LapTops

Dell Alienware M17x Gaming Laptop

2012-07-04T04:28:00.000-07:00

Processor:3rd generation Intel® Core™ i7-3720QM Processor(2.6GHz with Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 3.6GHz, 6MB Cache)

Operating System:Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium SP1 64bit (English)

Memory5:8GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM (2 x 4GB)

Video Card:2GB GDDR5 Nvidia GeForce GTX 675M

Display:17.3" (43.94 cm) 120Hz WideFHD (1920 x 1080) WLED LCD w/3D Bundle

Audio and Speakers:Creative Sound Blaster Recon3Di High-Definition 5.1 Audio with THX TruStudio Pro Software (Standard),2.0 Speaker configuration,Audio Powered by Klipsch®7.1 Digtial Audio out using HDMI out connection or S/PDIF Optical port .

also:SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Ports,HDMI-1.4 output with Audio

Networking and Wi-Fi Options:Integrated 10/100/1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet NIC (Standard),Intel® Centrino® Wireless-N 2230 With Bluetooth 4.0 (Standard)

Hard Drive:Up to 1000GB6 hard drive (5400RPM)

Optical Drive:Slot-Loading 8x SuperMulti Drive (DVD±R/RW) (Standard)
Slot-Loading Dual Layer Blu-ray Reader (BD-ROM, DVD±RW, CD-RW)

Power:High Capacity 9-cell Lithium Ion (90whr)

Camera:2.1 Megapixel Full HD Camera with dual digital microphones

Immersive gaming anywhere you go.

The Alienware M17x is the next step in gaming evolution, featuring a powerful new chipset, advanced graphics options and an optional 3D screen3 for an immersive gaming experience that you can pack up and take with you.

Graphics that blur the line between fantasy and reality.
The Alienware M17x brings your games to life with high-end mobile graphics cards from NVIDIA® and AMD, featuring advanced GDDR5 memory.Experience the most powerful single mobile graphics options available. Turn up the graphics settings on the Alienware M17x and be amazed by up to 100W of total graphics power. Supported PCIe 3.0 NVIDIA® and AMD® graphics card options feature advanced GDDR5 RAM – the fastest graphics memory available.

3D capability puts you in the middle of the action.
You can be totally surrounded and love every minute of it, when you choose to upgrade to an incredible stereoscopic 3D Full HD 43.9cm (17.3) 120Hz WLED LCD display3.Immerse yourself in your games and absorb every detail with an optional 43.9cm (17.3) 1080p Full HD WLED display. Or select the 120Hz 3D LCD for smooth visuals and stereoscopic NVIDIA 3D Vision capabilities1, so you won’t simply watch the action – you’ll be right in the middle of it. After the dust settles, trade war stories with your friends face to face on your top-mounted webcam.

Move fast, travel light
Alienware has never offered a more powerful laptop under 4.5 kg4.You can spend less time searching for a plug and more time gaming.

Experience total versatility.

Enjoy your games and movies however you like with the Alienware™ M17x. Whether you connect to your TV or home theater, or take advantage of the 43.1cm (17) WLED and awesome audio options, the Alienware M17x provides pure entertainment.

Speed and performance to get the job done.
Play your games the way they should be played. The Alienware M17x offers 3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7 processors, optional RAID configurations and high-speed mSATA caching drives for high-performance gaming.

Go big with your entertainment.
Enjoy your games and movies in a big way. Connect your Alienware M17x to an external screen and be rocked by killer 7.1 surround audio for an awesome entertainment experience.Enjoy intense 3D gaming by connecting to a compatible 3D TV1 via HDMI 1.4. The optional Blu-ray Disc™ reader enables you to enjoy high definition movies on your laptop or other compatible display. Savor the sounds of battle with THX 3D Surround featuring Creative Sound Blaster Recon3Di High-Definition audio with THX TruStudio Pro Software. The Alienware M17x is designed with one goal in mind: pure entertainment.

The theater you can take with you.
Experience your entertainment on the Alienware M17x's LCD display by using the HDMI-IN port to connect an external HDMI-enabled game console, Blu-ray player or other device. It's all matched by high-quality audio provided by integrated Klipsch®-certified speakers.

