Michal Marek Rumors of a new generation of 15-inch MacBook Pro are increasing, and it is expected that this portable Apple computer should see the light of day on April 29 - the same day that Intel's new Ivy Bridge processors will be introduced.
The CPU World Reports server has released a test of the chip that should appear in the new MacBook and shows a fairly significant improvement in performance. The integrated graphics chip was also improved.
The processor tested was the Ivy Bridge Core i7-3820QM, 2,7 GHz with a turbo speed of up to 3,7 GHz and Intel HD 4000 graphics. The chip should go on sale with a price of $568 and seems to be a natural successor to the Sandy Bridge Core i7-2860QM , which is a processor that can be ordered into the current 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pros.
The test compared the new Ivy Bridge Core i7-3820QM and the older Sandy Bridge Core i7-2960XM. This Sandy Bridge is even more powerful than the processor used in the current MacBook Pro, so the difference between the processor of the current and future MacBook should be even more significant.
Overall, the new Ivy Bridge was found to have an average score of 9% better than the other tested i7-2960XM. From these data, it follows that the processor of the new MacBooks should have roughly 20% more performance than the current models.
Unsurprisingly, even more significant differences can be seen in the graphics. The integrated HD 3000 graphics of the Sandy Bridge processors of the current MacBooks are significantly surpassed. The results depend on the type of test and the increase in graphics performance ranges from 32% to 108%.
With its larger MacBook Pros, Apple is giving users the choice of whether they want better discrete chip graphics or longer battery life with integrated graphics in their computers. However, those interested in the 13-inch model do not have this option. They have to rely on integrated graphics. So the integration of HD 4000 graphics will be a significant improvement for the smallest version of the MacBook Pro, which will debut in June, and a huge benefit for users.
