While desktops have retained their edge over notebooks with regard to visual and processing prowess, making them the preferred choice for gaming, notebooks are gradually encroaching into this segment because of their undeniable portability. Although there are some notebooks out there that tout themselves as the ultimate gaming notebook, their bland exteriors do not have the 'l33t' look. It is perhaps a good thing that the ASUS G2 gaming notebook manages to convey that impression instantly.
The top of the G2 is a matte silver color that is the same as the palm rest below its trackpad. The rest of the notebook sports a black and classy look, with areas of red found near the speakers and the 1.3-megapixels camera. A circular ASUS gaming logo below the trackpad is lit in a prominent red and only turns off when a users disables the trackpad function. The two red sections located on both sides of the LCD lights up and blinks when user launches any DirectX application so there's no concealing your gaming with a quick ALT-TAB.
The keyboard of the G2 is well laid-out, spacious and is more than ready for those First Person Shooters (FPS) games as the W, A, S, and D keys have been specifically marked in red. There is also an abundance of I/O ports as it includes five USB ports, FireWire port, LAN and modem ports, VGA and S-video Out, an ExpressCard/54 slot, headphone and microphone connectors and a media card reader to boot. There's even a HDMI output for those times when you want to show off your game demos. No wonder the G2 ends up weighing around 4.4kg. Users may naturally find this notebook to be on the heavy side. ASUS addresses this problem by providing a large backpack that will carry the notebook together with its accessories around.
This Santa Rosa based ASUS G2 notebook is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo T7700 processor together with Intel's PM965 Express chipset and ICH8M Southbridge. The all important graphics chipset is NVIDIA's mid-range GeForce 8600M GT with 256MB of video memory and the system comes with 2GB of DDR2 RAM. ASUS has a few configurations available and users can choose exactly how fast the CPU or the amount of RAM they require.
These powerful specifications gives it the juice it needs to run current games and applications without any issues. We gave Quake 4 a go, running it at the 17-inch LCD’s native resolution of 1440x990 and found it smooth and lag-free. However, games like F.E.A.R and Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory should be played at a lower resolution as they do lag the system slightly.
Perhaps because of its powerful components, the ASUS G2 is not the most energy-saving of notebooks and lasted only 114mins in our MobileMark 2005 battery life test. Additionally, it managed to last 95 minutes during our DVD playback test, which was none too ideal either given the average length of a movie. At least movies and games sounded good even at its maximum volume, thanks to the speakers located at the sides of the keyboard.
The ASUS G2 Gaming Notebook is not your average notebook and this 17-inch monster will surely meet anyone’s expectation for a gaming notebook. Even if the G2 comes with a hefty price tag of S$3988, it is still reasonable for a 17-inch desktop replacement notebook. If you are looking for a fine gaming notebook with a large screen to boot, then the G2 is for you. Otherwise, the lighter G1 with its 15-inch display may be more practical for gamers on the go.
Product Specifications
* Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T7700 (2.4GHz)
* Intel PM965 Express Chipset + ICH8M
* Display: 17” TFT LCD 1440 x 900
* Memory: 2GB DDR2-667
* Storage: 200GB SATA
* Graphics Chipset: NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT (256MB)
* Optical Drive: DVD SuperMulti Drive
* Input/Output: 5 x USB 2.0, 1 x IEEE 1394, LAN, modem, HDMI out, D-Sub VGA out, S-video out, ExpressCard/54 slot, 3.5mm headphone/mic connectors, media card reader
* Wireless Connectivity: Intel PRO/Wireless 4965AGN, Bluetooth 2.0
* Dimensions: 410.6 x 315.6 x 46.6mm
* Weight: 4.4kg
Source from hardwarezone
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
ASUS G2 Gaming Notebook
Sony Launches VAIO CR Series
Sony adds a splash of color to its new 14.1" mainstream notebooks
Sony has introduced a new line of notebooks aimed at the mainstream market: the VAIO CR series. DailyTech first briefly mentioned the new Santa-Rosa-based notebooks back in early May when a scant number of specifications were leaked onto Sony's European product pages.
The new CR notebooks feature Core 2 Duo processors, Intel X3100 graphics, a 14.1" XBRITE-ECO LCD screen (1280x800), DVD burner and 802.11n wireless connectivity. Other features include a 3-in-1 media reader and ExpressCard slot along with the usual assortment of Firewire and USB 2.0 ports.
