What's your realistic, best case scenario Early 2010 MacBook Pro build?

[keitherson]

Here's mine:

• Intel "Westmere" Core i7 2.66 GHz
• ATI "Cypress" Mobility Radeon HD 5800 series
• Blu-ray drive
• USB 3.0 slots
• MiniDisplay/SD
• No FireWire (don't shoot me )
• improved battery

USB 3.0 is completely unlikely because Intel/Apple want to push Lightpeak (but that's not until late 2010 at the earliest..) and Intel delayed USB 3.0 chipset support until 2011. I really hope that the next refresh comes with better graphics, because Apple has really been skimping on graphic performance, using really bad NVidia and ATI mobile cards from the last generation.

Even in the i5/i7 iMacs that were released, they're using a desktop processor with a mobile graphics card.. how are Apple users ever going to get DirectX 11/OpenGL 3.2 support?

Apple is also phasing out FireWire sooner or later, and they dropped it in the entry level MacBook. I have suspicions that might do the same for the MBP to transition into LightPeak + USB 3.0.

Not sure if there's been any improvement in battery technology, but a battery greater than 7-8 hours.. would be amazing.

 

[Hellhammer]

- Intel "Clarksfield" Core i7 920XM 2.0GHz
- ATI Mobile Radeon HD 5870
- Four RAM slots -> 16GB of DDR3
- 15" with 1680 x 1050 resolution (or something like that)
- OLED screens
- Blu-Ray
- 4 x USB 3.0
- 2 x FireWire 3200
- 2 x Mini DisplayPort
- 12-hour battery
- Dual SSDs -> 2 x 256GB

Expensive? YES! Possibility? LOW

 

[bartelby]

Expensive? YES! Possibility? LOW

Big and chunky? Definitely!

 

[Hot Snowboarder]

My dream,

- Core i7 or i9 or whatever the hell (this new name system isn't better intel)
- Blu-ray drive (would be happy with read-only)
- OLED screen (hey, I did say it was my dream)
- Thinner and Lighter than 2009 unibodies.

 

[Yixian]

There's no point in a "what's your imaginary perfect laptop thread", besides we've already had one. Can we make this, what's your best case scenario for the next revision?

In that case:

- Intel "Arrandale" i7-6xxUM Ultra Low Voltage 640UM 2.26GHz /w iGPU
- ATI Mobile Radeon HD 4830 (or 5750 if out in time)
- Four RAM slots -> 16GB of DDR3
- 750gb HDD
- 15" 16:9

With a redesigned case.

^ All 100% possible, but expect Apple to skimp on feature and use old tech as usual.

 

[sleyeu]

Mine:

#Intel "quad core 2.0Ghz+" ( well, the equivalent in performace as a 2.6Ghz c2d)

#ATI "something dedicated with 256mb minimum" (something that will handle
a few games, can power a 42" lcd screen and be able to deal with
3d shiz.

#I don't really need Blu-Ray as i have never used or touched one. it would be
nice.
#A few usbs.. 2.0 or 3.0 i dont mind

# Lots of ram capability please (<-- more bragging rights)

#SD slot and a port so i can power a 42" lcd screen

#Fire wire would be nice, never really used it. might get a fire wire external
hdd

#Current battery is nice, maybe up to 10 hours?(<-- bragging rights) or more recharge cycles.

Just hope apple will give us good graphics chips and quad core.

 

[cluthz]

Haha 5870!

Do you guys really want to have 3 inch thick Macbook Pros?

If they are out soon i'd say perhaps a Ati 4830, which is rated at around 28w, probably downclocked a bit.
Anything better is not possible to put in yet.
Nvidia 240 could also be an alternative, but the 4830 is faster.

I'd like to see bluray and usb 3.0, but putting in a too much powerconsuming gfx card wouldn't be wise.

 

[keitherson]

There's no point in a "what's your imaginary perfect laptop thread", besides we've already had one. Can we make this, what's your best case scenario for the next revision?

I totally agree, didn't think about this. If someone could change the thread title..

 

[bartelby]

I totally agree, didn't think about this. If someone could change the thread title..

Can't you?, by editing your first post and clicking "Go advanced"?

 

[Hellhammer]

- Intel "Arrandale" i7-6xxUM Ultra Low Voltage 640UM 2.26GHz /w iGPU

Why that? Even 13" can handle the 2.66GHz and btw, 640UM is 1.2GHz not 2.26GHz

 

[sammich]

15" 16:9

GAAAHHHHH! Get out, get out, get out!!!!

I would rather die than get 16:9 ratio screens on a laptop.
I'm sorry Mr. Jobs. I trust in your judgement and if it is to be that the MacBook screens go 16:9 then I fully trust and support that change, with my wallet.

 

[keitherson]

Can't you?, by editing your first post and clicking "Go advanced"?

I feel like such a newbie, you're right, thanks

 

[Yixian]

Why that? Even 13" can handle the 2.66GHz and btw, 640UM is 1.2GHz not 2.26GHz

Oops, Core i7-640LM then.

