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How would you change Apple's Penryn-based MacBook Pro?
While everyone and their second cousin third removed had something to say about Apple's ultra-sexy, ultra-hamstrung MacBook Air, we've a sneaking suspicion that folks previously eager about this week's MacBook Pro updates will be equally vocal. For whatever reason, Cupertino faithful had February 26th pegged on their calender, and while the addition of a Penryn or two was nearly a given, the dreamers in the crowd had much higher hopes for that fateful Tuesday. Nevertheless, the time came and went, and the re-opening of the online Apple store brought a whole heap of disappointment to many. Sure, folks still (somehow) enamored with the aging MBP design were thrilled to have access to a more potent, less scalding iteration of their favorite machine, but honestly, we're still using the GeForce 8600M GT? Really, Apple? Needless to say, this refresh likely did little to satisfy your desire for a revamped MacBook Pro, but we're interested in finding out exactly what it is you really wanted. An option for an SSD? What about a built-in Blu-ray drive? Would integrated HDMI make things more appealing? Or is a top-down case redesign the only thing stopping you from abusing your credit card in the name of Steve Jobs? Go on, we know you folks are chock full of good ideas, so let's hear 'em, shall we?
Engadget tries to fry an egg on Penryn MacBook Pro
OK, they didn't really try to fry an egg. But for those of us using those first searing-heat MBP's, you'll be happy to know the Penryn MacBook Pro's are a little cooler (temperature-wise anyway). On average, about 10° F cooler, and the fans run slower and quieter. Sorry if this kills any MacGuyver-esque plans of using Penryn laptops as emergency griddles.For a much more detailed analysis of the Penryn advantages, check out the Engadget post, complete with Xbench tests and a flavorful grid with all the analysis.
Wait, there's more! Dell's Latitude D630 / D830 go Penryn
Uh, we figured this whole Penryn update thing was all taken care of by now, but for whatever reason, Dell has found it quite pleasing to roll out said chips to its machines on a one (or two) at a time basis. Just a day after the new processors landed in the Precision M2300 and M4300 -- and merely two days since they crawled within the M6300 -- the Round Rock powerhouse has seen fit to hook up the all-business Latitude D630 and D830. Effective immediately, interested consumers can snatch up one (or both, we 'spose) of the aforementioned machines with a 2.5GHz T9300 or 2.6GHz T9500, both of which include 6MB of L2 cache. Meanwhile, prospective M1530 buyers are becoming increasingly incensed at Dell's apparent negligence of their favorite machine.[Thanks, Juha]Read - Latitude D630Read - Latitude D830
Apple MacBook Pro Penryn tests: a little more speed, a lot less heat
Sure, more speed is great, but on OS X most bumps don't have an appreciable effect on everyday work (unless all you're doing is video encoding). We were more interested in what Intel's Penryn processors can do for the MBP's heat envelope, so we maxed out both CPU cores in this brand new machine at let 'em crank for a half an hour. Our test machine may or may not compare to a later 3rd-gen MBP in terms of heat efficiency, but here's the quick rundown:Core Duo (2.16GHz) Peak: 195° F, fans over 5000 RPM Average: 185° F, fans about 4900 RPM Enclosure (bottom): very hot to the touch Enclosure (top): fairly hot to the touch Penryn Core 2 Duo (2.5GHz) Peak: 176° F, fans about 3400 RPM Average: 173° F, fans about 2500 RPM (much quieter) Enclosure (bottom): warm to the touch Enclosure (top): warm to fairly hot to the touch The usual Xbench tests are after the break.
