“Intel announced on January 31 that it had stopped shipments of the ‘Cougar Point’ chipset that accompanies its second-generation Intel Core (‘Sandy Bridge’) processor owing to a flaw that can affect access to a hard-disk drive, optical drive, or other device that connects to a computer using SATA technology,” Brooke Crothers reports for CNET.
“Apple does not have any Sandy Bridge-based systems, nor has it announced any,” Crothers reports. “But there have been fairly cogent arguments made and rumors floated that a Sandy Bridge MacBook refresh would hit soon. So, the question is, how far does this push out a highly probable future rollout of Sandy Bridge-based models? If Apple was planning a February or March refresh, then there are obvious delays. If the rollout was planned for late spring or early summer, then the delay would probably be minimal.”
Crothers reports, “This schedule would also apply to Apple’s iMac, for example, which currently uses last-generation Core i3 and Core i5 chips.”
Read more in the full article here.
3-4 week delay probably…
Make sure they resolve it and reschedule!
MBP was my next planned purchase, along with the iPad 2.
If AAPL is buying AMD, why would they be using Intel chips?
Even so, One of Apple’s best moves was to adopt Intel Chips.
For as long as Courteney Cox stays on Cougartown.
I can’t wait when Apple will issue a new iMac’s. Damn – I don’t want iMac with Intel i7 870 – i’m technology freak! Give me one with Sandy Bridge architecture. Something which is on time. Apple should have been doing it before competitors. How long I gonna be waiting for that refreshment? Until Bulldozers came in???
Apple just buy AMD with last quarter’s profit.
“MBP was my next planned purchase, along with the iPad 2.”
Likewise, with an iMac to boot… mainly for the tax rebate!
Can’t buy any of them till they resolve this issue (and obviously release them too…!)
🙁
The article says: “”Apple does not have any Sandy Bridge-based systems, nor has it announced any.”
Why do people worry about this nonsense of how much longer will they have to wait for a refresh?
Apple need to be certain of supply before they switch chipsets. It could be many months before that is possible.
When does apple release new MBPs? MacBooks are usually updated in Sept after the edu buying season is over.
Sandy Bridge really did turn Intel’s name to mud….
See kids? This is what happens when you don’t carry the 1.
As long as every other manufacturer has to wait for fixed Intel Sandy Bridge chips.
From what I’ve read, Intel has traced the problem and fixed it and is now re-ramping based on the fix.
So when there are enough to build a critical mass, I imagine Intel will sell them to the manufacturer that will create the biggest marketing bang which narrows down the field of candidates considerably.
Pretty useless question to ask (in title).
What’s the use of knowing how long this fix will push off a delivery date that is not known ?
Unknown delivery date + X weeks delay = Unknown delivery date.
I’ve had my 15″ MBP with a 2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo that is still a wonderful piece of engineering, both hardware and software. The only thing I did was increase the ram. It just works! You don’t need the latest and greatest when you have a Mac.
Excuse me, I’ve had it since December 2006.
The sandy bridge processors were just a path to the rocky forrest processors anyway. In the rocky forrest you see a cave.
‘ In the rocky forrest you see a cave.’
Plus a pad.
My iMac is sitting on my desk still doing it’s job after 2 years. My iPad is sitting in it’s stand still doing it’s job after 7 months. My old G4 (yes you read right) sits just over there with a scanner attached still doing good work after, I’ve lost count.
All of them have paid for themselves. When money and necessity present themselves I’ll upgrade to something new. I’m surrounded by great Apple technology no need to Boo Hoo because something is going to be a tad late. That’s just the way it is.
Sandy bridge = built in DRM.
I hope this crappy chip fail all the way to hel.
Actually, the fix is probably meaningless for MacBooks, since the defect only affects the four older SATA ports on the chip, not the two new 6GB/s SATA ports Apple will probably use exclusively.
For PC laptops with two or three internal SATA devices plus additional eSATA ports to the outside, this is a disaster. They’ll have to wait for new chips.
For Apple it’s most likely meaningless as long as the defect is silent when the defective ports are not actually used.
Apple might even get particularly good rates for these chips right now…
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Please check my iCal, cause I already said the Sandy Bridge was dangerous!
Or at least search this site for my last Sandy Bridge comment!
I’m stickin’ with my trusty G4 iBook. Don’t need no stinking Intel processor.
If they not gonna be use SATA 3.0 but only sata 6.0 those chips will not affect Apple closed systems. They might decide to buy all that crap from Intel as a bargain for $9.99:)