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New Macbook Pros
- Thread starter stephengilbert
- Start date
Georg Baumann
Subscriber Member
congrats Bob, stunning maschine, 8Gig, I had no idea that fits into them, I think mine, July 2008, is limitted to 4Gig.
OWC makes an upgrade that will raise that machine, I think, to 6GB.
see http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Apple_MacBook_MacBook_Pro/Upgrade/DDR3
-bob
see http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Apple_MacBook_MacBook_Pro/Upgrade/DDR3
-bob
Last edited:
Georg Baumann
Subscriber Member
Interesting, thanks Bob!
Terry
New member
Today Apple released a firmware update for the new MacBook Pros. It addressed the issue of the newly reduced SATA speed from SATA II to SATA. I am running the Intel X25M drive which is one of the drives that will benefit from the faster speed. However Apple is now saying they don't "support" these drives (whatever!). Anyway, I ran xbench on the disk performance before and after.
And what is their reason for supposedly downstepping back to SATA from SATA II? This makes no sense. If I am understanding this, they originally specd machines for SATA II, then released a firmware update that supposedly respecs them for SATA, but actually has them outperforming original specs?? Sure the firmware was not to boost everything to SATA II instead of SATA? This seems all backwards somehow.
LJ
LJ
Terry
New member
No, the last batch of MacBooks and MacBook Pros were SATA II. When the new 13" and 15" machines were launched on June 8th, these machines were released with SATA. This change in specs didn't impact those with regular hard drives or some of the slower SSDs on Apples build to order options. It did impact those who went out and bought the better, newer, faster crop of SSD's like the Intel X-25 series.
I bought a 13" and swapped the drive before we knew the issue. The swap from the regular HD to the Intel SSD made a very, very significant difference in speed. However, at SATA speeds the drive was faster than the interface allowed it to run.
The chipsets in the old and new machines are exactly the same which led to the speculation that a firmware update could be accomplished. Indeed Apple did issue new firmware for the new machines today. In my test above you can see that the new firmware boosted the score in the disk test by 25%.
Terry,
Still not understanding this. If a machine was built to handle SATA II, it could always run drives and stuff of SATA or SATA II speeds. If it was built to SATA speed, that is all it would deliver, and the drive or whatever would throttle itself back to SATA if it was a SATA II compliant drive. They are backward compatible (SATA II to SATA). What does not make sense is Apple building new machines at slower spec speeds, and then issuing a firmware update that is supposed to render faster things non-compliant, but it actually winds up delivering the faster speeds. So your new 13" MBP originally had SATA or SATA II specs? (From what you say, it was SATA.) Yet it was running a SATA II device that only got faster with the firmware update that was supposed to render things non-compliant? Huh?
LJ
Still not understanding this. If a machine was built to handle SATA II, it could always run drives and stuff of SATA or SATA II speeds. If it was built to SATA speed, that is all it would deliver, and the drive or whatever would throttle itself back to SATA if it was a SATA II compliant drive. They are backward compatible (SATA II to SATA). What does not make sense is Apple building new machines at slower spec speeds, and then issuing a firmware update that is supposed to render faster things non-compliant, but it actually winds up delivering the faster speeds. So your new 13" MBP originally had SATA or SATA II specs? (From what you say, it was SATA.) Yet it was running a SATA II device that only got faster with the firmware update that was supposed to render things non-compliant? Huh?
LJ
Terry
New member
The chipsets apparently were SATA II (as the chips are exactly the same as the unibody machines available before June 8th which had SATA II) but Apple apparently through firmware pulled it back to SATA speed on the brand new machines.
We will never know why they did this.
Today, they issued new firmware which took the speed back to SATA II.
The warning that some faster drives are not supported would give them an out if there are data errors that come from something in OS X that has a problem running at that speed. The SSD drives that Apple uses in build to order are slower and probably barely get to the top end of SATA.
We will never know why they did this.
Today, they issued new firmware which took the speed back to SATA II.
The warning that some faster drives are not supported would give them an out if there are data errors that come from something in OS X that has a problem running at that speed. The SSD drives that Apple uses in build to order are slower and probably barely get to the top end of SATA.
That makes more sense once you explain that part. My guess is that the chipset used probably could handle the fastest drives and stuff, but the software/firmware was a way to downclock things to ensure no data transfer losses or disruptions.....when it probably was not really needed at all. So this firmware update was really to bring things to SATA II from the forced SATA configuration. That was the part that was not clear in how you presented things. The machines (old and new) were SATA II capable, and the firmware released today for the newest machines was really to remove the governor that had things running at SATA speeds. That makes sense.
LJ
P.S. glad you got the speed boost, as it looks impressive.
LJ
P.S. glad you got the speed boost, as it looks impressive.
Ah....that was probably one of those 95+ degree days we have been having here in Houston when I was out all day repainting stuff on my motorcycle trailer. So between the heat and the fumes, I probably did not carefully read all those red bars and words in the post ;-) I was merely going on what you said today, and it just seemed backwards to logic, but then Apple was being backwards in its latest delivery of MBPs......an SD slot??? Anyway, glad you are closer to an expected higher speed performance.
LJ
LJ
Terry
New member
Just a quick MBP update.
This is my first SSD drive machine. It is weird to have something so silent :clap:
But the reason for this post is heat...this is the coolest running notebook I've ever had. After running for a while there is a bit or warmth but nothing like the heat I've had with my other Mac Books or Mac Book Pros. :clap:
Finally, I LIKE having an SD slot - for some of my cameras. I know some people needed the express card slot but it wasn't going to happen on the 13" anyway.
I know there isn't a lot of screen real estate on the 13" but I did fine with it on the Northern Arizona workshop and I think the specs/price are a home run.
I'm still interested to see what Apple comes up with in the netbook arena
This is my first SSD drive machine. It is weird to have something so silent :clap:
But the reason for this post is heat...this is the coolest running notebook I've ever had. After running for a while there is a bit or warmth but nothing like the heat I've had with my other Mac Books or Mac Book Pros. :clap:
Finally, I LIKE having an SD slot - for some of my cameras.
I know some people needed the express card slot but it wasn't going to happen on the 13" anyway. I know there isn't a lot of screen real estate on the 13" but I did fine with it on the Northern Arizona workshop and I think the specs/price are a home run.
I'm still interested to see what Apple comes up with in the netbook arena
Lars
Active member
Aren't we all...I'm still interested to see what Apple comes up with in the netbook arena
It's not hard to understand why that is something Apple has avoided though. Cheap devices, tiny profit margins. Apple would want to change the game somehow. Which, as you point out, is why it will be interesting to see if/when Apple enters that arena. The company is all about finding/creating markets with high margins though. A plain vanilla netbook won't be it.
Terry
New member
Aaah but an oversized iPhone type device would :thumbup:Aren't we all...