Dell brings Precision M2300, M4300 laptops into the Penryn fold
It's already extended Penryn updates to its Precision M6300 laptop and a couple of Inspirons, but Dell's unsurprisingly not done yet, and it's now doled out similar upgrades to its Precision M2300 and M4300 models. Those are each now available with Penryn processors ranging from 2.1GHz to 2.6GHz, and for the same price as the earlier Merom processors, although Dell warns that opting for Penryn on the M2300 may delay your ship date. Otherwise, you can load 'em up with a max 4GB of RAM and 32GB or 64GB SSD drives, but you'll have to make do with an NVIDIA Quadro FX 360M for graphics. If that's not too much of a compromise, you can customize your system right now by hitting up the appropriate link below.Read - Dell Precision M2300Read - Dell Precision M4300[Via Electronista]
Apple MacBook Pro (with Penryn and multi-touch) unboxing
We just got our 2.5GHz Penryn / 4GB fourth-gen MacBook Pro. Plenty of power under that hood, but the outward differences are few: it's got the new, reorganized F-key layout (which we're not all that fond of), and the trackpad physically the same (with the addition of multi-touch, which works just as well as it did on the MacBook Air). It's definitely an anticipated upgrade to the flagship, but whether you think the form factor's still got the longevity necessary to keep you coming back after, what, more than two years on the market with no major changes -- well, we'll leave that to you. We'll have some updated benchmarks shortly.P.S. -It includes the same model 60Wh battery they've been selling on these for a while, for those puzzled about the battery life changes made to the Apple's MBP spec page.%Gallery-17122%
Dell snaps Penryn chips into Precision M6300, X9000 included
As the Penryn updates slow to a trickle, Dell is looking out for one remaining straggler by updating the potent Precision M6300 workstation. Starting today, users can select either the 2.6GHz T9500 Core 2 Duo or the drool-worthy 2.8GHz X9000 Core 2 Extreme, but curiously enough, only the T9500 is listed as an option ($370 upgrade over the base T7500) when entering the US configuration site. Nevertheless, we reckon Dell will have that sorted soon enough, and while you're ordering, why not indulge in the 512MB NVIDIA Quadro FX 3600M, too? It's only an extra $699, after all.[Via Electronista]
New MacBook Pros get dissected, look like old MacBook Pros
We'd love to tell you that during AnandTech's dissection of the "new" MacBook Pros they made a shocking discovery about the internals of the systems that brought into light significant changes and / or upgrades to the computers. We'd like nothing more then to say that it appears Apple has completely reworked the architecture of these machines to be harder, better, faster, and stronger. But honestly? They're exactly the same as the old models, save for those little Penryns, and as a result, kind of boring. Don't believe us? Take a look at the photos -- you'll see.
The new MacBook (Pros): the fine print
We finally got the new MacBooks and MacBook Pros we've all been waiting for and now it time to dig into the fine print a little bit. As we noted earlier the new machines are shipping without the $19 Apple remote, but there are also some other subtle changes worth noting: The processors are confirmed to be Intel's Penryn technology. Only the MacBook Pro is getting the multi-touch trackpad functionality of the MacBook Air. Apparently Apple is doing this deliberately to differentiate the higher-end portables from the MacBook line. Only the Pros are getting LED backlights, and that's standard only on the 15". LED backlighting is a $100 BTO option on the 17" and simply not available on the MacBook. This despite Uncle Steve's assurance that the entire Mac line would transition to LED backlighting "when technically and economically feasible." I suppose that Apple would say that it's not yet economically feasible in the MacBook line. The Pros feature a slightly new keyboard layout missing the virtual number pad. The Pros also have 3 USB ports now, instead of 2. Update: Oops, lots of people have pointed out that only the 17 incher has the 3rd USB port, and it has had that forever. Nothing to see here, folks. Move along. Perhaps most disturbing is that the official battery life estimates have dropped noticeably. MacNN notes that "Apple's revised projections falls to a maximum of 4.5 hours versus six [on the MacBook]... from six hours to five [on the 15" MBP and]... from 5.75 hours of use to 4.5" [on the 17" MBP]. Now none of these things is that big of a deal (hence the fine print), but there is some cause for concern, especially with the reduced battery life estimates. We may hope that perhaps Apple is being more realistic in their projections and that accounts for the reductions. It's particularly confusing given that one of the supposed advantages of the Penryn processor is energy efficiency. We won't know for sure until third-party benchmarks are available.Thanks to everyone who sent in tips!
