[hldan]

Hi I just bought the new iMac 24" 2.8 Ghz but I have looked on Intel's website and the link below is an announcement about the new Core 2 Extreme and all the info about this chipset mentions a 2.6 Ghz clock rate based on the merom architecture. So is Apple overclocking or is this a different processor?
Legit Reviews - Intel Launches The Core 2 Extreme Mobile Processor X7800 - Extreme Mobile Processors Arrive

[mduell]

It's a 2.8Ghz X7900 fresh from the factory. Like the 3Ghz quad Xeons, it seems that Apple is getting some chips before the rest of the market.

[hldan]

Originally Posted by mduell 

It's a 2.8Ghz X7900 fresh from the factory. Like the 3Ghz quad Xeons, it seems that Apple is getting some chips before the rest of the market.

Nice! Apple has finally gotten ahead of the game. I remember the days where Apple's G4 speed bumps couldn't keep up with those Wintels and until recently they have been slow at processor upgrades. This is great news. I will report back with how well this baby operates, that is when it arrives, Apple's ship date for me is Aug 27th.

[zerock]

i want one of these! how is it?

[Simon]

The Merom XE currently selling is the X7800 at 2.6 GHz. The X7900 at 2.8 GHz will officially start selling next month. Apple is obviously getting some early production runs like they got Xeon X5365 ahead of everybody else in April. Obviously their good ties to Intel get them early deliveries from time to time.

Merom isn't overclockable, but Merom XE is because of its unlocked multipliers. I'm guessing Apple will suppress that on the iMac for thermal reasons, but I'd still like to see someone try and report on the results.

[hldan]

Sorry, accidental post. I realized Simon answered my question that on another post.

[CheesePuff]

The new iMac uses a Crestline chipset (which is part of the Santa Rosa platform).

The 2.8 GHz iMac uses a Merom XE CPU running on a Crestline chipset. There is absolutely no doubt about that.

-- this is taken from Simon's reponse in the "2.8 shows up as a Duo" thread.

[daystartech]

On the CPUs and early units for Apple...

Apple has most likely ironed out the same agreement they pushed through with Motorola (now Freescale). Apple puts in early orders. No one else can get shipments until Apple's backlog is met. This basically gets Apple a corner on the "latest" CPUs.

The practice, eliminated the ability for third party CPU upgrades to beat Apple to the punch. In the late 90's, the third party upgrade companies could get the fast early supplies, because Apple wouldn't commit to the small yields. After Jobs' return, they got smart. It looks like Apple is now using the same practice to basically carve out the niche for the fastest systems. But, customer's may pay the price in possible delays, if it is impossible for the CPU manufacturers to meet the demands.

[hldan]

Okay, so I know this is a little different from my first question but is it true that the 2.8Ghz iMac is overclockable? I have been reading articles that say this but no one has explained how it would be possible to clock it pass the 2.8 speed?

[mduell]

Originally Posted by hldan 

Okay, so I know this is a little different from my first question but is it true that the 2.8Ghz iMac is overclockable? I have been reading articles that say this but no one has explained how it would be possible to clock it pass the 2.8 speed?

Yes, the CPU is overclockable. But I doubt Apple would expose the settings for doing that in the firmware.

Originally Posted by daystartech 

Apple has most likely ironed out the same agreement they pushed through with Motorola (now Freescale). Apple puts in early orders. No one else can get shipments until Apple's backlog is met. This basically gets Apple a corner on the "latest" CPUs.

I don't think that Intel has signed an agreement with Apple to ensure that their backlog is met before every other OEMs; Dell and HP would raise hell if they did. I do think Intel is taking advantage of Apple's high profile, despite their size, to tout some of their high end chips that they're only producing in limited volumes due to yield.

[Simon]

Originally Posted by hldan 

Okay, so I know this is a little different from my first question but is it true that the 2.8Ghz iMac is overclockable? I have been reading articles that say this but no one has explained how it would be possible to clock it pass the 2.8 speed?

Contrary to 'regular' Meroms, Merom XE CPUs are overclockable because their multipliers are unlocked.

That however doesn't mean the 2.8 GHz iMac is overclockable. For thermal (and marketing!) reasons, I'd actually expect Apple to suppress that.