Sony will offer the CR notebooks in what it calls five "fashion-forward" colors: sangria, cosmopolitan, dove, indigo and black (matte finish). The notebooks will also have an LED light that pulsates when the machine is booting, shutting down or hibernating.
"Just like the car you drive, notebooks today are an extension of your personality" said Mike Abary, senior vice president of VAIO product marketing for Sony Electronics in the United States. "As such, users expect their PC to reflect their creativity and individuality, as well as handle their spreadsheets."
The 5.5-pound VAIO CR notebooks will be available at the end of the month with a starting price of $1,350 USD.
Source from dailytech
Saturday, June 9, 2007
MSI GX70 17-inch gaming notebook pays tribute to the female form
The general perception of anything high tech and feminine is either Tombraider or Hello Kitty, so it's good to see that someone is taking the effort to do something different. The new 17" gaming notebook GX700 from MSI feature a feminine beauty on the top. Her elegant features mesmerize you and her specs…err the notebook's specs are impressive. It boasts of a 1.3M embedded webcam, Intel Centrino Duo mobile technology, nVidia Geforce 8600M GT 512MB, Full DiretX 10 support, HDMI output, 4.1 Channel Speakers and optional Embedded TV Tuner.
Seen at the Computex 2007 Taipei, there is no word on pricing and availability of the GX700 from MSI.
Source from NewLaunchs
Monday, June 4, 2007
HP Pavilion HDX Entertainment Notebook
Enter the Dragon
Summer - that time of the year when days become longer and warmer. It's also the cue for big budget, CGI-bloated Hollywood blockbuster movies to start flooding the cinemas. Getting into this spirit is a revitalized HP, fresh from its recent triumphs in the marketplace, with its latest, and biggest ever blockbuster of a notebook, a 20.1-inch wide creation with an appropriately Hollywood nickname - the Dragon. The actual name however is a more mundane and longwinded one, HP Pavilion HDX Entertainment Notebook PC and apparently, it's so new that HP has not yet christened it with a proper model name/number.
Following in the footsteps of rivals like Dell and Acer, which already have such unconventionally large 'notebooks' models available - we have previously reviewed the Dell XPS M2010 - HP is merely capitalizing on the trend of increasingly powerful, consumer desktop replacement notebooks that are larger than ever. Consumers are taking to 17-inch notebooks for their performance, widescreen displays and multimedia capabilities and manufacturers are convinced that taking a notch further to 20-inches and above is feasible for a certain select desktop replacement (DTR) user group.
HP joins the mammoth notebook club with this impressively large 20.1-inch widescreen notebook, which they have dubbed the 'Dragon'
But with a bulk and weight that would have been unimaginable for a notebook a few years ago - the HP Pavilion HDX weighs around 7kg alone, excluding the substantial mass of its power adapter - would these machines fit the typical definition of a 'notebook' which has always been associated with portable computing machines? We'll find out with this preview of an engineering prototype of the HP Pavilion HDX. Since this is only a prototype, we were warned that some features and functions might not work properly. The specifications of this machine (the version for the Asia Pacific region) have also not been finalized at the moment so we will list the technical specifications relevant for this preview below. More likely than not, these specifications will be changed for the actual retail unit when it is available sometime in July.
