Filed under: Hardware, Rumors, Macbook Pro
Rumor: Geekbench hints at a Core i7 MacBook Pro
A quick couple of tips from readers Ken and Jack, and this thread over at the MacRumors forums, point us towards an interesting results page at the Geekbench site (Google cached version, in case they get hammered), which aggregates benchmark results from thousands of users all over the globe. This particular page reports the performance of a previously unreleased MacBook Pro model (MacBookPro6,1) which claims an Intel Core i7 M 620 processor running the show. The eventual appearance of the 6,1 version of the MBP has been a bit of a foregone conclusion since October of last year, when developer builds of OS X 10.6.2 were found to include support files specific to those model IDs. A laptop refresh in Q1 would be a very nice thing, but in this case I wouldn't get the checkbook sharpened quite yet.
Thanks to Ken and Jack for sending this one in.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
SummerBoy said 2:10AM on 2-06-2010
Glad we are seeing some rumorezaboyr upcoming MacBook pro. I sild my v14 univody MacBook pro in anticipation I'd bea core i5 MacBook Leo and they did not announced Irvin. Han 27 event. Tight nosbum relying on iPhone and it works quite well. Sorry I'm fupibgvfrom iphobe.
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joshua said 5:32AM on 2-06-2010
Prime example of why you shouldn't post drunk
Erik Bowen said 3:40AM on 2-06-2010
The last winter update of a MacBook Pro was at the end of Feb 2008. So, maybe they'll release an update at the end of this month. Wishful thinking I suppose.
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Joanna D said 5:06AM on 2-06-2010
Whether it's real or not, something needs to be done by Apple. Almost the entire Mac range is woefully outdated and ridiculously overpriced - especially MacBook Pros. Dell will currently sell you a 15" i7 laptop for $899 - less than it costs for the cheapest Core 2 Duo notebook from Apple.
I'm still waiting for a better GPU to put in my Mac Pro - will this ever happen? I made the terrible mistake of buying an LED Cinema Display and I'm paying the price now as I have to wait and wait for a card with mDP to come out.
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Rick B. said 9:08AM on 2-06-2010
It's always like this towards the end of a product cycle - Dell updates constantly, and they're running a version of the i7 that Apple is never going to use because it's too hot and draws too much power. Apple updates twice a year, and there are entire generations of chips that they never use because they don't fall in line with Apple's update schedule.
Remember, Apple does not compete with Dell, HP, or any other Windows PC maker who is always chasing the price-conscious end of the market. Dell is probably making $10 on that $899 i7 box (they may even be losing money on it), and Apple won't play that game.
John.B said 3:11PM on 2-06-2010
@Joanna D: "I'm still waiting for a better GPU to put in my Mac Pro - will this ever happen? I made the terrible mistake of buying an LED Cinema Display and I'm paying the price now as I have to wait and wait for a card with mDP to come out."
The NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 Graphics Upgrade Kit for Mac Pro (Early 2009) has one Mini DisplayPort and one dual-link DVI port: http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC002ZM/A
The ATI Radeon HD 4870 Graphics Upgrade Kit for Mac Pro (Early 2009 or Early 2008) also has one Mini DisplayPort and one dual-link DVI port: http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB999ZM/A
Joanna D said 3:19PM on 2-06-2010
I have the 4870. It's a very outdated card.
Jeff said 5:08AM on 2-06-2010
How does one sharpen a checkbook?
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jesusss said 6:43AM on 2-06-2010
Mhh... weird... thought the i7 had actually 4 cores and 8 threads... ? Geekbench site only shows 2?... Explanation?
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Sam said 6:54AM on 2-06-2010
yeah..why would i buy a dual core i7 over a core2duo?
TheBigR said 9:29AM on 2-06-2010
This is an Arrandale Core i7.
The Clarksdale Core i7's are the quad cores you appear to be looking for. There is no way in hell they're getting into the MBP unless you want a steaming pile of aluminium on your lap.
You want this to replace your Core 2 Duo because even though it is dual core, it's considerably more powerful.
Rick B. said 9:42AM on 2-06-2010
Intel is getting silly with its naming again - the i7 that is intended for battery life and lower heat is a 2-core, 4-thread processor, where the current (4-core, 8-thread) i7 is based on the desktop i7 processor and runs too hot and draws too much power for the MacBook line.
There's a table of the coming chips here:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/mobile-core-i5-arrandale,2522-2.html
If you want to guess at what will be in the new MacBooks, look for the chips with the 35W TDP in that chart. The i3-350M will go in the MacBook; the i5-430 and 520 will go in the 13" MBP; the i5-520 and 540 will go in the 15" MBP; the i5-540 will be the base chip in the 17" MBP; and the i7-620 will be offered as an option on the top-end 15" and the 17" MBP. The MacBook, both 13" MBPs, and the cheapest 15" MBP will all offer the new Intel integrated graphics only, with the other models offering a discrete graphics chip from either ATI or nvidia in addition to the integrated graphics.
