# MacBook Pro gets Core 2 Duo



## bbloke (Oct 24, 2006)

The Apple online store went down today and it looks as though the MacBook Pro has been upgraded.

http://www.apple.com/hotnews/


> The entire MacBook Pro line of notebooks now includes the new Intel Core 2 Duo processor and delivers performance that is up to 39 percent faster than the previous generation. All MacBook Pro models now offer double the memory and greater storage capacity than the previous generation, as well as a FireWire 800 port for connecting to high-speed peripherals.


2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
15" display, 1440 x 900 pixels
1GB memory
120GB hard drive
6x double-layer SuperDrive
ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics with 128MB SDRAM
$1,999.00


2.33GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
15" display, 1440 x 900 pixels
2GB memory
120GB hard drive
6x double-layer SuperDrive
ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics with 256MB SDRAM
$2,499.00


2.33GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
17" display, 1680 x 1050 pixels
2GB memory
160GB hard drive
8x double-layer SuperDrive
ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics with 256MB SDRAM
$2,799.00


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## ScottW (Oct 24, 2006)

Awesome. Love to see the 2GB standard and larger drives.


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## fryke (Oct 24, 2006)

They're a little late, but at least they managed to hit the important "before November" time-frame. Let's hope that with them being late this time, they've done a little more testing on the hardware. I'd hate to hear about fan problems, thermal-paste hacks etc. again.


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## mindbend (Oct 24, 2006)

Anyone know if there's a third party solution for a 7200 RPM HD for the 15"?

Also, this new card media interfacewill it accept P2 cards from the Panasonic HVX200? My plan was to get an HVX and a MBP and be able to dump off media to the laptop. It's going to be really annoying if I have to get some kind of adapter or clunky external box to do this.


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## lurk (Oct 24, 2006)

The are not proprietary drives so any "normal PC" drive will work.  This is assuming you get the right drive, no running a SATA drive on an ATA interface and the like.


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## fryke (Oct 24, 2006)

It's S-ATA, though.


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## MnM (Oct 24, 2006)

In the first model there is no 256MB card  No customization options either.

I don't mind using 1GB of ram(can upgrade later) but i would have really liked the graphics card to be 256MB. The only way it seems to get that 256MB card is to spend an extra 500 dollars. 

Though the second model comes with more, i don't need it. All i need is that graphics card to be 256MB. I wish they made that a customizable option 

Besides that, its good to see apple finally upgrading the MBP. Not to mention adding firewire 800 and up to 3GB of ram. Any ideas on when the MacBook will be upgraded?


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## skyle (Oct 24, 2006)

One more week and it will be November.


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## fryke (Oct 24, 2006)

Hmm... You're right. They should either release them or edit the "October" badge there.


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## eric2006 (Oct 24, 2006)

If you don't need to be on the bleeding edge, you can get the old MacBook Pro models at up to 28% off, at least $500 savings.

Refurbished MacBook Pro, 15-inch, 2.0GHz Intel Core Duo
15.4-inch widescreen display (1440x900 resolution)
512MB (single SODIMM) 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM
80GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard drive
Slot-load SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 with 128MB GDDR3 memory
Built-in iSight Camera
Front Row and Apple Remote

&#8226; Save 28% off the original price
Original price: $1,999.00
Your price: $1,449.00

Or, for the same price(!), you can get a black MacBook with similar specs:
2.0GHz Intel Core Duo
512MB memory
80GB hard drive
SuperDrive

$1,499.00


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## lurk (Oct 24, 2006)

fryke said:


> It's S-ATA, though.



You say S-ATA, I say SATA.
You say e-mail, I day email.
S-ATA, SATA, e-mail, email!

Lets call the whole thing off!!!

// I hope the reference is not lost on you


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## Viro (Oct 25, 2006)

It's tom-AH-to.


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## fryke (Oct 25, 2006)

It's not lost.  ... But I didn't actually mean the dash to be important there, rather that they use SATA/S-ATA rather than ATA, which your message could have implied.


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## mindbend (Oct 25, 2006)

For anyone who cares, there is in fact a Cardbus adapter for the new Expresscard format:

http://www.duel-systems.com/products/adapters.aspx

And one for Compact flash:
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0609/06093009delkinexpresscardcf.asp


Expresscard is disappointing to me because the only thing I need to plug in is a P2 card for an HVX200 video camera. The elegance is gone once I have to use an adapter. I wonder how likely it is for Panasonic to go to an Expresscard format for RevB. I'm guessing pretty unlikely.

And the fact that I can't get a 7200 RPM for the 15" (from Apple anyway) is disappointing also. Not to mention the lack of a 256 MB video card for the lower end 15".

They cleverly "cripple" the 15" just enough to tempt you into the 17". Must resist&#8230;


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## Mikuro (Oct 25, 2006)

skyle: The Intel Xserve came out the same day as the Mac Pro. See http://www.apple.com/xserve/

I think it still has the latest chip, too.


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## Lt Major Burns (Oct 25, 2006)

yes, but it still isn't shipping, which is the debate!


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## Veljo (Oct 26, 2006)

Awesome news, finally time to overhaul this iMac!


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## MacFreak (Oct 27, 2006)

I couldn't figure what different between two of Core Duo and Core 2 Duo? Maybe i am so tired since its 11pm here..


