Engadget: MacBook Air with Penryn launch imminent?

[Roller]

Just came from the Apple Store in Tampa at the International Mall, and 5 sales staff denied anything was going to happen upgrade wise to the MBA, let alone anything "imminent", swore they new "nothing" about any newer,thinner MB.
WTF, I guess they have to toe the party line, but that kind of attitude just serves to piss me off.
Anywho, I did get to put the MBA through it's paces, found both the HDD and SSD versions snappy as hell,(my next purchase for the wife) drooled over the 3.0 i-Mac, (Family Christmas Present).
Outside, the line of 50 or so, waited for the new i-Phone,(mine was in my pocket)
As I was on my way out, one of the 5 that poo-pood the "rumors" came up to me an told me "don't believe anything you read/hear on MR", just leads to "disappointment"
Unbelievable!!

I wonder if Apple Store employees are even told about updates more than a day or so before release unless the new version requires much training, which probably wouldn't be the case here. The more people that know, the greater the chance for leaks.

 

[Roller]

to be fair, we've only had 2 rumors of new Airs. everything else has been updated macbooks and macbook pros.

also, when you're guessing at an "update next week" I'm assuming you mean announced but not released? Because there have been absolutely no signs of a release-- product going out of stock, mysterious deliveries, etc.-- I'd say there's a 1% chance of a update available next week.

Personally, it think it's still too early to expect an update. The penryn in question hasn't been officially released yet and when it is Apple will be fighting with Lenovo for stock (supposedly same CPU in their x300 line).

Sometimes, it's hard to distinguish rumors from "echos" of rumors, which is my term for a single rumor that propagates to other sites. In this instance, I think there have been more than a couple, but I don't remember for certain.

In any case, I think that next week might be a bit early, but by end of Sept. is a good possibility.

 

[andreab35]

\
As I was on my way out, one of the 5 that poo-pood the "rumors" came up to me an told me "don't believe anything you read/hear on MR", just leads to "disappointment"
Unbelievable!!

Well that's mean of them to say. I think there is a whole bunch of excellent information on this site! That's why they are called rumors... not every rumor can be true. Rumors just get me excited.

But I'm still patiently keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Insulin Junkie]

128 GB SSD

The moment that happens they've won me over as a potential MBA customer.

 

[RealEvil]

We 'know' (or are at least 80% sure) there will be new MBs, new MBPs, new Ipod Touches and probably new Nano's/Classics too.

Its extremely likely there will be a MBA update too but I dont see what that should be next week whereas all the other updates are 'known' to be in September.

 

[Krazy3]

My last CTO iMac took 1 month to arrive !!! so 5 days is all good

LOL, i suppose i have been a bit impatient but who could blame me. Law school starts today for me, and luck would have it I just got the Air in the mail today, in fact i'm typing on it right this very moment. All I can say is that this is great, I'm in love. If I were to have any quibble at all it would have to be about os x and office 08 taking up over 20gb of space.

 

[iMacmatician]

We 'know' (or are at least 80% sure) there will be new MBs, new MBPs, new Ipod Touches and probably new Nano's/Classics too.

Its extremely likely there will be a MBA update too but I dont see what that should be next week whereas all the other updates are 'known' to be in September.

Who knows. Maybe Intel wants Apple to use IDF to demo certain special CPUs.

Apple has released products the week before a major event, when many people thought they would be released at the event.

 

[iCries]

Who knows. Maybe Intel wants Apple to use IDF to demo certain special CPUs.

Apple has released products the week before a major event, when many people thought they would be released at the event.

First of all when it comes to Apple there is never any "what Intel wants". Second of all why would they even announce it at IDF when they can give it 10x times more attention by announcing it at their own upcoming September event?

 

[iMacmatician]

.

 

[iCries]

.

productive reply.

 

[MattZani]

Arent the Classics HDD's compatible with the Air? If they are, then there could be a base 120Gb, and BTO 160Gb HDD.

 

[iMacmatician]

Arent the Classics HDD's compatible with the Air? If they are, then there could be a base 120Gb, and BTO 160Gb HDD.

The thinner one is but the thicker one isn't.

 

[kntgsp]

I dunno, while their claims of 3Ghz Airs is garbage, I think they can hit 2.0Ghz with the MBA using the new 45nm Meroms. The current MBA's are at a TDP of 20W, so I think it's do-able.

The TDP of the P9500 is 25W, which is probably the max or slightly more than the current form of the MBA can dissipate, but I think they could modify the cooling to accomodate it. And Apple might decide to dump HDDs as options altogether and only offer SSDs due to the lower heat output and power consumption.

