MBA Rev D Fans! Apple purportedly stays with Nvidia: Successor to 9400m announced!

[Jobsian]

I would've included yet another sub-clause if I had the room!

Good news fellow MBA Rev D-wishers - Looks like Apple are staying with Nvidia graphics after all according to a report in the industry-wide respected Digitimes, view:

http://www.electronista.com/articles/09/08/14/apple.and.mcp89.mcp99/

While this doesn't mean that a next Gen MBA is in the works, if there was one, this could possibly be the chip powering it - the source states that Apple are going to use two next gen Nvidia chipsets!


ALL HAIL THE (probable) Nvidia GeForce 200M!

Key points: - (According Digitimes who spoke with a notebook manufacturer)
1) Apple reportedly to use not one, but two Nvidia Chipsets in their upcoming notebooks
2) One of these is the successor to the GeForce 9400M that is currently called MCP89 (9400M's other name is MCP79)
3) Apple to also use a chipset called MCP99, "a largely unknown second part"
4) Sources suggest that MCP89 "will be used for Core 2 mobile processors while MCP99 would be targeted at Nehalem-based Core i5/i7 processors and their eventual 32nm successors"
5) "MCP89 would support future notebook chips that use a faster 1,333MHz system bus and matching DDR3 memory"
6) Rebadged name likely to be 200M for one of these chipsets
7) MCP89 expected to be in production in the first quarter of 2010
8) MCP99 to be produced later, possibly the end of that quarter

Let's hope MCP89 is going to be one of the drivetrains powering the MacBook Air Rev D, imagine!

 

[Eidorian]

I wonder where ION 2 went. It's probably the MCP89.

Oh and nice processor speed you have going there. You'll be lucky to break 2.26 GHz on Turbo.

 

[jamesryanbell]

After reading your entire post, including the article, one thought still stands regarding the Rev D: No shards of the moon? No care.

 

[stockscalper]

They'll never put a 2.93 MGZ processor in that form factor because of heat problems. Which is also why they will never go to a carbon fiber form either. Aluminum helps disperse the heat and in small laptops like the MBA it is greatly needed. If you went to a carbon fiber form you would have to drop the cpu down to 1-1.5 GHZ and that would make the machine worthless.

 

[jdechko]

2) One of these is the successor to the GeForce 9400M that is currently called MCP89 (9400M's other name is MCP79)
3) Apple to also use a chipset called MCP99, "a largely unknown second part"
4) Sources suggest that MCP89 "will be used for Core 2 mobile processors while MCP99 would be targeted at Nehalem-based Core i5/i7 processors and their eventual 32nm successors"

These are interesting talking points, regarding the Air. I could really see the Air and Mini staying with the C2D for a while because of various issues (this included), and, as a benefit, we could continue using the nVidia chipsets.

The other lines have more space and could go with discrete graphics + Arrandale/Nehalem/Westmere/Whatever.

 

[twist2b]

They'll never put a 2.93 MGZ processor in that form factor because of heat problems. Which is also why they will never go to a carbon fiber form either. Aluminum helps disperse the heat and in small laptops like the MBA it is greatly needed. If you went to a carbon fiber form you would have to drop the cpu down to 1-1.5 GHZ and that would make the machine worthless.

EXACTLY!! Carbon Fiber = a not going to happen. Aluminum really does help with cooling. Owning an air I vouch for that.

If the processor does "upgrade" its going to be VERY VERY little since I own a 2.13 and I know it gets hot alot faster, and underclocks sometimes when I am plugged in.


512GB SSD - Still TOO big, I think they MAY have shrunken down the 256, I don't even think thats small enough yet.

4GB RAM - still too big for the air, I really think your thinking about a macbook pro here.... I mean COMMON.

9 Hour Battery (7 real world) - again, macbook pro has this.

Integrated 4G - I remember something about considering 3G at one time, but since it has to relate to a SPACIFIC provider, prob. not going to happen. Tethering on the iPhone is soon though, so just go with that?

Pleasant on the tongue - I could digg it

 

[jdechko]

512GB SSD - Still TOO big, I think they MAY have shrunken down the 256, I don't even think thats small enough yet.

The 256GB should be out soon, but I don't think they're massively available.

4GB RAM - still too big for the air, I really think your thinking about a macbook pro here.... I mean COMMON.

The RAM chips would occupy exactly the same space inside the Air. I'm more confused as to why they didn't put 4GB in the Rev C.

