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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > New MacBook Pros

New MacBook Pros (Page 4)
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Simon  (op)
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Jun 16, 2009, 02:57 AM
 
Originally Posted by jokell82 View Post
No. If you did that the SSD would still have the 1.5Gb interface.
How do you know? Link?
     
Simon  (op)
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Jun 16, 2009, 02:59 AM
 
Apparently the throttling happens in firmware/hardware, but not at an OS level.

Originally Posted by HardMac
In order to eliminate a potential link to a Mac OS X version, we cloned the special build (9J3050) shipped with the new MBP 15" 3.06 GHz, and installed it on the MBP Unibody Rev1: SATA port was then identified as 3 Gbits/s.
Hardmac.com : New MacBook Pro Limited 1.5 Gbits/s SATA Bus: Follow-up
     
Veltliner
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Jun 16, 2009, 04:45 AM
 
Originally Posted by Simon View Post
Apparently the throttling happens in firmware/hardware, but not at an OS level.



Hardmac.com : New MacBook Pro Limited 1.5 Gbits/s SATA Bus: Follow-up
I wonder why Apple is doing this.

Are they scared we'd speed on our SATA ports, drive our computers into a ditch, and they'd lose customers to accidental death?
     
Big Mac
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Jun 16, 2009, 05:15 AM
 
Using crappier components in supposed pro machines in order to eek out extra profit margin, compensating for the more aggressive pricing?

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Simon  (op)
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Jun 16, 2009, 05:19 AM
 
I'm not so sure about that. The chipset already supports 3Gbps so I don't see Apple making any savings due to this decision.

What I wonder if it's maybe a firmware setting they apply for HDD models in order to save power and gain battery life. I don't know how much power this would save though. Just a thought.
     
Big Mac
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Jun 16, 2009, 05:38 AM
 
That was just a guess on my part.

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jokell82
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Jun 16, 2009, 07:06 AM
 
Originally Posted by Simon View Post
How do you know? Link?
Because the alternative doesn't make any sense? The OS has no idea what type of drive you're hooking up to it. And unless the new MBPs are running a special version of Leopard, there's currently no option in the system preferences to tell the OS what type of drive you have.

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Spheric Harlot
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Jun 16, 2009, 08:20 AM
 
Originally Posted by Big Mac View Post
Using crappier components in supposed pro machines in order to eek out extra profit margin, compensating for the more aggressive pricing?
My guess is on power savings.

The new machines run quite a bit longer than would be explicable through the higher battery capacity alone.
     
Simon  (op)
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Jun 16, 2009, 08:43 AM
 
Originally Posted by jokell82 View Post
The OS has no idea what type of drive you're hooking up to it.
Bzzt.

Better luck next time.
     
Big Mac
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Jun 16, 2009, 09:00 AM
 
Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot View Post
My guess is on power savings.

The new machines run quite a bit longer than would be explicable through the higher battery capacity alone.
Would marginally slowing a bus interface really provide appreciable savings?

"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
     
Spheric Harlot
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Jun 16, 2009, 09:03 AM
 
Cutting the bus speed in half isn't quite "marginal", and if it allows the bus controller to run at 50% clock speed - in combination with three dozen other power adjustments, I'd imagine the sum of such modifications *does* make an appreciable difference.
     
Simon  (op)
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Jun 16, 2009, 09:10 AM
 
SATA bus speed != FSB or memory bus speed

I wouldn't rule out power savings as the motivation*, but from all the chipset specs I've seen so far I find it hard to imagine that halving the SATA bandwidth would have such a significant influence on the power consumption of the entire MCP79 chipset.


*) the problem with dismissing power savings is that all the other guesses I've heard so far make even less sense IMHO.
     
Big Mac
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Jun 16, 2009, 09:37 AM
 
Curious and curiouser.

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goMac
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Jun 16, 2009, 12:19 PM
 
A few things...

First, despite reports, Macbook Pros with SSD shipped from Apple are still shipping with a SATA1 enabled bus:
Mac Forums - View Single Post - 13" Mbp Only 1.5gb Sata ? - Added Some Benchmarks

Second, this appears to be unintentional. Apple is slowly starting to put executive relations on the case, and Disk Utility identifies any drive hooked up as being on a SATA2 bus.

The power savings of doing such a thing are so minimal as to be completely unimportant. This is less than a quarter of a watt most likely.

The chipset version is the exact same down to the revision as the last Macbook Pros, so it's likely not hardware.

