New MacBooks to be based on NVIDIA GeForce 9400 / 9300 chipsets ?

new MacBook announcement now just days away, speculation is unsurprisingly at a fever pitch as to exactly what Apple has in store, and the folks at PC Perspective have now pieced together a few clues to whet your appetite in anticipation of the massive event. Most of those are drawn from mounting evidence from the NVIDIA camp, including the image above that made an appearance on the company’s website a few days ago and, most importantly, word that NVIDIA would be releasing its GeForce 9400 and 9300 chipsets based on the MCP79 integrated chipset design on October 15th (conveniently not stepping on Apple’s toes the day before). The implication there being that the GeForce chipsets would replace the relatively underpowered integrated Intel graphics on the current MacBooks, with the new MacBook Pros supposedly getting an additional boost from a discrete G92-based mobility GeForce 9600. As Personal computer Perspective points out, if true, that would be quite a coup for NVIDIA, especially taking into account that it was

There are a couple other interesting points that lead me to the same conclusion that have come up since our July editorial. First, NVIDIA has been pushing OpenCL support on their integrated graphics solutions, a standard that Apple helped create. Because NVIDIA's IGP chipsets would allow for OpenCL acceleration Apple would gain support for the programming technology across all of their platforms. Also, NVIDIA and Adobe have been publicly flaunting improved performance for Photoshop, Premiere and other content creation applications that Macs are often associated with. Improving performance in these specific programs will no doubt give MacBooks and MacBook Pros additional selling potential to the professional market.

Also of note: NVIDIA will be releasing the GeForce 9400/9300 chipsets based on the MCP79 design on October 15th, just one day after Apple's announcement. This would agree with my logic that Apple was holding back NVIDIA on releasing anything about the product until after Apple had its chance to show off.

I imagine that between now and the October 14th release date we will see more than our fair share of rumors, leaked pictures and specifications. I will be keeping my contacts to the ropes trying to get them for you first here. I am certain though that Apple will indeed by using NVIDIA's MC79 in its entire line up of MacBooks to be unveiled next week - a coup for a company that many still suspect will be killing off their chipset line or exiting completely.

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Apple has published a support document (PDF) specifically for the "MacBook/MacBook Pro (Late 2008)" models. Besides the name, the document is not especially revealing. It appears to be a service document when replacing the display on the new MacBooks.
Before installing the replacement display, install the AirPort card on the display assembly. The display assembly does not come with the AirPort card installed.

Apple will be announcing the new MacBook and MacBook Pro on Tuesday, October 14th at a special media event.

[ MacRumors ]

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Chinese Mac enthusiast site has posted additional case leaks that show the top halves of both the MacBook and MacBook Pro. Both line up with recently confirmed designs for the new notebooks and show a new, consistent design across Apple's whole portable line that includes a seamless border, magnetic lid closure, and the trayless keyboard that first appeared with the original MacBook in 2006. The bottom is absent from both systems but has been reported in past rumors as an at least partly tapered design versus the near-flat surface of current models.

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Either also shows a reduced number of ports versus today's systems; in the case of the MacBook Pro, the shift is believed in part to stem from moving the slot-load optical drive from the front to the side for unknown reasons. The new 15-inch MacBook Pro now appears to have dropped its FireWire 400 and regular DVI connectors in favor of the lone remaining FireWire 800 port and a more compact mini-DVI jack.