Dell is now contribution Intel’s Centrino Duo mobile technology with up to 2GB of 667MHz dual-channel DDR2 memory in its fresh Inspiron E1705 entertainment notebook.
The notebook features high-end mechanism and is obtainable now from Dell’s Web site preliminary at $1999.clientele can opt for either an Intel Core Duo processor T2500 (2GHz) or a T2400 processor administration at 1.83GHz. The unit’s 17-inch widescreen display has a normal maximum resolution of 1400 by 1050 but a 1600-by-1200 UXGA option also is accessible.
The Inspiron E1705 features NVidia’s newest 256MB GeForce Go 7800 graphics controller, 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi, a 60-100GB 7200-rpm SATA hard disk, and an optional USB 2.0 TV tuner that is compatible with its Windows Media Center Edition 2005 operating system.
The E1705 also has better-than-average notebook noise, including a subwoofer. Front media buttons let you pop in a DVD or CD, or even supervise the digital photos on your hard drive, with no booting up the notebook itself. The unit replaces the Inspiron 9300 series, which will gradually vanish this district.
It’s not easy life form king of the mount. In spite of being the main and one of the most gainful computer manufacturers worldwide, Dell does not have the personality of an Apple, the blue-blooded reputation of IBM or the glamour of Sony. What it does tender to consumers are attractive all-year-round discounts due to the lower costs sustained by its direct sales model and outstanding supply chain management. Arbitrator from its success, this commerce model works but Dell just does not inspire the same kind of brand loyalty that Apple or Sony can.
The company’s recent acquisition of enthusiast oriented PC boutique firm - Alien ware -may be a sign that Dell is aware of its moderately bland image and aims to broaden its appeal to this niche. However that doesn’t mean that its own XPS enthusiast line of computers will be neglected to play second fiddle, for the hip quotient for a Dell product just went through the roof with the latest XPS notebook, (if a monster of a system weighing more than 8kg could still fit that account) the Dell XPS M2010. A prototype was showcased at this year’s Consumer Electronic Show as a concept PC but apparently, it has crossed in surplus of from life form a fancy idea to reality. And like what its marketing praise claims, it’s certainly a showstopper.
The remarkably huge Dell XPS M2010 ‘notebook’ has a magnificent 20-inch widescreen LCD display. And no, that glossy circular thing is neither the subwoofer nor the drink coaster. It’s actually a cool slot-in DVD drive.
Picture a high-end performance desktop squeezed into the form factor of a notebook and you’ll get the Dell XPS M2010. However, its enlarged dimensions will stretch your idea of a notebook though Dell seems to be trying to de-emphasize the notebook aspect in its marketing. Decked out with the some of the best hardware mechanism that would put gaming rigs to shame, it is an exceptional integration of form and function that show off the company’s engineering and design prowess. It’s so unlike Dell’s typically nameless black boxes or their useful but barely sexy notebooks. In case you’re not convinced, how would you like to own one of these?
The adjustable screen can be brought forward so that it look like your orthodox notebook. However, you won’t be able to admission the DVD drive then. In any box, adjusting the screen to any height or angle within its routine means is easy, and surprisingly feels robust too.
The WidowPC Sting 517D is a high-end gaming notebook with more power than most desktops. It features a high-resolution 17” display, an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, and the holy grail of notebook GPUs, the Nvidia GeForce Go7900GTX with 512MB of dedicated memory. Specifications:
Processor: Intel Core2Duo T7600 2.33GHz Memory: 2GB WidowPC L33T RAM Screen: 17" 1920x1200 WUXGA Hard Drive One: 100GB 7200RPM SATA Hot Swappable Hard Drive: 100GB 7200RPM SATA (only available on special request) Hot Swappable Optical Drive: External DVD-RAM Multidrive Video Card: nVidia 7900 GTX 512MB Cache Wireless: Intel Pro Wireless 54Mbps a/b/g with Bluetooth Operating System: Microsoft XP Professional Media Features: 1.3Mpixel Digital Video Camera, 4-in-1 card reader Our 517D has the highest specifications available, and it is certainly not for the budget-conscious, its final price as configured is retail $4,799.75. According to WidowPC, the price is “always negotiable”, so I would assume it can be had for less. The 517D starts at $2,695.
With a Core 2 Duo processor and a 512MB Nvidia graphics card, the 517D's first and foremost audience is gamers. The 517D is also targeted toward those who use 3D modeling applications extensively, as it has an option for the most powerful mobile workstation card available, the Nvidia QuadroFX Go2500 512MB, which is based on the Go7900GTX.
When it comes to competition, there are very few notebooks that can stand up to the 517D in terms of overall performance. Its number one competitor is the Dell XPS M1710, which is also very expensive and does not have the feature set that the 517D does.
Alienware's Area-51 m5750 is another 17” gaming notebook, but its ATI Mobility Radeon X1800 256MB has considerably less performance than the 517D's Nvidia Go7900GTX 512MB.
the design and overall appearance are a far cry from the ordinary notebook. From top to bottom, the 517D is a work of art. All aspects of the design fit together seamlessly, and nothing looks out of place. dimensions:
Thickness: Front, 1”, back, 1.8” Weight: 9.4 pounds w/ battery Across: 15.6” Front to back: 11.5”
The 517D is a heavy notebook, without a doubt. It is difficult to use on a lap because the main fan is on the right side of the notebook, and a knee can easily block it. I recommend getting some sort of pad if this is to see lap use.
The most eye-catching aspect of this notebook is the lid. Made out of aluminum, it is all-black and has the WidowPC signature black widow spider logo right in the center.
The Core 2 Duo T7600's performance is nothing short of mind blowing. It is the fastest mobile processor on the market, and it looks as if it will stay in that position for some time.
