded, then it was to be included.. then it wasn't included after all. It makes for a pita to search.
 
brentsg said:
I understand. It was one of those situations where I know I'm right, but unwilling to go digging around to prove it. Believe it, don't, whatever.. that kind of thing.

It's not easy to Google really. It was to be excluded, then it was to be included.. then it wasn't included after all. It makes for a pita to search.
Click to expand...

It really wasn't that hard to find on Intel site a lack of any USB 3.0 evidence, or quick google "Sandy bridge" One of the first hits is wikipedia, never mention USB 3.0 for Sandy Bridge, but having it mentioned for Ivy Bridge. Takes 30 seconds tops.

The internet is full of people throwing claims around that they "know", without a source its hard to believe anything, more so on something like this reports so many times differently.

But yes you were correct, so I'm glad Apple's lack of USB 3.0 was in the interest of not adding more hardware vs just trying to keep it down and promote Thunderbolt. (But assuming Thunderbolt gets a decent support, I don't really care where USB 3.0 goes, although I do see it do well considering its a follow up such a key product. Hopefully Apple will add both with Ivy Bridge)

All that said, OP, I highly suggest the MacBook Pro, Sandy Bridge is great, Thunderbolt beats USB 3.0 for speed(although neither have a huge market, USB 3.0 might win there) The hardware is great, design is great. Sure they might be a few things that could be better, but these laptops are some of Apple finest laptops(even considering the day in which all laptops were made)
 
ThaDoggg said:
Sandy bridge is present in the new 2011 mbp's. The advantage of the CPU is that it's much faster than previous generations. Def get it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

How about that...

I didn't even know my new mbp i7 had it .. You learn something everyday...


Could Intel have accomplished i7 without Sandy Bridge? ... Or what you are saying is "all quad core" chips are sandy bridge.
 
Tech198 said:
How about that...

I didn't even know my new mbp i7 had it .. You learn something everyday...


Could Intel have accomplished i7 without Sandy Bridge? ... Or what you are saying is "all quad core" chips are sandy bridge.
Click to expand...

It is referring to the code name for the second generation chips. These include the quad i7s and the dual i5s and i7s (used in the 13" MBP, so it has nothing to do with the core count). it refers to the generation, the next generation is called ivy bridge. 1st generation i7 quads exist that don't have the Sandy bridge architecture. They were never used in any Apple notebook lines.
 
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