New Mactel iBooks Will Go Dual-Core from The Get-Go

Think Secret has recently published a report based on information gathered from their "reliable sources." The report details information about the new iBooks and Mac Minis that will debut at the MacWorld Expo in January.

The new Macintosh iBook and Mini are thought to be among the first, if not the very first computers to have the new Intel mobile processor, codenamed Yonah. Intel will be showcasing the processors as an integral part of its ViiV media center effort, which is slated for unveiling at the Consumer Electronics Show, just days before the MacWorld Expo.

The Yonah is thought to come in two versions, a dual-core one, that is expected to be ready by the time the new Macs are announced; and a single-core one that should be ready by the end of the first quarter. Both of these designs will have two versions.

The dual-core version of Yonah will be available in low-voltage version and a faster "performance" version. The low voltage version will be available at speeds of 1.5GHz, 1.66GHz, and 1.83GHz, while the performance variant will ship at speeds of 1.66GHz, 1.83GHz, 2.0GHz, and 2.16GHz. For both variants, bus speed and level 2 cache are expected to remain constant, at 667MHz and 2MB, respectively.

Think Secret also mentions that "the 14.1-inch iBook will likely be replaced by a 13.3-inch widescreen version."

Because the single-core Yonah processors will not be available for incorporation into Apple's current low-end products, and because Apple is thought to be preparing to declare its laptops as being the first to feature the new dual-core processor, it is probable that the single-core version is skipped altogether.