MacBook Pro with Core 2 Duo rumors persist

If there's anything we've learned about Apple, it's that when Stevie J. takes the stage, expect the unexpected. This time, unfortunately, the unexpected took the form of significantly fewer real announcements than had previously been prognosticated by man; still no iPhone (figures), still no iTunes movie support (same); neither were very surprising, but we were really taken aback when Apple didn't give their MacBook Pros some Core 2 Duo processor upgrades, being that every other laptop manufacturer has either done it or is lining it up. So, be that as it may, it should come as no surprise that the Commercial Times is supposedly reporting Asustek and Quanta are prepping to ship somewhere to the tune of 200,000-300,000 MacBook Pros and MacBooks with Core 2 Duo as of next month. Will it happen? Well, Apple is due for fall consumer product announcements (last year's was in October), so this is one we're not counting out.

[Hammo @ Aug 11th 2006 3:25PM]

Fork this. Can we just change to a once per day apple rumour page?

[yuvamani @ Aug 11th 2006 3:28PM]

I agree with Hammo ... Create a Apple rumours of today post !

[zach @ Aug 11th 2006 3:34PM]

how about "an apple-a-day keeps the fanboys at bay?"

[thalassicus @ Aug 11th 2006 3:37PM]

While you're upgrading, can you finally put a 1900x1200 display in there? That thing is beautiful and I'm wanting to switch... but at the end of the day, my sony display is just too good.

[bob @ Aug 11th 2006 3:40PM]

we got exactly what we expected, anything else was speculation started by analystis trying to earn a few quid! its a DEVELOPERS conference DUH, you should know better engadget really. in fact the mac pro beat my expectation

[samt @ Aug 11th 2006 3:44PM]

apple keeps upgrading/changing there models. As soon as someone get's something from apple, it becomes obsolete. So all the people who just bought macbooks and macbook pros are screwed again

[PK @ Aug 11th 2006 3:46PM]

I'm guessing the new MBP would be unveiled at Mac Expo in Paris on Sept. 12th. Here's hoping!

[js @ Aug 11th 2006 3:47PM]

wow, that was unexpected...

I thought they were going to put an Intel Pentium III-m!

Seriuosly, who cares.

[LE @ Aug 11th 2006 3:49PM]

I really like these Apple rumors. And MS rumors too. Keep bringing us any rumors you have. That's why I like this site.

[Jordan @ Aug 11th 2006 3:49PM]

Engadget is doing just fine. If Apple news was split to a different site, like Engadget Mobile was, you all would either:

a. Go to www.engadgetapple.com and complain there
b. Find something else to complain about here

Don't you all see that your voice has been heard on EVERY post ever made concerning Apple?

Enough already! We all know how you feel. When you see an Apple news bit, just don't click it!

[Joe Alien @ Aug 11th 2006 3:50PM]

Better idea ... quit reporting rumors altogether. They're great for fiction writing and actual rumor sites, but sort of pointless really.

[Michael J @ Aug 11th 2006 3:56PM]

This is what I've been waiting for! If it comes out before school starts... I'll buy it!
BTW:
Stop complaining about all the Apple rumors and comments here. Some of us like the info!
Keep up the good work Engadget!

[Will @ Aug 11th 2006 4:00PM]

This is the one negative of the switch to Intel. Every week there is a faster, smaller, cooler, more efficient chip released from Intel.

At least you knew the G4, or G5 would be around for a while. I don't like the fact that I pay a premium for Apple hardware, and before I get it home, there is already something better. Welcome to the PC world I guess.

[duestown @ Aug 11th 2006 4:09PM]

I'd definitely expect an upgrade for the MBP soon. But I highly doubt we'll be seeing Merom in the MacBook anytime this year. It's still basically a bargain laptop.

Or at least that's what I'm hoping, because I just got a MacBook a week and a half ago, and I'd be pretty pissed.

[James @ Aug 11th 2006 4:19PM]

- WWDC is for Macintosh developers and *not* consumers.
- New products come out all the time. That doesn't make your existing system obsolete. Get over it. You haven't been "screwed".
- People love Apple rumors because Apple leads the way and by reading Apple rumors, you get a peak into the far off future of Wintel.