Every little bit counts. The more heat production you can take away from other components, the more leeway you have with the CPU. I'm not sure how much more/less heat the X4500 video chipset produces compared to the X3100 or whatever is currently in the MBA though, so it remains to be seen whether they can create enough comfortable space TDP-wise to shoehorn the 25W P9500 in there.

 

[Kittychan]

Nothing happened with IDF !!! Another month to go .......

 

[glitch44]

I dunno, while their claims of 3Ghz Airs is garbage, I think they can hit 2.0Ghz with the MBA using the new 45nm Meroms. The current MBA's are at a TDP of 20W, so I think it's do-able.

The TDP of the P9500 is 25W, which is probably the max or slightly more than the current form of the MBA can dissipate, but I think they could modify the cooling to accomodate it. And Apple might decide to dump HDDs as options altogether and only offer SSDs due to the lower heat output and power consumption.

I believe the p9500 has a 35mm package size whereas the MBA takes a 22mm package size. I suppose a new mainboard could be done but I don't think the Air can dissipate 25W anyway. There's enough problems with heat as it is. I see them going to the 17W processors which are 1.6 and 1.86 GHz.

 

[dildooba]

Wozniak article

It appears Wozniak at the Intel forum did not say anything about the MBA. We'll have to wait for September for news but we're buying this weekend. Need one now for work. Too bad.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10022021-92.html?tag=topicsPanel2.2

 

[AppliedMicro]

Nothing happened with IDF !!! Another month to go

Why a month?
Not necessarily.

SL9300 and SL9400 appeared on Intel's official price list this week (finally!)...

 

[iMacmatician]

It appears Wozniak at the Intel forum did not say anything about the MBA. We'll have to wait for September for news but we're buying this weekend. Need one now for work. Too bad.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10022021-92.html?tag=topicsPanel2.2

I believe the p9500 has a 35mm package size whereas the MBA takes a 22mm package size. I suppose a new mainboard could be done but I don't think the Air can dissipate 25W anyway. There's enough problems with heat as it is. I see them going to the 17W processors which are 1.6 and 1.86 GHz.

They could use the 17 W CPUs as default and have a 21 W (or so) option. The increased TDP would allow for a higher clock speed (≈2.13 GHz) while still staying in appropriate thermal limits, given that the MacBook Air's CPUs are 20 W.

 

[glitch44]

They could use the 17 W CPUs as default and have a 21 W (or so) option. The increased TDP would allow for a higher clock speed (≈2.13 GHz) while still staying in appropriate thermal limits, given that the MacBook Air's CPUs are 20 W.

I'm confused. Where on the Intel CPU Roadmap do you see a 21W 2.13 GHz CPU? I only see the 1.6GHz SL9300 and 1.86GHz SL9400 (21W) and the 2.26GHz P9200 which is listed as "25W (35W)" in the Power Optimized Performace SFF line.

 

[AppliedMicro]

I'm confused. Where on the Intel CPU Roadmap do you see a 21W 2.13 GHz CPU?

Maybe some custom configuration for Apple.

 

[glitch44]

Maybe some custom configuration for Apple.

Maybe sometimes people are hopeful and make stuff up?

Intel Unveils Update to MacBook Air's Custom Processor

 

[AppliedMicro]

Hey... wasn't me making this stuff up, was it?

With Intel finally having made these Low Voltage Small Form Factor CPUs officially and (presumably) widely available, I see little reason for Apple holding out any / much longer.

 

[dildooba]

not imminent so we bought

We bought the MBA on Friday since it looked to be a while before any upgrade was coming (we need it now). Had nothing but problems with it since opening it up. Did the trial iWork and it made other programs lock up. Can't even open Garage Band. Very frustrated. I'm looking through the other Forums for help.

 

[Alx9876]

You cancelled an order because of a rumor?

It does seem like this is probable though.

If you been around the last 3 years you would know that rumors like this usually come true. Hell 90% are true. Just wait it out and you will see. I learned to figure out what is rumor and what's inevitable around here. You should do the same.

I bet you this isn't a rumor. It will happen.

 

[AppliedMicro]

If you been around the last 3 years you would know that rumors like this usually come true. Hell 90% are true.

90% is greatly exaggerated, in my opinion. There have been so many rumors never (or only REALLY belatedly) having materialised.

In this case, the move to 45nm CPUs is as guaranteed as anything - and most likely imminent.

29 Watts TDP, let alone actual power draw, and clockspeeds of up to 3 GHz as stated in this rumor sound improbable to ridiculous... (not to say retarded).