The installed hard drive is a Hitachi 100GB 7,200RPM unit. It operates at a low temperature, although it is a bit noisy as Hitachi hard drives traditionally are. A soft clicking noise is audible when the drive is accessed. Loading times for games and other applications were very fast.
2GB of RAM is a must-have for gamers and power users. The latest games will require more than 1GB of RAM to run smoothly at the highest settings. I did not run out of RAM during any scenario.
The WidowPC Sting 517D has a multitude of ports as a desktop replacement should have, including an ever rare DVI-D port for connections to external monitors and HDTVs, four USB 2.0 ports, and a legacy Serial port. The port placement is detailed in the following photos. All descriptions are left to right. The Pioneer DVD-RW DVR-K16 optical drive installed in our 517D reads and writes CDs and DVDs, along with dual-layer DVDs. The drive was reasonably quiet for all tasks, and I did not have any problems burning different types of media.
ASUSTeK Computer (ASUS) has today officially launched the R1 tablet PC, V1 and F2 laptop series which offer a smart balance of mobility and performance with comprehensive security features that protect with both software as well as hardware solutions, providing a secure and convenient computing experience for business professionals on the go.
ASUS protected computing starts with fingerprint authentication that grants strict access only to the designated owner. With one swipe, the electronic imaging mechanism reads the fingerprint pattern from the live layer of skin, bypassing any common skin surface conditions that can impair the accuracy of the reading.
With ASUS Security Protect Manager, you can choose to setup multi-factor authentication requirements for data access of different security level. Both passwords and fingerprints can be used as the method of verification. Passwords are encrypted and stored in the hardware-based Trusted Platform Module (TPM) ensuring end-to-end security and avoid attacks by hackers looking to capture passwords and encryption keys for sensitive data.
The R1F (317x232x35mm, 1.98kg) offers a wide aspect visual enjoyment while remaining compact for high mobility. The 180-degrees convertible LCD screen allows easy presentation and data sharing during meetings or at gatherings. Increase productivity and efficiency with handwritten input capability. Together with InfoPen software, users can record and edit images or documents as easy as on a piece of paper with colour and highlighter options. The DigiPen stylus also has an eraser end and mouse control buttons so that users can now navigate a wide range of applications with single-handed ease.
Key features of the tablet PC include Intel Centrino Duo Mobile Technology, Intel Core Duo Processor T2050/T2250/T2300E/T2400/T2500, Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T5500/T5600/T7200/T7400, Mobile Intel 945GM Express Chipset, Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection, Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, up to 2GB of DDR2 667MHz memory, 13.3-inch WXGA Color Shine & Crystal Shine LCD, SATA 80/100/120GB HDD (second HDD available), hot swappable optical drive, 10/100/1000 Ethernet, 802.11a/b/g, Bluetooth V2.0 + EDR, three USB ports, Express Card, 8-in-1 Card-Reader, Fingerprint Reader, and TPM (optional).
The V1 (363x263x357mm, 2.7kg) series is an ultra-slim 15.4-inch model. The detachable docking station is an ideal solution for quick connection of peripherals, power and communication devices. Whether at home or in the office, it offers advanced practicality and time saved when leaving and returning to the desk.
Key features include Intel Centrino Duo Mobile Technology, Intel Core 2 Duo Processors T7600/T7400/ T7200/T5600/T5500, Mobile Intel 945PM Express Chipset, Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection, Microsoft Windows XP, up to 2GB of DDR2 667MHz memory, 15.4-inch ZBD LCD, ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 256/512MB, SATA 80/100/120GB HDD (second HDD available), 10/100/1000 Ethernet, 802.11a/b/g, Bluetooth V2.0+EDR, three USB 2.0 ports, Card Reader, S/PDIF, Express Card, and Fingerprint Reader.
The F2 (343x280x40mm, 2.7kg) series offers wire-free communication ‘anywhere’. With exclusive ASUS MiVo module, users of Skype can place a mobile-to-mobile, mobile-to-PC or PC-to-mobile call anywhere in the world for the price of a local call. A broadband connection such as cable or DSL and access to a regular phone line are the only connections required to make a MiVo call. Once connected, MiVo monitors the Skype session and automatically forwards any incoming as well as outgoing Skype calls to any designated phone/PC, giving users the ultimate wireless freedom even away from the notebook!
The laptop includes Intel Centrino Duo Mobile Technology, Intel Core Solo Processor T1350, Intel Core Duo Processor T2050/T2250/T2300E/T2400/T2500, Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T5500/T5600/T7200/T7400, or Intel Celeron M 420/430, Mobile Intel 945GM/940GML Express Chipset (F2F/HF) or Mobile Intel 945PM Express Chipset (F2J/JE), Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection, Microsoft’s Windows XP, up to 2GB of DDR2 667MHz memory, 15-inch XGA LCD, ATI Mobility Radeon X1400/1450 DDRII 128MB, SATA 80/100/120/160GGB HDD, 1.3-Megapixel Webcamera (optional), 10/100/1000, 802.11a/b/g, Bluetooth V2.0+EDR (optional feature), three USB, TV-Out, Express Card, 7-in-1 Card Reader, Fingerprint reader, and TPM (optional).
Now that One Laptop Per Child have given its computer a name, CM1, The Children's Machine, it's also reveling more about the notebook's specs. Unlike any laptop ever built CM1 is not a cost-reduced version of today's laptop; we have fundamentally reconsidered personal computer architecture—hardware, software, and display. Unlike any laptop ever built, CM1:
● Creates its own mesh network out of the box. Each machine is a full-time wireless router. Children—as well as their teachers and families—in the remotest regions of the globe will be connected both to one another and to the Internet.