Take command of your game domain.

Alienware™ Command Center software features a powerful suite of customisation options to make your Alienware M17x your own. Don’t just play a game. Play YOUR game.

AlienAdrenaline
The new AlienAdrenaline feature enables Game Mode, which lets you assign a unique profile to each game on your system. Disable unnecessary programs and activate your music player when you launch one game, or bring up key web links when you launch another.

AlienFX™
AlienFX System Lighting Technology gives you access to a variety of themes and up to 512 trillion distinct lighting combinations, so you can personalise as much as you like. Complete your immersion by customising your system with themes that respond to in-game events with unique lighting effects.

AlienFusion
AlienFusion power management controls enable you to configure your settings to maximize performance and efficiency while managing power usage. Crank up the settings for hardcore gaming and resource-intensive tasks, or scale back when you just need to run everyday programs.

AlienTouch™
Customise your touchpad’s sensitivity to prevent accidental contact, and activate virtual scrolling to enable vertical and horizontal scrolling with just a touch.

Online Price Rs.1,70,999

TOSHIBA LAUNCHES NEW STYLISH RANGE OF LAPTOPS IN INDIA

2012-07-04T04:07:00.000-07:00

- Hi-Speed Start – 30% faster than normal boot up time
- High Definition Webcam and HDMI connectivity ports
- SRS premium sound HD and Toshiba Audio enhancement
- Faster connectivity through USB 3.0 (10X faster)
- Longer distance connectivity through Bluetooth 4.0 (up to 50 meters)
- New Ultrabook™ Satellite U840
– Premium performance at smart Price
- Powered by latest 3rd Generation Intel Core processors

Toshiba India, a 100% subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, Japan, a global leader in innovation and cutting edge technology,launched its 2012 range of new fully-equipped and sophisticated Satellite® Series laptops – C Series (C840 & C850), L Series (L850), M Series (M840) and the new Ultrabook™ Satellite U840. Packed with entertainment-optimized features, the new range of laptops offers outstanding performance, superior HD entertainment and contemporary styling. These new Satellite C, L, M and U series will be available for sale in India by 3rdweek June 2012 at Toshiba authorized retail stores. Commenting at the launch of the 2012 Satellite series range, Mr. Sivakumar N., Vice President – Strategic Marketing, Product Management and Services - DS Division, Toshiba India Pvt. Ltd. said, “Speed, Style, Performance, Superior Sound and HD integration, are some of the features that are on top of the purchase consideration parameters for the young laptop consumer today. Our new range of laptops offers a perfect amalgamation of these cutting edge features with exquisite form factor. With thinner and lighter profile and high-quality durable design, the new Satellite series is a testimony to our strong heritage of leading innovation. The new range offers faster, more powerful and smarter laptops, powered by latest 3rdGeneration Intel Core processors, and is perfect for youthful consumers looking for more of everything. ”The new Satellite series range is equipped with Toshiba’s special BIOS technology which enables a 30% faster than normal boot. In addition, the entire range features the Intel® 7 series chipsets and integrates USB 3.0 for 10X faster data transfers, along with Bluetooth 4.0 for longer distance connectivity up to 50 meters. To enhance the digital entertainment user experience, the entire range boasts of ‘Clear Super View’ display technology which delivers an enhanced picture quality display, well complimented by Toshiba’s Audio Enhancement option in the Satellite C series, SRS premium Sound HD™ in the Satellite L, M series and SRS Premium Sound 3D™ in Satellite U series. While the Toshiba Audio Enhancement option dynamically changes the sound equalizer to reduce distortion, the SRS premium Sound HD delivers immersive surround sound and a deep rich bass, ideal for listening to music, watching videos or playing games. To up the users’ digital entertainment experience, the entire range comes equipped with a standard HDMI port,to effortlessly connect to a larger HD Televisions or to other HD devices. The new range also features High Definition webcam for more immersive and clear video and image sharing experience, adding a whole new dimension to the video sharing experience. The new Satellite L, M and U series laptops also feature a USB Sleep-and-Charge port, which can charge users’ smart phone, MP3 player or other portable electronics integrating a USB port, even when the laptop is powered down. KEY FEATURES OF 2012 RANGE  Hi-Speed Start: 30% faster than normal boot time  Slimmer and stylish design with vibrant color options  Intel 7 series chipsets  USB3.0 for 10X faster data transfers  Bluetooth 4.0 for enhanced connectivity up to 50 meters  Clear SuperView display technology for sharper pictures  Audio Enhancement / SRS premium sound HD™  HDMI port and ‘sleep n charge’ USB port