HP Pavilion HDX Specifications
Processor and Chipset
* Intel Core 2 Duo processor T7700 (@2.4GHz)
* Intel PM965 (ICH8)
Operating System
* Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
BIOS
* Supports DVD/CD-ROM and USB boot
System Memory
* 2GB DDR2 System Memory
* 2 x DDR2 SO-DIMM Slots
Video & Display
* ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2600 XT
* 256MB Dedicated video memory
* Up to 1GB total available video memory
* Built-in HDTV hybrid analog/digital tuner
* 20.1-inch WSXGA+ HP Ultra Brightview Widescreen Display
* Native resolution: 1680 x 1050
HDD
* 200GB x 2 (Dual SATA hard drives)
* 4200RPM
Optical Drive
* SuperMulti DVD+/-R/RW Double Layer
Communication
* Intel PRO/Wireless 4965AGN Network Connection & Bluetooth
Audio
* Altec Lansing speaker system - 4 panel mounted and integrated HP triple bass reflex sub-woofer
* Full 8-channel analog output ports on the system support up to 7.1 external speaker configurations
Front & Side I/O Ports
* 4 x USB 2.0 ports
* HP Expansion Port 3
* 1 x RJ-45 (LAN)
* VGA analog output
* 1 x 4-pin 1394 FireWire port
* 1 x eSATA port
* 1 x HDMI output
* Integrated 5-in-1 card reader
* Headphone and microphone jacks
* 1 x ExpressCard/54 slot
Rear I/O Ports
* DC Power connector
* Audio (Rear, Center/Sub, Front) outputs
* Built-in HDTV hybrid tuner's ports: NTSC/ATSC (with F-Jack adaptor) input, S-Video Input, Blaster (IR emitter), Stereo audio input
Miscellaneous
* Integrated webcam with built-in array microphone
* 180W AC adaptor
* 9-cell Lithium-Ion battery
Dimension & Weight
* 474mm (L) x 340mm (W) x 58.4mm (H)
* ~7.03kg
Bundled Software and Accessories
* HP Total Care Help & Support Center
* HP QuickPlay
* HP Photosmart Premier
* PC Recovery (Softthinks Restore Solution)
* Roxio Backup MyPC
* Roxio Creator Premier
* muvee autoProducer 6.0
* Microsoft Works
* Microsoft Office 2007 Student and Teacher Edition (60 Day Trial version)
* Adobe Reader 8.0
* Serif WebPlus 10
* Symantec Norton Internet Security 2007 (60 days complimentary live update)
Continue....
Source hardwarezone
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Top 5 All-Purpose Laptops (5)
Lenovo ThinkPad T60p Widescreen
CPU: 2-GHz Core 2 Duo T7200
Display Size (inches): 15.4
Wide Screen: Yes
Total HD Size (GB): 100
Min. Weight (lbs.): 6.2
Price When Reviewed: $2199
Corporate wide-screen ThinkPad includes workstation graphics.
The ThinkPad T60p Widescreen is Lenovo's first wide-screen corporate laptop with workstation graphics. Its 256MB ATI Mobility FireGL V5250 graphics chip is optimized for OpenGL, the programming environment of choice for many big-name game developers and other 3D-modeling professionals. The WSXGA+ screen has the high, 1680-by-1050-pixel resolution needed to do detailed graphics work. The screen is quite dim, however, despite being rated at 200 nits. This drawback isn't a deal breaker, but even compared to the 150-nit-rated standard-aspect 14-1-inch Lenovo ThinkPad T60, the Widescreen definitely looks a little darker.
Our $2199 test machine was otherwise very nicely designed. Equipped with a 2-GHz Core 2 Duo 7200 processor, 2GB of RAM, and a 100GB hard drive, it was a good performer. In WorldBench 6 Beta 2, it earned an admirable speed score of 73. The battery, an upgrade in our notebook from the standard six-cell to a nine-cell, lasted a lengthy 4.5 hours. The T60p Widescreen is also well equipped for wireless communications, with draft-n (and 802.11a/b/g) Wi-Fi support as standard and cellular broadband as an option. At only 6.2 pounds, it truly is a mobile workstation.
The T60p Widescreen has all of the same great ThinkPad features as the smaller T60, including a top-notch keyboard with dual pointing devices and a modular bay for using two batteries at once. But only the strongest eyes will want to squint at this machine's dim screen for long.
Top 5 All-Purpose Laptops (4)
Lenovo ThinkPad T60
CPU: 2-GHz Core 2 Duo T7200
Display Size (inches): 14.1
Wide Screen: No
Total HD Size (GB): 100
Min. Weight (lbs.): 5.7
Price When Reviewed: $1899
This lightweight business laptop has capacious battery life and ships with Windows Vista Business.
A very nice corporate laptop, the Lenovo ThinkPad T60 is ideal for on-the-go executives who chafe at ultraportable limitations. It's big enough to have a 14.1-inch screen and a first-rate keyboard, yet plenty light enough to carry, at 5.7 pounds. Battery life with the nine-cell upgrade included with our $1899 (as of 5/9/07) review unit was superb.
Our test machine came with Windows Vista Business and featured a 2-GHz Core 2 Duo T7200 processor and 1GB of RAM. It performed well in our tests. In the WorldBench 6 Beta 2 suite, the T60 scored a slightly better-than-average 69. In battery testing it endured for almost 5 hours on a single charge of its upgrade battery, one of the best times we've recorded for a Vista laptop. Better yet, ThinkPads have a modular bay that can hold another battery (instead of the dual-layer DVD rewritable drive), so you can work off of two batteries at once.
