Steve Jobs on 13-Inch MacBook Pro's Use of Intel Core 2 Duo Processors

[BlindGoldfish]

I just ordered a 2.4ghz 13" mbp after spending literally 6 hours debating things. If I was going to get the 15", I wanted the i7 and high-res screen. After tax, I was looking at about $2,600, compared to $1,300 for the 13".

In my opinion, the $1,199 2.4ghz 13" is a great value, especially when compared to the $999 macbook. You get a unibody design, double the memory, much better graphics, backlit keyboard, a slight speed bump, and almost 50% more battery life for an extra $200.

 

[ayeying]

You guys are idiots right?

If they stuffed an Core i3 in there, they have to ditch the 320M video card. Intel's licensing basically said if you want a Core ix CPU, you HAVE to have their Video Card integrated into it. Enabled or not doesn't matter but with already a limited space in the 13", they chose a faster video card over a Core i3 which is nearly the same performance as a Core 2 Duo.

Apple's decision is either have a crappy Intel HD video card with Core i3 or have 320M which is a lot better then the Intel stuff but keep Core 2 Duo.

 

[kaiserben]

I'll buy one as far as tomorrow.

I don't care about the marketing "ix" Intel... i3 still perform less than the current C2D.

And the 320m perform like the 9600m (quite better than 9400m), it means I could play CSS and L4D, the only computer game I'd like to play.

And 10 hours battery life...

I think the low end 13" is quite good deal regarding what is done to equivalent Sony PC.

 

[mjohnsonperl]

nVidia vs Intel Chipset

I'm just going to speculate here...

My guess is the reason why they stuck with the Core 2 Duo on the 13" is because they didn't want to include a discrete graphics in the system. I'd just guess that the integrated Intel HD is dismally slower then the integrated nVidia 320M. Apple moved away from integrated Intel graphics to nVidia because of performance reasons. Remember that nVidia has had some issue with Intel lately and the ability to produce a chipset for the Core i series, and thus in order to stick with an nVidia chipset/integrated graphics they must use the Core 2 Duo processor which nVidia is licensed for. Notice that the 15" MacBook Pros do not have an option of the integrated video without discrete graphics like they did before (when they had nVidia chipset/integrated graphics). Now all MacBook Pro models 15" and greater include discrete graphics, and they all have the Intel HD integrated. If nVidia can work out the ability to produce a chipset for the Core i series then I would expect Apple to switch back to nVidia for integrated graphics and chipsets.

 

[SteveSparks]

Doom 3? Really?

I wonder how it performs on PONG!

Tony

Pong was reported at 10,000,000 x faster.

The ball and the paddles move at the speed of light.

Its True!

 

[azentropy]

god this pisses me off. I want a mac badly but i don't want to pay 1800 minimum for a core i5.

I don't want to pay $1949 minimum for a screen (matte) that I can actually use for more than 5 minutes without getting a headache.

 

[bozeefus]

What's the performance discrepancy between the c2d and an i3? From Job's response, he makes it seem like the increase is negligible. To be honest though, I don't think I should be asking members on this forum; some of you guys had a hard time differentiating between desktop and mobile processor variants of Core series


attached below is a comparison between the c2d and all the i3 mobile variants currently available. it appears the biggest difference is hyper threading which allows the i3 to simulate 4 cores using 2 physical cores.

the c2d also consume less power than i3.

http://ark.intel.com/Compare.aspx?ids=40380,35568,47663,43529,48140,

 

[Fenix90]

Beyond all that I can't figure out why anyone would want a 13" laptop in the first place. It is like the worst size possible.

Maybe the question you should ask is why anybody would by a netbook (beside the fact that it's cheaper) when they can get a 13" MBP.

 

[TMRaven]

Stick an i3 in there and the battery life will still be better than before.

The mobile core2duos in the 13 inch macbookpros have lower tdp than even mobile i3s.

 

[ThomasJL]

Apple: Yesterday's technology at today's prices.

 

[Chew]

killer graphics? It's a rebadged 9600M?