VAIO line-up FY12

2012-07-04T03:23:00.004-07:00

VAIO E14A Chic notebook PC with stylish colour accents for everyday computing Stylish new ‘wrap design’ with colour accents and ‘personalization kit’ Equipped with 3rd generation Intel® Core™ i7 CPU with AMD Radeon™ HD 7670M discrete GPU (VRAM: 1GB) Long battery life realized by hybrid graphics and ‘Rapid Wake + Eco’ Enjoy loud and clear sound with xLOUD, Clear Phase and Dolby Home Theatre V4 USB charging With unique design and colour variations, everyone can express their personal style with the new VAIO E14A series. It i

s equipped with 3rd generation Intel® Core™ i7 CPU* with AMD Radeon™ HD 7670M discrete GPU (VRAM: 1GB). E14A series stands out from the crowd with its soft, discreetly reassuring wrap design and is available in five fresh colours – white, black, pink, silver or gun metallic – accented with complementary colour flourishing around the notebook’s edge** , touchpad and keyboard. Premium diamond-cut finish VAIO logo*** on the lid is also something to show off. It also comes with ‘personalization kit’ which includes matching keyboard skin and bluetooth mouse. Long Battery Life and ‘Rapid Wake + Eco’ VAIO E14A series comes with battery life of up to 5.5 hours**** . For less intensive tasks VAIO automatically switches off the discrete GPU to boost battery life. Endurance is stretched even further by the efficient VAIO Display and energy-efficient processors, plus an on-board optical drive that shuts down to zero power consumption when it’s not needed. The new ‘Rapid Wake + Eco,’ energy saving mode puts VAIO into an ultra-low power deep sleep, keeping all your data safe for up to ten days**** . xLOUD and Clear Phase Unique to Sony, “xLOUD” and “Clear Phase” technologies enhance volume levels without distortion for an immersive audio experience. Alternatively, switch to Dolby® Home Theatre® V4 for rich, cinema-style audio – whether you’re listening through built-in speakers, external loudspeakers or headphones. Video chats are clearer and crisper with the built-in HD web camera powered by ‘Exmor for PC’. USB Charging The newly launched VAIO E14A series helps in charging USB devices, even when the PC power is off. Gesture Control This function lets you interact with your computer using intuitive hand movements. Gesture Control is currently supported by Windows® Media Player, Windows® Internet Explorer® 9 and Microsoft® PowerPoint®. Keyboard Backlight To further increase the usability, VAIO E14A series is equipped with comfortably-spaced isolation keyboard with backlight for error-free late-night typing. The new VAIO models will be available in India across Sony Centers, VAIO flagship stores and other major electronic and IT stores. VAIO E14A16-Silver and Gun Metallic-Rs. 65,990 VAIO E14A15-White, Black and Pink-Rs. 55,990 VAIO T Sony’s First Ultrabook with full feature connectivity Instant wake-up and battery-saving sleep mode “xLOUD” and “Clear Phase” Technologies Exmor for PC’ HD web camera USB charging Full feature connectivity The new VAIO T Series, a new mobile PC in Ultrabook era comes with various interfaces for a better mobile PC experience. The VAIO T Series can connect easily and directly to the devices you need, such as desk monitors, projectors, and Ethernet. With VGA and LAN cable connectors in addition to USB 3.0, USB 2.0, and HDMI ports, this PC can be connected to devices of all kinds without the inconvenience of mini and micro connectors that require dongles. VAIO T series also comes with a memory stick and SD card slot ensuring that it works perfectly with laptop. Instant wake-up and battery life With “Rapid Wake + Eco”, VAIO T series resumes from the sleep mode instantly, letting you get back to work right away. Intel Smart Response Technology uses a hybrid drive composed of a HDD and SSD (solid-state drive) that provides significantly faster data retrieval than with a HDD alone. The SSD is used as cache memory, and because it can be accessed much faster than the HDD, data can be read at higher speeds. This shortens the boot time and reduces the time required to load the applications which you use most. This technology realizes both faster operation and high capacity storage. xLOUD and Clear Phase Unique to Sony, “xLOUD” and “Clear Phase” technologies enhance volume levels without distortion for an immersive audio experience.. Exmor for PC Video chats are clearer and crisper with the built-in ‘Exmor for PC’ HD web camera. Friends and family will enjoy seeing you with sharper details, higher contrast and rich colours even in low light where other web cameras struggle with grainy and fuzzy images. USB Charging The newly launched VAIO T series helps in charging USB devices, even when the PC power is off. Gesture Control This function lets you interact with your computer using intuitive hand movements. Gesture Control is currently supported by Windows® Media Player, Windows® Internet Explorer® 9 and Microsoft® PowerPoint® The new VAIO models will be available in India across Sony Centers, VAIO flagship stores and other major electronic and IT stores. VAIO T11-Silver-Rs. 49,990 VAIO T13-Silver-Rs. 45,990