[thalassicus @ Aug 11th 2006 4:23PM]

I hear what you guys are saying about "latest and greatest," but in the case of core duo and core 2 duo, we all knew that the release dates were close and that the specs were showing core 2 duo kicking serious ass. Anyone who bought a core duo either had to have a replacement notebook right away or didn't do their research in which case they should be slapping their own forhead.

[hand of gawd @ Aug 11th 2006 4:42PM]

I don;t understand what is so "pro" about a laptop with no 1680x1050 resolution. That is the one thing that keeps me from switching.

[Michael Lu @ Aug 11th 2006 5:23PM]

Upgrading the MacBook Pro to Core 2 Duo makes good business sense for Apple.

You have Core Duo in your value-priced MacBook line, while your professional MacBook Pro line gets the higher performance Core 2 Duo processor. It lets Apple differentiate and charge more for the MBP.

Much in the same way that the iMac has the Core Duo CPU and the Mac Pro has the Xeon 5100 (Woodcrest) CPU. With Core Solo & Duo appearing in the Mac mini, it might make sense for Apple to upgrade the iMac line to the desktop Core 2 Duo (Conroe) processor.

[joe sullivan @ Aug 11th 2006 6:04PM]

please god dont let them update the macbooks... im not ready for mine to be obsolete!

[Stephen P. @ Aug 11th 2006 6:17PM]

Ha, how about those people who buy ipods the day before the new model comes out. You never hear from those guys

[Chris @ Aug 11th 2006 7:23PM]

you guys did notice the size of the heat sync's on the mac pro right? how much would they have to underclock the cpu to keep it cool enough in a macboook?

[Zac @ Aug 11th 2006 7:42PM]

>Engadget is doing just fine. If Apple news was split to a different site, like
>Engadget Mobile was, you all would either:
>
>a. Go to www.engadgetapple.com and complain there
>b. Find something else to complain about here
>
>Don't you all see that your voice has been heard on EVERY post ever made
>concerning Apple?

>Enough already! We all know how you feel. When you see an Apple news bit,
>just don't click it!

Maybe you should check out www.tuaw.com - it's the Apple rumours blog, made by weblogs inc.

[Chris @ Aug 11th 2006 7:44PM]

Will, so you were OK will the G5 being ineffcient and obsolete BEFORE you bought it?

[ryan @ Aug 11th 2006 8:26PM]

chris,

two things:

-the mac pros don't even have core 2 duos (close, but not quite, but even then, there are two of them)

-the conroe is the desktop core 2, the merom is the notebook core 2, they aren't the same chip (merom actually runs cooler than yonah)

[navstar @ Aug 11th 2006 8:47PM]

Chris, the Mac Pro uses XEON server processors. The mobile Core 2 is much much smaller and runs much much cooler.

[Barry @ Aug 11th 2006 10:08PM]

I love how people complain when better and faster chips come out.

Yes, damn you Apple for staying on the cutting edge. Can't you please remain a few years behind to allow those who just purchased their hardware to gloat a while longer?

Ninja, please.

This is the cardinal rule of purchasing a computer: buy one that meets your needs. If you do that, it won't matter if an awesome machine that's 10000000 times faster and shinier comes out the next day, because the one you bought does what you want and will continue to do so.

If your goal is to own the latest, then admit that, STFU, and stop complaining when something new comes out. New technology doesn't screw anyone except those who have a compulsive need to have bragging rights for owning the latest.

[William @ Aug 12th 2006 3:47AM]

"New technology doesn't screw anyone except those who have a compulsive need to have bragging rights for owning the latest"

That is sadly the majority of Apple fanboys. We like to have the latest machine, now with an intel update every week, it's just not going to sit well with the apple culture especially considering all Apple's updates are now expected, because all decent laptop makers are on the same chip.

Selling second macs is about to get very complicated.

[thalassicus @ Aug 12th 2006 4:00AM]

by the way, does anyone here know if the macbook pro has full driver support on the xp side yet(e.g. the isight cam and remote control work in xp)?

