Apple’s announcement of the new Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro did more than raise the performance bar for their portables. The addition of the new, faster Intel chip in only the Pro model serves as a key differentiating factor between the consumer MacBook and the professional MacBook Pro.
Prior to the announcement of the Core 2 Duo, the MacBook easily had the best price/performance ratio of any Mac in history. For US$1100 you get a screaming Intel-based Mac portable. The only advantage in the twice-as-expensive MacBook Pro were a larger screen (15.4 v. 13.3), a dedicated video card (which drives 30-inch displays), ExpressCard/34 slot and the Aluminum skin.
Read the rest of the story on my ZDNet Blog: The Apple Core.
Tag: core2duo
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The Apple Core: The MacBook chasm expands
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The Apple Core: Inside Apple’s new Core 2 Duo chip
Apple released a significant update to the MacBook Pro yesterday adding a new Core 2 Duo T-series processor to the mix. Let’s take a look at what’s changed.
Core 2 Duo Microprocessor
Apple has upgraded the MacBook Pro to the latest Intel silicon and the Core 2 Duo chip features a 64-bit architecture. Unfortunately, Mac OS 10.4 is only a 32-bit OS. The good news is that Apple has promised that Mac OS 10.5 (Leopard) and most of their software will be 64-bit aware by the time Leopard is released in the Spring of 2007.
The other significant bump in the Core 2 Duo processor is that it ships with 4MB of Level 2 cache, double the L2 cache in the previous MacBook Pro. That alone should add a noticeable performance jump in the new MacBook Pro.
Read the rest of the story on my ZDNet Blog: The Apple Core.
Note: We’re still having some issues with the PowerPage server. Please keep an eye on my ZDNet Blog, The Apple Core, while we sort it all out. -
Apple Announces Core 2 Duo MacBook Pros
Apple today announced new MacBook Pro notebooks based on the Intel Core 2 Duo (“Merom”) processor. Specs are as follows:
The 2.16 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro – US$1,999:
* 15.4-inch widescreen 1440 x 900 LCD display with 300 cd/m2 brightness;
* 2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
* 1GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 3GB;
* 120GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
* a slot-load 6x SuperDrive™ with double-layer support
* PCI Express-based ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 with 128MB GDDR3 memory;
* two USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port, and one FireWire 400 port;
The 2.33 GHz, 15-inch MacBook Pro – US$2,499:
* 15.4-inch widescreen 1440 x 900 LCD display with 300 cd/m2 brightness;
* 2.33 GHz Intel Core 2Duo processor;
* 2GB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 3GB;
* 120GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
* a slot-load 6x SuperDrive with double-layer support
* PCI Express-based ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 with 256MB GDDR3 memory;
* two USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port, and one FireWire 400 port;
The 2.33 GHz, 17-inch MacBook Pro – US$2,799 (US):
* 17-inch widescreen 1680 x 1050 LCD display with 300 cd/m2 brightness;
* 2.33 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor;
* 2GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, expandable to 3GB;
* 160GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
* a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support
* PCI Express-based ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 with 256MB GDDR3 memory;
* three USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port, and one FireWire 400 port;
Due to a server outtage today content is being posted on my ZDNet blog – The Apple Core:
– Apple announces Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro
– Apple’s gift to travelers: Magsafe airline power adapter -
Apple Announces 24-inch iMac, Bumps to Intel Core 2 Duo Processors
Apple today announced that its entire iMac line now features the new Intel Core 2 Duo processor in every model, delivering up to 50 percent faster performance than the previous iMac. A new 24-inch iMac with a brilliant 24-inch widescreen display joins the 17- and 20-inch models, and iMac prices now start at just $999. Every new iMac includes a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing out-of-the-box; Apple’s breakthrough Front Row media experience; and iLife ’06, the next generation of Apple’s award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications.“Every iMac–from the $999 model up through the new dazzling 24-inch widescreen model–now features blazing Core 2 Duo performance,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “And the new 24-inch widescreen iMac is the fastest, biggest and brightest iMac we’ve ever made.
“The new iMac lineup includes four models: a 1.83 GHz and a 2.0 GHz 17-inch, a 2.16 GHz 20-inch and the all-new 2.16 GHz 24-inch iMac, and features the new Intel Core 2 Duo processor which delivers up to 50 percent faster performance than the previous 20-inch iMac running industry standard benchmarks.
Apple iMac Line Now Features Intel Core 2 Duo Processors In Every Model