ASUS G73SW - True Portable Power

2011-06-14T09:48:00.000-07:00

Bringing the breathtaking performance of a desktop gaming PC to a compact notebook has been a challenge, but this is exactly what the G73SW achieves. It’s full high definition gaming and multimedia packed into a sleek form with the latest technology.

Processing muscle

The popular G73 series has been updated with the recent release of Intel’s® 2nd generation Core™ i3/i5/i7 for an even faster notebook. With performance rivaling that of a desktop computer, the G73SW is ready for anything that you throw at it, from office applications to video encoding and gaming.

Always cool
With its eye-catching design, the G73SW deploys unique cooling and noise dampening, with two huge rear venting exhausts that push both heat and noise away from users. This results in a cool and quiet environment.

Awesome audio

EAX and THX surround audio boosts game enjoyment and immersion with realistic effects and enveloping sound, while redefining sonic performance in music and movies.

Comfort first

The ergonomic illuminated keyboard sits at a 5 degree angle to increase usability even during long gaming sessions, plus surfaces come wrapped in a rubberized material for even greater ease of use.

Gorgeous graphics

The G73SW utilizes the brand new NVIDIA GTX 460M with a massive 1.5GB GDDR5. Based on Fermi technology, this new graphics processor offers native DirectX11 for a huge graphics gain in high definition gaming, plus dedicated video acceleration.Bundled with the G73SW is 3DTV Play from NVIDIA, which projects the high definition graphics of this notebook onto any compatible 3DTV via HDMI 1.4. This includes 3D video, games and photos, taking the experience into the living room.

Specifications

Processor Intel® Core™ i7 2630QM
Intel® Core™ i5 2410M
Operating System Genuine Windows® 7
Chipset Intel® HM65 Express Chipset
Memory DDR3 1333 MHz SDRAM,4 x SO-DIMM socket for expansion up to 16 G SDRAM (Quad Core),2 x SO-DIMM socket for expansion up to 8 G SDRAM (Dual Core), *2
Display 17.3" 16:9 HD+ (1600x900)/Full HD (1920x1080)/Full HD 3D(1920x1080 120Hz) LED backlight
Graphic NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 460M 1.5GB GDDR5 VRAM
Storage 2.5" SATA
750GB 7200rpm
Dual HDD Support*1
Optical Drive Blu-Ray DVD Combo
Super-Multi DVD
Blu-ray Writer
Card Reader 5 -in-1 card reader ( SDXC/ MS/ MS Pro/ MS Duo/ MMC)
Camera 2.0 Mega Pixel Fixed web camera
Networking Integrated 802.11 b/g/n
Built-in Bluetooth™ V2.1+EDR (Optional)
10/100/1000 Base T
Interface 1 x Microphone-in jack
1 x Headphone-out jack
1 x USB 3.0 port(s)
3 x USB 2.0 port(s)
1 x RJ45 LAN Jack for LAN insert
1 x HDMI
Audio Built-in Speakers And Microphone
EAX Advanced HD 5.0
THX TruStudio
Built-in subwoofer
Battery 8Cells : 5200 mAh 74 Whrs
power Adapter Output : 19 V DC, 6.3 A, 150 W ((Quad Core)) , 120 W ((Dual Core))
Input : 100 -240 V AC, 50/60 Hz universal
Dimensions 41.5 x 32.0 x 1.89 cm (WxDxH)
Weight 3.85 kg (with 8 cell battery)

