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General discussion

Macbook Pro with 64 bit processing?

Feb 15, 2006 10:26AM PST

I need a laptop in the near future, but I'm afraid of commiting to 32 bit when it would appear that 64 bit will remain relevant technology for longer... is this an issue I should worry about and is it worth the wait for a few months to see what happens?


- James

Discussion is locked

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The Intel chips ARE 64-bit
Feb 15, 2006 10:29AM PST

I don't know exactly where I saw this, but the new Intel dual-core chips are supposedly 64-bit capable.

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the architecture _could_ be 64 bit...
Feb 15, 2006 11:03AM PST

but the Yonah processors in Macbooks are 32 bit.

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err....
Feb 27, 2006 12:32PM PST

32+32 does not = 64 bit, only amd has 64 M's

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i don't think they are
Feb 15, 2006 10:38AM PST

i'm almost 100% sure that the chips (at present) are not 64bit, however it is the next logical step...

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Maybe it's just a rumor?
Feb 15, 2006 10:41AM PST
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What I remember hearing
Feb 15, 2006 10:47AM PST

The exact prase that I heard being thrown around was "64-bit compatible", but I have no clue what exactly that is supposed to mean.

-Ryan

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(NT) (NT) the chip or the os?
Feb 15, 2006 10:51AM PST
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(NT) (NT) the chip
Feb 15, 2006 10:52AM PST
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vista on a mac
Feb 15, 2006 10:46AM PST

just been reading that xp will NOT got on a new inte mac but vista should? I have lost the link but what do you think?

That said, will we ever get vista??

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Thats different... thats a matter of BIOS not processors
Feb 15, 2006 11:06AM PST

Thats off topic.

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i know it was,
Feb 15, 2006 11:13AM PST

well its to do with mac's, close enough for me

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Step outside for the answer
Feb 15, 2006 5:50PM PST

Alright, since it's unclear whether or not the processors in the new Mac Book Pros support 64 bit or not from the article presented, let's try and dig for the answer by stepping outside of the geek box for a bit into the realm of common sense.

It seems highly unlikely to me that Apple would ever take a step backward and go from a 64 bit architecture to 32 bit and call that progress - even in Steve Jobs' unholy Reality Distortion Field (TM).

At the very least, if these initial processors for the Intel based Macs ARE 32 bit, I certainly can't imagine that the ones to follow in the workstation Macs will be capable of anything less than 64.

I could be way off base here but otherwise, it just makes no sense to me.

-Kevin S.

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I agree
Feb 16, 2006 1:34AM PST

That's kind of what I've been thinking ever since Apple announced the Intel partnership and Intel didn't really have any 64-bit offerings.

-Ryan

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Apple Annoyance
Feb 16, 2006 8:14AM PST

This is the one thing that annoys me the most about Apple, its not open enough about the parts that go into it. If it was more open, this thread wouldn't have been started (unless the person didn't know enough about computers and I don't mean any dis-respect to James, who started it, I'm sure you are smart, you're in a forum for crying out loud, lol).

I just don't understand why Apple can't tell people whether it is 32 or 64 bit.

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It _IS_ 32 bit!
Feb 16, 2006 8:23AM PST

Chips are often manufactured with potential features more or less not hooked up on the physical processor. The Yonah chip is like this -- its possible for Intel to produce a 64 bit chip on this platform but the ones in Macbooks are not 64 bit.


What I'm trying to get advice on is whether or not this will be the last hurrah of 32 bit processing, and if its worth waiting for 64 bit chips to be put into the Macbooks.

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wait a little
Feb 16, 2006 9:13AM PST

I think you should probably wait a few months anyhow, Jasmes to see how things play out with this first batch of Mac Books.

Remember the discussion we all just had about buying Nanos too soon? The pioneers take the arrows, as they say. I'd rather wait until the path has been cleared. If you can get by with what you currently have, try to wait a little while longer. Maybe the whole 64 bit vs. 32 bit issue will be resolved by then.

In the meantime, if you DO need a new machine now, consider this... whether it's 32 or 64 bit, it should be significantly faster than what you currently own.

-Kevin S.

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Power
Feb 16, 2006 11:33AM PST

Right now the new Intel chips are plenty fast enough for standard use plus the 32-bit chip will most likely get better battery life than a 64. However if power computing is your game than the 32 bit chip in this one is still fine just remember that right now not all apps are in the new Intel binary so if you need programs like Photoshop you'll have to run them through Rosette this may cause problems for you however if your an average user you should be just fine seeing as this is really two 32-bit chips glued together with an L2 cache.

Philip P.