Likely some Apple engineer forgot to flip a bit in the firmware.
8 Core 2.8 ghz Mac Pro/GF8800/2 23" Cinema Displays, 3.06 ghz Macbook Pro
Once you wanted revolution, now you're the institution, how's it feel to be the man?
     
Simon  (op)
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Jun 16, 2009, 12:25 PM
 
SATA2 is a misnomer. It's both SATA. In one case it's running at 1.5 Gbps, in the other at 3 Gbps.

Flip a bit in firmware, eh?
     
iomatic
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Jun 16, 2009, 01:36 PM
 
I bet it's all just an engineering glitch, and it's fixed quietly in a software/firmware update, and all the whiny babies (who don't even fricking have one, nor will even push 3.0Gbits) will finally just STFU already (referring to the MacRumors thread).
     
Big Mac
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Jun 16, 2009, 01:45 PM
 
Yeah, then we can all go back to the primary bitching about removing the EC slot in favor of SD.

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iomatic
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Jun 16, 2009, 02:17 PM
 
Then, after we realize only two of you actually use it, we can go on bitching about Windows 7.
     
Simon  (op)
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Jun 16, 2009, 02:25 PM
 
But once we realize only two of them use Windows 7, we can go back to bitching about the dropped EC slot.
     
polendo
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Jun 16, 2009, 03:34 PM
 
LOL! the issue is to argue.
     
amazing
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Jun 16, 2009, 04:31 PM
 
I've been concerned about a drop in argumentative behavior on the forums lately.

Glad to see it's back??
     
Eug
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Jun 16, 2009, 09:57 PM
 
So, I picked up my stock entry-level MBP today. The illuminated keyboard rocks. The SD slot is useless to me. Well, maybe when they get to 64 GB for under $50 I'll buy one for Time Machine backups.

The Apple sales guy was quite perturbed about the loss of the ExpressCard slot in the 15". He says he uses it, and doesn't want the 17". I asked what he uses it for, and he said eSATA.

Anyways, a question about the 13":

Those of you previous 13" Unibody owners: Any need to have a protector between the keyboard and the screen? With the iBooks, the keyboard would mark up the screen. I don't see that happening with the MacBook Pro 13", but I thought I'd ask. I was a little worried about that with the 13" white because of the flex in the plastic, so I did use a protector for the 13" white, but I'm not sure if I actually needed it.
     
SamGuy
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Jun 16, 2009, 10:27 PM
 
Originally Posted by Eug View Post
So, I picked up my stock entry-level MBP today. The illuminated keyboard rocks. The SD slot is useless to me. Well, maybe when they get to 64 GB for under $50 I'll buy one for Time Machine backups.

The Apple sales guy was quite perturbed about the loss of the ExpressCard slot in the 15". He says he uses it, and doesn't want the 17". I asked what he uses it for, and he said eSATA.

Anyways, a question about the 13":

Those of you previous 13" Unibody owners: Any need to have a protector between the keyboard and the screen? With the iBooks, the keyboard would mark up the screen. I don't see that happening with the MacBook Pro 13", but I thought I'd ask. I was a little worried about that with the 13" white because of the flex in the plastic, so I did use a protector for the 13" white, but I'm not sure if I actually needed it.
I've seen a few of the unibodies with keyboard marked up screens. but the marks always wiped off. Yay glass!

I toss a half sheet of paper towel over my keyboard when transporting anyway. i kept my original screen protector on my original macbook for almost 3 years.
     
SamGuy
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Jun 16, 2009, 10:30 PM
 
Originally Posted by amazing View Post
Gizmodo, at least, is saying that the new screen is better.

Gizmodo - MacBook Pro 2009 Review - Macbook pro review

The improvement in battery life is substantial and very welcome!
they're also comparing the 2009 13" macbook pros to the screens of the original unibody macbooks (not the higher-quality screens apple started shipping in unibodies starting in april)
     
c.os
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Jun 17, 2009, 09:54 AM
 
New guy here, hello!

Anyway, to those that may have bought the new 13inch MBP, what are your reviews/opinion on it? I bought the mid-range white macbook last year but I am considering buying the new 13inch now. I can avail of the back to school student offer for the iPod touch and then sell this to reduce the laptop cost! Must just offload my macbook first. So to anybody who has bought the new 13inch, would you recommend it?
     
Eug
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Jun 17, 2009, 10:26 AM
 
Originally Posted by c.os View Post
New guy here, hello!

