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Quad-Core CPUs Fill Gap Left by Apple

Quad-Core CPUs Fill Gap Left by Apple

by , 2:50 PM EDT, April 30th, 2008

Quad-core PCs are starting to appear as prices come down and vendors seek to differentiate their new PCs from previous dual-core systems, according to C|Net on Tuesday. That differentiation also extends to Apple.

These quad-core processors use a 45 nanometer fabrication process and pack many more transistors than their dual-core predecessors.

For example, the new Hewlett-Packard s3430f desktop has an AMD low power quad-core processor, includes 4 GB of RAM, a 500 GB SATA hard disk and an Nvidia GeForce 8500 GT GPU, all for US$999.

While some of the kinks are still being worked out with Intel's Quad Q9xxx series, they too are on their way into PC desktops.


Hewlett-Packard s3430f w/quad-core

Of course, a quad-core processor, just like the dual-core CPUs, requires an OS that can handle multiple threads, via Symmetric MultiProcessing (SMP). Vista, the Linux 2.6 kernel, and Mac OS X since the beginning can do that, and desktop users who are heavy into multiple computing and/or video tasks can readily utilize the power of such a CPU. In addition, 4 GB of RAM is appearing as the consensus memory requirement for such quad-core systems.

So far, Apple has chosen to differentiate its consumer line, the iMac, from the professional line, via the number of cores and has stuck with two cores in the iMac. While the Intel Core 2 Duo/Penryn is a strong, 64-bit processor, power hungry PC users tend to fill in Apple's product line gap with high-powered desktop Windows game machines and Linux systems for computation and visualization.

Apple's only quad-core computer currently for sale, the low end Mac Pro, sells for a hefty US$2,299 and comes with only 2 GB of RAM standard. It weighs a whopping 42.4 pounds. While it has some serious professional-level features that don't make it into the newspaper-ad-oriented H-P $999 PCs, it still reflects a gap in Apple's product line that Hewlett-Packard seems to be getting better and better at exploiting lately. For example, the subcompact Mini-Note notebook announced earlier this month.

No doubt, when Apple and Intel have a low cost, iMac motherboard design that supports quad-core flawlessly for both Mac OS X and Windows in Boot Camp, we'll see the arrival of quad cores in that product line as well. Meanwhile, Hewlett-Packard isn't just sitting around.

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:cgrscott Posts: 26 Joined: 09 Oct 2006
Subject:

It always seems like Apple has always tried to keep the iMacs from jumping too far ahead of the best MacBook Pros. For that reason I don't expect Apple to go to four processing cores on the iMacs.

But I am remembering that Apple did ship a Dual Core G5 iMac while the single processor G4 Powerbooks were still shipping. This happened partially because the Powerbook G4 was behind the development curve since the G5 could not be manufactured into an efficient mobile chip for laptops.

Close Name:Bosco Posts: 1002 Joined: 03 Jun 2002
Subject: Weight of MacPro System

You try gathering up 4 billion transistors and see if they less than 42.4 pounds. I think Apple has done an amazing job. If it has a small screen, it would be just like the Mac Portable.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: There never was a dual-core G5 iMac...

I got the last G5 iMac model before they went to Intel (my friend at Apple was actually dropping really subtle hints I didn't recognize that I should wait, but I wanted PPC for classic compatibility anyway...) and it's single-core.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Thermals require *mobile* quad-core... (more)

Let's not forget, due to space and thermal constraints, Apple builds the iMac around *mobile* computing parts. So, quad-core won't be available for the iMac until Intel unveils its mobile quad-core processor (presumably this summer).
Apple seems to have adopted Intel's big-jump/little-jump "Tick/ Tock" strategy for product updates, so the next iMac revision should be huge: quad-cores, the Montevina chipset, even better graphics choices, and more... (27-inch screen, anyone?)

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

Quote
Guest wrote:
Let's not forget, due to space and thermal constraints, Apple builds the iMac around *mobile* computing parts. So, quad-core won't be available for the iMac until Intel unveils its mobile quad-core processor (presumably this summer).
Apple seems to have adopted Intel's big-jump/little-jump "Tick/ Tock" strategy for product updates, so the next iMac revision should be huge: quad-cores, the Montevina chipset, even better graphics choices, and more... (27-inch screen, anyone?)


They were talking about this yesterday:
(http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9080858)

Close Name:Tiger Posts: 1018 Joined: 17 Jun 2003
Subject: wow

single, double, quad.

Who cares, that HP is butt-ugly. I guess it's made for those desks where you hide the CPU out of sight.

Close Name:UpQuark Posts: 92 Joined: 26 Aug 2001
Subject: unfortunately,

The issue is price point here. That is a pretty cheap system in comparison to the low end Mac Pro. But I bet that HP would run Vista just fine! LOL

Close Name:cgrscott Posts: 26 Joined: 09 Oct 2006
Subject:

Yes you are right. I just checked everymac.com and sure enough. The last iMac G5s that shipped around the end of 2005 had iSight cameras and did not have Dual Core G5s.

Sorry about that. I'm getting to be delusional.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: $1000 Mac w/o monitor

This really does point out the gap between the Mac Mini and the Power Mac, even if this example is butt ugly.

Some of us just like to bring our own monitor to the table AND have a choice of video cards AND we don't need four hard drive bays, 8 memory slots, dual optical drives, four PCI slots and a 40 pound behemoth in the room.

iMacs are great—have one at home. Mac Pros are great—have one at home and the office. I can't believe that that isn't as big an audience for a "Demi Mac Pro" as there is for the MBA.

Close Name:bb-15 Posts: 20 Joined: 21 Aug 2007
Subject: $1000 Mac w/o monitor

guest wrote;

Quote
This really does point out the gap between the Mac Mini and the Power Mac, even if this example is butt ugly.
I see this as more of a Mac Mini problem. I realize that Apple does not think that a low end tower will make them money.

But the Mac Mini is their low end computer which allows the user to have their own monitor. But no Mac Mini has a graphics card? That is a big mistake and I've said so for years. Apple should offer a high end Mac Mini with an iMac video card. I realize this may need a case redesign but this product is needed badly imo.

BB

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