DELL XPS M-1530

2009-06-28T08:35:00.000-07:00

Dell made a serious effort in 2007 to listen to customer feedback criticizing Dell’s older, thick and heavy laptops. The result was the amazingly thin and light XPS M1330, one of the sexiest looking notebooks of 2007. The new Dell XPS M1530 is an impressive 15.4" screen notebook designed similar to (just larger than) the very successful 13-inch XPS M1330.

Screen

Another difference that should be mentioned is that currently the M1530 is offered with only a standard 15.4" widescreen XGA (1280 x 800) display, while the XPS M1330 has the option for a thinner and more power efficient LED backlit display. Dell says the XPS M1530 should be available next year with different resolution screens ... including LED backlight options.

Even though some will be a little put out by the lack of LED backlighting being offered on the M1530 initially, the standard CCFL display is still gorgeously bright and flawless. Plus you get a higher 2.0MP web cam with the standard thicker CCFL screen, whereas with a thinner LED screen only a VGA resolution cam can be fitted.

The screen on our pre-production unit looks flawless from straight on and the horizontal viewing angles are great. Upper vertical viewing angles are good, but colors did begin to invert at lower viewing angles when the screen is tilted back.
Without any tweaks to drivers or removal of software, the machine performed very well -- the 2.20GHz Core 2 Duo processor and Nvidia 8600M GT 256MB card will satisfy most gamers with exception to those more hard core, and will certainly please the average PC user. The 3DMark benchmarks might look unusually high at first glance, but the Nvidia 8600M GT card in the M1530 uses GDDR3 RAM instead of the more common GDDR2.

Frame rates for games like the Crysis demo and Call of Duty 4 were all quite playable and smooth with a few moments of lag during Crysis.

Game Average Frame Rate (FPS)
Crysis ~20
Call of Duty 4 ~40

Of course, the M1530 is also available with Nvidia 8400M GS graphics for those customers who don't care about playing the latest games.

wPrime is a program that forces the processor to do recursive mathematical calculations, the advantage of this program is that it is multi-threaded and can use both processor cores at once, thereby giving more accurate benchmarking measurements than Super Pi.

Pros

Thin and light ... for a 15.4" Dell notebook
Nvidia 8600M GT card option uses high-performance GDDR3 memory
Reasonable battery life
Nice keyboard, touchpad and media buttons
Cons

Only three USB ports
Slot-loading drive is loud during loading and ejecting
Hard drive noise is magnified by the case/mount design
Limited screen options at the time of this writing

bY... Noufal gP Free DNS

Lenovo Thinkpad X61 76744NQ

2008-10-26T22:17:00.000-07:00

This laptop comes with Intel 2GHz Core2 Duo Processor; 2GB RAM which is upgradeable upto 4GB and 120GB HDD. It has a 12.1-inch display. This Thinkpad laptop also has an integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 video card, integrated modem and sound card, Wi-Fi, Point Stick mouse, inbuilt speakers, Fingerprint Reader, PCMCIA slot, three USB ports, Firewire port, inbuilt Bluetooth adapter and Infrared port. It comes with Lithium Ion battery and Windows Vista Business Edition.