● Features a 7.5-inch, 1200×900-pixel, TFT screen and self-refreshing display with higher resolution (200 DPI) than 95% of the laptops on the market today. Two display modes are available: a transmissive, full-color mode; and a reflective, high-resolution mode that is sunlight readable. Both of these modes consume very little power: the transmissive mode consumes one watt—about one seventh of the average LCD power consumption in a laptop; and the reflective mode consumes a miserly 0.2 watts.
● Can selectively suspend operation of its CPU, which makes possible further remarkable power savings. The laptop nominally consumes less than two watts—less than one tenth of what a standard laptop consumes—so little that CM1 can be recharged by human power. This is a critical advance for the half-billion children who have no access to electricity. Free software To enhance performance and reliability while containing costs, CM1 is not burdened by the bloat of excess code, the “feature-itis” that is responsible for much of the clumsiness, unreliability, and expense of many modern laptops. We intend for CM1 to start up in an instant—faster than any commercial laptop now available—and move briskly through its operations.
CM1 is an open-source machine: free software gives children the opportunity to fully own the machine in every sense. While we don't expect every child to become a programmer, we don't want any ceiling imposed on those children who choose to modify their machines. We are using open document formats for much the same reason: transparency is empowering. The children—and their teachers—will have the freedom to reshape, reinvent, and reapply their software, hardware, and content.
The generation-one machine’s core electronics begin with the 400Mhz AMD Geode processor. There are 128MB of dynamic RAM and 512MB of SLC NAND flash memory on board. The basic integrated operating system is a “skinny” Fedora distribution of Linux. The user interface is specially designed to support collaborative learning and teaching: every activity comes with a support network of teachers and children, so learning need not be an isolated, lonely endeavor. Features Each machine features a video/still camera, three external USB-2.0 ports, plus an SD slot.
CM1 is VOIP-enabled, creating another link among users (both locally and globally). It features Csound, an incredibly powerful and versatile music synthesis software that takes advantage of a full-featured audio codec (and the mesh network for collaborative musical performances). There are internal stereo speakers, as well as a stereo line-out jack. The microphone is built in, with a mic-in jack, which offers another unique feature: “sensor input” mode. The children can plug in any of a number of home-made data sensor, enabling them, for example, to turn their machines into thermometers or oscilloscopes. Form factor Form factor was a priority from the start: the laptop could not be big, heavy, fragile, trivial, ugly, dangerous, or dull. Another imperative was visual distinction. In part, the goal is to strongly appeal to CM1’s intended users; but the machine’s distinctive appearance is also meant to discourage gray-market traffic. There’s no mistaking what it is and who it is for.
CM1 is about the size of a textbook and lighter than a lunchbox. Thanks to its flexible design and “transformer” hinge, the laptop easily assumes any of several configurations: standard laptop use, ebook reading, and gaming.
The laptop has soft, rounded edges. The integrated handle is kid-sized, as is the sealed, rubber-membrane keyboard. The novel, dual-mode, extra-wide touchpad supports pointing as well as drawing and writing. Safety and reliability CM1 is fully compliant with the European Union’s RoHS Directive. It contains no hazardous materials. Its NiMH batteries contain no toxic heavy metals, plus it features enhanced battery management for an extended recharge-cycle lifetime. It will also tolerate alternate power-charging sources, such as car batteries.
To top off the battery—for use at home and where power is not available—CM1 can be hand powered. It will come with at least two of three options: a crank, a pedal, or a pull-cord. It is also possible that children could have a second battery for gang-charging at school while they are using their laptop in class.
Experience shows that the laptop components most likely to fail are its hard drive and internal connectors. CM1 has no hard drive to crash and only two internal cables. For added robustness, the machine’s plastic walls are 2.0mm thick, as opposed to the standard 1.3mm. Its mesh network antennas, which far out-perform those of the typical laptop, double as external covers for the USB ports, which are protected internally as well. The display is also cushioned by internal “bumpers.”
The estimated product lifetime is at least five years. To help ensure such durability, the machines will be subject to factory testing to destruction as well as in situ field testing by children. A real computer Some computer industry figures have publicly dismissed the CM1 as a stripped-down toy—a gadget. “Geez”, asked one, “why not get a real computer?” Indeed. These individuals certainly now know better: as a not-for-profit, we have done something out of their reach—something for the children of the world. Comments and critiques are, of course, always welcome at laptop.org.
"a unique harmony of form and function; a flexible, ultra low-cost, power-efficient, responsive, and durable machine with which nations of the emerging world can leapfrog decades of development" What might those surprises be? Comparing the CM1 page to the original hardware specs we find that the OLPC computer will have:
● a 400Mhz AMD Geode processor instead of a 366 Mhz one ● an integrated digital video camera and still camera (resolution for either is unknown still) ● an SD slot, which is a curious diversion from the usual all-Open Source mantra ● VoIP-enabled with microphone and speaker jacks. No word on the VIOP software. ● CM1's plastic walls are 2.0mm thick, .7 mm more than the standard 1.3mm.
For those worried that the OLPC will become a environmental mess at the end of its life expectancy, a fanciful 5 years according to OLPC: "The CM1 is fully compliant with the European Union’s RoHS Directive. It contains no hazardous materials. Its NiMH batteries contain no toxic heavy metals."
And here you are the latest big fat baby from Samsung the Sens G10.
Samsung Electronics today launched its new behemoth of a model in Sens G10 notebook. Samsung claim its a replacement of the desktop. Lets check out if it really is a replacement for your desktop. Well, the notebook is powered by a an AMD Semptron processor and comes with a whopping 200GB SATA (serial Advanced Technology Attachment) HDD running at 7200rpm.
