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MacBooks getting a sizable graphics boost next month?

September 19, 2008 by Dr. Macenstein
Filed under: MacBook, Rampant Speculation, Rumors

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Mac Soda claims to have the scoop on a new type of embedded graphics chipset the (alleged) new MacBooks coming out next month will be sporting.

“YAWN! Embedded graphics again? Who cares?” you say? Well, yeah, but according to their sources, Apple is ditching Intel’s chipset in favor of one from a more reputable graphics card maker â€“ namely, NVIDIA.

â€œMCP7A-U is the top class chipset in the MCP7A family. Though it could be named as GeForce 9XXX, it will be come the first mainstream uATX mobo with DDR3-1333 support. Sources inform us the MCP7A-U will be the â€œfastest mGPUâ€, but who knows.â€

Hmmm… a board with HDMI support in a MacBook? Seems like one of those features that I wouldn’t mind having just because I can but I would never actually use. I think I hooked my MacBook to my TV a grand total of once to watch an episode of Dexter while on vacation. Although I suppose it adds some fuel to the Blu-ray support coming in 10.5.6 update rumor. Of course, somehow I doubt we’ll be seeing a Blu-ray drive in a MacBook when Apple won’t let go of the damn Combo Drive model! (Sorry, I can’t let this go).

I’d just be happy if this new graphics chip can handle running Photo Booth with the roller coaster background playing. Now THAT would be a reason to upgrade!

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Comments

6 Comments on MacBooks getting a sizable graphics boost next month?

caleb on Fri, 19th Sep 2008 11:05 am

I’ve hooked my macbook up to a TV more times than I’ve used it to burn a cd. So yeah I’ll go for the graphics update. It’s be nice to have a system that can play a YouTube video without the fan coming on full.

Phelix on Fri, 19th Sep 2008 11:43 am

I totally agree..

The only time I use the slot drive is for games and burning photos.

While the GPU, well… that’s always in use.

So I would leave the Blu-Ray in the MBP and make the MB experience better with a decent GPU

dPeace on Fri, 19th Sep 2008 1:59 pm

i’m down if it will speed up Aperture. dP.

darrell on Fri, 19th Sep 2008 7:46 pm

they could incorporate this into other hardware as well… and it’s gonna be one fast mac mini!

facelift on Sat, 20th Sep 2008 11:27 am

@caleb
Unfortunately the “fan on full due to flash video” isn’t an issue only with embedded graphics cards. I’m fairly certain it’s an overall OS X problem. My MacBook Pro also races its fans when it encounters flash video, and so does my work iMac (Core 2 Duo white one). Both of them have dedicated graphics cards, not integrated ones. Strangely enough, when running Windows via Boot Camp, the fans stay normal.

Jon Hancock on Thu, 2nd Oct 2008 4:25 pm

That’s because Adobe has done a pee poor job of writing flash support on OSX, something Apple has always been cheesed off at them for- so Flash video on the desktop takes disproportionate CPU cycles.

Why do you think Apple is stiffing Flash on the iPhone, anyway? ;^)

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