The T60 is a sturdy, slim unit with the ThinkPad's classic black case. Among many useful features, the great keyboard includes browser back and forward keys, and touchpad and eraserhead pointing devices. The screen is of a standard aspect ratio--instead of the wide-aspect design most notebook vendors have switched to--and it uses a matte rather than a glossy finish, but it's reasonably bright and not at all bulky. All of the basic connections--USB, audio, video, and communications ports--are present, including an ExpressCard slot. But the unit lacks a FireWire port and memory-card slots. The stereo speakers are a bit weak.
The flexible pricing starts at $1200; optional extras include broadband wireless, a fingerprint reader, and a larger 160GB hard drive. You can also request almost any flavor of Windows Vista or XP.
The ThinkPad is not ideal if your idea of good laptop includes media buttons and loud audio. But if the best balance of portability and performance is what you need, it could be the perfect addition to your carry-on gear.
Top 5 All-Purpose Laptops (3)
Gateway E-475M
CPU: 2.2-GHz Core 2 Duo T7500
Display Size (inches): 15.4
Wide Screen: Yes
Total HD Size (GB): 100
Min. Weight (lbs.): 7.2
Price When Reviewed: $2270
Gateway business laptop delivers great performance and battery life.
If a 7.2-pound laptop with a 15.4-inch screen isn't too bulky or heavy to carry in your estimation, you may well find Gateway's new business laptop ideal for toting in a satchel or backpack. It has a durable smudge-resistant exterior, a shock-mounted hard drive, and a close-fitting lid to keep out debris. Equipped with one of Intel's latest mobile dual-core processors, the $2270 (as of 5/9/07) E-475M is also one of the fastest notebooks of the moment, and it has terrific battery life.
The E-475M's classic matte-black case has a more business-oriented look than the two-tone M-465E it replaces. The rounded, clamshell lid keeps paperclips and other small items from working their way between the screen and keyboard, making this the perfect laptop for stuffing into a grubby bag.
Equipped with 2GB of RAM and a new 2.2-GHz Core 2 Duo T7500 processor, the E-475M is the fastest Vista notebook we've tested to date. It bested our previous top WorldBench 6 Beta 2 scorer, a Micro Express NP5760 running an older 2.33-GHz Core 2 Duo T7600 chip and Vista Home, by 1 point--83 to 82. Our new speed champ is powerful enough to handle any application, even 3D gaming. (The speakers are no great shakes, however.) Wireless-communications fans get the bonus of the chip set's support for five-times-faster draft-n Wi-Fi. The Gateway aced our battery tests, as well, lasting 5 hours, 17 minutes on a single charge.
The screen has the more conservative matte finish rather than the glossy sheen so popular these day, so it's not blazingly bright--but neither does it reflect office lights. The WXSGA resolution of 1680 by 1050 pixels makes icons small, but that's the necessary trade-off if you like being able to open a lot of windows or to see all of a big document at once. The rest of the design is good overall, if a bit spartan. The keyboard is classic Gateway: plain, with no quick-launch buttons, but comfortable. Case connections are also modest but cover all the bases, including a front-mounted wireless switch. The 100GB hard drive could be bigger, but at least it's a high-speed, 7200-rpm model. The E-475M is one of the rare Gateway systems to offer a modular bay. Though the bay's release is awkwardly situated on the bottom, and is stiff and hard to work, being able to swap out the dual-layer DVD burner for a second battery or hard drive is a valuable expansion option.
Extras not included in our review unit's price include an optional fingerprint reader, an integrated smart card, Gateway's built-to-fit privacy filter, and a detachable docking station with a very nice charging bay that lets you keep an extra battery ready to go.
Though not cheap, the E-475M injects some much-needed excitement into Gateway's notebook lineup. It's a good-looking and durable design, topped off by great performance courtesy of one of Intel's latest dual-core processors.
Top 5 All-Purpose Laptops (2)
Asus A8JR-4P021C
CPU: 1.66-GHz Core 2 Duo T5500
Display Size (inches): 14
Wide Screen: Yes
Total HD Size (GB): 120
Min. Weight (lbs.): 5.5
Price When Reviewed: $1099
A dim screen is the only significant drawback on this otherwise solidly performing and reasonably priced laptop.