The notebook features a 17 inch LCD screen with a 700:1 contrast ratio and 300(cd/m2) brightness. The response time of 6ms ensures your precious eyes remain perfectly in tact without much strain. The graphics is powered by a GeForce Go 6100 Video card. Also the most striking thing is that it makes use of an AC adapter instead of battery unlike most other notebooks in the market. But the disappointing thing is that for a laptop claiming as a desktop replacement, it does not get a Duo-core processor. No word on the pricing and availability as yet, but the notebook seems to be a Korea only product for now.
Another addition to the M115 line of notebooks from Toshiba is the S3104 notebook. Available in an elegant Mist gray colour, the notebook has got more to offer than just eye catching design and looks.
Targeted mainly at consumers who are looking for a laptop with basic computing functions and with some additional multimedia flexibility.
Starting at 5.2 lbs, it gets Core Duo processor (T2050 1.6Ghz), Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 and 80GB 5400rpm HDD. It gets an upgrade in the memory department from the previous model, 1GB RAM.
It includes Graphics Media Accelerator 950 with 8MB-224MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory. Other additional features include 5-in-1 Bridge Media Adapter, 4-USB (2.0) and Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG LAN. Take a glance at the extended entry for complete list of specifications.
Specifications :
Processor Type : Core™ Duo Processor Number : T2050 Processor Speed : 1.60GHz Operating System : Genuine Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005 Memory Size : 1024MB Display Size : 14.1" Display Type : Widescreen XGA with TruBrite™ Technology Display Resolution : 1280x800 Graphics Chipset : Graphics Media Accelerator 950 Graphics Memory : 8MB-224MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory Hard Drive Size : 80GB Battery Type : Li-Ion (6-cell, 4000mAh) Battery Life : Up to 3.97 hours PC Card Slots : 1-Type II PC Card Slot PC Express Slot: No PC Express Slot Media Port : 5-in-1 Bridge Media Adapter USB Slots : 4-USB (2.0) iLINK : i.LINK™ IEEE-1394 S-Video : TV-out (S Video)
ports car brand is the in-thing these days. Acer has been hanging around the pit-lane with Ferrari, and Asus has teamed up with Lamborghini to create the VX1. It comes in a choice of black or yellow trim - Lamborghini's corporate colors - although there's more to the VX1 than a cool paint job...
Sony has taken its slick, silver VAIO TR-series notebook, a 3.1-pound ultraportable complete with DVD burner, shiny screen, and built-in web camera, and made it even better. With a $2,999 price tag, the top-of-the-line TR5AP includes a faster 1.1-GHz Pentium M processor and a gigabyte of RAM. It's one of the best multimedia mini-laptops you can buy, even if a few nagging drawbacks remain.
Sony has taken its slick, silver VAIO TR-series notebook, a 3.1-pound ultraportable complete with DVD burner, shiny screen, and built-in web camera, and made it even better. With a $2,999 price tag, the top-of-the-line TR5AP includes a faster 1.1-GHz Pentium M processor and a gigabyte of RAM. It's one of the best multimedia mini-laptops you can buy, even if a few nagging drawbacks remain.
Dell launched a new series of Inspiron desktops today geared toward personalization and style, with most aspects of the computer being completely customizable. With eight color choices, CPU options from AMD and Intel and a price point starting at $299, the systems are available in China today and the US later this spring. The new Inspiron lines will be available in both minitower and slim/small form factor models, though each model will come equipped with one of eight different customizable fronts. Rather than introduce models with a single unique style, Dell is going in the complete opposite direction: the way the computer looks is up to the end consumer. The eight colors available are Piano Black, Pure White, True Blue, Formula Red, Tangerine Orange, Spring Green, Plum Purple, and Promise Pink. Dell teamed up with the Susan G. Komen foundation, so $5 from the sale of each Inspiron model with the Promise Pink option will go to fund breast cancer research. Available processors run the complete gamut, with Celeron and Sempron options available on the low end and Core 2 Quad and Phenom X4 chips available on the higher end. Integrated Intel and ATI graphics are standard, with discrete ATI Radeons available as an upgrade. The systems max out at 8GB of RAM, with 750GB hard drives available in the slim tower and 1TB of storage available in the mini tower. Both models offer optional 19-in-1 media readers as well as HDMI out ports for use in HTPC situations in addition to six USB2.0 ports. The slim tower is designed to run either horizontally or vertically, much like its smaller cousin, the Studio Hybrid, for home theater use; Blu-ray disc drives are also available (with an option for two units on the mini-tower). Much like the recent Studio One 19 launch, the new Inspiron desktops are available in China today, and the US later this spring. Configurations will start at $299. SOURCE: www.desktopreview.com
Specifications: Processor: Intel Core i7 920 @ 2.66GHz (8MB L2 cache). Memory: 6GB tri-channel DDR3 @ 1066MHz. Hard drive: 500GB SATA @ 7200RPM. Optical drive: SuperMulti DVD+/-RW. Sound: Integrated 7.1 HD audio. Video card: ATI Radeon HD4850 . Networking: 10/100/1000 Gigabit ethernet . Dell wired keyboard and mouse . Operating system: Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit. Warranty: One year limited warranty with in-home service after remote diagnosis and 24/7 phone support. Dimensions: 14.2"(H)x6.7"(W)x17.1"(D) . 