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Macbook air with 17w chip and discrete GPU?

Duke15

Duke15

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 18, 2011
332
0
Canada
Ive been reading all the threads lately about the possible specs of the new macbook air. I'm wondering if anyone thinks that apple may choose to go with a ULV intel SB chip and add a discrete GPU instead of going with a LV chip. The ULV icore chips have the same tdp as the SL9400 currently being used, so technically they could use a chip with the same tdp as the 320. This would only work for the 13inch which is one reason I think it probably won't happen. Also what do you think of apple offering two versions of the 13 inch, one with a LV chip and one with a ULV chip and a discrete GPU?


icore7 2637M = 17w 1.7ghz tb 2.8ghz just announced (apparently with better graphics capabilities)
icore7 2677M = 17w 1.8ghz tb 2.9ghz just announced (apparently with better graphics capabilities)
icore5 2537M = 17w

Not sure what discrete GPU chips would be compatible but I did see someone say there is at least one, cant remember the brand though.

Personally I think the the 13inch will get the 25w icore7 processors, and the 11inch will get the 17w icore5 and icore7 chips. I also thinkthat both will have TB replace the miniDP, and that they wont bring back the backlit keyboard.

Im new to this stuff so please don't rip my head off if this is completely rediculous, also if it is possible would you prefer the 17w with discrete GPU or the 25W?

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Inte...V-Mobile-Sandy-Bridge-processors-200883.shtml
 
Last edited:
Duke15 said:
Im new to this stuff so please don't rip my head off if this is completely ridiculous?
Click to expand...

some others on here apparently have this same hope.

i say it's crazy.

but you can keep your head. mine's too big as it is.

and welcome to the pointless madness that is the MR MBA forum.
 
No discrete GPU, integrated GPU it will be. If they wont put a discrete in the 13" MBP they DEFINITELY won't put it in a smaller 11" macbook air.
 
The usable space inside the MBA is so small that I can't see Apple fitting one inside. I could imagine it if the design wasn't so tapered, but it is, and Apple isn't going to change that aspect of the MBA just so that they can replace the slower Intel IGP with a slow GPU. ;)

Also, if the new chip in the 11" MBP uses 17 W, and a discrete graphics card uses 10-12 W, how are they going to make up for the lower battery life? Are they going to (somehow) add a discrete graphics card, then find even more room for a larger battery? :confused:
 
Thanks for the replys and welcoming. I guess theres no way they would put a discrete GPU or integrated GPU in the 13inch and not in the 11inch like they do with the mbps(13inch v 15 and 17inch)
 
mba is not to be meant to be a power house..i highly highly doubt there will be a discrete gpu..plus that would take the spotlight off of the new MBP
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8G4 Safari/6533.18.5)

There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel with the GPU issue.

If the new Air gets thunderbolt, and if Apple implements it, there are external GPUs in development that attach via thunderbolt.
 
Maven1975 said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8G4 Safari/6533.18.5)

There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel with the GPU issue.

If the new Air gets thunderbolt, and if Apple implements it, there are external GPUs in development that attach via thunderbolt.
Click to expand...

They'll cost a truckload on relelase, but I wouldnt say no to an external GTX580 or 6970 ;)
 
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