Slipup: Thunderbolt on Macbook?

[Tanax]

Did anyone notice how Craig said the external GPU performance of the forest demo was running on a Macbook (he left out "pro")? Since external GPU requires thunderbolt, we could be getting thunderbolt in the next Macbook version!

Or do you think it was just a group name he used; macbook (as in mac laptop)?

 

[EugW]

I didn't see the keynote, just the blog updates, and two different liveblogs said MacBook. I just assumed that was a mistake. If Craig really didn't mention MacBook Pro, then it was probably still his just being unclear about it... unless somehow they've managed to make this work over USB-C.

The reason I say this is because the MacBook isn't due for a Thunderbolt capable update for a while, meaning 2019, unless somehow Intel was able to give Apple a semi-custom high volume run of 10 nm Cannon Lake Y series chips. I don't see Apple releasing a Thunderbolt 12" MacBook until Cannon Lake, since it would require another chipset that not only increases cost, but also uses more space, and uses more energy. My expectation was that Cannon Lake would add-in this functionality for free with no little extra space usage, and little extra power usage.

 

[BeatCrazy]

MacBook is the entire family of portable computers, including the standard MacBook, Pro and Air.

 

[Admiral]

My expectation was that Cannon Lake would add-in this functionality for free with no little extra space usage, and little extra power usage.

And that it would come to pass at the end of 2016 or early in 2017. I dropped out of a Thunderbolt peripheral chain and workflow when the 2015 MacBook was released but I never imagined I'd be this bandwidth constrained through 2019, assuming it even happens in 2019. I know it's not Apple's fault but golly, I am disappoint.

 

[gman901]

I didn't see the keynote, just the blog updates, and two different liveblogs said MacBook. I just assumed that was a mistake. If Craig really didn't mention MacBook Pro, then it was probably still his just being unclear about it... unless somehow they've managed to make this work over USB-C.

The reason I say this is because the MacBook isn't due for a Thunderbolt capable update for a while, meaning 2019, unless somehow Intel was able to give Apple a semi-custom high volume run of 10 nm Cannon Lake Y series chips. I don't see Apple releasing a Thunderbolt 12" MacBook until Cannon Lake, since it would require another chipset that not only increases cost, but also uses more space, and uses more energy. My expectation was that Cannon Lake would add-in this functionality for free with no little extra space usage, and little extra power usage.

I think it should work with the current chipsets. I have a HP elite X2 using Skylake and Thunderbolt 3. I get great framerates to my external and internal monitor using my Aorus Gaming Box w/1080. My tablet is only a Core M7 in 1.8 lb package.

 

[EugW]

I think it should work with the current chipsets. I have a HP elite X2 using Skylake and Thunderbolt 3. I get great framerates to my external and internal monitor using my Aorus Gaming Box w/1080. My tablet is only a Core M7 in 1.8 lb package.

The MacBook does not have Thunderbolt 3.

Note that on the Windows side it is possible to use USB 3 for an external GPU but the performance is much worse than Thunderbolt 3 obviously.

 

[gman901]

I've never tried that. I used to have a Surface Book 2 with just USB C and got rid of it primarily due to it missing TB3. I should have tried connecting it to my external GPU before selling it to see if that would have worked.