9 Hour Battery (7 real world) - again, macbook pro has this.

It's likely that we won't see any significant battery capacity increase, as there is no additional volume for the battery to occupy. That means that any battery life increase will have to come from more efficient components.

 

[jav6454]

Let me see, how would my good friend Tallest Skil respond to this. I'll do my best....

Nvidia GeForce 200M

Probably so.

Custom Intel Arrandale 2.93GHz 32nm processor

Keep dreaming

512GB SSD

Are you high? 256GB Max space, if Apple ever decides to put more than 128GB

4GB RAM @ 1,333MHz

4GB very likely, @ 1333Mhz, high unlikely, they will keep it at 1066MHz because of thermal design.

Black Carbon Fiber Body

And mess up Apple's unibody from Aluminum design and campaign? Not a chance....

Stunning OLED display

Probably in Rev F or G, not this one

9 Hour Battery (7 real world)

Apple is going to just keep same technology so gain is not going to be like this, maybe 1 or 2 at most hr gain.

2.8 pounds weight

How can I ask?

Integrated 4G

3G is not even rolled out yet at its best potential and only Sprint is slowly and rolling out 4G in select markets. Think 3G at 7.2Mb/s most likely and guess with who? No? Yup, AT&T.

 

[MacModMachine]

i second jav....this is more like a dream than a forecast.

this is a very misleading title....apple has not said there sticking with nvidia.

 

[MacModMachine]

Jesus, the stern and severe responses almost blow my mind! Almost, because the OCD slivers aren't exactly inconspicuous in some of you.... jk

How is the fact that I relayed a report that Apple according to insiders are going to use the next-gen Nvidia card "completely unbelievable and misinformed"?

While I agree that insider information must always be approached with caution, how can you conclude the reverse with certainty - ie that the linked report in the Digitimes that states that:is not "misleading", but "completely unbelievable and misinformed"?

Scottsdale you mention feasibility - I've been reading your threads of conjecture upon conjecture for upcoming MBAs for months....and I'm only being semi-serious...I'm beginning to worry that some think my bear-slaughter algorithm dream is serious!

Chill peeps I did say "imagine"!

The more I read here the more I wish all forum members have to declare vested interests

key word in that article is expected...which tells me they know absolutely nothing.

i can say too that i expect the nvidia 9400's to keep being purchased by apple, thats all speculation.

 

[Jobsian]

key word in that article is expected...which tells me they know absolutely nothing.

i can say too that i expect the nvidia 9400's to keep being purchased by apple, thats all speculation.

True true, but are you a source "at notebook makers" quoted by the Digitimes, one of the most respected electronics newspapers in the world, often cited by engadget, gizmodo etc etc?

The report is patently not an Apple press-conference, but it carries more weight than a forumite's musings doesn't it?

 

[jdechko]

key word in that article is expected...which tells me they know absolutely nothing.

i can say too that i expect the nvidia 9400's to keep being purchased by apple, thats all speculation.

Or we could speculate, as I did, that Apple will keep the Penryn chips in the Air (if not other lines) for any one of many reasons (thermal design is a likely candidate). If they keep Penryns until Intel stops making them, Apple is free to keep using nVidia chipsets.

Apple could also volunteer to pay any (or partial) licensing fees to Intel on behalf of nVidia. I know in the cell phone industry, Verizon paid Broadcom to license their patents so that they could legally sell a phone with a Qualcomm chip that had an injunction slapped on it.

Or, stretching it a bit further, Apple could also be building its own chipset (I seriously doubt this, but it was rumored upon before switching to nVidia).

 

[InsightsIE]

if the 200M has 512MB Graphics on the Air I'm switching

 

[jdechko]

if the 200M has 512MB Graphics on the Air I'm switching

It will still be shared memory. The 200M chipset in question is basically the same solution that the 9400M currently provides.

That's not to say we won't see improvements, but it's not going to be as awesome as you might think.

 

[Eidorian]

if the 200M has 512MB Graphics on the Air I'm switching

In shared system RAM...

 

[Jobsian]

As Scottsdale mentions, this news isn't fact (as Apple themselves have not announced it), and I've amended my title and OP. It should be noted that the news that Apple are going to use these chipsets is from the usually reliable and industry-wide respected Digitimes.

While this doesn't mean that a next Gen MBA is in the works, if there was one, this could possibly be the chip powering it - the source states that Apple are going to use two next gen Nvidia chipsets! He doesn't however mention the legalities.

Here's hoping the legal dispute is resolved and we get one of these!