What graphics card for new Macbook Pro?

Hey guys, as you guys know HP will be releasing the 9600m GT in their 15 inch which is better than the graphics card currently in the macbook pro 17 inch.

Does anyone know when the new macbook pro will be out?

Also what graphics card will it have?


Thanks!

 

Nope. There's no set date for a new Pro and there's no solid idea as to what will be offered in the MacBook Pro.

 

It is quite possible, depending on the realease that the macbook pro could get ATI cards.

 

They are not going to be "New" Mac Book Pro's. Just adding more options. ie More video card options. and updating the chipset. There just Silent refreshments. Much like when Intel releases new "Steppings" for their CPUs.

 

mmm.... you're just making me hungry now.

 

how much better is a ati 3800 card, or even a 3600 card compared to a nvidia 8800gt, or a 8600gt. can someone put them in order for me?

 

All you have to do is read the stickies.

 

50 / 50 ati or nvidia.

im gonna guess nvidia, but its a toss up, and it really doesn't matter. either 9600 or 3600.

 

I think it will come down to which one saves the most battery power since runtime is marketed as a top feature.

I'm in the market for a MBP, but I'm definitely waiting for Nehalem.

 

apple stuck with ati while they were on top (ati 9xxx vs nvidia 5xxx), and then nvidia came back and at least matched or got the better of ati for the 6 and 7 series. by the 8 series, apple switched to nvidia for their laptop systems. i wouldn't be surprised if they continue to hedge their bets and go half ati half nvidia for a while.

 

Especially since Intel are slowly getting into the multi GPU/CPU setup. I bet they have something in the wings for Neth. I have read good reports about their step in this direction. I even think so words have been thrown back and forth between Nvidia and Intel. Intel's response was something about no one will need a power hungry Dedicated GPU soon.

So things will be getting very interesting in the GPU arena. The GPU market needs some competition. Nvidia have been raping us for a long time. And the new GTX 280 is still on 65 nm tech and consumes massive amounts of power. Not to mention the new card will be in excess of $600 US. ATI is suppose to be cheaper, I just hope this will level the playing field.

 

Industry sources say Hi end ATi card are much cooler than medicore nVidia,so i guess Apple will choose ATI for next gen.ATI have better video processing capability compared to nVidia

ATI HD3XXX use 55nm chip technology. nVidia GF8XXX chips are 80nm(upto GF8700) & all other new chips are 65nm based

 

no one knows what apple will do.

apple is already using gf8xxx parts and ati hd2xxx parts, so comparing the gf8xxx to the hd3xxx isn't that helpful.

its more like gf9xxx and hd3xxx

and nm aren't everything. past experience should show you that rushing a smaller fab process is not a beneficial thing.

 

Who knows. I wouldn't be suprised if they switched to ATI sooner or later since thats what they use in iMacs.

 

That is false. Go read benchmarks on the 9 series cards compared to the 8 series. It uses the exact same architecture, and only has slightly higher clocks. nVidia had no competition from ATi when the 9 series released (a few months ago) so all they did was slap the 9 series name to it, and raise the clocks a bit. The 9 series has gotten a bad rap because of pretty much no gain in performance compared to the 8 series.

 

Not really, his statement was pretty right-on.

The 9500m GS = the 8600m GT, so to assume that the 9600m GT would have better performance is only a simple exercise in logic/math. Also, the mobile 9-series so far has been mostly die-shrinks, not clock increases as you state.

Finding benchmarks on the 9600m GT might prove a little futile however, since the card hasn't been released.

 

There is a lot more to the computer world, especially with the GPU/CPU arena, than using "logic" & "Math" to say "Oh this card has to be better than this one"

Thats just not how it works. And the desktop iterations of the 8 series and 9 series cards prove it. And I can guarantee you it will be the same with the 9 series mobile cards compared to the current 8 series mobile cards.

 

Yes, I do agree that model number can get extremely confusing (take a look at my CPU guide for instance), but the fact is that chances of the 9600 being better than the 9500 is pretty much guaranteed.

If I follow your advice and go with the current desktop numbering system, then the 9600m GT would be slightly lesser than the 8800m GTX, and much, much better than the 8600m GT. However, we know that's probably not going to happen since the current 9650m GT is a die-shrunk 8700m. Thus, you can't assume nVidia is doing the same thing for their mobile lineup as they are for their desktop lineup.