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Apple going AMD?

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Randyman... said:
http://www.macrumors.com/2010/04/16/apple-considering-adopting-amd-processors-for-upcoming-macs/

Hmm. Just read about this a few minutes ago. What cha think? Good for AMD but bad for Apple (with Intel PC's slaughtering them).

Please move if in the wrong forum - thx...

:cool:
Click to expand...

bad for every one, bad for amd because they'll be tied in with apple, bad for intel because amd will encroach on their "numbers" of units sold, bad for every one on the planet because that AMD chip will cost 10 times more when you buy it in an apple and it really wont do any better than a home bulit computer running fancy pants linux.

kinda how the intels in apples arent any better than intels you can buy, plug into a non propriotary mobo and run fancy pants linux on it now.

apple needs to go back to using their own processors, their own processors made them good at specific tasks. apple using standard components (in a on standard formfactor) hasnt gained them any thing but lower performance for those same tasks and they still suck for gaming
 
I've seen Apple play this game in the past too, especially around the time they were starting to look at going away from PPC to the x86 arch. There were rumors of Tbred (or Tbird, I don't remember) systems running OSX back during the time of the G4 and G5 machines. I think it's just a ploy by Apple (if true) to get Intel to give a little better rice break to Apple.
 
AMD chips are cheaper, is this correct maybe that's why there buying them, also I heard intel cant meet the demand that apple needs.:)
 
Niku-Sama said:
apple needs to go back to using their own processors, their own processors made them good at specific tasks. apple using standard components (in a on standard formfactor) hasnt gained them any thing but lower performance for those same tasks and they still suck for gaming
Click to expand...

What are you talking about? Apple has never used their own processors in a desktop or laptop. They started (with the Mac line) using Motorola's 680x0 line of processors and then transitioned to IBM' PowerPC line before switching to Intel. Even the Apple I and II used the 6500 series processor.

Of course, you know this, so I fail to see your point...
 
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Apple loves the idea of the fusion architecture. They got mad at Nvidia for a lot of overheating and shotty integrated GPUs in the last few quarters, and Intel is very expensive. Fusion will theoretically solve both those problems and moreso Apple loves power efficiency, which Fusion is all about.

But I'm just tired of hearing about Apple, they got about 50% of tech headlines in the last 6 months. Grrrrrrrr
 
MarkS said:
What are you talking about? Apple has never used their own processors in a desktop or laptop. They started (with the Mac line) using Motorola's 680x0 line of processors and then transitioned to IBM' PowerPC line before switching to Intel. Even the Apple I and II used the 6500 series processor.

Of course, you know this, so I fail to see your point...
Click to expand...

no one else really used those processors except when you get to 6502, then alot of things used them but at the same time back then the 6502 wasnt really any better than the rest of the processors out on the market.

it was early home computer market and all were severly limited but they had to start some place

my basic point is an apple using an intel processor and running a fancy linux isnt any faster than a home bulit intel running linux
 
The consumers won't see any difference in price. Its going to be the same system with the same name with the same (or higher) price tag. The only macs i've ever owned I either got for free or for a substantially lower price from ebay (though all of mine are motorola and ibm powerpc line G3/G4)
 
If it happens its due to them wanting a bigger profit margin. They'd probably restrict it to Mac Minis and Low end Macbooks.
 
I could see them using AMD for the next MBP13 line, or the Macbooks, or maybe even the Mac Mini. Drop the cost down a little and boost profits at the same time, go for an AMD/ATi solution (no licensing issues) which ought to perform pretty well and fit in a 13in unit where an Nvidia/Intel solution wont.

I really don't see desktop machines using the AMD chips though - unless Apple are looking at massively multicore AMD chips (12+ cores on the horizon?) for the Mac Pro.
 
wingman99 said:
AMD chips are cheaper, is this correct maybe that's why there buying them, also I heard intel cant meet the demand that apple needs.:)
Click to expand...
Ironic now isnt it to hear that rumor? since Apple went with intel in the first place because apple stated AMD couldnt meet their demand. i find it hard that intel wouldnt be able to meet apples demand. since most of the high end workstations for apple got the newest high end xeon before the rest of the market did.

David said:
I really don't see desktop machines using the AMD chips though - unless Apple are looking at massively multicore AMD chips (12+ cores on the horizon?) for the Mac Pro.
Click to expand...
maybe but when AMD has 12+cores out there you dont think intel wont either? what about the fact those intel 12+ core will more then likely have HT as well.


