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Pentium M and Yonah Processors in Upcoming Macs?

With Apple's upcoming move to Intel-based processors in 2006, rumors and news about upcoming Intel processors will creep into Mac sites.

MacCentral kicks it off by citing informed sources who claim that Apple will utilize Intel's Pentium M processor for Macintosh computers starting in 2006.

The Pentium M uses the same x86 architecture as the Pentium 4, but consumes far less power than Pentium 4 chips and its design philosophy is expected to be the model for Intel's future processors.


The high performance per watt ratio of the upcoming Pentium M falls in line with the features Steve Jobs cited as reasons for the switch from IBM's PowerPC processor.

eWeek provides some additional details and speculation about Intel processors.

The [Pentium M], which currently tops out at 2.13 GHz, typically performs as well or better than all but the fastest Pentium 4 chips, which clock in at 3.6GHz and 3.8GHz, even for applications such as computer-aided design, Intel and analysts say, while consuming roughly a quarter of the amount of power those chips use.


Of note, a higher performance Pentium M (Yonah), is reported to arrive later this year. The Yonah is reported to be a dual-core version of the Pentium M using a 65-nanometer process.

More details of the Yonah chip can be found in this article. Yonah will reportedly be the first mobile dual-core processor as well as the first processor manufactured in the 65-nm process.
For what it's worth, Digitimes is also claiming that Yonah will be used by Apple.

Ars provides speculation on possible time-line for Intel-Mac releases.

Top Rated Comments

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87 months ago
I assumed that these would be the first two chips used, especially the Pentium M. My question is how quickly will they be out in Power Books? I'm hoping for MWSF 06 although it may seem a little early.
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87 months ago
There seems to be consensus that the Pentium Ms are going in the iBook, PowerBook and Mini starting from early 2006, while iMacs and PowerMacs and later Xserves will have to wait for a 64-bits variant coming in 2007...

What I'm a bit confused about is where Pentium D, with the built-in DRM capabilities fit in...
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87 months ago
Im sure am looking forward to the future of mac. Those dual cores look intresting. I cant wait to see how well these intel processors will perform on os x.

Thanks arn for keeping us informed over the last week, much appreciated :)
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87 months ago
Wow cool sounds good. Dose that mean better battery life.
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87 months ago
Now can everyone shutup about P4's shipping. I was pretty sure that Apple was going to utilize the Yonah chip and the M for mobile processing.

Anyone else think that the iBook and Powerbook line will be the first to receive the new chips. We need some sort of betting odds on which will be first on what models. :p
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87 months ago
Here we go, 50 pages of misguided ***** of how -
- intel sucks
- intel means viruses
- people don't want macs to get over 5% market share.
- macs will be Dell quality machines
- Apple should have gone with IBM's (!!!???)
- apple making osx available on all PCs
- the final demise of Macs

plus other crap that people invent.

Very little insight and factual posts ( judging from the other posts )

Sorry, I'm being pessimistic.
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87 months ago
yay... just about the time i'll want to get a new ibook.... or maybe this time the power/price will push me to the powerbook.
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87 months ago
Man, I'm still not used to seeing the word 'Pentium' and "Mac" in the same sentence, unless its to show how Macs blow Pentiums away.

I remember having the RISC vs. CISC conversation with many PC'ers back in 1994.

Odd how things change!
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87 months ago
I'll say this...Yonah's ability to turn off a core, and allow the running one to have access to the full 2MB cache, when in battery mode is AWESOME!
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87 months ago

Sorry, I'm being pessimistic.

Sounded more like you were being REALISTIC!! ;)
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