Michael S (already5chosen.delete@this.yahoo.com) on August 4, 2014 12:44 am wrote:
> According to my understanding (I didn't find CPU part number on Apple web site), top-of-the-line MBP
> now carries i7-4980HQ. It seem probable that Apple pays $300 or even a little more for that part.
> Intel Ark does not even mention the Recommended Customer Price for 4980HQ,
> but its li'l brethren 4950HQ and 4960HQ are listed as $623.00.
>

The quoted article from 2011 cites the top of the line i7 used at the time cost $378.. based directly on the Ark price. Then says that $300+ is the typical price for even the lowest end MBPs and that they'd save hundreds moving to something else. The point is that Apple probably doesn't play anywhere close to the prices Intel lists on Ark.

The big jump in list price for high end MBP CPUs between then and now is mostly due to high end Iris Pro with the big L4 cache. Maybe Apple really is paying a big price, but it's not going to be so easy to replace with their own solution for very cheap either.