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December 30, 2008 10:42 AM PST

Quad-core MacBook Pro on the way?

by Erica Ogg
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Intel sneaked out a new low-cost quad-core mobile processor on Monday, prompting some observers to wonder if Apple will finally release a quad-core laptop.

The lack of fanfare surrounding the 2.53GHz Core 2 Quad Mobile Processor Q9000's introduction--it was merely added to Intel's CPU price list--is certainly interesting. It's a slow news week between Christmas and New Year's, so why not play it up?, is how the logic goes.

APCMag.com says it's possible Apple's been waiting for the processor to arrive from Intel, and it just happens to coincide with Macworld next week.

That could also explain why Apple redesigned and upgraded its 13.3-inch MacBook and 15-inch MacBook Pro, but said little about the 17-inch MacBook Pro's eventual makeover.

So far Acer, which immediately announced a new laptop using Intel's newest processor, is the only PC maker that has confirmed it is using it.

Erica Ogg is a CNET News reporter who covers Apple, HP, Dell, and other PC makers, as well as the consumer electronics industry. She's also one of the hosts of CNET News' Daily Podcast. In her non-work life, she's a history geek, a loyal Dodgers fan, and a mac-and-cheese connoisseur. E-mail Erica.
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by Mr. Dee December 30, 2008 11:18 AM PST
I see it as a possibility, to as least add some relevance to Phil Schiller's keynote at Macworld 2009.
Reply to this comment
by JumpinJappold December 31, 2008 8:05 AM PST
Yes Phill Schiller is completely irrelevant: a mere pawn of the Jobsonian 'i am the ultimate mangod' machine.
Without that big new display with a faster computer (new, faster computers are coming out?!!??!?!?) he's toast.
by slickuser December 30, 2008 11:37 AM PST
Macbook Pros are lame. For years, others like Lenovo offering high resolution screens.

However, Apple still offers 1400x900 on top of the line MBP with 15.4" screen!!! Thats really lame!! Can't they at least offer 1650x1050?

I've Leovo T61p (15.4" ) with 1920x1200 resolution!!! OSX on it is just awesome!!!

Apple must be making huge profit margin by offering such a display!!
Reply to this comment
by BlitzBoy1120 December 30, 2008 12:00 PM PST
Displays arent the only attraction of a notebok...
by Philips December 30, 2008 12:36 PM PST
1650x1050 on 15.4" makes very little sense.

Ironically, Mac OS X scales much better to higher dpi numbers, while most of Windows and its applications use hardcoded 8pt font.

You also have to consider power consumption: higher resolution means that GPU needs to do more work and consume more power.

P.S. We had a clash in office recently. Who would thought that would happen: IT came to replace old 19" with new widescreen 23" displays but people en masse refused. 19" @ 1280x1024 is much much more pleasing to look at and work with for 8 hours a day. 23" @ 1920x1200 make most corporate application look tiny and unusable. Technical upgrades are not always mean upgrades in usability.
by smilin:) December 30, 2008 3:11 PM PST
"Ironically, Mac OS X scales much better to higher dpi numbers, while most of Windows and its applications use hardcoded 8pt font."

Ironically Phillips, you are such a Mac fanboy that you're too dumb with Windows to bash it properly. THAT is irony.

Windows is NOT hardcoded to 8pt font (I think you mean dpi...that's not hardcoded either).

I'm viewing this right now in 11pt font at 120dpi on a Vista box. The default is 96dpi and it will go up to 480 in 1 pt increments. Explain to me how that is hardcoded? Don't go saying XP...it's not hardcoded either.

I would also never pass up a larger 1920x1200 display for a smaller 1280x1024 display unless the monitor was utter crap. You can scale the DPI you know?? ... oh wait, you didn't.

...The irony..
by artistjoh December 30, 2008 11:14 PM PST
You obviously are totally unaware of what Apple has been selling for years. The Apple 17 inch Macbook Pro was the first laptop to offer a 1920 x 1200 hi-res screen and it continues to this day. It costs extra and is part of the build to order options. I was highly amused when PC manufacturers made a big deal of offering the worlds first "high definition" screens when I had been long using one on my MBP. Yes it is true that people are also offered the less expensive option of a smaller screen at lower resolution just as in the PC world where there are both higher spec and higher priced items and lower spec lower price items.

You appear to be proud of illegal activities on your part by admitting publicly here that you have hacked OS X to run on a non-Apple computer and don't seem to rea
by JumpinJappold December 31, 2008 8:00 AM PST
Hey how's your eyes dude- liking those 2millimeter dropdown menus on that uber-smushed pixel sandwich?
Until full resolution-independent OS's are the norm, I think the majority of folk will do fine with their machines.

I'll forgo the dumb quip about you must be being an optometrist?THIS time.
by Gasaraki December 31, 2008 8:24 AM PST
"You also have to consider power consumption: higher resolution means that GPU needs to do more work and consume more power." - Philips

Wow... That's great... High resolution does NOT mean it uses more power, maybe when you are running a game. Everyday usage, does not effect the power to be noticeable.
by beansbaxter December 30, 2008 1:10 PM PST
They need to fix the heat issues with the current MacBook Pro video card, let alone add more heat from a faster processor!
Reply to this comment
by AJ Pants December 30, 2008 1:29 PM PST
I'm still on my refurbed 2.16 MBP which hums along beautifully. Will take a lot to make me part with this machine.
Reply to this comment
by myles taylor December 30, 2008 1:34 PM PST
Ditto on that *2.2 MBP actually*. I upgraded the HD and memory and I am going to be happy with it for awhile.
by wango2007 December 30, 2008 1:55 PM PST
Wow, Apple is on the leading edge... annoucing just about 1-1/2 years after it was done by others in the Windows world.
Reply to this comment
by cnetcensorssuck December 30, 2008 2:37 PM PST
You're a moron. Go away.
by smilin:) December 30, 2008 3:12 PM PST
If Mac would tuck his shirt in and get a Job maybe he could have afforded a quad core years ago.
by JumpinJappold December 31, 2008 8:09 AM PST
I think I'm going to trade my Honda which redlines at 5,000 RPM for a newer one that can top out at 6.
No, come to think of it I'm ditching Honda altogether- why and with those auto-subsidies I can prolly get a really great Chevy.
by robomalo December 30, 2008 2:30 PM PST
I think it's too soon.
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by dadsgravy December 30, 2008 3:30 PM PST
"If Mac would tuck his shirt in and get a Job maybe he could have afforded a quad core years ago."

Wow! Your wit is as slick as my underwear.
Reply to this comment
by SpiritWater December 30, 2008 5:21 PM PST
A Quad 17" Macbook Pro makes sense. The processor package with four CPU cores at a higher wattage will require some serious cooling system. Multiple fans, heat sink, and the aluminum casing to disperse the heat. In other words, the larger form factor of the 17" would suffice. Makes sense. The 17" would essentially then be worth the asking price.

Normally they're seemingly over priced.
Reply to this comment
by kiwamura August 1, 2009 9:28 PM PDT
Agree with you on that since the size of the 17" can dissipate heat much better due to space. Add a full keyboard (w/ num keys) you've got yourself a desktop replacement.
by commsoft December 30, 2008 6:29 PM PST
Come on guys, everybody knows the new MBP will have a 30" folding screen and twin Quadro FX GPUs...
Reply to this comment
by JumpinJappold December 31, 2008 8:11 AM PST
yeah good for porn haha
by hslikhari December 31, 2008 3:22 PM PST
Perhaps they'll feature in the new imacs?
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