Official Merom Discussion Thread

[bearbo]

The million dollar question:
Are the "pros" of Merom worth the wait?

in my opinion... if you'll have a mac pro handy at some point for your matlab (and related stuff, as matlab is probably as heavy for me), and the macbook pro is only for day-to-day stuff... it's probably not worth to wait.. but if it's gonna be ur main comp, then i'd say wait...

my situation is that i bought mbp/ipod during tax free weekend (but i wasn't aware of the printer deal)... and if i do wait, i'd have to return the tax free one and spend another $200 on tax (sure, i'll get that free printer to make myself feel better, not that i dont have a printer).. but overall i still have to spend $200 more... and i'm fairly sure by the time i REALLY need that 64bit, i'll get a mac pro. i just hate the feeling that after 3-4 yrs, i'll be able to detect quitely obviously the lack of speed of mbp to some extend.

sorry, i'm just thinking outloud. i've been conflicted about whether to open my new mbp or not.

 

[ricgnzlzcr]

Actually, I've had mine for 6 and have been through 5 OS's on it Mac OS 9-10.3! It's done me just fine, still going strong, but in terms of the rest of the community, is on its last leg. So I'm waiting on Merom. I want to be able to go as long and keep up with the pack, until the next major improvement comes along.

I don't have the luxury like most people of buying a new computer every time Apple puts out the latest and greatest. Sucks being a poor grad student!

What mac do you have?

I am not in the best of economical situations as well since I have to pay tuition, so anything that will last me till I graduate and have a stable job will be amazing. Macrumors is a different situation then the rest of consumers because most of them are upgrading to the latest and greatest. I have a few friends who bought the first dual usb ibooks that came out for college and they have long graduated and still use it as their main machine. I would have kept my powerbook had apple not moved to intel, but I wanted to remain safe for longer so I'm going to wait it out tilll merom.

 

[ChickenSwartz]

in my opinion... if you'll have a mac pro handy at some point for your matlab (and related stuff, as matlab is probably as heavy for me), and the macbook pro is only for day-to-day stuff... it's probably not worth to wait.. but if it's gonna be ur main comp, then i'd say wait...

my situation is that i bought mbp/ipod during tax free weekend (but i wasn't aware of the printer deal)... and if i do wait, i'd have to return the tax free one and spend another $200 on tax (sure, i'll get that free printer to make myself feel better, not that i dont have a printer).. but overall i still have to spend $200 more... and i'm fairly sure by the time i REALLY need that 64bit, i'll get a mac pro. i just hate the feeling that after 3-4 yrs, i'll be able to detect quitely obviously the lack of speed of mbp to some extend.

sorry, i'm just thinking outloud. i've been conflicted about whether to open my new mbp or not.

Well the MBP will be my main computer. If I have heavy computing to do, I can find a bigger better computer to do it on. Another way to put it: I would never be expected to do large amounts of Matlab work on my own computer.

 

[bearbo]

Well the MBP will be my main computer. If I have heavy computing to do, I can find a bigger better computer to do it on. Another way to put it: I would never be expected to do large amounts of Matlab work on my own computer.

then i say just go for it, as i probably will open my mbp tonight

 

[topgunn]

Since I upgraded my iMac with the Merom T7400, it feels much faster. The CPU intensive benchmarks I have performed have increased by 40% (GeekBench and Xbench). In Windows, my 3DMark scores and Half-Life 2 fps have each gone up around 10%.

One benefit of Merom that doesn't get mentioned much is the new SSE4 instruction set. Once applications start using these instructions more, you will begin to see Merom distance itself even more from Yonah. Also, having 4MB of L2 cache instead of 2MB is worth the wait to me if I was looking to get a new $2000 laptop.

 

[Eidorian]

http://guides.macrumors.com/Merom

Ask some more questions after reading this. I'll try to add the SSE4 information later.

 

[mashinhead]

If you aren't going to utilize the 64 bit then it really isnt worth the wait.

How long is this wait btw. I was under the impression, the chip is done. out. Ready to go. I could be done tom.

Maybe 5 years down the line 64-bit will be more useful, by then you will have a new computer.

Unless all apps start to taken advantage of 64-bit it is unecessary in a consumer computer.

so this is contingent on weather apps are 64 bit, so what kind of transition, time are we looking at for that. Will CS3 be 64bit?

 

[ChickenSwartz]

How long is this wait btw. I was under the impression, the chip is done. out. Ready to go. I could be done tom.

Chip done and shipping.

Waiting on Apple.

Waiting to build stock? Waiting to redesign? Waiting to introduce at Paris?

Who knows?

OH the questions!

 

[aaronb]

How long is this wait btw. I was under the impression, the chip is done. out. Ready to go. I could be done tom.

That's the impression that I've been getting.
I really hope Apple puts out the chips before Sept. I'd love to go to school with a new MBP.

I would be surprised if Apple started shipping Core 2 Duo MBPs anytime after Paris.

 

[ChickenSwartz]

That's the impression that I've been getting.
I really hope Apple puts out the chips before Sept. I'd love to go to school with a new MBP.

I would be surprised if Apple started shipping Core 2 Duo MBPs anytime after Paris.

Are we really going to have to wait until Sept 12th? Come on.

These chips will be in Dells, etc. in the next few weeks.

 

[aaronb]

Are we really going to have to wait until Sept 12th? Come on.

These chips will be in Dells, etc. in the next few weeks.

Agreed.

I think we'll see a silent upgrade soon. Next Tuesday?
I don't know if a case revision will be done until Santa Rosa. Which is fine by me.

 

[ChickenSwartz]

Agreed.

