[P]

Anand has posted preview of Sandy Bridge (next Intel CPU architechture) that I think it well worth a read. I'm posting it here in the iMac forum, because those were the CPUs he tested, but it applies as much to the MBPs.

In short:

• First launch is the "Mainstream" and "Transactional" segment, what's currently in the iMacs, and main availability is Q1 2011.
• Nothing is planned for the "Performance" segment, what the MP uses. Sorry, but you'll be stuck with what you have for some time yet.
• EDIT: The naming is just as crazy as before. i5 can be quad without HT or dual with HT. i3 is always dual with HT, i7 always quad with HT, and that's all we know for now.
• The pricing means that you get quads one notch lower in the scale (all through Mainstream) but still duals in the i3 segment. The iMac will stay with quads at the top and a dual at the bottom, but might get quads in the two middle models.
• Changes are mainly that the duals get the integrated memory controller (IMC) from the quads, the quads get the encryption stuff from the duals, both get AVX (sort of like Altivec) and both get a new GPU
• Performance is up about 15% clock-for-clock compared to the current quads. Boost will be larger for current duals, as they don't have the IMC today, and the clocks are up some as well.
• GPU performance of the sample was around a Radeon 5450, ie almost up to 320M levels, but Intel is apparently prepping a model with twice the GPU power as well. For diesize reasons, I'm guessing that that will be a dualcore model. This looks like a good fit for the MB, the mini and maybe bottom MBP, with faster, bigger MBPs getting quads or faster duals and discrete graphics.
• Idle power stays the same as current quads, implying that Intel has a handle on 32nm leakage current, and load power is dropping according to plan. The lower TDP means that Apple can probably fit one in the 21.5" iMac.

[shawmanus]

With 45w and 65w quad cores Apple could go all quad with iMac.

I only wish there were 35w quad core so that MBP would also go quad.

[P]

Apple could go all quad TDP-wise, but I don't think they will. If they stay on the same price level for the CPUs, the bottom model will stay a dual.

35W was what the top Core 2 CPUs used to be, but the entire platform (including chipset) was 45W TDP. Since the Northbridge is now on the CPU, the 45W include that, and you only need to add a tiny ~1.5W for the PCH. This means that even the power-efficient desktop quads would technically fit in the MBP (if at 2.3GHz). There hasn't been any leaks of the mobiles that I've heard of, but I think it's safe to say that Intel will manage to fit a quite capable mobile quad into 45W, and that Apple is likely to opt for it at least in the 17".

[P]

The mobile roadmap has been presented as well, however without any tests. In short:

• All mobile chips have the more powerful 12EU GPU.
• 45W quad is available up to 2.3 GHz - much better than 1.73
• All chips support DDR3-1600. Possibly this is also for graphics performance reasons.

I'd say a quad in the 17" is very likely, but more than that is doubtful.