Poll: How about them MacBook updates?
We all knew this day was coming. Apple's previous MacBook Pro revision was certainly getting long in the tooth, a MacBook spec bump never hurt anything, and hey, Penryn isn't getting any younger. Still, it's pretty obvious that quite a few of the Apple faithful feel like the MacBook Pro and its cute little MacBook sidekick are in some serious need of a form factor refresh, and perhaps a little bit of SSD. We can understand Apple not wanting to steal the MacBook Air's thunder, and to be fair most major manufacturers put the new Penryn chips inside existing form factors, but that doesn't mean it's wrong for you to be upset. So, how do you really feel? %Poll-10394%
Intel's 6-core Xeon and Nehalem CPU info leaked
Intel's had its new processor plans slipped out to the public thanks to Sun, according to DailyTech. Details on the 6-core (!) Xeon Dunnington, as well as the kinda-sorta hush-hush Nehalem were apparently leaked out onto Sun's public web server over the weekend, including plans for the new Xeons to overtake the company's Tigerton CPU line. The Dunnington processors will have a 16MB L3 cache shared by all six cores, and will be pin-compatible with the Tigertons, thus making integration with your Clarksboro chipset slightly less painful... by being possible. The Nehalem also got the spy treatment, with news that it will not only replace the Penryn line in Q4 '08, but will also be the first time in 18 years that Intel includes on-die memory controllers. If this sort of thing is important to you (and we think it may be) hit the read link and get all the juicy details.
Toshiba's Penryn-based Satellite A300 / P300 uncovered
Look out, here comes yet another duo hopping on the Penryn train, and each of these buggers are sporting a Toshiba logo. Up first is the €999 ($1,480) Satellite A300 -- the apparent successor of the A200 -- which features a 15.4-inch display, a refreshed design, Harman Kardon speakers, built-in fingerprint reader, 1.3-megapixel camera, integrated microphone, up to 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive and your choice of a Core 2 Duo T5500 (A300-124) or T8100 (A300-11I). As for the 17-inch P300 (seen after the jump), you can reportedly expect somewhat similar configurations, but sadly, we've no hard details on price or availability for it.
Dell adds Penryn to Inspiron laptop lineup
Ooh, like we're so surprised Dell. The ever-popular Inspiron series of laptops is getting Intel's latest inside, with the Inspiron 1720 configurable with up to a T9300 2.5GHz Penryn processor for as low as $1,199, while the Inspiron 1420 does up to a T8300 for as low as $924. Granted you'll probably want to pair Penryn with more than the base specs (or you might be able to skim some more off those prices if you really work at it), but it's not hard to nab yourself a well-specced Penryn machine for well under $1,500. Our only questions is, what's taking the 1525 so long to get this upgrade?
Alienware takes the Area-51 m15x lappy to Penryn town
The mothership has already started slapping Penryn chips in lappies, so it was only a matter of time before Alienware followed suit -- yep, here's the Area-51 m15x laptop, now with your choice of T- and X-series Core 2 Duo processors. Stick with the standard 2.5GHz T9300, upgrade to a 2.6GHz T9500 for $275, or throw caution (and $650) to the wind with the 2.8GHz X9000 Core 2 Extreme option. No word on whether that edge lighting is actually enabled on these bad boys, but hey -- you've still got those Penryn bragging rights, yeah?Update: Alienware just told us that, as of February 8, all m15x laptops have the sidelights enabled -- rock on.[Thanks, Alienwarez]
Intel branding Montevina platform Centrino 2?