Apple MacBook Pro

2008-10-26T22:14:00.000-07:00

This laptop comes with Intel 2.33GHz Core2 Duo Processor, 1GB RAM upgradeable up to 3GB and 120GB HDD. It has a DVD writer and a 15.4-inch widescreen display. This MacBook laptop also has an integrated ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 video card, integrated modem and sound card, inbuilt camera, touchpad Mouse, inbuilt speakers and microphone, S-Video port, two Firewire ports, integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It comes in black with Lithium Polymer and Mac OS X Tiger.

Design and Build

The design and build of the MacBook Pro is top notch. For someone who has used and handled (although admittedly never owned) several Dells, HPs, and Compaqs (dang their University contracts) the step up in quality was very much appreciated.

Screen

The Apple engineers made a tough choice to shave 60 precious vertical pixels off an already widescreen aspect in order to integrate the high quality iSight cam. It still isn't as wide as the 16:9 movies I like to watch so it doesn't bother me at all that this was done. I'm one of those crazies who actually uses the web cam so I consider it a fair trade. The resolution is way better than the one found on the W3J, which was one of the things that bummed me about that notebook (1440x900 vs 1280x768)

Battery Life

Battery life is good but not great. I get about 3 hours and 15 min with half brightness (more than adequate) when I am using my laptop to type stuff up and browse the web. I haven't tried to play WoW on the battery, but I never plan to so I am pretty pleased with it. It is pretty good juice for such a slim notebook.

Wireless

Wireless works great and has decent range as far as I know. My apartment is pretty small so the "Airport Extreme" has no problems dropping out of strong signal strength. It does seem to have better pickup than my wife's IBM T40. I do appreciate that in OS X it automatically connects to the strongest available wireless network.

Sound

The speakers dominate the left and right side of the keyboard. Bass is obviously not great, but it is pretty decent sound for a laptop if you ask me. The placement of the speakers helps to project the audio so you don't have to worry about your belly blocking the sound (like front mounted speakers found on the HP line). Volume is fine for the movies (divx) I've seen and the audio output with headphones is great.

Pros:

Very well built
Great overall performance
Smaller dimensions and weighs less than other laptops in its class (1lb less than the Acer 8204 for example)
Can run Windows XP or OS X (and potentially Linux)
Very quiet
Amazingly bright non-glare type screen
High quality web cam
Decent battery life
Plays WoW like a champ
Comes with a remote for media and powerpoint

Cons:

Somewhat hot when plugged in
Boot Camp not quite ready for the masses
Underclocked GPU

Acer Ferrari 1005WTMi

2008-10-26T22:10:00.000-07:00

This laptop comes with AMD Turion 64x2 2GHz Processor, 1GB RAM upgradeable up to 4GB and 160GB HDD. It has a 12.1-inch TFT display. This Acer laptop also has an integrated Radeon Xpress 1150 video card, integrated modem and integrated Sound Blaster Pro sound card, Built-in 1.3 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, Touchpad mouse, inbuilt speakers and Microphone, PCMCIA slot, inbuilt Bluetooth adapter and Infrared port, three USB ports and 5-in-1 Digital Media Reader. It comes with a Firewire port, Lithium Ion battery and Windows Vista Business Edition.

Sony VAIO VGN AR49G

2008-10-26T22:09:00.000-07:00

Thisl aptop comes with Intel 2.22GHz Core2 Duo Processor, 2GB DDR2 RAM and 240GB HDD. It has a Blu-Ray Disk Writer and a 17-inch wide screen display. This Sony Vaio also has an integrated NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT video card, inbuilt 1.3 megapixel Camera, integrated modem and sound card, Wifi, Touchpad mouse, inbuilt speakers and microphone, PCMCIA slot, Express Card slot, Firewire Port, S-Video port, 3 USB ports, integrated Bluetooth adapter and 5-in-1 Digital Media Reader. It comes with Lithium Ion battery and Windows Vista Home Premium Edition.

