Slim, Quad-Core & Air-Like MacBook Pros To Arrive In Late April Or Early May?

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iMac and MacBook updates tend to happen on a fairly predictable cycle that isn’t determined by Apple so much as it is by the release of suitable new Intel chips. Since Intel leaks info about upcoming chips a lot more than Apple leaks about upcoming products, this makes it a fairly easy thing to predict when updated Apple laptops and desktops are going to come down the pipeline.

Now Intel has gone and leaked a load of dates on when consumers can expect to see the oft-delayed Ivy Bridge quad-core desktop and mobile processors landing on shelves: April 29th. Don’t expect new MacBooks or iMacs until then.

CPU World reports:

Ivy Bridge launch was delayed twice. First time it slipped from the first to the second quarter 2012, and then it was delayed by another two weeks. Current launch date for desktop Ivy Bridge CPUs is set on April 29, which was confirmed by two different sources, sweclockers and donanimhaber. That still left us in the dark in regards to mobile processors, due to rumors that their launch was pushed back until June. After seeing recent desktop and mobile roadmaps we can confirm that both desktop and mobile IB chips will be released at the same time.

On April 8 Intel will announce Z77, Z75, H77 and B75 chipsets. On the same day we should see numerous reviews of 75 and 77 boards with, well, Sandy Bridge CPUs.

Ivy Bridge processors will be announced in the 4th week of April, between April 22 and April 28. The announcement will include only quad-core models: mobile Core i7 and Core i7 Extreme families, desktop Core i7, Core i5-3570K, i5-3570T, i5-3550, i5-3550S, i5-3450 and i5-3450S. The announced chips will be available for sale on April 29, and the reviews and benchmarks should be published on the same day.

The new MacBook Pro refresh is rumored to bring a much slimmer design thanks to Apple’s abandonment of the optical drive. Think a beefier MacBook Air with more graphics, processing and hard drive chutzpah and you’ve got the right idea. If these rumors are true, the Ivy Bridge chips above would seemingly date the redesign: late April or early May. Same with new iMacs.

As for the MacBook Air, the news is less rosy. The earliest we’ll see a spec bump is early June. Sorry kids.

[via MacRumors]

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