Think you've mastered Intel speak? Impressive, it's no easy task keeping Intel's brand names and in-house silicon language straight. Now rumor has it that Intel's Montevina will carry a new Centrino 2 branding in hopes of clearing up any confusing amongst consumers. Probably a good idea what with Centrino providing the catch-all since the launch of those Carmel, Sonoma, Napa, and Santa Rosa platforms running Pentium M, Core Duo, Core 2 Duo branded Banisa Banias, Donthan, Yonah/Merom and Merom/Penryn processors. If true, a Centrino 2 sticker would indicate 5th generation, Montevina-class Centrino with support for 45-nm, Core 2 Duo Penryn CPUs, a 1066MHz FSB, DDR3 memory, and mobile WiMax. Still not clear? No worries, try the handy table after break.
Penryn chips finally land in Dell's XPS M1730
We already saw Intel's Penryn lineup invade Dell's XPS M1330, but now folks gunning for its (much) larger sibling can finally get in on the new CPU action, too. That's right folks, effectively immediately, prospective M1730 buyers can select a 2.4GHz T8300, 2.5GHz T9300, 2.6GHz T7800 or 2.8GHz X7900 to run the show. Ready to claim one for yourself? Follow the read link below.[Via Laptoping]
Dell's laptop Penryn updates go global, for a price
Dell's Penryn update has finally made its way around the globe to Gee Dubya land. The XPS M1330 is at the front of the queue with $400, 2.5GHz T9300 or $675, 2.6GHz T9500 processor options above the wimpiest CPU config. Not exactly free but then we don't have to deal with Big Red droppings on the lawn either. We should see the rest of Dell's XPS and Inspiron laptops go Penryn before the day is done.[Thanks, Chris W. and Matthias B.]
Dell's XPS M1330 goes Penryn as a free upgrade
We've been waiting for Dell to pop a Penryn chip inside one of its laptops -- so far it's been HP and Toshiba sitting pretty with some of the few Penryn laptop offerings in existence -- but we didn't think it'd come for free. Dell is pushing Penryn on consumers with an upgrade to the existing XPS M1330 line, which is a far sight smaller than what HP and Toshiba intro'd Penryn in, but the best news is that if you build out the AUD$2,000 model (which includes 4GB of RAM and other perks) you get a free "upgarde" [sic] to the Core 2 Duo T9300 processor, at least for today. As you might've guessed from that currency, this deal is only in Australia so far, but new Dell products and deals usually start there and end up in the States whenever the international date line swings around.[Thanks, Rupert]
Penryn CPUs coming to Dell laptops?
If you've been wishin' and hopin' for a new Dell laptop, you might want to hold off for a little bit. According to a speculative report over at CNET, the company is planning on upgrading laptop CPUs to Intel's fancy new Penryn chips, though the PC-maker is remaining tight-lipped about just which models will get the spike, if any. Sure, we understand that Dell doesn't want to cannibalize its sales by hyping up new systems, but since it's highly likely these will be broadly adopted for laptops in the future, and HP, Sony, and Toshiba (amongst others) are onboard for the 45-nanometer CPUs, you'd think Dell would say something.
Toshiba's Satellite X205-SLI goes Penryn
We know you Toshiba lovers out there have been twiddling your thumbs for weeks on end just waiting, praying, hoping that the beastly X205-SLI would get updated with a Penryn chip. Thankfully for all four of you, the wait is over. Announced today, Tosh is cranking out the 17-inch X205-SLi2 and X205-SLi4, which both house a 2.1GHz Core 2 Duo T8100 processor, integrated HD DVD-ROM / DVD burner, built-in Harman Kardon speakers (with subwoofer) and twin 512MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT GPUs. As for the former, you'll find 2GB of DDR2 RAM, a pair of 160GB 5400 RPM drives, a 1,440 x 900 resolution panel, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, 802.11a/g/n WiFi, webcam / microphone and a fingerprint reader to boot. The SLi4 ups the ante by tossing in an extra gig of memory, 7200 RPM HDDs, an external USB HDTV tuner, 1,680 x 1,050 panel and a bundled remote. Grab yours now for $1,999.99 or $2,499.99, respectively.