Nothing above that, CPU so rarely bottlenecks anything anymore, Apple should used the freed up TDP to beef up the rest of the computer.

 

[Patrick J]

Apple won't use OLED screens, which start dying after a year of usage.

 

[Hellhammer]

Apple won't use OLED screens, which start dying after a year of usage.

Source? Blue OLEDs which are the rapidest dying lasts at least 14 000 hours which is about 5 years when used 8 hours a day. ALso the tech is developing all the time. It's not good enough for mainstream but a year or two it might be

 

[grahamnp]

Give up guys, NO WAY Apple is going to put OLED in this laptop anytime soon. An 11" screen costs thousands just by itself.

 

[strang]

Core i7-620LM and Core i7-640LM only allows 2 channels of DDR3. Remember Nehalem is designed with DMIs, so Apple will not be able to offer 4 RAM slots in their notebooks if they go with Arrandale chips.

I think the best case scenario will be the most unlikely, but here it goes.

Core i7-640LM 2.133 GHz and turbos to 2.93
2 x 4GB DDR3-1066
750 GB hard drive
Blu-ray
2-way mini DisplayPort
2 x USB 3.0
Light Peak
Uses the Arrandale GPU mostly and automatically switches to Radeon 4830 HD mobile, it's unlikely AMD/ATI will have a 5000-series mobile chip available in time but that would be prefered, DX11 tessalation ftw. And make it a switch without the need to log-off please. If the Sony VAIO can do it, so can Apple hardware.

The entry 15" and 13s will probably all be using the Arrandale GPU and the i7-620LM. But the 2nd 15" will get discrete GPU with option for i7-640LM. 17 gets everything.

 

[Sneakz]

Core i7-620LM and Core i7-640LM only allows 2 channels of DDR3. Remember Nehalem is designed with DMIs, so Apple will not be able to offer 4 RAM slots in their notebooks if they go with Arrandale chips.

Direct Media Interface (DMI) is not the interface between the IMC (Integrated Memory Controller) and the processor, so what you said made absolutely no sense. DMI communicates between the southbridge (PM55, PM57, HM57 etc.) and the northbridge but in the case on Arrandale, the processor.

And why are people suggesting a Low Votlage processor be put into a full size notebook. I'd rather see 2.66GHz Arrandale i7 that can turbo to 3.33GHz than a 2.13GHz that doesn't even make to 3GHz with turbo boost.

 

[gianly1985]

@anyone who mentioned BLU-RAY

YEAH. BLU-RAY on Macbook Pro but not on iMac 27". YEAH. Definetely gonna happen

 

[apolloa]

This is what I predict I will be able to buy next Feb and it will be the top of the line 15" model:

320GB SSD (well I hope so)
Up to 8GB Ram still, maybe 16 but what's the point? I will get 4GB
Superdrive (No blueray will be offered by Apple)
ATI 5850 with GDDR 5 memory at 1GB, an Apple exclusive
16:9 ratio LED screen
USB 2
Firewire
Memory card slot
Same audio as current model
Arrandale 2.66
Newer style Mag Safe connector.
New trackpad with built in kinetic scrolling
Better speakers

Better quality control???

 

[Chrysaor]

Seriously? USB3, Lightpeak, Blu-ray.. yea right...

Here are more likely and realistic predictions:

13":
Same specs as now (C2D, 9400M) with slightly higher clocks and bigger hd

15":
Low-end: Same as 13"
Mid: i5 mobile, some ATI gfx card probably mobility radeon 4670
High: Higher clock i5 mobile, bigger hd, ATI MR 4670
BTO: i7 mobile, maybe higher res displays?

17":
i5 mobile, ATI MR 4850 maybe
BTO: i7 mobile

 

[thejadedmonkey]

Blu-ray, standard.

 

[old-wiz]

There won't be usb 3.0 until 2011 since Intel isn't going to put it on their boards.

 

[iMacmatician]

Seriously? USB3, Lightpeak, Blu-ray.. yea right...

Here are more likely and realistic predictions:

13":
Same specs as now (C2D, 9400M) with slightly higher clocks and bigger hd

15":
Low-end: Same as 13"
Mid: i5 mobile, some ATI gfx card probably mobility radeon 4670
High: Higher clock i5 mobile, bigger hd, ATI MR 4670
BTO: i7 mobile, maybe higher res displays?

17":
i5 mobile, ATI MR 4850 maybe
BTO: i7 mobile

Seems fairly reasonable to me.

 

[barkomatic]

@anyone who mentioned BLU-RAY

YEAH. BLU-RAY on Macbook Pro but not on iMac 27". YEAH. Definetely gonna happen

The iMac is not the high end desktop--the mac pro is. It's still possible that Apple might add blu-ray to the 17 and high end 15 MBP also to the Mac Pro. It would help differentiate the product line for awhile anyway. Apple is going to get blu-ray--its just a question of when.