If apple is smart, which they are with somethings. for the laptops they should be going for the highest work per watt cpu/gpu combo's they can. which does look like fusion right now but didnt amd say fusion was suppose to be out a while ago(i dont recall)? By the time fusion hits, who is to say intel's newest video tech wont be able to keep up with the fusion video portion? to many what if's going on for apple to have a really clear idea who to go with the different lines they sell. with apples buying power though, im sure they could get intel to lower the cost of the cpu/1k a bit for them.
 
David said:
Drop the cost down a little and boost profits at the same time, ...
Click to expand...

I think this is the focus of their future market strategy. Over the past few years Mac prices have been slowly coming down and starting to get in the ball park pricing range of PCs. I would imagine Apple is losing a lot of sales just because Macs are so dam expensive. Everyone knows that in most applications AMD gives you the most flops for the buck, and I think Apple plans to take advantage of that to lower their product costs.
 
Evilsizer said:
Ironic now isnt it to hear that rumor? since Apple went with intel in the first place because apple stated AMD couldnt meet their demand. i find it hard that intel wouldnt be able to meet apples demand. since most of the high end workstations for apple got the newest high end xeon before the rest of the market did.
Click to expand...

I will see if i can track it down. It came from my brother-in-law he is a apple fanatic.
 
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Evilsizer said:
Ironic now isnt it to hear that rumor? since Apple went with intel in the first place because apple stated AMD couldnt meet their demand. i find it hard that intel wouldnt be able to meet apples demand. since most of the high end workstations for apple got the newest high end xeon before the rest of the market did.
Click to expand...


LINK:http://www.macrumors.com/2010/04/16/apple-considering-adopting-amd-processors-for-upcoming-macs/
QUOTE:AppleInsider reports that Apple and AMD are in "advanced discussions" to bring the chipmaker's processors to upcoming Macs, potentially breaking the exclusive relationship Apple has held with Intel since moving away from PowerPC processors in 2006.
Representatives for the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based AMD have recently been seen on Apple's Commuter Coach buses, and executives for the chipmaker have been spotted on their way out of meetings with members of Apple's top brass, according to people familiar with the matter.

The meetings have reportedly included briefings by AMD that have since enabled Apple to begin working with AMD processors in its labs as part of an initiative to position the chips inside some of the company's forthcoming products.

According to the report, Apple is looking at using AMD's chips in its Mac lines, seeking to increase its flexibility for sourcing chips going forward. In particular, recent shortages of new notebook chips from Intel that reportedly led to a delay in the release of new MacBook Pros and licensing issues that have hindered graphics chipmaker NVIDIA's ability to work with Intel's processors have reportedly caused Apple to adopt a growing sense of dissatisfaction with Intel.

AMD's chip offerings are currently considered subpar when compared to those from Intel, but the report suggests that lower pricing and the ability to bundle AMD processors with ATI graphics chips (ATI is owned by AMD) as possible reasons for bringing a switch under consideration. In addition, Apple may have inside knowledge of forthcoming offerings from AMD that could make the chipmaker more competitive with Intel, or AMD might be more willing to offer custom solutions for Apple than Intel currently is. Finally, the report concedes that the talks could simply be a leveraging tool to assist Apple in its dealings with Intel.
 
wingman99 said:
LINK:http://www.macrumors.com/2010/04/16/apple-considering-adopting-amd-processors-for-upcoming-macs/
QUOTE:AppleInsider reports that Apple and AMD are in "advanced discussions" to bring the chipmaker's processors to upcoming Macs, potentially breaking the exclusive relationship Apple has held with Intel since moving away from PowerPC processors in 2006.---
---. Finally, the report concedes that the talks could simply be a leveraging tool to assist Apple in its dealings with Intel.
Click to expand...

Apple doesn't stay too 'warm & fuzzy' with business partners, which is a tactic that keeps the competitive edge sharp.
 
Mr.Guvernment said:
Um, if intel cant meet their needs, AMD sure as heck wont be able to.
Click to expand...

Amd is actually showing impressive yields on their 45nm SOI technology. I'm not going to go as far as saying it is better than intel's, but with intel moving to 32nm and all, they might have begun already to halt production on some of the 45nm line. Companies don't want us buying old tech anymore. It's just not profitable.

With that said, Apple just became one of the companies I don't capitalize the beginning letter of (just like the i word). I mean, it is a solid investment for Amd, but it's just another reason I will never buy an apple product. I am willing to bet that the price drops from intel to Amd systems will in no way correspond to the actual savings on apple's half.
 
If i recall correctly, AMD's working on their own version of HT as well, so odds are everybodies 12 core chips will have it.
That said, AMD's 12 core server chip is here now, and intels isn't.
 
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