New iMacs a sign of things to come for discrete GPUs?

Looks like Apple's gone all-ATi now for discrete GPUs on the new iMacs. Could this be a sign that going forward, all MacBooks' discrete GPUs will be from ATi?

 

looks like the macbook took some cues from the envy.

 

?

anyway, apple has often swapped between ati and nvidia. probably not a long term indication of anything.

 

When the unibodies came out a lot of people were unhappy that apple stuck with nvidia because of all the issues nvidia was having at the time with faulty notebook GPU's basically disintigrating after so many heat cycles. Apple might be moving away from Nvidia because of that.

 

In the past IIRC there's always been at least the option to choose between the two, not this time. For discrete, only ATi is an option.

 

Erm swapping the Discrete card on a Desktop is different from swapping integrated graphics on a laptop motherboard.
It so much easier, don't get your hopes too high.

If you think about it it is impossible.
ATi Integrated Graphics are only Available on ATI CHIPSETS
I have never seen a new ATI Chipset with Intel Processor, only AMD Processor.
If Apple switches to ATi, it has to switch to AMD Processor as well.
AMD and Intel are not really partners they are rivals.

 

actually the imac uses LAPTOP motherboard and laptop drives, think of it as a laptop grafted to the back of a monitor .... with no MXM support

the Mac Pros you can swap the cards .. to an extent

 

It still uses a connector bus, not Industrial Standard but it is not Integrated Graphics either.

 

not all of the imacs had the connector bus, I'm going to wait for a teardown or 2

 

And the new imacs arent upgradeable,its all one piece of aluminum,no seams or screws at all. The ATI gfx are made by AMD,they couldnt keep using intel's chips if they switch to ATI gfx sets.

 

No, iMacs use 3.5 desktop drives. I've got what looks to be a proprietary off-SKU Seagate ES 1TB in mine - but had to buy it that way as there is no way I'm going to try and take the thing apart to upgrade.

 

The POWER requirements suggest that apple has adopted DESKTOP CPU's this time for the new imacs.

 

Approx 40W idle increase for the 21.5 compared to the 20" early 09.... perhaps? Roughly the same (41W) for 27.5 over last 24" entry model is potentially easier to explain. I'm wondering if Apple just took a bunch of E8435 3.06 cpu's that were formerly available only in the highest iMac and is using them across the board now. We'll have to wait for the teardown to get the cpu id's.

LED backlight should be more efficient, although you're pushing more pixels than both previous generations' CCFLs so could that provide a relative increase in wattage? The 3.06 should Speedstep down to roughly the same idle voltage point as the old 2.66, so that's not adding anything. ATI4670 in 27.5 explains some or all of the increase over Mar09's 24" 9400M base (the desktop 4670 version will downclock idle to ~25-30W) in the environmental report. But how then to explain the similar overall wattage increase in the Oct09 9400M model compared to Mar09? Ah, who knows.... this kind of thing gives me a headache

In the end, today's update doesn't give me nearly the reason to regret my 3.06 iMac purchase over the summer (except for the $300 price drop) that I had feared, and a 24" 1920x1200 screen is plenty big on my office desk....

 

if you remember far back enough, the ORIGINAL macbook pro had a dedicated gpu from ATI.

i am pretty sure they choose what hardware components to put in their product on a case by case basis.

 

it really looks like they are using desktop cpu's, since
1)notebook i5 chips are not out yet
2) they advertise "native" speed to be 2.66 ghz and turbo mode to be 3.2

check this http://www.intel.com/products/processor/corei5/specifications.htm

 

im pretty sure the imac is using *mostly desktop hardware*

desktop cpu, gpu, hdd

 

rounded edges

also I highly doubt the i macs are using desktop graphics.

 

hmm,

after more research i think you are right:

desktop cpu, hdd
mobile gpu

 

look at the peak power consumption. If it uses a mobile GPU, its power consumption should top out at 220 W max.