360W rated power supply. The new Studio XPS follows the same design cues as most of Dell's recent desktops. The front of the case uses the same high-gloss tuxedo black plastic as the rest of the Studio desktops. On the front, you can see the optical drive bays up top covered with black plastic. While this gives the desktop a uniform appearance, it does make the access button a little squishy. Directly below the optical drive bays, there is a sliding access door that hides away all of the front ports of the machine. I actually much prefer this way of hiding mess on the front panel of a desktop to a door that has to be left open. Doors get broken, they look ugly when left open, and they're just a bit of a pain to deal with. This solution, however, lets you leave the bay open for viewing and access without any of those repercussions. I suspect that most users will just leave it open in general use. The side panels are traditional Dell, with a vent noticeable in the lower left-hand side of the case. The sides of the case are less important than the front as far as design goes, since it's going to be pretty hard to see the sides of the computer when it's sitting beneath a desk. More importantly than how they look, Dell also designed the left case panel to be easily removed for quick access to the interior. Loosen a couple of thumbscrews, and you're in. Inside, the case is, like many recent desktops we've reviewed, relatively sparsely populated with hardware. The power supply sits at the top of the machine, with the motherboard and graphics card below. On the right sit the optical drive and hard drive. Interestingly enough, Dell has mounted the hard drive vertically rather than horizontally even though there is significant space beside and beneath it. I suspect this is probably a result of the higher number of DIMM slots for DDR3 memory than what has been usual; by mounting the drive in this fashion, Dell facilitates access to the data and power cables. Mounting the drive in a more traditional fashion would mean banging against the RAM whenever you needed to move it around. Unfortunately, this creates a messy cable situation with cables trailing from the hard drive over the RAM to the motherboard and power supply. Given that a second hard drive would be mounted (in the picture) directly down from the first, I suspect a RAID 0 configuration would simply compound the issue. The real centerpiece for the new Studio XPS is the new Intel Core i7 platform. Underneath the big (compared to many OEM heatsinks) heatsink rests a Core i7 920, clocked 2.66 GHz. Dell's BIOS, unfortunately, doesn't really lend itself to overclocking the processor. It's a bit of a letdown, considering that Intel's Core architecture has traditionally been a good overclocker. Another noticeable difference between computers based on the new Core i7 chip and traditional desktops is the addition of tri-channel memory. What this means is that instead of putting in either two or four memory modules to fully realize the speed of your desktop's memory, you're going to need either three or six. In this case, Dell populated the slots with six 1GB sticks of DDR3 memory, although the Studio XPS does support using up to 12. If you're going above three, however, you're going to absolutely want to run a 64-bit operating system to make sure your computer can address all of it. Inputs and Expansion: The Studio XPS does offer a fair number of options regarding ports and expandability. As discussed earlier, the front of the computer has a slotted compartment that hides all of the ports. Beneath the cover rest four USB2.0 ports, one FireWire and audio in/out. As an aside, the four USB ports on the front were some of the tightest I've ever used; pulling out a thumb drive literally moved the desktop forward a few inches. I suspect, however, that there is a certain degree of variance involved in the construction of these. The rear of the Studio XPS offers several more options. In addition to four more USB2.0 ports (bringing the total to eight), there is another FireWire, one eSATA, gigabit ethernet, audio in as well as analog and optical audio out. One thing you can see in the picture is that the Studio XPS has no onboard video whatsoever; this is because it's only configurable with discrete graphics cards. In this case, it's an ATI Radeon HD4850, offering up two DVI-I video out ports as well as s-video. It's certainly an interesting move by Dell. The back of the computer also offers up a cable lock slot. Inside of the computer, there are external 5.25" and 3.5" drive bays available (one of each) as well as two more internal 3.5" drive bays. There are three PCI-e x1 slots and a single PCI-e x16 slot which is already taken up by the discrete graphics solution. Pros: Core i7 920 is incredibly fastStudio XPS offers low barrier to entry for new platformLots of room for lots of memoryEasily accessible componentsSlotted front port cover a much better alternative to door-based covers SOURCE: http://www.desktopreview.com/
Specifications: Our review model had the following specifications: Windows Vista Business (64-bit) . Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850 Processor (3GHz, 8MB L2, 1333MHz FSB). NVIDIA Quadro FX4600 Graphics Card . 2GB (1 x 2GB) ECC DDR3 SDRAM (maximum capacity 4GB) . 1TB RAID 0 (2 x 500GB Seagate 7200.10 drives) . Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi sound card . DVD Burner 16X Max . 9-in-1 Media card reader . Additional Firewire Expansion Card (2 External ports, 1 internal) . Dimensions (WxDxH Front/H Rear): 11.8" x 9.4" x 3.2" . Weight: 32lbs . 650W Power Supply . 3-Year Limited Onsite Warranty Standard . Price as configured: $3,370.50. Build and Design: The case design for the ThinkStation S10 is very basic, but also stylish at the same time. It is a standard tower design with two exposed 5.25” bays, and one 3.5” floppy bay. It also features quick access to headphone/ microphone jacks, two USB ports, and 1 fullsize Firewire port located right under the optical bays. The front bezel is designed with a honeycomb structure which gives it a nice modern look, and is polished off with its standard IBM black finish all around. Build quality is excellent, with a very solid feeling all around, enough that it could be used as a second chair if needed. The front bezel is a sturdy plastic, as well as the carrying handle. While I would have liked to see more steel, the stock weight of 32lbs was quite enough already. The side panels are thick gauge steel, all riveted in place except for the service door, which has a nice handle release. This workstation could easily be used to fend off almost any attacker, and still work the rest of the night crunching numbers. Performance: System performance of the Lenovo ThinkStation S10 was outstanding, which was known from the start given its specifications. The Intel Core 2 Extreme quad-core QX6850 processor, NVIDIA Quadro FX4600 graphics card, Intel RAID 0 hard drive setup and 2GB of 1333Mhz DDR3 memory really help speed things up. Startup and shutdown times were very fast, and normal office productivity applications loaded almost instantly. One nice advantage of having such a powerful workstation is they are also very handy at playing many of the latest games with ease, including very stressful ones such as Crysis. SOURCE: http://www.desktopreview.com/