Dell Latitude ATG D630

2008-10-26T22:06:00.000-07:00

This laptop comes with Intel Core2 Duo 2.2GHz processor, 1GB RAM, upgradeable up to 4GB and 80GB HDD. It has a DVD Combo Drive and a 14.1-inch wide screen display. This Dell laptop also has an integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 video card, integrated modem and sound card, Wi-Fi, dual point mouse, inbuilt speakers, Fingerprint Reader, PCMCIA slot, Serial Port, Express Card Slot, four USB ports, integrated Bluetooth and Infrared adapter and Media Card Reader. It comes with Windows Vista Business Basic Edition and Lithium Ion battery.

Build and Design:

This thing feels like a tank and is extremely sturdy. The hinges on the machine are stiff but not difficult to open and the screen will not wobble. There is no flexing of the screen and you truly have to try to press the back to see ripples. When closed, a small, shiny hinge holds the screen locked. The top and bottom of the machine are made of magnesium. I still wouldn’t recommend dropping the machine in order to test if the material is durable.

The speakers are (I think) inside the laptop because I saw no openings for them. The battery sticks out in the front rather than the back. You are also able to add another battery to the DVD bay or replace the drive with something updated down the road. It is very simple to replace the drive in case something happens.

I do have one complaint: I frequently use my USB slots and I dislike having the other two ports in the back. I prefer them on the side. The USB slots are also a bit stiff. Sometimes you have to try to jam the connector into the slot.

Alienware Area-51 m17x

2008-10-25T06:40:00.000-07:00

Build and Design

This all-black monster is one of the largest notebooks I have tested. It is 2.1 inches thick and tips the scales at 11 pounds. The physical design of the m17x is traditional – there are no fancy curves or other design elements. It has a box-like design with rounded edges. The rubberized matte black finish of the m17x lends it a high-end feel and look. The only glossy finish to be found on the m17x is on the borders of the LCD.

In addition to being one of the largest, this notebook is also one of the most solidly-build notebooks I have tested. The entire base of the notebook is inflexible. The palmrests do not budge under pressure, and neither do the other surfaces surrounding the keyboard. The base of the notebook does not bend when twisted, and the lid resists twisting better than the majority of 17-inch notebooks. The m17x’s lid is thicker than most. Pushing in on the back of the lid does not yield any ripples on the screen unless extreme pressure is used. The hinge holds the display in place well; there is some display wobble, though it takes effort to induce (such as shaking the table where the notebook is sitting). Given the size and weight of this display, I think the wobble is reasonably kept under control. The display does not have any latches but is instead held closed by a pair of small magnets.

The lighting system, called AlienFX, is what makes the m17x stand out from the crowd. Five areas of the notebook feature LED backlighting:

Keyboard
Touchpad
Touch buttons
Alienware logo below display
Alien head power button and emblem on back of display

Each zone can be changed independently to one of 12 colors. In addition, it is easy to completely disable AlienFX by pressing [Fn] + [F11].

Display

The m17x comes standard with the only display available, a 17-inch glossy widescreen with a WUXGA resolution (1920x1200 pixels). The picture quality of this display is stunning – colors are vibrant and the brightness level is high. This screen is ideal for gaming, high-definition video, and general use. The crisp contrast makes reading text easy. Viewing angles are excellent from above and side-to-side, however like a typical LCD, the picture darkens viewed from below. The backlighting is generally even, with only a hint from the bottom of the screen.

Speakers

The m17x has two stereo speakers and a two-inch subwoofer. The sound quality is slightly above average for a notebook, and they get reasonably loud. The subwoofer adds some needed low-end. The sound system on the whole is unremarkable however not disappointing.

Heat and Noise

The cooling system is important on any notebook, but on a notebook packed with high-powered components like the m17x, it is mission critical. Fortunately the m17x’s system is up to the task. The notebook has several rather large fans that draw air in from numerous perforations on the bottom of the notebook and two additional air intakes under the palmrests. The entire back of the notebook is lined with exhaust vents, which throw out extraordinary amounts of hot air. The cooling system does a remarkable job of keeping two video cards, a high-powered processor, and two hard drives under control:

Conclusion

The Alienware Area-51 m17x is a remarkable gaming notebook and a clear step forward for Alienware in terms of design and performance. It is packed to the gills with top-shelf equipment, most notably a pair of Nvidia 9800M-GT video cards. This is one of not even a handful of machines that can comfortably max out Crysis. It has the typical downsides associated with a portable desktop – loud cooling system, dismal battery life, and hefty weight, but it does everything else well. The $3,849 starting price is steep and out of reach for most, though the baseline configuration has the components that make the system worth buying. In this reviewer’s opinion, more could have been thrown in for the money, and for such an expensive system, not having a more comprehensive warranty is disappointing. To those who do have the cash for a system like this, you are getting an awesome machine that will get envious looks anywhere you go, but be prepared to sign a mortgage for it.

