Supply constraints of the current 15-inch MacBook Pro has the Interent in a tizzy over rumors of a new Air-like MacBook Pro set to be announced some time at the end of the month. Resellers are reporting that MacBook Pro models are currently out of stock (both 2.2GHz and 2.4GHz models), and Best Buy has stopped accepting orders for the 2.4 GHz MacBook Pro model. AppleInsider is reporting that 40 to 60 percent of Best Buy stores in Chicago and Austin are currently out of stock. Low stock typically signals updates on the horizon for Apple, as the company begins slowing down shipments of current generation MacBooks in an attempt to clear out stock.
Of course, new model rumors wouldn’t be complete without a little speculation about the upgraded specifications that could be in the new models. Currently, rumors suggest that Apple could be including Intel’s Core i5 (3720QM) and i7 (3820QM) Ivy Bridge processors in the new machines.
CPU World has taken those two particular CPUs and benchmarked them against the current generation MacBook Pros:
Ivy Bridge processor outperforms the Sandy Bridge processor under test in every test (as one would expect with a new generation chip using a smaller manufacturing process). The average improvement in the CPU speed is approx 9%. For the integrated GPU, the performance benefit with Ivy Bridge varied between 32% and 108%, depending on what test was performed. Neither processor had a graphics score which is close to the performance that might be needed by many gamers, as shown by the 3DMark Vantage score using the GTX 570M.
As expected, new chipsets are faster than old chipsets. Go figure. Rumor has it that the new MacBook Pro lineup will be announced and released on April 29, 2012. There’s not much to go on with the rumor, but April 29th seems to the be the most agreed upon date. It’s probably true considering I just purchased a MacBook Air two weeks ago.
