http://www.thecountrycaller.com/643...reportedly-cancelled-kaby-lake-r-takes-place/
Can anyone explain how this could affect the Mac mini in 2017, whether good or bad?
I'm not entirely confident on the following answer so feel free to correct me:
I don't think Apple currently use that series of CPU (mobile quad core no hyper threading) so there won't be a difference. They would have to be planning a whole new product line to take advantage of a CPU that's due out in August. And we're expecting the overdue desktop refresh (containing no surprises except for a price increase
) in March this year.
The R series is generally desktop BGA (soldered onto the motherboard, not slotted in like people would on their Hackintosh). But I alway assumed that these CPUs would be soldered into the motherboard on mobile products too.
Apple DO use the R series Broadwell CPU in the 21.5" iMac both retina and non-retina models - of course it's due to be replaced perhaps by March and there is an R series Skylake which could slot straight in. I'm not sure an R series Kaby Lake would be feasible giving the latest rumblings from Intel.
Intel seem to be moving way from the notion of Iris Pro graphics in CPUs due to lack of popularity with so many folks going for discrete GPUs instead making the enhanced integrated graphics a bit of a waste of money. This could be why the latest Macbook Pro 15" models have HD 530 graphics, saving some money to put towards an AMD GPU.
Without having to cater for the better graphics (or hyper threading), Intel could go for efficiency savings in a lower wattage package with more standard integrated graphics. This may be suitable for Apple or they may be planning to marry up with a genuine AMD GPU to potentially drive compute performance going forward and connect to 5k monitors.
In terms of mobile H series CPUs without hyper threading - this year, Intel had the i5-6350HQ CPU. A 45w CPU with base frequency of 2.3GHz and with Iris Pro 580 graphics.
They also had the i5-6300HQ CPU. A 45w CPU as above but with Iris Graphics 530 and a price cut.
While quad core is nice, Apple prefer the dual core i5 with Iris Graphics for the 13" Macbook Pro.
The new Touchbar 15" Macs use the faster i7-6700HQ/6820HQ and 6920HQ running at 2.6, 2.7 and 2.9GHz. These do have hyper threading.
I did suggest the use of non-hyperthreading i5 as a way of lowering the entry bar to the 15" Macbook Pro but I guess $100 cheaper wasn't really much of a dent in the new pricing of the 15" Macbook Pro in the UK. The battery life issues they have had on these older style batteries make it sound very much like a Rev.A model to be avoided until the 2017 model comes out.
Obviously a 2017 Mac Mini won't have these battery life issues and people can look favourably on it...