Specifications: Processor: Intel Core i7 920 @ 2.66GHz . Memory: 6GB DDR3 RAM @ 1066 MHz . Hard drive: 750GB SATA @ 7200RPM . Optical drive: Blu-ray readable / DVD+/-RW . Sound: Integrated 7.1 audio . Video card: ATI Radeon HD4850 1GB . Networking: Gigabit Ethernet . Wireless networking: 802.11n . Operating system: Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit . Power supply: Delta Electronics 460W . Warranty: 1 year limited warranty. One thing that’s set HP apart in recent years is the quality of their desktop cases, and the Pavilion Elite m9600t is no exception. The sides, top, bottom and back are all constructed out of metal with the front a plastic façade over top of a metal skeleton. Dell and HP have both taken a different tack than Apple with respect to handling inputs and the front styling of their bigger machines. Apple has largely removed these connections from the front of their computers and forced necessary ones, like the optical drive, to blend in very well. Dell, and more to the point HP, have hidden as much as they can behind little doors and panels. On the plus side, this computer camouflage does a pretty good job of smoothing out the front and dimming down the high-tech look. Unfortunately, it’s applied somewhat haphazardly here, with some items covered and others not. Personally, I’d rather leave all of these panels and doors off entirely, as they often get in the way and if you want to plug in headphones or a USB device into the front, you’ll need to leave them open anyway. One very cool feature of the m9600t that I’ve never seen on any other computer is a charging station built into the top of the desktop. Instead of being completely flat on top, the machine has a shallow indentation where you can store portable devices such as cell phones or MP3 players. The bottom and sides of the indentation are covered in a thick rubber mat that keeps all of your devices from getting scratched up; this is a really clever feature. At the back of the mat is a flat clip that swivels up and down, hiding channels built into the top of the computer. Wires from charging devices are funneled through these grooves to USB ports on the rear of the computer. Once you have your gadgets set up, the clip snaps down and secures the cords in place, preventing a tangled mess. After the initial setup, you don’t need to reach around to the back of the computer to plug your iPod in, or leave USB cables dangling from the front of your machine. Inputs and Expansion: The m9600t is almost bursting at the seams with expandability, although not all of it is as useful as it might be. The front of the machine offers users a Blu-ray/DVD burner combo drive as well as a 15-in-1 card reader in two of the expansion bays. There’s also an IR receiver in the middle of the card reader. Underneath those two is an open 5.25” expansion bay for whatever you might need to install. It’s at this point where things get a little murky. In the middle of the front of the m9600t, HP put in a slot designed to fit its “pocket media drive” accessory. These are small portable hard drives that run off of USB. In the back of the of pocket drive bay is a full-sized USB plug; all you do is slot the drive into the bay and the built-in plug plugs into the drive. An eject button nearby ejects the drive when you’re finished with it. Further down the front of the chassis is another specialized drive bay that fits HP’s media drives, which are full-sized external drives. Inside this slot is another USB plug like you’d find on the end of a full-sized USB cable as well as a DC jack designed to fit into the back of the (traditionally) external media drive. While both of these slots can be handy features, I’m not sure how useful they really are. Taking advantage of them requires you to buy HP’s external hard drives and no one else’s. Furthermore, these proprietary drive bays take up extra room in the case, and I’m not sure it’s worth it, since I’m willing to bet 90% of the people who buy these computers won’t buy the hard drives. Given HP’s really elegant solution for charging portable devices, I’d rather be able to add in more hard drives or drive bays and put external storage devices on the rubber mat on top. Performance: We’ve tested desktops based around Intel’s Core i7 platform before and they are, in a word, fast. The Pavilion Elite m9600t is no exception, ranking high in essentially all of our tests. It’s worth noting here that while Intel’s Core i7 920 processor has a standard multiplier of 20x, giving a clock speed of 2.66GHz, it can vary based on load. If Intel’s Turbo Mode is turned on in the BIOS, then when CPU load rises, the multiplier will increase to 21x, which ups the CPU to 2.79GHz. If you set Windows to its highest performance settings, then the CPU will stay clocked at the higher speed regardless of load on the processor. SOURCE: desktopreview.com
I think hell may have just frozen over folks, as now NVIDIA has crossed over camps like a country western song getting popular on the rock-n-roll charts. NVIDIA has partnered up with AMD's competitor, better known as the Intel giant. This will seriously put a dent in AMD's current hold on the SLI market, as this levels the playing field for both companies in the SLI arena. In reality Intel needed a break as AMD has about earned them the right to stand toe-to-toe with Intel in the desktop and server market. The year 2004 was a very good one for AMD both in their chipset platform partners, their CPU releases and then to top it off the only game in town that played SLI. This release totally changes that advantage and only time will tell how much of an impact this will have in the long run for AMD at the cash register. Intel has always made an outstanding CPU, well at least 98% of time anyways and that is what has made them a household name, that and those infernal blue men with the far out devices occupying my TV screen. The thing I wonder about now, will Intel try and integrate their latest 955 chipset features into a next generation Intel SLI boards or will NVIDIA just try and make a chipset platform that rival or surpasses Intel's soon to be market realized Dual-Core platform. This really is not a motherboard review per say as the board is a reference motherboard that features the same chipset that all the major manufacturers will be producing, so it is more of a chipset and platform review. NVIDIA has really started to put a name on their chipsets and now that they have added an entirely new platform support by way of Intel that can only grow stronger. So is SLI all that for Intel? I think anyone who is an Intel fan will find a breath of fresh air in this release as it once again makes Intel a viable choice for hardcore gamers, those who care less for price, and more about top performance in their machine. SOURCE: www.motherboards.org
