AMD / ATI scores big time with Apple

Kaotik

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http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=19173

All new iMacs and Mac Pros are now equipped by default and as upgrade option with Radeons, instead of just offering Radeons as upgrade options.

Lowend iMacs get 256MB HD4670, while 27" iMacs get 1GB HD5750's (no word on wether there's some other cards used in the models between)

The default graphics for Mac Pro is now HD5770, and upgrade option is HD5870

Could this, by a long shot, be also a sign of Apple moving towards AMD CPUs in the future, especially Fusions on laptops?
 
I don't think the iMacs and Mac Pros move many units. I doubt if even AMD is psyched about it.

As for CPUs, I don't think this means anything.
 
I don't think the iMacs and Mac Pros move many units. I doubt if even AMD is psyched about it.

As for CPUs, I don't think this means anything.

I think iMacs sell pretty well, but for AMD, this is mostly a PR win. It shows that Apple thinks their GPUs are better than NVIDIA's (for desktops anyway) and that's a good thing.

I agree that it doesn't necessarily mean anything for CPUs, but I do think that Llano would be a better fit than Sandy Bridge for future MacBooks, the "Pro" variants aside.
 
Did Nvidia really have anything available for Apple to update to when they were setting the new specs? Bump-gate didn't help but I'm sure that's not the full cause.
 
Does this mean that they have the OpenCL acceleration in OSX working on ATI?

It has been working for a while AFAIR. Note that doesn't say anything about it being optimized/any good.
 
But with it being the default GPU solution going forward, OpenCL should get more attention from both Apple and ATI, if it hasn't already. As well as increased co-developement of OpenCL (at least on Mac platforms) if it's not happening already.

Regards,
SB
 
I don't think the iMacs and Mac Pros move many units. I doubt if even AMD is psyched about it.

As for CPUs, I don't think this means anything.

10 million units in 2009. You think AMD isn't psyched about 10 million units? LOL!
 
Apple must be mad about the bad bumps they got from NV. I think this is an end result.
Possible.

I'd rather think it's because NV basically hasn't updated its mobile line of chips in YEARS, except for the ridiculous 200-ish watt GF480M...
 
Possible.

I'd rather think it's because NV basically hasn't updated its mobile line of chips in YEARS, except for the ridiculous 200-ish watt GF480M...

And the 40nm products which apple is using in their macbook lineup...
 
10 million units in 2009. You think AMD isn't psyched about 10 million units? LOL!

IIRC, apple sells ~3M macs per quarter. And a majority of them are notebooks. I could be wrong but I am doubtful that they sell 10M iMacs per year.

Also, 10M iMacs would require that they maintain it for a year. I am not sure but what is the length of the product cycle for iMacs?
 
Possible.

I'd rather think it's because NV basically hasn't updated its mobile line of chips in YEARS, except for the ridiculous 200-ish watt GF480M...

May be that's becuase they are already so good. :smile: Mac-books are into nv exclusively.
 
Optimus plays a large part in Nvidia's notebook chips continuing to be popular with OEMs. Without that, their notebook parts wouldn't be particularly interesting.

Regards,
SB
 
IIRC, apple sells ~3M macs per quarter. And a majority of them are notebooks. I could be wrong but I am doubtful that they sell 10M iMacs per year.

Also, 10M iMacs would require that they maintain it for a year. I am not sure but what is the length of the product cycle for iMacs?

It's 10M macs of all varieties, not iMacs. I misread the initial post to mean all macs. Sorry.
 
I agree that it doesn't necessarily mean anything for CPUs, but I do think that Llano would be a better fit than Sandy Bridge for future MacBooks, the "Pro" variants aside.
I think Llano might work well even for most of the MacBook Pros, at least if they pass on the quad-core Sandy Bridge rumored to be 45 W.

Also, 10M iMacs would require that they maintain it for a year. I am not sure but what is the length of the product cycle for iMacs?
Between 7 and 11 months inclusive since the Intel switch.
 
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