Anyway, to those that may have bought the new 13inch MBP, what are your reviews/opinion on it? I bought the mid-range white macbook last year but I am considering buying the new 13inch now. I can avail of the back to school student offer for the iPod touch and then sell this to reduce the laptop cost! Must just offload my macbook first. So to anybody who has bought the new 13inch, would you recommend it?
Yes.

I too bought the white last time because the last low end Unibody sucked for the price and didn't have Firewire.

The new Unibody brings:

1) Firewire
2) Illuminated keyboard
3) Way better battery life
4) Good price
Etc.
     
Spheric Harlot
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Jun 17, 2009, 12:34 PM
 
DECENT DISPLAY.

Saw one in person today for the first time, and I must say, I'm impressed.

This is my next machine, just as soon as I sell off my BlackBook.
     
mduell
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Jun 17, 2009, 02:58 PM
 
I wonder if the new logic board design is marginal for 3.0Gb/s signaling so the "defective" boards revert to a slower speed if they can't negotiate at 3.0.

I need to brush up on the SATA spec.
( Last edited by mduell; Jun 17, 2009 at 07:54 PM. )
     
Big Mac
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Jun 17, 2009, 04:43 PM
 
Sounds plausible.

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imitchellg5
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Jun 17, 2009, 05:07 PM
 
Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot View Post
DECENT DISPLAY.

Saw one in person today for the first time, and I must say, I'm impressed.

This is my next machine, just as soon as I sell off my BlackBook.
Side by side I can't tell the difference at all between my last rev and the new ones. Maybe I'd have to get them in a darker environment or something.
     
iomatic
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Jun 17, 2009, 06:16 PM
 
It looks as good as my previous-generation MacBook Air. HAWT!!!

I got a time-out at MacRumors. Apparently, I'm the one trolling; of course I HAVE ONE and am QUALIFIED to discuss it. Meh. Whatevs.
     
Eug
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Jun 17, 2009, 10:09 PM
 
Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot View Post
DECENT DISPLAY.

Saw one in person today for the first time, and I must say, I'm impressed.

This is my next machine, just as soon as I sell off my BlackBook.
Apparently the display is the same as the one the previous Unibodys got after a silent update.
     
CreepDogg
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Jun 18, 2009, 02:15 PM
 
Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot View Post
DECENT DISPLAY.

Saw one in person today for the first time, and I must say, I'm impressed.

This is my next machine, just as soon as I sell off my BlackBook.
I saw one in person last weekend and concur - the angles and color depth are much better than on the previous 13" unibody.

Mine is with FedEx now. A new 24" ACD is waiting for it when it arrives. Almost time to sell my 20" C2D white iMac!
     
iomatic
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Jun 19, 2009, 01:43 PM
 
I'm stoked that my previous gen (unfortunately, LCD) 23" ACD has a FireWire hub. W00t!
     
jokell82
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Jun 19, 2009, 01:59 PM
 
Well my MBP arrived today with the 256Gb SSD drive - 1.5Gb SATA interface.

All glory to the hypnotoad.
     
SamGuy
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Jun 22, 2009, 04:11 PM
 
MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.7

the squeaky wheel gets the grease
     
SamGuy
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Jun 22, 2009, 04:22 PM
 
Originally Posted by SamGuy View Post
I just bought a 2.26 13" MacBook Pro to replace my 2.0 13" MacBook Unibody (that i received May 19th)

THIRDLY (and Most Importantly?) - Despite stating the same model info in system profiler, the Serial ATA bus on my 13" MacBook Pro is back down to 1.5 Gigabit (it was 3.0 Gigabit on the 2.0 unibody. this has me in a tizzy)

well after today's EFI update, System profiler is now reporting 3 Gigabit. Looking forward to the benchmarks
     
jokell82
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Jun 22, 2009, 06:23 PM
 
Even with an SSD I can't tell a difference in normal usage. Haven't thrown anything tough at it yet, though.

All glory to the hypnotoad.
     
iomatic
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Jun 22, 2009, 06:42 PM
 
     
Gregster24
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Jun 24, 2009, 12:24 AM
 
What do you think about PC Mall Memphis deals on MBP?

MacBook Pro 13" - $1159, $1429
MacBook Pro 15" - $1619, $1844, $2144
MacBook Pro 17" - $2344

They're a few bucks cheaper than Apple's deals!
     
Big Mac
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Jun 24, 2009, 12:40 AM
 
Yeah, Amazon and Mac Mall get away with pricing below Apple's retail pricing.

"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
     
 
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