Intel’s Next Processors Will Bring Super High Resolution Retina Displays To The MacBook Air

By

Ivy-Bridge-4K-display-support

Intel’s upcoming Ivy Bridge processor could finally bring Retina displays to our Macs, after the company announced support for ‘4K displays’ last week. That’s a display with a staggering resolution of 4096×4096 pixels.

What’s more, not only can Ivy Bridge processors support one 4K display, but they can handle video processing for 4K QuadHD video as well, according to VR-Zone:

Not only can the MFX engine display up to 4096 x 4096 pixels on a single monitor, but it can also handle video processing for 4K QuadHD video as well. Remember when, two years ago, Jen Hsun Huang at Nvidia for the first time encouraged 4K resolution – at that time 3840×2400 or as he called it XHD2, for ultra realistic gaming too, to use the extra pixels to justify the high end card need? Now, what a fate, Intel is making it real on the – integrated graphics platform, of all. Now, can we have back those 16:10 3840×2400 or, better, 4096×2560 monitors?

So when will our Macs get these Ivy Bridge processors? Well, Ivy Bridge is Intel’s next-generation processor, and it integrates a much improved graphics processing unit. Our current Macs have just been updated to boast Intel’s Sandy Bridge CPUs, so it’s likely to be at least 2012 before we see Ivy Bridge processors in our Macs, despite support for these ultra high resolution displays in OS X Lion already.

Ivy Bridge processors will be a huge boost to computers like the MacBook Air and the Mac mini, which, unlike higher-end computers like the MacBook Pro and the iMac that have dedicated GPUs, rely on the integrated graphics chips from Intel.

Will you be waiting for Ivy Bridge processors before you pick up your next Mac?

[via MacRumors]

Newsletters

Daily round-ups or a weekly refresher, straight from Cult of Mac to your inbox.

  • The Weekender

    The week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.