Intel recalls Sandy Bridge, may affect future Macs

Intel announced on Monday that it was recalling its Intel 6 series chipset. This chipset is utilized in computers powered by the next generation Core i5 and Core i7 processor. These Sandy Bridge processors are expected to debut in the next refresh of the MacBook Pro and possibly the iMac. The flaw may result in the slow degradation of the SATA port, which could potentially affect the performance of hard drives and DVDs. Intel has issued a silicon fix and is re-manufacturing this chipset. The first batch of improved chipsets will arrive in late February, and manufacturing should be in full swing by April.

The delayed availability of these Sandy Bridge processors may affect the production of Apple's upcoming MacBook Pro line, which was rumored to land as early as March. As it stands, Apple may not be able to begin manufacturing these second generation Core i5 and Core i7 systems until March, which means a launch in April or later is possible. Considering Apple refreshed the MacBook Pro in April 2010, this delay may not push it that far off from a yearly update. The iMac was updated in July 2010, and this delay should have minimal impact on the debut of the 2011 lineup of Apple's all-in-one computers.
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