Intel Launches Dual-Core and Ultra-Low Voltage Ivy Bridge Processors

The Verge reports that Intel has formally announced its next batch of Ivy Bridge processors, adding 14 new chips including four 17-watt ultra-low voltage processors that could appear in revamped MacBook Air models and several dual-core mobile chips that could be included in updated Mac mini and 13-inch MacBook Pro machines. Engadget has the full details on the new chips, which also include six new desktop processors.

ivy bridge ulv chips
Intel's four new 17-watt Ivy Bridge mobile chips likely to appear in MacBook Air update

Intel's announcement comes in line with the previously leaked timeline that saw the first batch of quad-core desktop and mobile processors launch in late April, with the second round focused on dual-core and low-voltage chips coming in early June.

With over 25 new Ivy Bridge chips now available, Apple now appears to have a number of options to upgrade its entire Mac product line. Apple is expected to use Ivy Bridge throughout its Mac lineup with the exception of the Mac Pro, which would take advantage of Sandy Bridge E server chips released in early March should Apple choose to issue an update to that line.

Apple is expected to introduce a redesigned MacBook Pro at next month's Worldwide Developers Conference, and it seems likely that updates to other lines will come either at the same or soon after, as the new Ivy Bridge chips put Apple in a prime position to update its aging Mac lineup.

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Coming Soon With These 8 New Features on Your iPhone

Thursday December 11, 2025 8:49 am PST by
Apple seeded the second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to developers earlier this week, meaning the update will be released to the general public very soon. Apple confirmed iOS 26.2 would be released in December, but it did not provide a specific date. We expect the update to be released by early next week. iOS 26.2 includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, such as a new...
Google maps feaure

Google Maps Quietly Added This Long-Overdue Feature for Drivers

Wednesday December 10, 2025 2:52 am PST by
Google Maps on iOS quietly gained a new feature recently that automatically recognizes where you've parked your vehicle and saves the location for you. Announced on LinkedIn by Rio Akasaka, Google Maps' senior product manager, the new feature auto-detects your parked location even if you don't use the parking pin function, saves it for up to 48 hours, and then automatically removes it once...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3

Thursday December 11, 2025 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3 and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B30, up from 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 firmware is 8B28, up from 8B21. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 are getting expanded support for Live Translation in the European Union in iOS...
iOS 26

iOS 26.4 and iOS 27 Features Revealed in New Leak

Friday December 12, 2025 10:56 am PST by
Macworld's Filipe Espósito today revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28. The report said the features are referenced within the code for a leaked internal build of iOS 26 that is not meant to be seen by the public. However, it appears that Espósito and/or his sources managed to gain access to it, providing us with a sneak peek...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature 1

Apple to Make More Foldable iPhones Than Expected [Updated]

Tuesday December 9, 2025 9:59 am PST by
Apple has ordered 22 million OLED panels from Samsung Display for the first foldable iPhone, signaling a significantly larger production target than the display industry had previously anticipated, ET News reports. In the now-seemingly deleted report, ET News claimed that Samsung plans to mass-produce 11 million inward-folding OLED displays for Apple next year, as well as 11 million...
AirTag 2 Mock Feature

Apple AirTag 2: Four New Features Found in iOS 26 Code

Thursday December 11, 2025 10:31 am PST by
The AirTag 2 will include a handful of new features that will improve tracking capabilities, according to a new report from Macworld. The site says that it was able to access an internal build of iOS 26, which includes references to multiple unreleased products. Here's what's supposedly coming: An improved pairing process, though no details were provided. AirTag pairing is already...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.2 With Alarms for Reminders, Lock Screen Changes, Enhanced Safety Alerts and More

Friday December 12, 2025 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.2, the second major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.2 comes a little over a month after iOS 26.1 launched. ‌iOS 26‌.2 is compatible with the ‌iPhone‌ 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings >...
iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
maxresdefault

iOS 26 Code Leak Reveals Apple Smart Home Hub Details

Thursday December 11, 2025 4:02 pm PST by
Apple is working on a smart home hub that will rely heavily on the more capable version of Siri that's coming next year. We've heard quite a bit about the hub over the last two years, but a recent iOS 26 code leak provides additional insight into what we can expect and confirms rumored features. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Macworld claims to have access to an ...

Top Rated Comments

Small White Car Avatar
177 months ago
In what way does the announcement of Ivy Bridge processors have anything to do with the Mac Pro either coming out or not coming out?

It's entirely unrelated.

As for me, I'm putting faith in this. (http://www.marco.org/2012/05/30/amplified-9)
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jaro65 Avatar
177 months ago
Apple: Just release your updated computers already!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
akm3 Avatar
177 months ago
Wow.
Dual Core in 2012 in Apple laptops when other manufactures are going quad or higher on their laptops. Image (http://ezsmiley.com/gallery/misc/icon_lol.gif)

Wow, Apple giving certain consumers what they actually need instead of chasing specs that are irrelevant to them and sacrificing size, weight and battery life to do it (the specs that ARE important to them...)
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chirpie Avatar
177 months ago

The argument that "pros need powerful PCs" is becoming less of an issue these days as the technology gets more and more powerful. I remember setting up a video-editing PC 12 years ago and spec'ing powerful hardware with equipment that nobody else needed: huge hard drives, FireWire, etc. Today even your $199 Best Buy special has more than enough power to do the same tasks.

Huh. I spend hours/days waiting for my Cinema 4D, Twixtor, and Final Cut X projects to export/render out. That's on an i7 iMac from last year. My 2009 tower at home is actually faster on a lot of these tasks (no surprise) but darn it all, I'd really like something FASTER.

Besides, if consumers can clamor for a more powerful machine year after year, why can't the pro?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gibbo132 Avatar
177 months ago
Mac biz is 22 billion annually according to Tim Cook. Shareholder revolt would ensue if Apple tried to walk away from that much money. Besides the Mac is growing and anyone telling you that you can be as productive on an iPad as a Mac is lying. Perhaps in certain edge cases like writing but for the most part a computer with a filesystem, automation and collaboration tools is still superior to a tablet.

I agree, I simply cannot use an iPad for writing up long documents. The whole keyboard idea does not work either. It is not an elegant solution. The mac isn't going anywhere.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nuckinfutz Avatar
177 months ago
I don't think Apple will get rid of the mac lineup anytime soon. After all at the moment we need a mac to make apps for our iOS devices! I can't see apps being made on an iPad! Even typing this message is annoying with the onscreen keyboard!
I could potentially see them licensing OSX on non apple computers if the mac business was not profitable anymore. Doubtful though!
Also, if I think of all the people I know/ work with/ meet everyday they all still love the mac. If there is a consumer want for the mac then there will always be a professional need for a mac pro.

Mac biz is 22 billion annually according to Tim Cook. Shareholder revolt would ensue if Apple tried to walk away from that much money. Besides the Mac is growing and anyone telling you that you can be as productive on an iPad as a Mac is lying. Perhaps in certain edge cases like writing but for the most part a computer with a filesystem, automation and collaboration tools is still superior to a tablet.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)