I see the Reg has done their research before posting... #
Posted Wednesday 21st January 2009 23:40 GMT
Yes, Apple have reduced the processor speed on the white MacBook, however they have changed the platform its running on, so that reduced processor speed is balanced by an increase in FSB from 800MHz to 1066MHz.
A properly researched list of changes can be found here :
The new processor is likely to run software more quickly... #
Posted Wednesday 21st January 2009 23:40 GMT
... being backed by a 1066Mhz bus rather than an 866Mhz one. In addition, it seems that the default amount of RAM is now 2gb, not 1.
Anyway, a cheer for the cheapest Mac I would be interested in now being cheaper (albeit not cheap), fifteen cheers for Apple managing a substantial product update without some ridiculous hyped-up launch.
All eyes on the Mac Mini for the next silent upgrade?
Come on Reg, slower clock speed != slower CPU. For example, the frontside bus is now 1066 MHz instead of 866 MHz (it's the same CPU as the entry level aluminium MacBook).
In difference to the rumoured Mac Mini atom downgrade/video upgrade which is lunacy, most people won't miss 100MHz of speed. The X3100 is a horrid chipset with subpar drivers (under Windows; I don't believe the Mac is much better). It's fine for applications but not for anything graphical or games.
The only question is whether the change of chipset impacts on battery life; an area where the Intel IGP tends to shine.
Despite no change to US price, it's hard to imagine there won't be a price rise when it does come to the UK store - a straight pound conversion at $1.37, plus 15% Vat, comes to £835 - current model is £130 less than that, and Apple usually likes to charge us more than their domestic customers.
Further investigation reveals that this shift is from the Core 2 Duo T8100 (2.1GHz, 800MHz FSB) to the Core 2 Duo P7350 (2.0GHZ, 1066MHz FSB). The key point is probably that the P7350 is a medium voltage chip that uses 25W of power rather than a full voltage chip that uses 35W like the T8100.
My guess is that Apple has changed the CPU to one with similar performance but lower power consumption to make up for higher power consumption of the nVidia chipset. It will be interesting to see what sort of net impact on battery life this has.
This is now up on the UK store too. 2GB, 120GB, SuperDrive, nVidia graphics, I think these will sell like hot cakes - especially since these are fully good to go with Snow Leopard when it arrives. Nice one, Apple!
Do bear in mind that although throwing in 2GB rather than 1GB memory is very welcome and usable for most purposes (unless you're running a fully loaded Vista x64 laptop), it's only about 30 quid for 4GB (2x2GB) and on practically every laptop this can be upgraded without voiding the warranty.
4GB SODIMMs are still extremely reassuringly (5x) priced though, and it doesn't help that most manufacturers lie and tell you their Santa Rosa based laptops are limited to 4GB when that's not the case..
I looked at the tests, reviewers seem to think battery life has stayed about the same, despite GPU. They refer to macs having a set of power-saving techniques.
One such which has been discussed for a while, not just for macs, is to switch between a GPU and a smaller on-board chip - has that idea been dropped?
Laptops with both integrated and discrete chipsets already exist - you can buy them right now. Unsurprisingly, this usually requires a reboot to switch.
Apple 13.3" MacBook Pro Notebook (2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile, 2GB DDR3, 160GB HDD, DVD±RW DL, Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard, 13.3" LCD)
Apple MacBook Notebook (2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile, 2GB DDR3, 250GB HDD, DVD±RW DL, Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard, 13.3" LCD)
Apple iMac All-In-One Desktop (3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB DDR2, 1TB, DVD+-RW DL, Mac OS X v10.5 Snow Leopard, 27" LCD)
Apple iMac All-In-One Desktop (3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB DDR2, 500GB, DVD+-RW DL, Mac OS X v10.5 Snow Leopard, 21.5" LCD)
Apple 13.3" MacBook Air Notebook (1.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile, 2GB DDR3, 120GB HDD, Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard, 13.3" LCD)
Apple drops white Macbook processor speed
K
Down 100mhz cpu speed #
Posted Wednesday 21st January 2009 23:40 GMT
but faster FSB
old = 2.1Ghz 866Mhz FSB
new = 2.0Ghz 1066Mhz FSB
plus more standard RAM (2Gb vs 1Gb)
Ed
I'd guess... #
Posted Wednesday 21st January 2009 23:40 GMT
I'd guess snow leopard will have much more use for the GPU, so they want to avoid selling computers that are underpowered in this respect...
Robert Moore
Snow Leopard #
Posted Wednesday 21st January 2009 23:40 GMT
Sounds to me like they are getting ready for Snow Leopard, with Open CL.
Nathan Boal
I see the Reg has done their research before posting... #
Posted Wednesday 21st January 2009 23:40 GMT
Yes, Apple have reduced the processor speed on the white MacBook, however they have changed the platform its running on, so that reduced processor speed is balanced by an increase in FSB from 800MHz to 1066MHz.
