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spblat · 09:22 PM

Hi all,

I've gone a few years without Mac OS in my life, and have finally convinced my PC-centric company to let me switch to a MacBook. My order was placed last week, and I'm told to expect a 2-4 week manufacturing delay. I'm looking for opinions (since few if any facts are yet available) on the following:

What is the likelihood that my MacBook is being delayed so that they can dump in a Merom processor without any action on my part?
If I get a MacBook as ordered (no Merom), how easily can I get the book retrofitted with Merom once it's available?
Should I cancel or delay my order for a few weeks to make sure I get Merom?

Thanks in advance. I'm back to the Mac!

mduell · Aug 27, 2006, 09:54 PM

1. 35 (in favor) / 65 (against)
2. Requires logic board replacement (CPU is soldered on).
3. I would, if you have a system to use in the meantime.

ak1nza · Aug 28, 2006, 03:59 AM

Re #3:

They might not come out with Merom for the Macbook just yet. Who knows. If you cancel and you wait a month and they don't release the MB, then you've just made yourself wait one month. Who knows if you order it at that time, the Merom could be released in a few weeks.

The bottom line is if you purchase now and can live without Merom then do it. If you can wait for Merom, wait.

acoustix · Aug 28, 2006, 10:28 AM

There is only a reported 15-20% speed increase for Merom, and no guarantee that it is even going to be put in the MacBook anytime soon (MacBook Pro for sure when it becomes available)
I am running 2 Gigs of memory on a new MacBook and it is smoking (not literally....)

harrisjamieh · Aug 28, 2006, 02:29 PM

I have two veiws on this;

1) Apple have always been about keeping the pro lines better than the consumer lines, and keeping the MBs yonah while the Pros move on to Merom will certainly do that.

2) On the other hand, now Apple have moved to Intel, there is no more hiding behind the 'megahertz myth', as everyday consumers can directly compare Apples to PCs... clock for clock, processor for processor. If Apple starts to lag behind with their consumer machine, people will notice.

AHDuke99 · Aug 28, 2006, 08:45 PM

they will most likely bump them both .. the macbooks will just have lower clock speeds.

mousehouse · Aug 29, 2006, 04:13 AM

Not bumping the MacBook to Merom will lilely make it the only 32-bit machine in the line-up. Not very likely with the upcoming release of Leopard... Waiting until new chipsets are available is also unlikely as the CPU is pin-compatible with the current Yonah, and it would seriously hurt on the marketing-side I believe.

Gamoe · Aug 29, 2006, 06:07 AM

Originally Posted by AHDuke99

they will most likely bump them both .. the macbooks will just have lower clock speeds.

I agree this is the most likely (and hopeful) realistic expectation.

If you're going to have problems at work because you cancel, or don't really care much about Merom then I'd recommend that you don't cancel it. On the other hand, if canceling a waiting a bit is no problem then why not? Isn't waiting a few weeks or a month worth a possible upgrade?

houstonmacbro · Sep 2, 2006, 05:57 AM

i'm kinda waiting for macbook meroms too ... just trying to see if there are any 'rumors' about when we should expect them.

i figure since they put yonahs in both macbooks and mbps they would do the same with merom?

rhashem · Sep 2, 2006, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by harrisjamieh

I have two veiws on this;

1) Apple have always been about keeping the pro lines better than the consumer lines, and keeping the MBs yonah while the Pros move on to Merom will certainly do that.

2) On the other hand, now Apple have moved to Intel, there is no more hiding behind the 'megahertz myth', as everyday consumers can directly compare Apples to PCs... clock for clock, processor for processor. If Apple starts to lag behind with their consumer machine, people will notice.

(2) is the correct one. Under Apple's old pricing policy, we'd never have seen Core Duos in the Macbooks. Under their new one, the Macbook is just a couple of bins below the MBP.

If Apple has any sense, the Macbook will get Merom about when Dell puts it in their $1000-$1500 laptops.

mduell · Sep 2, 2006, 09:55 PM

Originally Posted by rhashem

If Apple has any sense, the Macbook will get Merom about when Dell puts it in their $1000-$1500 laptops.

Core 2 Duo is already in Dell's $729 laptops (E1505 with T5500).

spblat · Sep 3, 2006, 01:44 AM

Thanks guys. I asked my supplier the same question last week (after being told to expect a 2-4 week delay), and we decided to move forward with the order.

The good news and the bad news is that now I've been told to expect a 33 LB package this Thursday; it's in the FedEx system now. I guess it's mostly good news. Bird in the hand eh?

goMac · Sep 3, 2006, 02:04 AM

Originally Posted by spblat

[*]If I get a MacBook as ordered (no Merom), how easily can I get the book retrofitted with Merom once it's available?

Depends. As other posters have mentioned it's soldered on. However, that didn't stop 3rd party companies from offering Powerbook upgrades. My guess is someone will offer Core 2 Duo upgrades.

Simon · Sep 3, 2006, 02:41 AM

Originally Posted by mduell

Core 2 Duo is already in Dell's $729 laptops (E1505 with T5500).

That's the cheapest 2MB Merom there is nota bene. What's their price if you exchange that T5500 for a 4MB 2.0 GHz T7200? That said, I'd rather have a 2GHz Yonah than a 1.6 GHz Merom.

mduell · Sep 3, 2006, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by Simon

That's the cheapest 2MB Merom there is nota bene. What's their price if you exchange that T5500 for a 4MB 2.0 GHz T7200? That said, I'd rather have a 2GHz Yonah than a 1.6 GHz Merom.

T7200 makes it $854.

Simon · Sep 4, 2006, 01:43 AM

Ooooh, $125 for a chip that's $85 more expensive. I know another company that does that.

mduell · Sep 4, 2006, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by Simon

Ooooh, $125 for a chip that's $85 more expensive. I know another company that does that.

$40 pales in comparison to Apple's $100-250 per chip markups.

MattJeff · Sep 4, 2006, 12:27 PM

its the battle of the "Addicted to MacNN" when you refer to the 2MB and 4MB are you talking about memory?

mduell · Sep 4, 2006, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by MattJeff

its the battle of the "Addicted to MacNN" when you refer to the 2MB and 4MB are you talking about memory?

We're talking L2 CPU cache. The two low-end Core 2 Duo chips (in both the desktop and mobile lines) have 2MB L2 cache, while the higher end chips have 4MB. Here's a benchmark summary of the performance difference from the upgraded cache: AnandTech: Intel's Core 2 Extreme & Core 2 Duo: The Empire Strikes Back (they used an underclocked 4MB chip to make cache the only variable)

tarmik · Sep 4, 2006, 04:52 PM

will prices stay the same, when macbook gets merom?

skitzogreg · Sep 4, 2006, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by tarmik

will prices stay the same, when macbook gets merom?

More than likely.

mduell · Sep 4, 2006, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by tarmik

will prices stay the same, when macbook gets merom?

Merom prices are the same as Yonah at the same clockrate (within a dollar). So Apple could keep the same exact configuration and make it cheaper (since component prices have fallen since the MB launched), upgrade the CPU and keep the price the same, or upgrade the rest of the system (hard disk, optical disk, and/or RAM) and keep the price the same.

spblat · 02:56 PM

Mac Minis and iMacs are now all available with Core Duo. I'm still waiting for my MacBook. Boy, will I feel left out if it's only got a blazing fast Core Duo instead of a blazing faster Core 2 Duo!

EDIT: (oops, they're just Core [1] Duo, thanks Big Mac. I'm trying hard to mellow out. But it's not easy!)

Big Mac · Sep 6, 2006, 02:47 PM

The Mac mini got a clock speed bump but is still Core Duo.