[warra]

Do the intel core duos in the the macbooks have an L3 cache?

[Velocity211]

Nope, only L2.

[warra]

what about the macbook pro? i remember the 15 and 17 inch powerbook had L3.

[kylemacr]

Processor and Memory
* 15-inch MacBook Pro:
o Intel 2.0 or 2.16GHz Intel Core Duo processor, 2MB on chip shared L2 cache running 1:1 with processor speed
o 512MB (single SODIMM) of PC2-5300 (667MHz) DDR2 memory on 2.0GHz configuration; and 1GB (single SODIMM) on 2.16GHz configuration; two SODIMM slots support up to 2GB
o 667MHz frontside bus
* 17-inch MacBook Pro:
o 2.16GHz Intel Core Duo processor, 2MB on chip shared L2 cache running 1:1 with processor speed
o 1GB (single SODIMM) of PC2-5300 (667MHz) DDR2 memory
o 667MHz frontside bus

I don't see L3 so I'll go with a no

[mduell]

The Intel chips have as much L2 (faster) cache as the G4s ever had L3 (slower).
Chips coming in August will double that.

[Velocity211]

Originally Posted by warra

i remember the 15 and 17 inch powerbook had L3.

Only titanium Powerbook had 1MB L3 cache.

[warra]

so an older powerpc processor had an L3 cache? whats the deal?

[ibookuser2]

As mduell already mentioned, L3 cache is slower than L2 cache, and significantly so. The older PowerPC chips had small amounts of L2 cache, and the large L3 cache to compensate. The newer chips now have a large L2 cache, so the L3 cache isn't as necessary.

[bloodline]

An L3 cache would cripple a modern highspeed CPU like the Core duo... the PPC needed it because the bus was so sloooooooooow... Remember the L2 is on the CPU die and so VERY fast... the PPC's L3 was external to the CPU and actually MUCH MUCH slower than the DDR2 ram in current MBPs.

[hldan]

Originally Posted by Velocity211

Only titanium Powerbook had 1MB L3 cache.

As well as the first generation 17" 1Ghz PowerBook. Rev B of this machine began with 512 L2 cache and no L3.