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Intel Core 2 Extreme Vs Penryn
- Thread starter Mac.Jnr
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IMac 24 inch, 500GB, 2GB, ATI 2600 HD PRO The only difference (other than the architecture) between the Merom Core 2 Extreme 2.8Hz X7900 in the current high-end iMac and the Penryn Core 2 Extreme 2.8Hz X9000 is the extra 2MB of L2 cache in the latter. It's anyone's guess how much difference this extra 2MB will make.
There's also the 45nm process which is gonna reduce heat and power requirements and the new SSE4 instruction set - which is supposed to double performance in some cases when used. Apple will most likely optimise leopard to use the instruction set aswel.
The extra 2mb of l2 cache willl alow the cpu to hold even more data closer to the chip which is tenfold faster than accessing ram. Performance from this will be noticed most when doing cpu intensive operations.
The extra 2mb of l2 cache willl alow the cpu to hold even more data closer to the chip which is tenfold faster than accessing ram. Performance from this will be noticed most when doing cpu intensive operations.
Just out of interest (and the fact I've already got 4GB of ram waiting for a new iMac!)... Would the DDR2-667 PC2-5300 RAM that works with the current iMacs, work when they are updated to Penryn or would it need to be DDR2-800? 
Would the DDR2-667 PC2-5300 RAM that works with the current iMacs, work when they are updated to Penryn or would it need to be DDR2-800?
It will work, it just won't offer the maximum performance.
The 45nm Penryns are (almost) all on the 1333MHz FSB so their motherboards will support DDR2-800 in addition to DDR2-667.
In two years you will want a new Mac; you are likely to want a new one in two months.
Read the the home page and it says give a mac book an update and macbook pro it didnt say imac
From the MR front page... Amongst the 16 new processors, five are new mobile processors, three quad core and four dual core desktop processors, and four server processors...
I don't see why they wouldn't end up in the iMac if they are going into the MacBook and MacBook Pro. The iMac is essentially a notebook computer.
Your right but the top Imac model has already got 2.8 Core 2 Extreme why would apple make it even faster ? but Penyrn is only up tp 2.8 to why bother
The clock speed isn't the only thing that matters. I have a 2.8Ghz P4 Sony which I guarantee you will choke and die against one core of the 2.8Ghz C2E. Penryn has some huge improvements with its SSE4 instruction set, and apple will take advantage of that (eventually).
iMAC technology refresh
Hi all,
My wife has given "approval" for my iMAC purchase - my Christmas present.
I'm trying to be patient, however, as I'd like to think that a 28" iMAC with a 2.8GHz Penryn processor is likely to be announced at some time in the (hopefully near) future.
Leopard 10.5.2 is, I believe, targeted at the Penryn MAC Pros announced before MacWorld - support for the SSE4 instruction set would be a natural fit there, and I believe a number of vendors have announced software updates to take advantage of SSE4 as well - Adobe, if I recall?
And with the recent HD-DVD and Blu-Ray announcements from the film studios, perhaps putting much more emphasis on Blu-Ray, can we hope that Blu-Ray will be offered as a BTO option?
Anyway, I'm avidly scanning the rumour sites and trying to be patient in the hope that at least some of my wishes will be fulfilled.
I figure I'm not alone in hanging out for a technology refresh?
Cheers! Gary
Hi all,
My wife has given "approval" for my iMAC purchase - my Christmas present.
I'm trying to be patient, however, as I'd like to think that a 28" iMAC with a 2.8GHz Penryn processor is likely to be announced at some time in the (hopefully near) future.
Leopard 10.5.2 is, I believe, targeted at the Penryn MAC Pros announced before MacWorld - support for the SSE4 instruction set would be a natural fit there, and I believe a number of vendors have announced software updates to take advantage of SSE4 as well - Adobe, if I recall?
And with the recent HD-DVD and Blu-Ray announcements from the film studios, perhaps putting much more emphasis on Blu-Ray, can we hope that Blu-Ray will be offered as a BTO option?
Anyway, I'm avidly scanning the rumour sites and trying to be patient in the hope that at least some of my wishes will be fulfilled.
I figure I'm not alone in hanging out for a technology refresh?
Cheers! Gary