NVIDIA entered the motherboard market in 2001 with the release of the nForce chipset. Best known as a video card maker, NVIDIA has branched out into other markets including the motherboard chipset market, handheld graphics chips, notebook chips, workstation and more. NVIDIA is a multi-billion dollar US company with revenues exceeding 600 million a quarter. NVIDIA started in the motherboard chipset market on the AMD platform. Intel required a bus license and controlled the market. AMD, on the other hand, allowed the motherboard chipset manufacturers to design and build their own chipsets without the need for a bus license. NVIDIA concentrated on the AMD platform with the nForce2 and 3 chipsets. 2004 saw the release of the nForce4 platform. Late in 2004, NVIDIA announced the nForce4 SLI for Intel platform, their first Intel chipset. NVIDIA nForce 590 SLI Features: Supports Intel Socket 775 Celeron D, Pentium 4, Pentium D 9xx, Pentium D 8XX, Core 2 Duo, and Core 2 Extreme processorsSupports Dual Channel DDR2-800MHz memorySLI X16Two full-bandwidth 16-lane PCI Express links ensure maximum performance, twice the PCI Express bandwidth of X8 SLI solutionsFirstPacketDualNetMediaShieldnTune 5.0 Fine Performance Tuning NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI Features: Supports Intel Socket 775 Celeron D, Pentium 4, Pentium D 9xx, Pentium D 8XX, Core 2 Duo, and Core 2 Extreme processorsSupports Dual Channel DDR2-800MHz memorySLITwo, 8-lane PCI Express linksNVIDIA FirstPacket tm technologyMediaShieldnTune 5.0 Smart Performance tuningNVIDIA's nForce 590 SLI for Intel chipset is similar in many respects to the AMD version of the chipset. There are two chipsets for the Intel platform, the nForce 590 SLI and the nForce 570 SLI chipsets. The 590 SLI is designed for the high-end enthusiast and has a projected MSRP of $150+. The 570 SLI is designed for the Performance market and has a projected MSRP of $130. SOURCE: www.motherboards.org
The MSI board is based upon AMD's 790GX chipset. There are three things that this chipset has support for AM3 CPUs, DDR3 memory and integrated graphics. The Socket AM3 is a 938-pin package designed to support the latest AM3 CPUs. The memory controller is on the processor, meaning that the AM3 CPUs support DDR3 memory and this board supports it as well. Integrated HD 3300 graphics are the top of the heap in terms of performance for integrated graphics solutions. AMD has launched several AM3 CPUs including the 810 we are using in this review, the 720 X3 and 710 X3 CPUs and more to come later this month. Due to the nature of the interface, AM3 CPUs will work on AM2+ boards, but AM2+ CPUs will not work on AM3 boards due to the missing pins and the use of DDR3 memory for system memory that is not supported by the AM2+ CPU. APS stands for Active Phase Switching. APS uses the lower power modes of the CPU, memory and Chipset PWM when the system is not under load. Power savings of up to 27.6% are observed with APS enabled compared to a motherboard without APS. Auto Max FSB allows the overclocker to overclock quickly and automatically. M-Flash allows the user to update the BIOS simply by using a USB drive. You can also sboot from a USB drive by using M-Flash if the BIOS crashes. MSI uses all Solid capacitors as is the custom with most motherboard manufacturers. Solid capacitors have a longer lifespan than regular capacitors and are much less likely to leak than the older capacitors. Chokes are inductors responsible for storing power and regulating current. Shielded chokes reduce core power loss and offer lower EMI emissions. The integrated graphics core on the board is the HD 3300 from ATI. The HD 3300 has a core clock speed of 700MHz compared to the 500MHz core clock speed found on the HD 3200 on the earlier 780GX motherboard chipsets. The HD 3300 supports all features of DirectX 10.0 and in fact is a HD 2400XT modified for the motherboard with 40 SPs. MSI outfits their 790GX-G65 with 1 Gigabit for SidePort memory. SidePort memory works with your system memory to provide integrated graphics and can improve performance 15% over using the system memory alone. Feautures: APS . Max FSB . M-Flash . All Solid Capacitors . All Shielded Choke . Easy OC Switch . 1Gigabit SidePort memory . True Blu-ray AUDIO . M-connectors . User Friendly . Live Update Online . ATI CrossfireX Technology . Norton Security 2009 . Cool'n'Quiet . 64-bit AMD Phenom II CPU . Hyper Transport 3.0 . AMD 790GX . SB750 . SOURCE: www.motherboards.org
Capacity: Designed for storing large files. 700MB of data or 80 minutes of audio. Long-term storage: Ultra-stable organic pigment is ideal for long-term data storage. Over 10 years of archival life and optimized for all of todays disk rotation speeds. Compatibility: 40x drive compatible. SOURCE: www.shopping.msn.com
Specifications: AMD64 X2 7550+ Dual Core Processor 4GB Dual Channel DDR2-800 (2x2GB) Asus M3A78-CM Motherboard ExpressGate 5 Second Boot (Linux OS) Western Digital 320GB SATA-II Hard Drive 20X DVD-RW w/Lightscribe Technology nVidia 9800GT 512MB Video Card PhysX Ready RAID 0/1/0+1 Capable Integrated 10/100/1000 Gigabit LAN 6 x USB 2.0 Ports (Expandable to 12) (1) x16 PCI-e / (1) x1 PCI-e / (2) PCI 7.1 Channel High Definition Audio HDMI or DVI Output Supported HDCP Compliant 585 Watt Orion Power Supply Keyboard & Mouse Included 8.5" x 19.7" x 21.5" Vista Home Premium 64-bit SOURCE: www.tigerdirect.com
