Why Merom?

[donbadman]

Everyone's going ape over Apple not bringing out MBP's with Core 2 Merom, what about the low voltage woodcrest's? Wouldn't that unify the 'pro' mac kit in a more approprite way?

I hope they put nvidia cards in the new models, ATI are a piece of crap when it comes to Maya...

 

[TBi]

Meroms are built for laptops and are thus more power efficient than any woodcrest.

Meroms are also smaller than woodcrest, well the packaging is anyway. Woodcrest would take up more space.

Meroms are 64-bit which in X86 terms gives a speed boost because of the extra registers.

 

[balamw]

Plus, Merom is a drop in replacement for the current shipping Yonahs in everything but the Woodcrest based Mac Pros.

I still wonder if we'll see any Conroe Macs.

B

 

[I'mAMac]

It is actually Core 2 Duo. Merom is a different chip. Woodcrest are xeon and are not low power. ATI is good for games...as for why merom? Lower power than core 2 duo but offers 20% more performance than the current Core Duo. Smaler than core 2 duo.

 

[donbadman]

but i'm talking about Low voltage woodcrests, from a marketing point of view it would unify the 'pro' mac arena and offer something no one else has on the table.

 

[AvSRoCkCO1067]

Meroms are built for laptops and are thus more power efficient than any woodcrest.

Meroms are also smaller than woodcrest, well the packaging is anyway. Woodcrest would take up more space.

Meroms are 64-bit which in X86 terms gives a speed boost because of the extra registers.

I agree with all your points, except for the last one - isn't Woodcrest 64-bit too???

but i'm talking about Low voltage woodcrests, from a marketing point of view it would unify the 'pro' mac arena and offer something no one else has on the table.

Do you have a link to these processors and their prices/specifications?

 

[I'mAMac]

Plus, Merom is a drop in replacement for the current shipping Yonahs in everything but the Woodcrest based Mac Pros.

I still wonder if we'll see any Conroe Macs.

B

I dont think we will anytime soon but that would be good.

 

[donbadman]

They're all the same architecture - Core 2, it's more a marketing thing than anything else.

 

[AvSRoCkCO1067]

They're all the same architecture - Core 2, it's more a marketing thing than anything else.

Woodcrests/Merom/Conroe are not pin-compatible, so I don't think they're the same architecture...

 

[donbadman]

here's some info on the LV Xeon 5100's:
link
Plus the 1333Mhz FSB is sure to make some difference, plus it's only 40 W TDP.

 

[AvSRoCkCO1067]

here's some info on the LV Xeon 5100's:
link
Plus the 1333Mhz FSB is sure to make some difference, plus it's only 40 W TDP.

So they have a 40 W usage; isn't the Core Duo closer to 30 W?

 

[donbadman]

and??? 10 watts can come off the underclocked GPU's easy.

 

[donbadman]

Woodcrests/Merom/Conroe are not pin-compatible, so I don't think they're the same architecture...

They're all Core 2.

 

[TBi]

I agree with all your points, except for the last one - isn't Woodcrest 64-bit too???

I meant against the yonah. :S

Woodcrests/Merom/Conroe are not pin-compatible, so I don't think they're the same architecture...

Intel just wire them out differently, they are basically all the same inside.

here's some info on the LV Xeon 5100's:
link
Plus the 1333Mhz FSB is sure to make some difference, plus it's only 40 W TDP.

Now go look at how much power the chipsets for these CPU's use. Not to mention the power needed to run FB-DIMMS. Have you seen the heatsinks required for the Mac Pro's FB-DIMMS? How do you think an already hot MBP will handle that much extra heat? Woodcrest only works with FB-DIMMS.

Merom is part of a full package. The chipset is low power as is the memory.

 

[donbadman]

not too sure but it would be fun to see

 

[AvSRoCkCO1067]

I meant against the yonah.....snip

Thanks for your help - you're smart....

 

[iGary]

My God, is there any other suject more beat to death than this. I wish they'd release the fracking Merom-based products already.

 

[AvSRoCkCO1067]

My God, is there any other suject more beat to death than this. I wish they'd release the fracking Merom-based products already.

...Powerbook G5?

 

[TBi]

not too sure but it would be fun to see

Not too much fun when you only have 1 hour battery life because of your power sucking chipset and ram. Faster bus means more power needed.

Also not so much fun when your already hot MBP starts burning your skin because those FB-DIMMS run so darned hot.

 

[TBi]

Thanks for your help - you're smart....

Nah just too much time spent reading up about all this.

 

[donbadman]

My God, is there any other suject more beat to death than this. I wish they'd release the fracking Merom-based products already.

I know the merom things been doen to death but thought i'd throw a spanner in the works with the LV woodcrest's, after all you would have thought they'd have the Merom MBP's available for pre-order by now!

 

[donbadman]

Not too much fun when you only have 1 hour battery life because of your power sucking chipset and ram. Faster bus means more power needed.

Also not so much fun when your already hot MBP starts burning your skin because those FB-DIMMS run so darned hot.

Wot like the hindenbooks?

 

[Sun Baked]

Wot like the hindenbooks?

Imagine the size of the lead acid battery pack if the Mac Pro is currenty overloading 1500VA/865W UPSs.

Just mount the darn thing to your golf cart and drive that around for a 3-5 hour battery life.

 

[XP Defector]

I remember hearing the Meroms are having difficulties regarding higher operating temperatures and less than impressive operating speeds. Perhaps this is why it is taking so long.

 

[suneohair]

Can we get a ban on threads containing "merom" until like the 16th or so?

This is seriously out of hand. Everyday, "merom this" "merom that". I know we have free speech and all that. Having that comes with the responsibility of knowing when to shut up.

You all know something will be done next week. Maybe even tomorrow. So just leave it alone until it happens.

Then you can discuss it and whine. GAWD!