The $1099 (as of 5/9/07) A8JR-4P021C has the makings of a quality notebook for worker bees limited by their company's tight budget. It lasted exactly 2 hours in our battery tests, well below average for a small laptop but enough to tide you over for short periods of unplugged work.
The 14-inch display has a good resolution, but its side-on viewable angle is quite narrow compared to other notebooks we've looked at recently.
The keyboard is easy to type on, though the mouse buttons accompanying the touchpad are slightly stiff. It's full of conveniences, including five thin black keys along the top that provide shortcuts to various functions, such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless communications. And the notebook is nothing if not generously equipped: It has a FireWire port, a dual-layer DVD burner, both ExpressCard and shared flash-memory card slots, and three different video-out ports (VGA, DVI, and S-Video). The unit is also equipped with a 120GB hard drive, a Webcam, and enough ports (including five USB ports) to connect a small office of peripherals.
Unlike Asus's A8Js, which features a 512MB nVidia GeForce Go 7700 graphics chip, the A8JR uses ATI's new Mobility Radeon X2300 graphics chip, which can also use up to 896MB of main system memory. Our test model also included 1GB of RAM and a 1.66-GHz Core 2 Duo T5500 processor, making it agile enough for challenging work apps and light entertainment such as DVD movies. The system earned a WorldBench 6 Beta 2 score of 60, which places it about 20 percent behind the fastest all-purpose Vista notebooks we've tested so far.
The light, 5.5-pound A8JR-4P021C has a nice design and represents a good value for the money; but test-drive the screen for yourself before you commit your cash.
Top 5 All-Purpose Laptops (1)
These laptops can do it all and are a great choice for most notebook users. Ratings and rankings can change due to pricing and technology changes, so check back frequently for the latest info.
HP Pavilion dv6500t
CPU: 2-GHz Core 2 Duo T7300
Display Size (inches): 15.4
Wide Screen: Yes
Total HD Size (GB): 120
Min. Weight (lbs.): 6.2
Price When Reviewed: $1309
This well-designed multimedia notebook performs well, thanks to one of Intel's latest mobile processors.
A beautifully crafted consumer notebook, the new HP Pavilion dv6500t has backlit media controls and a stylish case that's made for showing off.
Capable of serious work as well, it's a strong performer, yet fairly light (6.2 pounds) and easily totable. The keyboard is a tad bouncier than that of its predecessor, the dv6000t. And though bright and readable, the 15.4-inch screen tends to reflect overhead lights. Also, HP downgraded the dv6000t's 1.3-megapixel (1280-by-1024-pixel) Webcam to 0.3 megapixels (640 by 480 resolution) on the dv6500t. These are minor nits, however.
While the dv6500t adds a few more circles to the subtle motif on its designer lid, cosmetically the system is largely the same gorgeous laptop as its predecessor, with the same durable, high-gloss casing and piano-black hinges. New are support for draft-n Wi-Fi (in addition to 802.11a/b/g), a fingerprint reader for security, an HDMI output for connecting to a television, and the option for an HD DVD-ROM drive (though our test unit came with a multiformat, dual-layer DVD writer). The dv6500t has three USB ports and a seven-in-one shared card slot, and the configuration we tested included a 120GB hard drive.
Our $1309 (as of 5/9/07) review model also came equipped with 2GB of RAM and the new 2-GHz Core 2 Duo T7300 chip, which together helped it earn a WorldBench 6 Beta 2 score of 75--just 10 percent behind the fastest laptops we've tested. As a result, the dv6500t can handle any type of application, from mainstream to multimedia, except 3D shooter games. The dv6500t's integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 can use up to 358MB of main system memory; but for real gaming muscle, you'd want to upgrade to the optional 256MB nVidia GeForce Go 7400 graphics chip.
Battery life was excellent: The notebook lasted just 3 minutes shy of 4 hours in our tests.
Multimedia junkies still have the HP QuickPlay feature that was found on the dv6000t. This entertainment menu launches with one tap or a swipe of the touch-sensitive strip at the top of the keyboard, letting you enjoy DVD movies, music, personal videos, and photo slide shows without booting Windows. Meanwhile, fantastic stereo speakers pump out the sound. An ExpressCard TV tuner is remains a $130 option. The Pavilion dv6500t's dazzling look may not be for everyone, but lurking beneath the glossy surface is a serious laptop. If high fashion fits your portable lifestyle, work never looked so good.
