What might be the differences in a new MBP with a switch from Intel's Core Duo to Core 2 Duo processors?
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Dr.G.
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What might be the differences in a new MBP with a switch from Intel's Core Duo to Core 2 Duo processors?
There are several important architectural differences between the C2D and the CD chips. The most obvious is that the C2Ds are 64 bit chips, so the temporary setback on the road to 64 bit nirvana caused by the intel transition is overcome with the arrival of C2D chips. (Indeed, one could say that the merom-based MBPs are the long-awaited G5 powerbooks).
The 64-bitness of the C2D chips won't make a big difference for most consumers right away (although it will for me, as I have scientific image processing and molecular modelling apps which can take advantage of the extra numerical precision and memory handling offered by 64 bit registers now), although, as with the transition from 8-16, and 16-32 bit processors in the past, we will soon start seeing 64-bit only applications on the market (esp. audio processing software). When run in 64-bit mode, the C2D chips have more, and larger registers available, making them much faster. And when leopard is released this spring, it will take full advantage of the 64 bit capacities of the C2D chips, so the C2D-based systems will really come into their own then. So you can think of the C2D systems as being more 'future-proof' than the currently shipping systems.
The more obvious immediate advantage of the C2D chips, especially the mobile 'merom' C2D is that they are faster, consume less power and have double the L2 cache, which should make these systems noticeably more powerful and/or better on batteries.
I'm hoping for a release at the UK Mac expo, which starts on Thursday. I've been waiting patiently for a merom-based MBP since July, when Apple got the first sample parts from Intel, and since which time they've presumably been working on this upgrade. The merom is pin-for-pin compatible with the yonah CPU currently shipping in the MBP, so they could conceivably have simply swapped the CPUs and not changed anything else. However, I'm hoping that if that were the case we'd have seen a merom-based MBP hit the market last month at the latest, and that the delay represents some significant engineering enhancements (new GPU, new enclosure with magnetic latch and easy-access HD bay, etc.)
Merci, bryanc. Good luck with the MacWorld UK releases.
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Dr.G.
14" G4 iBook
15" MacBook Pro (July, 2009)
13" MacBooK Pro with Retina Display
Paix
"The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read these books." Mark Twain
The more obvious immediate advantage of the C2D chips, especially the mobile 'merom' C2D is that they are faster, consume less power and have double the L2 cache, which should make these systems noticeably more powerful and/or better on batteries.
10 to 15% increase is noticeably faster? The current chipset is holding back the bus speed of the C2D which is it's main processing accelerator. When Santa Rosa chipset is released next spring, that's when C2D will be able to stretch it's legs and then you will notice the speed gain. But by then, the socket will be different as well. As per our PC neighbours, C2D notebooks don't have much if any battery life gain vs. CD and a lot still run hot. Chipset refresh should change that. If u use 64bit apps - worthy upgrade. If u don't - price drops on the CD MBPros may be the best bargain around. But then again, Apple my jack up all the specs and re-engineer the enclosure to make it a must have for Christmas.
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