Yes, shame on Hellhammer for making predictions about the next Macbook Airs on a site like Macrumors! Clearly, the place for such speculation is Homestarrunner.com! And what's worse, he bases his guesses on what? Observation! On what has happened before! On what has happened recently with the MBPs! On Occam's razor of all things!
I mean, clearly, when a woman is giving birth, we can't see inside of her, so we DON'T KNOW what's gonna come out. Sure, we could make the same old boring guess that it'll be a baby, AGAIN, but, it could be ... A GIANT DRAGON, right? You don't know it can't! Therefore, chances are equal that it will be a baby or a giant dragon. Moreover, if you guess 'baby', you're not only boring, and simply out fishing for guess-cred, you almost certainly also work for the abominable Baby Co.
"A lot of failing to look at the facts with this thread with some ridiculous assumptions on many of dreamers behalf here." You said it there brother! (I mean, you said 'something' there. ... I think.)
But let's get back to Hellhammer for a second. More than just the facts of this particular argument (and how obviously wrong he is), I wanna know: Who does this guy thinks he is?
People on here argue about all sorts of stuff, a lot of misinformation is spread, the same questions are repeated ad nauseum, people go off on stupid tangents like why my car is better than yours, and people are total
-holes to each other.
Hellhammer puts all this aside, engages people who have wrongfully tried to insult him, accuse him, and responds coolly, clearly, and fairly; In a sea of duplicate threads, idiotic bickering, hypocrisy, and ignorance, he is a voice of ... tolerance? ... education?! .... modesty???!!!
Yes, in other words: He thinks he's better than us.
MR is NOT in desperate need of more reasonable, thoughtful, and forgiving people with useful things to contribute! Leave us be HH!
I would bet Hellhammer knows I wasn't trying to insult him in any way. I am merely calling him out as he has acted like his word is fact, and I appreciated his response completely.
The other "something" you're referring to was me, not so clearly, pointing out most of the others who are completely off base with ridiculous assumptions prior to Hellhammer's posts.
I simply know for a fact that nobody here knows exactly what Apple will do, and when people state things like they know what they're saying and Apple will do this because, I want to point out why that logic is incorrect.
Hellhammer by far makes 1000x more sense than anyone in the MBA section most of the time, but even he has off posts and my point is that many here say Apple cannot put a discrete GPU in the MBA due to space. I merely want a computer engineer to define whether this is fact or not or say it's speculation on one's behalf if they don't know for sure.
I have said that I believe it has more to do with money as to why Apple doesn't now use a low voltage discrete AMD GPU in the 13" MBP. People act like that is crazy because it will "not fit!" I GLADLY and FULLY declare my assumptions is statements and that these are things I believe.
I don't appreciate when people don't look at all of the evidence and all of the possibilities and that is what I am calling out. I have said I believe Apple will use the same series CPU, GPU, and chipsets based on what Apple was doing but I also clarified that it was a possibility or belief and not fact. We have already seen Apple deviate from prior strategies.
I have also pointed out my displeasure with Intel's practices and why Apple would continue down this path of using SB IGP when there are alternatives to the Intel IGP problem. I think the Intel IGP is probably going to happen, but what I don't understand is why people would be happy about it or worse yet defend Intel or Apple.
There are people all over these forums who have called me names for my beliefs on what Apple may do but I fully qualify why I think Apple will or will not do somethig rather than refer to it as fact. I don't call people names back or try to insult them, but I love debate and I will call someone out when they're not being rational and creative with their thoughts.
It is obvious Apple will probably stick us with Intel's IGP but it probably doesn't have to be that way. Just because Apple did one thing with the 13" MBP doesn't mean it cannot do something different with the MBA.
I actually have read a lot of rumors which say Apple will use ULV SB in the next MBA and don't specify or clarify that that is just the 11" MBA. The 13" MBA could verywell get these new more powerful ULV CPUs for several reasons. Possibly just to save battery life or make the MBA stand out more from that standpoint. The MBA does NOT need more powerful CPUs to do things and it will only do things faster while a real GPU chip separate from the CPU die would mean a more capable MBA from the possibilities of making all users happy. Do I think that means Apple will probably use an AMD low voltage discrete GPU with it, nope but I sure as heck hope so especially when the real world results come back showing Apple how big of a disadvantage SB IGP will be for users who want a well rounded experience with their MBA.
I also believe that Apple could use a 35W SB in the 13" MBP to minimize the IGP loss that would result in dropping to LV and ULV from 35W SB. We don't know exactly how much the MBA can handle in total TDP. Again, it takes an Apple computer engineer who has tested these and understands the possibilities and who has tried these in the real world. I even gave evidence that Apple used a higher voltage CPU from 35W to 45W in the latest MBP updates. Do I think Apple will do this, probably not but it is a possibility. I simply don't know whether the MBA can manage the heat of it but it surely wouldn't be so detrimental to the graphics coming from the powerhouse Nvidia 320m in context with integrated graphics of course.
I will probably not be updating because I think if Apple does the predictable it will be a downgraded MBA but this is my speculation and opinion. I cannot use a standard voltage SB IGP to say that is what the MBA will perform like as it's not the same graphics performance of SB LV and ULV but possibly Apple will do something different from the past. All I want to do is share that these viewpoints that many people have here are making all of these assumptions and Apple could verywell surprise us. We simply don't know what Apple will do.
I know one thing, it is never beneficial to defend at all costs which happens on these forums all the time. I refuse to pat Apple on the back when it makes errors in judgment without clarifying things to us. If Apple uses the SB IGP that doesn't mean that there wasn't an alternative possibility of using discrete AMD at 7/9W instead. It could be the space or it could be the TDP but in reality it's money that drives these decisions frequently. Follow the money and learn reality most of the time.
The big problem I have is going backward in 2011, so I will probably stick with my 2010 version and I will clarify my exact reasons if I am disappointed with what Apple actually does. I refuse to defend my favorite company in the world when it makes decisions that are negative in overall performance. I believe at the prices we are all paying we should get what we are paying for and shouldn't be held hostage for OS X. I want improvements that is all!
Of course I want a Sandy Bridge CPU, as that would be a faster processor for the MBA. I also want an improvement over older Nvidia technology. It is fair to assume that if Nvidia weren't forced out its next GPU chipset would be at least 50% faster than Nvidia 320m but I wouldn't even expect that from Intel as long as its IGP is faster than 320m and can perform ALL of the same tasks. If it cannot, then I believe Apple should find a way to use a discrete GPU. That isn't too much to ask if it's possible. I want real answers from real engineers, and I will not accept an answer as factual from someone making speculation. We all should want improvements with the entire MBA and not settle for compromises at these prices.
I think my arguments are very fair. I hope to want an MBA after the update but I will not do so unless it's an UPGRADE. In these times, we should all expect upgrades and should force competition to ensure we are not getting taken by companies like Intel who cannot play fairly.
I urge everyone to look at all of the evidence and keep their minds open to all of the possibilities and that is all my posts are attempting to reflect not name calling of other members here, but I will call out anyone at Intel or any other company even Apple as I feel like it. I refuse to give Apple a free pass if it doesn't innovate, so I am hopeful for more than basic assumptions.
You are one of the few who can debate maturely. 