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## Veljo (Oct 27, 2006)

The Core 2 Duo has 4MB of L2 cache as opposed to the Core Duo's 2MB, and it has better performance per watt.

I was reading up about the different available hard drive configurations, and that some use LMR and some use PMR. Is there really a big difference between the two to justify changing my order?


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## Captain Code (Oct 27, 2006)

I just ordered the base one last night.  Is it truely 64 bit yet, or still 32?  Doesn't really matter to me either way, but I'd like to know.  I've read there's Core2Duos that are 32 bit and another model is 64 bit so I don't know if that's even true or what.


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## nixgeek (Oct 27, 2006)

As far as I know, all iterations of Core 2 Duo are 64-bit.  While Tiger only supports 64-bits for UNIX apps, Leopard will be 64-bits all around.


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## Captain Code (Oct 27, 2006)

nixgeek said:


> As far as I know, all iterations of Core 2 Duo are 64-bit.  While Tiger only supports 64-bits for UNIX apps, Leopard will be 64-bits all around.



Yeah I think you're right from what I've read on wikipedia.  I should never trust things people post on slashdot.


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## spitty27 (Oct 29, 2006)

i was waiting for the mbp to go core 2 duo before i bought one. currently i own the original 17" imac core duo dual 1.83. i read somewhere that in january apple should be releasing the core2duo mbp on a new motherboard or something..called santa fe? i could be mistaken...anyway, is it worth it to wait till january for the new mbp or should i just order one now.


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## Captain Code (Oct 29, 2006)

Intel will be delivering a new chipset early 2007 which will bump the FSB up to 1000+MHz from 667 right now.  No doubt it'll increase performance somewhat.


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## spitty27 (Oct 29, 2006)

would you recommend waiting until then or getting one now? do you think theyll change anything else on the computer or just the bus


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## Captain Code (Oct 29, 2006)

If you really want one now I'd buy one now.  I did just buy one myself.  They're always improving things so if you keep waiting you're never going to buy anything.  I don't know what they're changing besides the chipset though.


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## spitty27 (Oct 29, 2006)

well im an architecture student and i dont technically need a computer till next year but people bring in their macbooks all the time to studio and i seehow convenient it is so id like to get one relatively soon. i can wait till next semester however, if it means 2.66ghz and 1ghz bus...


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## Veljo (Oct 29, 2006)

If you don't need one, I suggest waiting for something better. But remember, there is ALWAYS something better on the horizon, so it's just one of those bite the bullet and get one or wait moments. Personally I really need one now cause this iMac is getting really slow, so my decision has already been made.


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## Veljo (Nov 8, 2006)

I'm just interested if anyone has received their new Core 2 Duo MacBook Pros yet? I ordered mine around October 30th, and it's now November 8th and there still isn't a single unit to be seen in any stores around here. I was told that a total of ONE unit was being shipped over to Australia today, and another 13 tomorrow...I was hoping to have it by the weekend, seeing as it's my birthday and all.


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## Viro (Nov 8, 2006)

Macbook Core 2 Duo vs Core Duo benchmarks.

In some applications, you see up to a 75% increase in performance. Bear in mind, that the clock speed of the two macbooks are different, with the Core 2 Duo sporting an 8% increase in clockspeed. Nevertheless, the performance gains are impressive to say the least.

I'm feeling jealous...


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## Mikuro (Nov 8, 2006)

That's pretty impressive, especially the Photoshop tests. I wonder if maybe the Core 1 machine was running an older version of OS X than the Core 2. I've heard that the latest OS X update has dramatically improved the performance of Rosetta, so if they were not both running 10.4.8, that could account for a lot of the difference with Photoshop.

It could also be that Photoshop is optimized for 64-bit chips (like the G5 and Core 2), and that that optimization shines through even under Rosetta.


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## ora (Nov 8, 2006)

Veljo said:


> I'm just interested if anyone has received their new Core 2 Duo MacBook Pros yet? I ordered mine around October 30th, and it's now November 8th and there still isn't a single unit to be seen in any stores around here. I was told that a total of ONE unit was being shipped over to Australia today, and another 13 tomorrow...I was hoping to have it by the weekend, seeing as it's my birthday and all.



I ordered mine on the 3rd, it shipped on the 5th and claims to be here on the 17th (slower as i get a discount through my institution but that means they use some weird shipping). I guess this means they are in switzerland at least, though i don't know of any that have arrived yet. 

I'm pretty excited though, my first new mac in more than three and a half years, up to then i'd had every chip class except the G5 and had new machines regularly (performa 630 68LC040-->Umax Apus 2000 603e-->G3 Bondi rev a iMac-->G4 Sawtooth-->G4 alubook 12").


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## serpicolugnut (Nov 8, 2006)

Looks like the C2D Macbook is upon us....


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## Captain Code (Nov 8, 2006)

I ordered mine on a Thursday night arount 11PM and it shipped that Saturday.  Then arrived the following Tuesday.  It shipped very fast and arrived very fast.


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## Veljo (Nov 13, 2006)

This is ridiculous...here in Australia we're still waiting for the new MacBook Pros to hit the shelves, yet the new Core 2 Duo MacBooks are already here, despite the Pros being announced _before_ the MacBooks. This is turning out to be the longest wait for a birthday present ever...


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