No, it isn't; this is NOT a "GeForce GT 320M" but a "GeForce 320M". It's no dedicated GPU but probably the fastest integrated GPU on the market and the successor of the 9400M.
Take a look at Notebookcheck for more infos.

 

[LaMerVipere]

Maybe, but it’s better than Intel HD integrated graphics, no? There’s no way they could have fit a discrete GPU in the 13” chassis.

There's no way they could have fit one in a 13" unibody? Really?

I think we both know that's not true.

 

[Tones2]

Maybe, but it’s better than Intel HD integrated graphics, no? There’s no way they could have fit a discrete GPU in the 13” chassis.

Um...yes they can:

http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/13/asus-u30jc-1a-review/

Tony

 

[bluehaze013]

They are going to use c2d in the upcoming 13" MacBook pros? WTF? Why? That is beyond stupid. Even the low end cheap laptops are starting to come with I-series processors now. Only thing I can think of is they are trying to push buyers away from 13" and toward their 15 and 17" models but 15 and 17" are too big for most people considering a 13" laptop.

Oh well guess it's Sony Vaio Z for me then.

I am not buying a new refresh of a laptop coming with C2D that is just pathetic...

 

[Mousse]

Jobs really has been sending out a lot of email replies lately...

Stuff like this makes me wonder how much the guy/gal who's tasked with responding to inconsequential emails make. I'd expect a hefty sum if I have to read through hundreds of garbage mails a day.

 

[alent1234]

and how much more would it have to cost?

nothing

hard for iFans to believe but technology drops in price as time goes forward

 

[gwangung]

You guys are idiots right?

Given the usual level of discussion around here...do you have to ask?

 

[kaiserben]

There's no way they could have fit one in a 13" unibody? Really?

I think we both know that's not true.

Yes, they can ! And it would be a 1900$ laptop like the viao Z

 

[ayeying]

Given the usual level of discussion around here...do you have to ask?

No, no, not really.

 

[fud122]

Then why is the 13" Vaio Z able to hold better specs? I think if Apple wanted to they could have included a better CPU and GPU technology in the 13". It's not impossible to do.

 

[alent1234]

No, it isn't; this is NOT a "GeForce GT 320M" but a "GeForce 320M". It's no dedicated GPU but probably the fastest integrated GPU on the market and the successor of the 9400M.
Take a look at Notebookcheck for more infos.

fastest on the market?

dell and HP are shipping laptops with 1GB of graphics memory with faster chips for less $$$

 

[Tones2]

You guys are idiots right?

If they stuffed an Core i3 in there, they have to ditch the 320M video card. Intel's licensing basically said if you want a Core ix CPU, you HAVE to have their Video Card integrated into it. Enabled or not doesn't matter but with already a limited space in the 13", they chose a faster video card over a Core i3 which is nearly the same performance as a Core 2 Duo.

Apple's decision is either have a crappy Intel HD video card with Core i3 or have 320M which is a lot better then the Intel stuff but keep Core 2 Duo.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/13/asus-u30jc-1a-review/

It's called RESEARCH!

Tony

 

[kaiserben]

Then why is the 13" Vaio Z able to hold better specs? I think if Apple wanted to they could have included a better CPU and GPU technology in the 13". It's not impossible to do.

But it's LAAAAAARRRRRRRGEEEEEEEE more expensive.

 

[ValSalva]

Of course the biggest and most noticeable performance improvement is changing from a spinning HDD to a SSD.

 

[alent1234]

You guys are idiots right?

If they stuffed an Core i3 in there, they have to ditch the 320M video card. Intel's licensing basically said if you want a Core ix CPU, you HAVE to have their Video Card integrated into it. Enabled or not doesn't matter but with already a limited space in the 13", they chose a faster video card over a Core i3 which is nearly the same performance as a Core 2 Duo.

Apple's decision is either have a crappy Intel HD video card with Core i3 or have 320M which is a lot better then the Intel stuff but keep Core 2 Duo.

isn't the whole package the same size as the old CPU only packages?