[ryan @ Aug 12th 2006 10:12AM]

afaik, no, but since boot camp will come out of beta for leopard, it should have full driver support by then

[Maxim A. @ Aug 12th 2006 2:16PM]

I'm reading a lot of good arguments here. Admitting to own a Powerbook (for those recently not paying attention: Powerbook equals Mac Book Pro minus a few years) and I've bought it (3 years ago!) for several reasons:

- it did (and does) what I want it to do (which is almost everything);
- it was, when it came out, the best top-of-the-line notebook your money could buy;
- I dind't master the wide range of administrative actions I needed to perform to connect to my network, install a new GPU (and fix conflicts etc) and I didn't feel like learning them, i want: *DO THIS*... *CLICK*... *WORK!*... that's it!

So, as long as there's no serious competitor to a 1) user-friendly though 2) powerfull system, the Macs will keep paving te way and upgrading the procesor (or just missing such an update) won't change anything to that.

[Brian @ Aug 12th 2006 11:19PM]

If Apple does upgrade the MacBook next month, I'm gonna be very upset. I just ordered a MacBook through Apple on Friday, and if they do upgrade, then this'll be the second time I've bought an Apple product shortly before it was upgraded.

[Frankie @ Aug 13th 2006 10:38AM]

I have to agree, some of you recent-buying whiners are being complete idiots. I understand why though.

You're not used to the rapid-fire pace of better faster stronger processors that a serious industry powerhouse is capable of releasing when they're on the ball. Intel has been asleep at the wheel for the past couple years, while both IBM and Moto/Freescale continued to lag behind their schedules as well. So you're accustomed to molasses-slow changes in the the Mac lineup (and the Pentium world too).

Those times are OVER. Intel finally noticed that AMD is slapping them silly. So they came up with some new designs, laid out an agressive roadmap, and (here's the part that astonishes you) they actually stuck to it.

If you had read any of Intel's announcements for the past year, you'd know that Core Duo was always intended as a brief interim measure between the sad old Pentiums and the new 64-bit Core. I did, which is why I've been waiting patiently to buy my MBP this fall.

And you know what? Much better models are coming in spring 2007. Even so, I won't be whining about it. Welcome to the future.

[gork @ Aug 13th 2006 1:40PM]

Sigh....WWDC is a DEVELOPER'S conference folks! The iPhone will likely not be of use to developers mostly because it will already sync with iTunes, iCal and Address Book. What is there for a developer to do??

[GetAGrip @ Aug 13th 2006 11:18PM]

To thalassicus;

1. Many Core Duo laptops are upgradeable to Core 2 Duo via readily available BIOS reflashes (even Dell, of all people, offers this);

2. Why upgrade to a Core 2 Duo with Santa Rosa chips, with faster FSB speeds, around the corner?

So should we slap our foreheads now, or after we upgrade to the Core 2 Duo? Or should we just buy a Macbook?

Technology is ever-evolving. You choose where you jump in on the innovation scale based on how much you can afford.

[nikster @ Aug 14th 2006 4:23AM]

Well this particular rumor is pretty boring. Of course they are going to go Merom. Of course as soon as they are out. Unlike other manufacturers, they don't announce products before you can buy them.
I am willing to bet with anyone that Merom based MBPs are going to be out as soon as any other laptops with that chip are out.

[oniq @ Aug 26th 2006 4:31PM]

I'd love to see a Macbook with core 2 duo. I don't know if I can wait!

[TeeJay @ Sep 14th 2006 3:15PM]

When is the next event or date where we'll see a new Mac Book Pro? - Since they didn't have them in Paris this week...

[modoq @ Sep 20th 2006 12:34PM]

That's what I want to know too... BTW does anyone know of a place on the net, where all apple hardware products are listed with a chronology of past and expected updates? I'd love to be able to get a quick overview since I'm buying Macs every other month or so.

[Robert @ Oct 12th 2006 12:26PM]

Can't we all just get the Core 2 duo???

[Jeff @ Nov 8th 2006 10:14AM]

They are here...