A properly researched list of changes can be found here :
http://www.macrumors.com/2009/01/21/apple-quietly-updates-entry-level-white-macbook/
Thomas
The new processor is likely to run software more quickly... #
Posted Wednesday 21st January 2009 23:40 GMT
... being backed by a 1066Mhz bus rather than an 866Mhz one. In addition, it seems that the default amount of RAM is now 2gb, not 1.
Anyway, a cheer for the cheapest Mac I would be interested in now being cheaper (albeit not cheap), fifteen cheers for Apple managing a substantial product update without some ridiculous hyped-up launch.
All eyes on the Mac Mini for the next silent upgrade?
Stuart
Megahertz myth #
Posted Wednesday 21st January 2009 23:40 GMT
Come on Reg, slower clock speed != slower CPU. For example, the frontside bus is now 1066 MHz instead of 866 MHz (it's the same CPU as the entry level aluminium MacBook).
Peter Kay
Not a bad tradeoff #
Posted Wednesday 21st January 2009 23:40 GMT
In difference to the rumoured Mac Mini atom downgrade/video upgrade which is lunacy, most people won't miss 100MHz of speed. The X3100 is a horrid chipset with subpar drivers (under Windows; I don't believe the Mac is much better). It's fine for applications but not for anything graphical or games.
The only question is whether the change of chipset impacts on battery life; an area where the Intel IGP tends to shine.
Anonymous Coward
Does it still have Firewire? #
Posted Wednesday 21st January 2009 23:40 GMT
The X3100-based Macbook had FireWire...Does this one? If so, it'd be a great deal.
Paris, because she's always on fire...
Pierre
Mac buyers on a budget #
Posted Wednesday 21st January 2009 23:40 GMT
These would be the people who think the definition of "misery" is $40 000 a year.
"I'm cleaned out, I can't spend more than one grand on a new laptop this year". Yeah right. Now what about Bugatti buyers on a budget?
sleepy
Price rise coming? #
Posted Wednesday 21st January 2009 23:40 GMT
Despite no change to US price, it's hard to imagine there won't be a price rise when it does come to the UK store - a straight pound conversion at $1.37, plus 15% Vat, comes to £835 - current model is £130 less than that, and Apple usually likes to charge us more than their domestic customers.
Martin Edwards
It's a bargain #
Posted Wednesday 21st January 2009 23:40 GMT
Really, it is. 2 GB of memory is loads and loads in OS X terms. And... *drumroll and sigh of relief*... it's still got Firewire.
Farai
I spy with my little i... #
Posted Wednesday 21st January 2009 23:43 GMT
Snow Leopard is on the way..
I believe they'll make sure all their gear is on Nvidia graphics first before launching the OpenCL-compatible Snow Leopard..
Thus begins the evolution of computing yet again - WinDoze owners left in the dust, cough cough...
Paris, because she knows it's not about the size but what you can do with it :)
Michael Jennings
It is all about power consumption. #
Posted Thursday 22nd January 2009 10:54 GMT
Further investigation reveals that this shift is from the Core 2 Duo T8100 (2.1GHz, 800MHz FSB) to the Core 2 Duo P7350 (2.0GHZ, 1066MHz FSB). The key point is probably that the P7350 is a medium voltage chip that uses 25W of power rather than a full voltage chip that uses 35W like the T8100.
My guess is that Apple has changed the CPU to one with similar performance but lower power consumption to make up for higher power consumption of the nVidia chipset. It will be interesting to see what sort of net impact on battery life this has.
Tom Cooke
Gets my vote #
Posted Thursday 22nd January 2009 13:52 GMT
This is now up on the UK store too. 2GB, 120GB, SuperDrive, nVidia graphics, I think these will sell like hot cakes - especially since these are fully good to go with Snow Leopard when it arrives. Nice one, Apple!
Peter Kay
2GB vs 1GB memory #
Posted Thursday 22nd January 2009 13:52 GMT
Do bear in mind that although throwing in 2GB rather than 1GB memory is very welcome and usable for most purposes (unless you're running a fully loaded Vista x64 laptop), it's only about 30 quid for 4GB (2x2GB) and on practically every laptop this can be upgraded without voiding the warranty.
4GB SODIMMs are still extremely reassuringly (5x) priced though, and it doesn't help that most manufacturers lie and tell you their Santa Rosa based laptops are limited to 4GB when that's not the case..
Thomas
@Pierre #
Posted Thursday 22nd January 2009 13:52 GMT
If you're having to buy a new laptop every year then I think you might be engaging of something of a false economy.
Britt Johnston
@power consumption #
Posted Thursday 22nd January 2009 13:52 GMT
I looked at the tests, reviewers seem to think battery life has stayed about the same, despite GPU. They refer to macs having a set of power-saving techniques.
One such which has been discussed for a while, not just for macs, is to switch between a GPU and a smaller on-board chip - has that idea been dropped?
Peter Kay
@Britt #
Posted Thursday 22nd January 2009 17:46 GMT
Laptops with both integrated and discrete chipsets already exist - you can buy them right now. Unsurprisingly, this usually requires a reboot to switch.