Laptops - Page 43

GIGABYTE are known for their motherboards and video cards here at TweakTown, receiving generally good reviews and awards for their range of products. It may come to you as a surprise that they have also been producing notebooks for the past five years. Today, GIGABYTE Australia announced their latest models in the Ultrabook and high performance gaming market space and I was there to cover it.

The P2542G 15.6" gaming laptop promises to 'unleash fury' on the latest PC games such as Battlefield 3 which was showcased at the media event. With a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660M powering the punch, we saw the notebook running BF3 at an average of 38fps on the highest settings (Ultra settings/4xAA/1920x1080) and mirrored onto the 52" Sony TV at the same FHD resolution. "The notebook is only 2.6KG, so it's good for LAN parties." said Hanif Wong, Marketing Specialist for GIGABYTE Taiwan, "but it's not just a notebook for gaming, it's also a notebook for multimedia with its amazing audio."

GIGABYTE will only release the P2542G in a yellow colour only because they are targeting users who wants to stand out from the sea of black and beige notebooks, but a black colour is a possibility and will be considered if the demand is high explained Wong. The battery life of this machine is estimated to be about 3-5 hours depending on the workload. Unfortunately no gaming accessories will be bundled with the notebook when purchased.

Samsung's first dedicated gaming notebook has come and gone, and the refresh is just pulling up on the finishing line. Samsung's Series 7 Gamer notebook has been refreshed, with the company using their Samsung Tomorrow blog to tell the world.

The new build is called Series 7 Gamer Yellow 3D, and if the 'yellow' and '3D' weren't strong enough hints, we're looking at the GPU being upgraded, the screen is 3D-capable, and it comes in yellow. The GPU in question is AMD's Radeon HD 7870M, and the screen is a 14.3-inch SuperBright (400 nit) 3D LED display.

The refreshed Series 7 Gamer comes with an 128GB SSD and a 1TB HDD for storage. Availability isn't known just yet, but those in Samsung's homeland can grab one of these bad boys for 2.99 million Won, which is around $2,643 US.

Apple have today expanded the available options for configuring a new Retina MacBook Pro. The company is now offering a heap of individual upgrade options on the base model that starts at $2199. Previously, if you wanted a base model rMBP, you were stuck with the 2.3GHz Core i7 model with 256GB of SSD storage, with the only configurable onboard option being a RAM upgrade from 8GB to 16GB for $200.

If you wanted a faster CPU, or more flash storage, you were required to jump to the high-end $2799 model, which sports a 2.6GHz Core i7 processor, and 512GB of storage. But now, Apple are offering a slew of upgrades to the processor, memory and storage options. Customers can now upgrade storage on the base $2199 model from the stock 256GB to 512GB for an additional $500, or 768GB for an additional, wait for it, $1000.

The CPU options can also get upped from the base 2.3GHz Core i7 to the 2.6GHz model for $100 extra, or for $350 extra you can get it ramped up to 2.7GHz. Memory options stay the same with an upgrade option to 16GB for the same $200. Apple still has a 1-2 week shipping estimate for the rMBP, as they try to keep up with demand. I really want one, but dumping down that much moola on a single product is hard.

Intel's Ultrabook Symposium starts tomorrow in Taipei, but Netbook News have sat down with Navin Shenoy, Vice President of Intel Architecture Group and General Manager of Mobile Client Platform before the event starts, to talk about various topics before the event itself.

Shenoy has confirmed that there are 140 Ultrabook designs, with only 35 of these being seen by the public. As of next month, we should expect sub-$700 Ultrabooks, across the Ultrabook board, with more than one model. One of the biggest nuggets of information here is that there are set to be 40 Windows 8-based Ultrabooks with Touch launching in Q4 of this year.