The radeon cards used here use only a PCIe slot for power. The peak power consumption comes below 75 W. No power needed separately from the PSU. It is definitely hosting desktop components.

 

All desktop componets should lower the cost,yet theyre still over $1,200+

 

thats what apple does.

 

Wow, this thread's gone off the rails. I was merely posting that I thought it was interesting that AFAIK this is the first time an iMac only came with ATi options for GPUs (except for the entry level model that only has an integrated GPU - 9400M) and no NVidia options. Thought it was a message, in a way, that Apple is sending to NVidia after the 8600GT/9600GT fiasco.

 

and the new fiasco of Nvidia not having licencing to any of the new intel processors using Direct memory interfacing ( nehalem, i3, i5, i7) so anyone who used nvidia mobo chipsets had to hurry up and use an AMD, intel or I believe a VIA chipset

 

i highly believe that apple should go with a intel cpu+intel chipset(intel integrated gpu)+ati disrete gpu....this is the only working solution on the intel centrino2 platform...at least on windows.

 

If we see some of the laptop switch to ATI in the future, then I think that will be a sign. But honestly, I would not be surprised if this is the case.

 

I can't see that happening with ATI being owned by AMD.

 

lenovo thinkpads have an intel cpu+an intel chipset (with integrated 4500m hd) and ati 3650....they do gpu switching on the fly.

 

and we dont need to change users or logout to do it !!!!! thats one feature I would love to see

 

but think about the product line... what would they do on the low end, where you don't get a dedicated graphics card? do you give up the awesome 9400m for a shoddy intel integrated chip?

 

As of today that's true; the 9400M is the best iGPU. But you never know what's coming around the corner from either Intel or AMD. Just a guess but the 9400M isn't going to remain king for long.

 

the 5000 mobile series mobiles look like they may kick a few of the dedicated cards in the rear on the ATI side, no idea what Intel may have in store though

 

i wouldn't be surprised if the 9400m was replaced soon by a new integrated card.

i WOULD be surprised if the 9400m was replaced soon by a new integrated card from INTEL.

is there possibly an ati chipset that can combine an ati integrated card with the new intel processors?

 

Don't think the 9400m will be replaced by a new intergrated card anytime soon...

-Nvidia has already stated that they're out of the chipset business, due to the latest legal battles with Intel. Lots of references on this one, just google it.
-Intel: Why would Intel ever release a chipset with an IGP when they are releasing a CPU with a GPU intergrated on it (Arrandale, and all following CPU's after that). Makes no sense to release a motherboard with IGP on it when they're moving all GPU's onto the CPU chip.
-Ati can't create a chipset with an IGP for the newest Intel processors, because they'd have the same legal issues as Nvidia with the FSB connector. And Ati is already making IGP chipsets for AMD processors anyway. And AMD own it so it wouldn't even make sense for AMD to make IGP motherboards for Intel, a rival company.

So chances are that there won't be any new IGP motherboards for the newest Intel processors Clarksfield/Arrandale.

So the only hope I guess is that Apple puts in a low TDP discrete card into the 13" when they update with Arrandale CPU's. Hopefully then they could get some GPU switching going on for extra battery life and power depending on what you need when.

Or the worst case scenario is keeping C2D with 13" MBP's so they can still use the 9400M GPU. But I highly doubt this will happen, since C2D will be getting phased out as Core i5/i7's get released.

 

Most likely Possibility I will put my money on:
Intel CPU with Onboard Chip Graphics and discrete Graphics from Nvidia/ATi
I believe Apple will not switch to AMD given the below average performance of their Turions.

 

you have a point here. it's a good advantage having the 9400m igp, but i believe that intel has sued nvidia and nvidia no longer has the right to produce chipsets..so unless they come up with a solution, i dont see apple releasing more products with the nvidia chipset..

one thing which may happen is that apple puts midrange ati gpu + intel igp's in 15" macbook pros and low range ati gpu + intel igp's in macbooks and 13" macbook pros...