Think Secret has posted some information and pictures of the first x86 Mac development kits.
The article mentions that the CPU being used is a Pentium 4 640 (3.2GHz/2MB L2), which is what was demoed at WWDC. The system uses an Intel integrated graphics chipset, which I really hope doesn't extend far beyond the dev kits but I'm afraid it might. Apple has never had a chipset with integrated graphics before, so it wouldn't be too far fetched to see them jump on the idea of a truly cost effective graphics implementation. I am curious if the performance of Intel's integrated solution is enough for OS X's needs.
The other thing that's interesting is it lists the integrated graphics core used as a GMA 800 which, to my knowledge, has never existed on the PC. The GMA 900 was Intel's first core that they referred to as a Graphics Media Accelerator when it launched with the 915 chipset, before that was the Intel Extreme Graphics 2 technology in the 865G. So either the GMA 800 was a typo or it's some core that hasn't been used before (more than likely it's just a renamed graphics core from a different chipset).
The article mentions that the CPU being used is a Pentium 4 640 (3.2GHz/2MB L2), which is what was demoed at WWDC. The system uses an Intel integrated graphics chipset, which I really hope doesn't extend far beyond the dev kits but I'm afraid it might. Apple has never had a chipset with integrated graphics before, so it wouldn't be too far fetched to see them jump on the idea of a truly cost effective graphics implementation. I am curious if the performance of Intel's integrated solution is enough for OS X's needs.
The other thing that's interesting is it lists the integrated graphics core used as a GMA 800 which, to my knowledge, has never existed on the PC. The GMA 900 was Intel's first core that they referred to as a Graphics Media Accelerator when it launched with the 915 chipset, before that was the Intel Extreme Graphics 2 technology in the 865G. So either the GMA 800 was a typo or it's some core that hasn't been used before (more than likely it's just a renamed graphics core from a different chipset).
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Knobtweakers.net - Tuesday, July 12, 2005 - link
I'm very excited about this -- especially if the hardware is much less expensive, but what I'd really love to see is a portable that compares to a powerbook at about half the price.JQPublic - Friday, July 1, 2005 - link
#8...Bigger question and probable answer...why SHOULD they???
...Apple has always done their own thing...and there are some of us about in the crowd waiting to see this newer incarnetion of the Macintosh...for me it's likely to be the death-knell for purchasing Apple products...I don't buy intel for my PCs...I'm damned sure not going to buy them for my Macs...not unless Apple is going to manipulate Intel to drop all the crap like hardware based DRM they're trying to foist onto the PC world... and make a processor which runs cooler and as efficiently as a PPC...
...the last Intel products I purchased were a matched set of P-II 333Mhz to go on my server board...everything else has been Apple or AMD...
Aganack1 - Monday, June 27, 2005 - link
It didn't look to me that apple wasnt using BTX standard. Why wouldn't they?Mark Little - Friday, June 24, 2005 - link
Umm...I'm pretty sure that the processor used in all the x86 Apple Dev kits was a 3.6 GHz processor and not a 3.2 GHz. I could be wrong though.Ecgtheow - Friday, June 24, 2005 - link
I seriously doubt Apple will use Intel graphics in any of their machines. Or the BIOS for that matter.http://lists.apple.com/archives/Darwin-drivers/200...
Anonymous - Friday, June 24, 2005 - link
Heres a link to article for any one who ca't find ithttp://anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2453
Xboxer - Friday, June 24, 2005 - link
can't post on the original article...but i liked the article...learnt some new things about the X360 CPU (like helper cores)...seems like a balanced competition between the two...I think price is going to be the major issue...btw some things...e.g. X360 has a proprietary memory solutions as opposed to the SD-memory cards for PS3...I personally like the support for SD etc better...
Also, Anand you didn't answer my earlier question...the jack on the X360 controller...the one which MS is tight-lipped about...what do you think it could be used for?
Anonymous - Thursday, June 23, 2005 - link
I'm pretty sure its a typo on another website they state that the intergrated graphics is a GMA 900 which supports Quartz Extreme and their story is earlier than the one on Thinksecret but the details match up.http://www.spymac.com/forums/showthread.php?thread...
Anonymous - Thursday, June 23, 2005 - link
These are indeed "quick and dirty" dev kits, no wonder Apple wants them back next year.Hope ours arrives soon, though : )
eE
ksherman - Thursday, June 23, 2005 - link
I think it would be more acurate to say that this is a first look at the x86 dev kits... These are likely not representative of what they will be like, but that is just my opinion