This means before the end of this year, and the end of Mayan long-count calender (and all the doom associated with it), Intel are Microsoft (and various partners) are set to unleash 40 Ultrabooks with touch screens, which is exciting news. Intel's fourth-generation Core processor, Haswell, is destined for the 22nm process, and will be the first System-on-Chip (SoC) for PC. Shenoy pointed out that the idle power consumption of Haswell will be 20 times less than Ivy Bridge, this in itself is an amazing achievement. Haswell is also said to not just be an incremental step forward, but a giant leap in performance.

Earlier this year, Dell launched an experiment to see if they could build a compelling Linux laptop for software developers. It was called Project Sputnik, and infused an XPS 13 Ultrabook with Ubuntu 12.04.

The software environment is tailored for developers, where it features a bunch of useful tools and a framework for automating the installation of specific development stacks and cloud deployment tools. Dell also worked on hardware enablement, where they tweaked drivers which improved touchpad support, as well as adding support for toggling Wi-Fi from the keyboard.

Project Sputnik was a six-month pilot program, where Dell would evaluate the potential of turning the concept into a real product. This week, Dell announced that it will proceed with the project. Sputnik is destined to take-off later this year, and will be available to consumers in selected markets. Dell are also going to be using developer feedback into the product itself.

Apple's new Retina-powered MacBook Pros may be experiencing screen ghosting, according to some comments from Apple's community forums, YouTube, and long-time Mac pros (not the system, but users).

Lloyd Chambers, whose Mac Performance Guide website for pro photographers and "performance addicts" has shown a photo of the ghosting problem. Chambers wrote on his website:

Apple's latest MacBook Pro may feature that gorgeous 2880x1800 resolution with it being dubbed 'Retina display', but it seems that the notebook doesn't run that high resolution by default. The new Retina MacBook Pro (or rMBP) uses the screens extra pixels to display a higher level of detail on a canvas representing the previous 1440x900 resolution.

The result of this? All windows and user interface elements all appear to have the same relative size as the rMBP's predecessor with the 15-inch 1440x900 display, but with 400-percent more detail. If owners of the new rMBP wish to use a high resolution, then you can go to System Preferences and select a different resolution, all the way up to 1920x1200.

Those who want even more screen real estate, ranging up to the eye-busting 2880x1800 will have to use a workaround that is, wait for it, not authorized by Apple. Macworld reports that in order to get to the 2880x1800 resolution, you'll need to use either a third-party app like the paid SwitchResX, or one of a number of free options suhc as Change Resolution.

Acer have jumped out today, late in the week, to announce their thin and light Timeline Ultra M5 Series of Ultrabooks. Measuring in at just 0.81-inches thick, they're quite slim and light. Also sporting up to 8 hours of battery life, a single charge can give you an entire days use from the Ultrabook.

Acer also has their Green Instant On, which as you can imagine is an 'instant-on' tech which can throw the Ultrabook back into action within 6 seconds from a deep sleep, or just 2 seconds from normal sleep mode. Acer's new Timeline Ultra M5 Ultrabooks also feature Intel's third-generation Core processors, as well as NVIDIA's latest discrete GPUs, optical drives, and an option of either a 14- or 15.6-inch display.

The new Ultrabooks feature either a 128GB or 256GB solid-state drive for super-fast access to your files and transfer speed, with all models sporting a DVD drive as well. Two USB 3.0 ports are found on the Ultrabooks, and filling out the GPU side of things we'll find an NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M or 640M LTE dedicated GPUs for your GPU-accelerated, or gaming needs. Fans of backlit keyboards will feel at home since Acer's latest offerings sport the beautiful backlit keyboards, as well as the professionally-tuned Dolby Home Theater v4 and premium speakers that will deliver some great audio for your music, games or movies.

Apple are set to release a Retina Display-powered 13-inch MacBook Pro in October of this year, according to an insider, reports Apple Insider. Apple are expected to ramp up the production of the 13-inch next-generation MacBook Pro powered by their high-res Retina Display in September.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI has said that Apple has the "highest hopes" for the new 13-inch MacBook Pro with the Retina Display. The 13-inch model wasn't unveiled at the WWDC because of low yields and greater assembly difficulty, says Kuo.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display will also be sans optical drive, and will rely solely on solid-state flash memory storage. We should expect the screen to sport a resolution of 2560x1600, and be thinner than the 15-inch model, at 18mm. The 13-inch model will also not sport discrete NVIDIA Kepler graphics, and will rely on just the integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics.