I think we'll see a silent upgrade soon. Next Tuesday?
I don't know if a case revision will be done until Santa Rosa. Which is fine by me.

Nest Tuesday.

With PowerBook G5, right?

 

[meanmusic]

We might not get a major case redesign but I'm pretty sure we will get the improvements introduced with the Macbook (i.e. user accessible HD and mag latch)

 

[Kane.Elson]

I would love to purchase a merom laptop now. But I am definitly waiting untill Q1 2007 for the Low Voltage version. Battery life and portability are most important to me.
I may even wait untill Q2 2007 for Santa Rosa.

 

[ChickenSwartz]

I would love to purchase a merom laptop now. But I am definitly waiting untill Q1 2007 for the Low Voltage version. Battery life and portability are most important to me.
I may even wait untill Q2 2007 for Santa Rosa.

I think the Santa Rosa platform will turn out some beautiful machines at speeds never seen before.

I would love to wait, but I can't. Maybe if I stat saving now...

 

[generik]

I think the Santa Rosa platform will turn out some beautiful machines at speeds never seen before.

I would love to wait, but I can't. Maybe if I stat saving now...

Doubt so, the 802.11n and Robson caching are potentially cool features to have, but if anything my previous experience with Intel and their chips is that all that ramping up of FSB usually only results in a tiny performance gain.

Waiting till next April for another 20% or so gain.... well..... not really appealing. Even Robson caching isn't that attractive, MacOS has a very good sleep & wake up response time!

 

[generik]

I would love to purchase a merom laptop now. But I am definitly waiting untill Q1 2007 for the Low Voltage version. Battery life and portability are most important to me.
I may even wait untill Q2 2007 for Santa Rosa.

Don't the LV versions run at lower clock speeds?

 

[bep207]

i agree with the idea of a silent upgrade.

perhaps the best selling mac was INTRODUCED with a silent update
The MacBook
i dont see why the MacBook Pro wouldnt be upgraded.

the people who really care if the processor is CoreDuo or Core2Duo probably get up every Tuesday morning and go right to store.apple.com anyways
i know i do
so whats the difference in going to the web page or seeing steve doing a keynote in Paris

 

[ricgnzlzcr]

Since I upgraded my iMac with the Merom T7400, it feels much faster. The CPU intensive benchmarks I have performed have increased by 40% (GeekBench and Xbench). In Windows, my 3DMark scores and Half-Life 2 fps have each gone up around 10%.

One benefit of Merom that doesn't get mentioned much is the new SSE4 instruction set. Once applications start using these instructions more, you will begin to see Merom distance itself even more from Yonah. Also, having 4MB of L2 cache instead of 2MB is worth the wait to me if I was looking to get a new $2000 laptop.

Have you been able to check the temperature and find out if it runs cooler?

 

[AirFoil]

Doubt so, the 802.11n and Robson caching are potentially cool features to have, but if anything my previous experience with Intel and their chips is that all that ramping up of FSB usually only results in a tiny performance gain.

...and possibly reduced battery life as a result of ramping up the FSB.

Waiting till next April for another 20% or so gain.... well..... not really appealing.

What are you basing the "another 20% or so gain" on? I'm not saying you're wrong, I was just curious as to where you got your info from. I don't mind waiting, since I'm generally happy with the computing solutions I currently have. I do want a MBP, but I can hold out until Santa Rosa...I think.

 

[BlizzardBomb]

I would love to purchase a merom laptop now. But I am definitly waiting untill Q1 2007 for the Low Voltage version. Battery life and portability are most important to me.
I may even wait untill Q2 2007 for Santa Rosa.

There are LV + ULV Core Duo chips out now, but Apple doesn't seem to care. Unless they ever release a "MacBook Express" then it's unlikely we'll see them any time soon. Santa Rosa will use even more power because of the faster FSB.

 

[emotion]

There are LV + ULV Core Duo chips out now, but Apple doesn't seem to care. Unless they ever release a "MacBook Express" then it's unlikely we'll see them any time soon. Santa Rosa will use even more power because of the faster FSB.

Well unless you have access to the labs at Apple it's difficult to tell whether they care or not.

Given how popular laptops are with people now it seems to me that it makes sense for apple to have more than two form factors. I mean laptops sell way more than desktops and there are three intel based desktop formfactors aren't there?

I suspect at least a small MBP (possibly ULV based) is in the works.

 

[generik]

What are you basing the "another 20% or so gain" on? I'm not saying you're wrong, I was just curious as to where you got your info from. I don't mind waiting, since I'm generally happy with the computing solutions I currently have. I do want a MBP, but I can hold out until Santa Rosa...I think.

Try looking at benchmarks, in fact as a better looking glass through the FSB smoke and mirrors, simply look for benchmarks within a processor line itself (ie: Conroe), the lower models have 2MB cache and 800Mhz FSB, the upper models have 4MB cache and 1066Mhz FSB. Do you see that huge a difference between their performance?

 

[emotion]

Try looking at benchmarks, in fact as a better looking glass through the FSB smoke and mirrors, simply look for benchmarks within a processor line itself (ie: Conroe), the lower models have 2MB cache and 800Mhz FSB, the upper models have 4MB cache and 1066Mhz FSB. Do you see that huge a difference between their performance?

Since you brought up the comparison have you got a link to that test?

 

[fastlane1588]

when intel released the new merom chips didnt they say the new chips wont be seen in laptops until the end of august? What if apple has them in the new laptops now but is waiting to accumulate enoght chips / mbps ready w/ the chip so that when they announce or do a silent release they will be able to meet the demand and wont have to upset people with a "shipping in 2 weeks" type thing