When it comes to headphones with great sound and comfort, nobody knows better than Edifier with the new H800 series. Sound is precise, spacious, and superbly defined with remarkable dynamic range. The H800 comes with 5 meters of OFC quality copper cable giving plenty of room and freedom to move around whilst listening, as well as a luxurious wood presentation box and two plug adapters. Features:Deluxe Leather earcup headphones fold elegantly in crushed velvet presentation wood box. Tamper-resistant soft ear cups, adjustable and durable headset steel band. 5M (16.6? long OFC quality copper cable gives more room and freedom. Gold-plated high quality 3.5 mm Stereo plug. Free 3.5 mm to 6.35mm plug converter included, compatible to any sound source equipment. 20Hz-20kHZ wide Frequency Range perfectly expresses every detail of music for an exceptional performance. SOURCE: www.edifier.com
For sheer stylish fun, the new Edifier M260 headphones are a perfect compliment to a portable sound system. The unique twist n?lock feature of the M260 takes up only a fraction of space of regular design headphones. Available in cool lime green and warm orange colors, Edifier always delivers chic attitude. Features:Clean and simple pretty fashion design. “Kiss and Twist” make carrying even easier .Replaceable color sponge ear cushions. 5-micron super thin diaphragm reproduces accurate sound. 1.2m long durable cable. SOURCE: www.edifier.com
When it comes to luxury sound and features, the new Edifier DA5000 mini-home theater system is hard to beat. Finished in a lustrous white polyurethane finish, the DA5000 fits into every home décor. The wireless remote control places amazing surround sound and tonal options at ones fingertips. Bass is delivered with aplomb by the super long-throw 8?woofer in a reflex configured subwoofer. The satellites are of a twin driver design, throwing a wide spacious sound into the listening room, all driven by an amazing 120 watts RMS of sheer power. Features:Mini home theatre system. White Polyurethane paint finish. Independent volume control for satelistes . Treble and midrange upgrade control. Wireless remote control. High-current Toroidel ring transformer. 120W total output power. 8 inch woofer with Aluminum voicecoil. SOURCE: www.edifier.com
TrueSpace® surround digital processing circuitry: Creates an immersive sound environment from just two visible speakers. The system is designed for sitting at the computer. Digital 5.1 audio playback: Brings music, games, films and other 5.1-decoded material to life with much of the performance you'd expect from a five-speaker system. USB simplicity: System links to your computer through a single USB connection. No special software, sound card upgrade, adaptors or complicated wiring needed. Preassembled speakers/stands: Speaker arrays come fully assembled on stands for superb performance and more usable desktop space. Compact Acoustimass® module: Delivers clean, deep low frequencies into the room. The module can be hidden almost anywhere in the listening area and allows for small, elegant speakers without sacrificing performance. Control pod: Multi-function pod houses volume control, single-touch mute, headphone jack and connection for a second audio source such as an MP3 player. Magnetically shielded satellite speakers: Magnetic field is essentially confined inside the speakers and will not cause monitor interference or damage to magnetic media such as audio cassette tapes. Patented integrated signal processing: Enjoy lifelike, rich performance at almost any volume level. Compression circuitry: Keeps your music sounding clear, not distorted, at high volume levels. Active equalisation: Electronically tunes the frequency response, enabling outstanding audio performance. SOURCE: www.global.bose.com
It seems the rumours were right - nVidia does indeed have an Intel Atom platform. It's called Ion, it's crazy small enough that it should fit not only into nettop systems, but also netbooks and, importantly, should offer much better graphics performance than Intel's 945G platform. Based around the same 9400M chipset powering the new Macbooks, but on a pico-ITX motherboard. Ion refers to the combination of that chipset and Intel's Atom processor. Looking at the reference design, it's clear just how small nVidia's platform is. In fact, the board is small enough that not all of the component points fit on one side - so the RAM SO DIMM slot and a single SATA connector are on the reverse to the chipset and CPU. While not superficially the best looking system in the world - those front ports should really be covered - the sample machine really goes to show just how much can be crammed into a small space using 9400M. It's a good indicator of what OEMs will be able to accomplish with systems that are actually made available to buy - which nVidia's wont. A crazy six USB ports, optical digital and analogue audio connectors, and a pair of e-SATA ports at the front alongside VGA, DVI and HDMI outputs, a further USB port and an Ethernet jack at the back blow all current Intel-based solutions out of the water on the connectivity front.There there's 9400M's ability to decode up to 25Mbps HD video and output 8 channel (7.1 surround) Linear PCM audio over HDMI. Throw in nVidia's claim that Ion should offer the same battery life as Intel's netbook platform, but taking up half the size and the green team should really be on to a winner! SOURCE: www.trustedreviews.com
Sure, it isn't exactly as exciting as the teased 'Adamo' laptop, but Dell's Studio 14 laptop is still worth a look. Revealed, oddly enough, on Dell's Malaysian site, the system sits, oddly enough, between the 15.4in Studio 15 and forthcoming 13.3in Studio XPS 13. Spec wise there is, as usual for Dell, a range of customisation options. CPUs start from a 2.1GHz Core 2 Duo T8100 and span up to the 2.6GHz T9500, up to 4GB of RAM can be fitted and graphics power comes courteously either an integrated Intel X3100 GMA or dedicated ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3450. That 14.1in screen packs a 1,280 x 800 resolution panel, which is disappointing but on par with rival systems, such as the Samsung X460. On the plus side, it is at least LED-backlit. As with other laptops in its Studio range, Dell allows a range of colour options, including "Jet Black," "Flamingo Pink" and even "Tangerine Orange." The base spec system is listed as 3,599RM (~£700) which seems pretty reasonable and even a decently specced machine will probably be hard pushed to exceed the £1,000 mark. While it is possible that the Studio 14 could be a Malaysian exclusive option, that seems highly unlikely. Expect an update to Dell's UK site any time soon. SOURCE: www.trustedreviews.com
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