Computex 2012 - MSI's notebook range expands for what seems every few minutes, and Computex 2012 is no different. Today we checked out their GT60 and GX60 notebooks for a quick peek. The GT60 features MSI's Super RAID design, includes the fastest online gaming response thanks to its Killer Gaming Network card, and is the world's first (and exclusive!) GAMING keyboard by SteelSeries, check it out below. It even crams in NVIDIA's GEFORCE GTX 670M GPU, as well as Intel's third-generation Ivy Bridge CPU.

Next up we have MSI's GX60, which is powered by AMD's APU, the A10-4600M, backed up by an AMD Radeon HD 7970M GPU. Those specs not enough to get you revved up? How about the fact that the GX60 is EyeFinity-capable. Yes, this notebook is compatible with the 3-screen tech from AMD, EyeFinity. Filling out the specs we have the same Super RAID as its brother above, as well as a Killer Gaming Network card.

MSI also had the GE60 on show, which sports an Intel Core i7-3610M, GEFORCE GT 650M, a 15.6-inch Full HD display and some very nice looks.

Computex 2012 - We sat in on Intel's keynote speech today in Taipei, and let me start off with this: I've never been more excited about the PC world than I have today. We kinda knew Ultrabooks were going to be big, but consumer devices are about to get a whole lot bigger, while physically shrinking in size, while offering more features and functions than ever before.

Intel pushed that their tick-tock method is helping, where we're seeing constant pushes in the shrinking of tech, as well as teaming up with virtually every major ODM, OEM and retailer across our planet. We will have more info, and a heap of hands-on over the coming days, but for now let's quickly update you on what we saw today.

Intel had ASUS on stage, where they showed off some Ultrabooks that were very... ultra. Intel and ASUS are pushing the boundaries of security, to touch on just one of the many things discussed today. They showed off an ASUS Ultrabook that sported a camera that would sense you with increased algorithms that detect facial features such as facial hair, eyes and your smile. ASUS had an Ultrabook on show, where if the Ultrabook detects that it has been moved, it will sound an alarm and secure the system. This protects your precious data from anyone who might steal your Ultrabook if you were to turn away from it at work, Uni, or a coffee shop.

Computex 2012 - We're live here in Taipei and we've just sat in on the Acer press conference where a fair amount of exciting gear was unveiled. Without going into a tonne of details [just yet], what we can tell you is that Windows 8 is a central part of not just Acer's future, but the industry's future. We saw some devices being shown off in the form of a few Ultrabooks, and a 27-inch all-in-one Windows 8-based PC, the Acer Aspire 5600U.

I've got to admit, before this event, I didn't have much faith in Acer going forward into the future, say, 5 years from now, but what they showed off gives me the utmost confidence that they have what it takes to win not just confidence in the industry, but consumer confidence. The all-in-one desktop they displayed was pretty insane, being capable of going into portrait, and swivelling completely horizontal, so it would feel like a super big tablet.

Standing there with our competition winner Roshan (amazing guy btw!), we listened to the presence-bringing J.T. Wang take the stage, where he reiterated how much Windows 8 will change Acer. Normally this would be just press talk, but the room filled with applause when he talked, and his aura took the room into his world. Acer showed off the Aspire 5600U which was very, very impressive, sporting a Full HD display and the ability to tilt completely horizontal. While this may sound unimpressive in text form, it was very cool to see this happen on-stage. The ability to purchase an off-the-shelf desktop PC, and tilt it horizontally to play games, or just take in content is just so impressive. Kudos, Acer.