The only thing that can't be predicted from that chart is the release date - I'd guess late Feb-early March, possibly along with the Mac Pro update to the new 6-core processors.
You'd want this chip over a C2D because it uses both hyperthreading (allowing two threads per core) and turbo boost (overclocking some cores while shutting down others when applications don't make good use of multiple cores). Also, the Mobile Core i3/i5/i7 line goes to 32nm manufacturing (lower heat and better efficiency) and integrates the memory controller, PCI Express, and integrated graphics into the CPU package, saving more power and eliminating a large-ish chip from the motherboard.
The integrated memory controller also contributes to much faster overall system performance - this is the same as the "Nehalem" Mac Pros that were introduced last year, which lead to 2.26GHz chips that were a fair bit faster than the previous 2.8GHz chips.
Apple.MBPro said 10:40AM on 2-06-2010
You are referring to the i7 QMs, which are 45nm transistors and have 4 Cores/8 threads, but the one in the Geekbench page is actually a 2 cores/4 thread 32nm transistors (the latest transistor, which is built on 45nm and 65nm transistor), they are also very power efficiencet.
Source: http://www.intel.com/consumer/products/processors/corei7-specs.htm
Chris said 7:32AM on 2-06-2010
The mobile i7 MacBook Pro can't come soon enough. Hopefully, the performance increase does not kill battery life. Let's make the battery bigger too so that it can get a real full day in today's long work days (10 to 12 hours).
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Anthony said 2:30PM on 2-06-2010
Seriously! I need to replace my aging 4 year-old MacBook Pro and none of the other i7 laptops will have a screen or design (seemingly best-in-class weight and dimensions on a 17") like the MBP. The rest are all really bulky. I can fit my current 17" MBP in a 15.4" backpack, but can't with any other 17" laptop. I'm not crazy about Snow Leopard on my current MBP (32-bit Core Duo), but maybe the new ones can change my mind.
georgemarinov said 8:42AM on 2-06-2010
http://ark.intel.com/Compare.aspx?ids=43560,27256,
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Mike said 9:49AM on 2-06-2010
I live in Hong Kong and have a contact with the factories in China. They are already producing Quad Core Macbook Pros.
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TheBigR said 10:18AM on 2-06-2010
Hahahahahahaaa!
That's a good one! Hahahaha.
Clearly, you didn't read this article.
microfud said 10:17AM on 2-06-2010
I don't see new laptops from Apple until after the launch of the iPad. I know they're not the same target audience. But Apple is smart enough to know that most people don't have unlimited money to spend on gadgets.
If they introduce new, faster MBP's now, consumers will need to make a choice between spending cash on Apple's latest "magical" device or using the money for a new MBP.
My guess is you'll see new Laptop's from Apple in June or later.
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Rick B. said 11:33AM on 2-06-2010
Intel is getting silly with its naming again - the i7 that is intended for battery life and lower heat is a 2-core, 4-thread processor, where the current (4-core, 8-thread) i7 is based on the desktop i7 processor and runs too hot and draws too much power for the MacBook line.
There's a table of the coming chips here:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/mobile-core-i5-arrandale,2522-2.html
If you want to guess at what will be in the new MacBooks, look for the chips with the 35W TDP in that chart. The i3-350M will go in the MacBook; the i5-430 and 520 will go in the 13" MBP; the i5-520 and 540 will go in the 15" MBP; the i5-540 will be the base chip in the 17" MBP; and the i7-620 will be offered as an option on the top-end 15" and the 17" MBP. The MacBook, both 13" MBPs, and the cheapest 15" MBP will all offer the new Intel integrated graphics only, with the other models offering a discrete graphics chip from either ATI or nvidia in addition to the integrated graphics.
The only thing that can't be predicted from that chart is the release date - I'd guess late Feb-early March, possibly along with the Mac Pro update to the new 6-core processors.
You'd want this chip over a C2D because it uses both hyperthreading (allowing two threads per core) and turbo boost (overclocking some cores while shutting down others when applications don't make good use of multiple cores). Also, the Mobile Core i3/i5/i7 line goes to 32nm manufacturing (lower heat and better efficiency) and integrates the memory controller, PCI Express, and integrated graphics into the CPU package, saving more power and eliminating a large-ish chip from the motherboard.
The integrated memory controller also contributes to much faster overall system performance - this is the same as the "Nehalem" Mac Pros that were introduced last year, which lead to 2.26GHz chips that were a fair bit faster than the previous 2.8GHz chips.