3 ms·

I don't buy the permanent fork argument for one reason. AMD had the cancelled ARM version of Zen. There aren't any public plans to bring it back as far as I'm

I don't buy the permanent fork argument for one reason. AMD had the cancelled ARM version of Zen. There aren't any public plans to bring it back as far as I'm aware. But if Apple transitions past x86, it's going to provide critical mass for desktop ARM and the Zen chip will be back. AMD would be sitting on the highest performance single socket ARM chip, and Apple would just use that.

SkyMarshal 7y ago
I can't see Apple using any ARM chip other than their own. If they commit to converting OS X to ARM then they'll either produce it in-house or, less likely, buy AMD (or maybe just buy AMD's Zen tech only). One of the main reasons for Apple to move to ARM is to control more of their technology stack. It's the direction they've been moving in for a while now and this would be part of that strategy.
- reitzensteinm 7y ago
  The article claims Apple would need to keep x86 around indefinitely for the Mac Pro - I'm just saying that makes no sense. Apple would definitely prefer to only use its own chips, but if they're unable to, using ARM Zen from AMD makes a million times more sense than x86 Intel. I think you may be underestimating Apple's willingness to let the Mac Pro be an ugly duckling. This is a platform that they left stagnant for years after all.
  - SkyMarshal 7y ago
    >but if they're unable to, using ARM Zen from AMD makes a million times more sense than x86 Intel. How do you figure? Transitioning from x86 to ARM would be a major, expensive undertaking. If it's justified at all it would mainly be by Apple gaining control over that part of their stack. I doubt they would make such an effort and investment only to switch from the current third party, Intel, to a different third party, AMD. But otherwise yes they're really not likely to make the transition at all. Given how small a proportion of their overall sales Mac sales are, they're most likely to just leave it on x86 indefinitely.
    - reitzensteinm 7y ago
      I'm speaking specifically about the Mac Pro, which Apple doesn't really care about. I get the sense you think I'm talking about using Zen in their laptops etc. They're not going to build a chip that competes with high end Xeons just to field the new Mac Pro. Given that, in a world where MacBook Pros are powered by A15s, Apple can either cut the Mac Pro, keep it as their only x86 product or put an ARM Zen in it. I'm saying keeping it as x86 will straight up never happen. ARM Zen or cancellation are the plausible options.
- imtringued 7y ago
  Macs don't have enough sale volume to have multiple SoCs. Heck even iPhones and iPads share the same SoC. They can't justify having a new SoC for each of their Macbook, Macbook Pro, iMac and the Mac Pro with dozens of cores. If they transition to ARM then half of their Mac lineup will still stay on x86.

SkyMarshal 7y ago

I can't see Apple using any ARM chip other than their own. If they commit to converting OS X to ARM then they'll either produce it in-house or, less likely, buy AMD (or maybe just buy AMD's Zen tech only). One of the main reasons for Apple to move to ARM is to control more of their technology stack. It's the direction they've been moving in for a while now and this would be part of that strategy.

reitzensteinm 7y ago
The article claims Apple would need to keep x86 around indefinitely for the Mac Pro - I'm just saying that makes no sense. Apple would definitely prefer to only use its own chips, but if they're unable to, using ARM Zen from AMD makes a million times more sense than x86 Intel. I think you may be underestimating Apple's willingness to let the Mac Pro be an ugly duckling. This is a platform that they left stagnant for years after all.
- SkyMarshal 7y ago
  >but if they're unable to, using ARM Zen from AMD makes a million times more sense than x86 Intel. How do you figure? Transitioning from x86 to ARM would be a major, expensive undertaking. If it's justified at all it would mainly be by Apple gaining control over that part of their stack. I doubt they would make such an effort and investment only to switch from the current third party, Intel, to a different third party, AMD. But otherwise yes they're really not likely to make the transition at all. Given how small a proportion of their overall sales Mac sales are, they're most likely to just leave it on x86 indefinitely.
  - reitzensteinm 7y ago
    I'm speaking specifically about the Mac Pro, which Apple doesn't really care about. I get the sense you think I'm talking about using Zen in their laptops etc. They're not going to build a chip that competes with high end Xeons just to field the new Mac Pro. Given that, in a world where MacBook Pros are powered by A15s, Apple can either cut the Mac Pro, keep it as their only x86 product or put an ARM Zen in it. I'm saying keeping it as x86 will straight up never happen. ARM Zen or cancellation are the plausible options.
imtringued 7y ago
Macs don't have enough sale volume to have multiple SoCs. Heck even iPhones and iPads share the same SoC. They can't justify having a new SoC for each of their Macbook, Macbook Pro, iMac and the Mac Pro with dozens of cores. If they transition to ARM then half of their Mac lineup will still stay on x86.