Intel is set to show off some new Ultrabooks powered by their third-generation Intel Core processors otherwise known as Ivy Bridge. Intel took to their blog to state this, and have announced there are now 21 Ultrabooks on the market today, and this list will continue to grow with more than 110 designs currently being worked on.

Intel have said to anyone outside of the company, this may look effortless, but it has been anything but. Intel have knuckled down with customers, partners and suppliers all around the world to "re-think and re-design virtually every major component that makes up an Ultrabook". Intel says they can't wait for everyone to see the next wave of Ultrabooks that sport the Ivy Bridge-based processors that are set to be unveiled next week at Computex in Taipei.

The new Ultrabooks are said to deliver "impressive 3D graphics" that will have "2X the performance gains in media and graphics" on Intel's 17W Ultra processors (gen over gen). Intel have also increased the specifications that they use to define a third-generation Intel Core-based Ultrabook device:

Google and Samsung sitting in a tree, C-H-R-O-M-I-N-G. Yeah, you get the point. Samsung have released two new Chrome OS-based products today, the Samsung Series 5 Chromebook and the Series 3 Chromebox. What makes these products stand out from the crowd? The cloud-based OS UI has been updated, and now sports multitouch trackpad support.

Coinciding with the new OS update, are Samsung's two products. The updates OS now sports an app-focused user interface that lets you select which programs you use the most, for easier access. Google Drive is now the data storage system, and deeper integration should come through in the coming weeks.

A revamped media player peeks its head up, too, as well as a brand new photo editor and uploader, as well as remote desktop support for both Windows and Mac. What hardware is inside the new system? According to The Verge's review on the units, the Chromebook sports a 1.3GHz dual-core Intel Celeron 867 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 12.1-inch screen, 1200x800 resolution, multitouch trackpad, Wi-Fi and 3G, two USB 2.0 ports, a 4-in-1 card reader and more than eight hours of battery life.

It's looking like we will soon need to change this category to "Laptops & Ultrabooks" as more and more manufacturers are dropping Netbooks from the US market. Toshiba has confirmed that they will soon be joining the ranks of Dell and Lenovo who have also pulled out of the US Netbook market. It looks like tablets and Ultrabooks have killed the Netbook star.

Part of the reason for the change is that Netbooks have very little profit margin. So not only were sales slipping, but Toshiba wasn't making very much on the few sales that remained. Instead, Toshiba has decided to focus more on their Portege Ultrabook line and Excite tablet line. Looking at the money reasoning, you can see why. An Ultrabook sells for $800 or more which allows quite a bit more profit margin.

Another reason to focus on tablets is the upcoming Windows 8 which is designed with tablets in mind. Additionally, users like the higher performance capabilities of an Ultrabook as more and more users need to do more with their computers. It's pretty hard to play any sort of game or type any long message on a Netbook. If you still want one, HP, Acer, and ASUS are still offering them in the US. They will range from $200-$500.

AMD CEO, Rory Read, has been quoted with quite a powerful quote: that there's enough processing power on every laptop on the planet today. He's specifically referring to what he calls the conclusion of the era between AMD and Intel to develop increasingly faster processors.

AMD spokesperson, Mike Silverman told the San Jose Mercury News that AMD needed to let go of the old AMD versus Intel mindset, as technology moves forward this strategy will no longer be the key focus. AMD CEO Rory Read also talked to Bloomberg Businessweek, where he said that computing is increasingly moving into the cloud where data centers are able to process computations much faster than a single computer, tablet or smartphone can.

Personally, I thought we were over this? I think the whole AMD versus Intel thing ended when we moved into multiple cores? Intel, in my opinion, is so far out in front right now, that CPU power just doesn't have the same effect it did years ago. You can upgrade from a Core i3, to a Core i5 and if you're not utilizing all of that power - is there a difference? If you're using your PC for Facebook and e-mail and move from a dual-core AMD to a quad-core AMD, do you notice the difference?

