Question For Computer Buffs

[IrfaanSE801]

Ok, I was dead set, cash in hand going to buy a Macbook on Tuesday to do some recording, but Intel is releasing their new chips at the end of August for laptops. Can anyone speculate on whether or not Intel will make this change over immediatly, or is it something where they have to make sure all the software is compatible (Mac OS, Logic, etc. Photoshop is still in the works after all) before making the switch? I stopped trying to keep up with the latest hardware because it's a losing battle unless you have a real cash flow, but I also don't want to be behind by a whole generation of processor. It makes it harder to upgrade later on if I choose. Here's something else interesting I found on macrumors.com

"Intel announced the long anticipated Core 2 Duo processors today. Intel announced 10 new chips including 5 designed for latops (Merom) and 5 for desktops (Conroe).Core 2 Duo runs at slower clock speeds than Pentium-era chips, but is still more productive because it handles more calculations per clock cycle, said Sean Tucker, a product manager at HP. Thanks to that slower speed, Core 2 Duo chips need less electricity, drawing just 65 watts compared to the Pentium 4’s 95 watts and Pentium D’s 130 watts.
Intel has already started shipping Core 2 Duo chips to manufacturers, so the first Core 2 Duo Desktop machines should reach consumers in early August. Meanwhile Core 2 Duo laptops will reach consumers by the end of August.

Conroe and Merom are successors to the Core Duo processor which was introduced by Intel early this year. The Core Duo (Yonah) was the first Intel chip used in Apple's switch to intel earlier this year.

At present Apple's lineup is as follows:

Intel: MacBook, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini: Core Duo or Core Solo (Yonah)
PowerPC: PowerMac, Xserve: PowerPC 970 (G5)

Newer processors from Intel sharing a new architecture now include:
Core 2 Duo mobile (Merom)
Core 2 Duo desktop (Conroe)
Xeon 5100 (Woodcrest)

Woodcrest is rumored to be used in the Mac Pro, which is expected be released at WWDC 2006. Apple's use of the Core 2 Duo is not yet clear, but the Core 2 Duo mobile (Merom) is pin compatible with the current Core Duo (Yonah). This means that Apple could easily upgrade the existing Intel-based Macs to the newer processor with no design changes."

If it's just a month away, (no official annoucement yet), I'd rather wait, but then again I'm thinking there's only so much I can do on a laptop, and it's worth getting a desktop Mac later on when I'm ready to really mix and master and go nuts with my recordings. It's really just to play one game (Diablo: LoD, I'm freakin hooked still), do my recordings, edit photos, and surf the web. Basically, is it worth the wait? I think I answered my own question, just buy it now, but it's a new chip What do ya'll think?

- Irf -

[SeventhSon]

there's very little they can do on the chip to make the existing os or existing apps go awry. the chip instruction set will not change. it will all be "transparent" to the os and apps.

i wouldn't worry at all about the current set of hardware being obsolete. in fact, i would only wait for the new products to ship so that i can buy the current offerings at a discount.

just my 2 cents.

[xenophobe]

If money is no object to be concerned about wait for them to come out and spend to your heart's content...

If money is something you're concerned about....

i wouldn't worry at all about the current set of hardware being obsolete. in fact, i would only wait for the new products to ship so that i can buy the current offerings at a discount.

[PallarAndersVisa]

I've only read mostly negative things of the new intel processors in Mac systems. I dont know why, but they run alot of the Mac programs slower than the old G5 single and dual processors.

[jeff300]

I've only read mostly negative things of the new intel processors in Mac systems. I dont know why, but they run alot of the Mac programs slower than the old G5 single and dual processors.

That's because older apps run by the OS emulating the old PowerPC CPUs. You need apps natively written for the Intel CPUs to run at full speed.

[eddie_van_earache]

This is a thread for SULLY... SSSSSSSSSSUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLYYYYYYYYYY


what say you?

I am/was a mac hater from way back. I am going to switch when the desktops come out with the intel core. I will run parallels and winXP and linux onthe same box. Swap-a-roo depending what i want to do. All of my single systems get flushed down the shitter after i get the bugs worked out. I am also getting one of those eye dope giganta LCD screens I am stoked. Prolyy run me around $7k i think by the time i get done. I will most likely be able to keep the machine for about 5 years and the monitor longer. For me, given the amount ot time I spend goofing on a computer, it is a good investment in the long run. But thats me.