In order to further user's gaming experiences, Alienware will be the first to feature Qualcomm Atheros' new Killer Wireless-N 1202 chipset. The new wireless chip "is designed to provide improved performance and advanced control by automatically classifying and prioritizing gaming, video and audio network data to provide a superior, uninterrupted online entertainment experience."

"Alienware continues to be the leader in performance laptops and we appreciate that its customers are used to getting the best gaming experience possible," said Mike Cubbage, director of business development, networking business unit, Qualcomm Atheros. "The Killer Wireless-N 1202 will continue the tradition of delivering a superior gaming and real-time communication experience for Alienware laptop users by providing the best in online application performance, intelligence and control to ensure that critical online applications get the bandwidth and priority they need, when they need it."

"Gamers everywhere depend on Alienware to deliver superior experiences that help them achieve that 'epic win'," said Frank Azor, general manager at Alienware. "Integrating the Killer Wireless N-1202 technology-another first from Alienware-allows gamers to experience exceptional online gaming."

We know the new Apple MacBook Pro's are coming, we know that they will sport high-resolution "Retina", or "HiDPI" displays, and should be unveiled at next month's Worldwide Developers Conference. CNET are reporting that these new high-res panels are available available in the supply chain and that they carry a premium of up to $100 over their non-Retina counterparts.

The next question is, will Apple pass this cost onto you, and I, the customer, or would they absorb the costs themselves? Considering they're rolling around in seemingly unlimited money from their uber profits, as well as cutting the optical drive out of the new MBP's, I would expect nothing else but Apple to absorb the costs. Passing them onto the customer would just seem, cheap.

DisplaySearch Senior Analyst, Richard Shim, says that the 15.4-inch Retina MBP display would rock on with a resolution of 2880x1800, which would give a density of 220 pixels per inch (ppi), and costs approximately $160. This is a $92 increase over Apple's estimated cost of $68 for the current display in the 15-inch MacBook Pro. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with a Retina display of 2560x1600 costs $134, a $65 premium over the current model's display.

Sony's business-suited notebooks, VAIO S and VAIO Z, have received Intel's latest and greatest Ivy Bridge CPUs. Sony have also outed two new VAIO E models, VAIO E Series 15 and 17 join the 14P as part of Sony's entertainment line, but unlike the smaller 14P, they won't be receiving Intel's Ivy Bridge processors.

The VAIO S will arrive in 13.5- and 15.5-inch display options, sporting backlight keyboards and either an aluminum, magnesium or carbon fiber frame, depending on the model. The 15.5-inch model will be on of the 1080p IPS-based displays, but what the smaller display is made from is still shrouded in mystery.

VAIO S 13 buyers will have a few choices to make, between Core i5 and i7 processors, while the larger display system will come with an Intel Core i7-3612QM, 8GB of RAM, an NVIDIA GT640 LE GPU as well as integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000. The 15 will sport a 1TB HDD, whilst both systems will have the option of a solid-state drive. Both systems are expected to weigh in at less than 4.4 pounds.

Dell may have started the carbon-fiber in Ultrabooks fad, but it appears that Lenovo has taken it a step further with their latest creation. Being touted as the "lightest 14-inch Ultrabook in the industry," the ThinkPad X1 weighs in at under 3lbs. And they didn't strip out features to achieve that feat.

What you are looking at is an Ultrabook with all carbon-fiber rollcage. "We crafted the ThinkPad X1 Carbon with premium carbon fiber material in order to make it incredibly thin and light, yet durable," said Lu Yan, senior vice president, Think Product Group, Lenovo. "Our new ThinkPad laptop portfolio embodies much of the innovative thinking exemplified in the X1 Carbon, such as a backlit keyboard, super-bright high definition display, Dolby® Home Theatre® and rich communications features that balance business performance with personal use."

The announcement page gives only some details on the upcoming Ultrabook. The Ultrabook has built in 3G connectivity for "anywhere, anytime access" and comes with a "RapidCharge" battery which, according to Lenovo, can charge to near-full capacity in only 30 minutes. Lenovo is billing this machine as a premium professional machine, and I can see why.