Pros:

Phenomenal gaming performance
AlienFX LED lighting system
Solid build quality
Fantastic screen
Good keyboard & touchpad
Input & output port selection
Modular bay (SmartBay)

Cons:

Sky-high price
Loud fans
Keyboard flex
Weight (11 pounds)
Dismal battery life (66 minutes as tested)

Lenovo N100

2008-10-25T06:36:00.000-07:00

The Lenovo N100 is a new mid-sized offering from Lenovo in the 3000 series line of notebooks. The N100 will come in 14.1" and 15.4" widescreen sizes. Prices will start at $999 for Core Duo based models. Lenovo is positioning the notebook as one for small business and mobile professionals. To me it looks more like a consumer notebook with the silver skin, glossy screen and plastic case. There are plenty of people who are mixing business with pleasure today or people who use business notebooks for personal use, like me. The fact that Lenovo is going after both segments with this notebook makes sense. The N100 has lots to offer and a few less worthwhile qualities, all of which we will get into in more detail in this review.

Build and Design

When I first saw the N100 on NotebookReview.com, I thought it would be black being from the new maker of ThinkPads, but the pictures I saw of it only showed the inside. When I opened the box I found, much to my surprise, the outside is almost all silver with a strip of black along the sides and on the front. I prefer darker colored notebooks so the N100 didn't do a lot for me. I like the color scheme on something like the Fujitsu N3530 better, but it is a personal preference. Aside from the color, I found the shapes and curves to be pleasing. One thing I noticed about it right away is how thick it is, coming in at around 1.7" including the feet on the bottom.

Conclusion

The N100 has lots to recommend about it. From my vantage point, it looks more like a consumer notebook with the glossy screen and plastic case. A dash of the business side has been thrown in with the fingerprint reader, DVD-RAM and more extensive software bundle. I think the $64,000 question for the N100 is going to be price. If Lenovo can keep the price down for N100, it should do well. If the price starts to go too high, like over $1500, it is going to be a harder to justify the N100. At that price point there are notebooks, even Lenovo's own Z60, which will have better construction and features for the same price. It will be interesting to see when the Z60 gets Core Duoized how it stacks against the N100.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Speedy Performance
Glossy WSXGA Screen
Excellent Burn Quality From LG Drive
Decent Battery Life
Cool & Quiet
Software Bundle
Easy To Upgrade(Not The Video Card)
Bluetooth

Cons

Scratchable Case
WiFi Card Dropouts
Poor Speakers
Thickness
Missing Home/End Keys

Lenovo W700

2008-10-25T06:31:00.000-07:00

As a photographer (and a longtime dual-platform user), I was intrigued by the announcement of Lenovo's new ThinkPad W700. With Lenovo's reputation for building ultra-reliable business notebooks, the decision to dive head-first into a high-end mobile graphics system like the W700 may seem like a strange one. And if Lenovo's targeting any single market with this device, it's unquestionably photographers: sure, if you work in any kind of design the W700 could be a great workstation companion, but with copious storage space, an excellent screen, a built-in digitizer, and an on-board color calibration system, Lenovo is clearly taking a direct shot at the relatively closed and insular pro photo market. To my knowledge, nothing else on the market offers the W700's concentration of photographer-friendly features.

Lenovo ThinkPad W700 Specifications:

Processor: Intel Core 2 Extreme Q9300 (2.53 GHz, 1066 MHz FSB, 12 MB L2 cache)
Memory: 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM
Screen: 17" 1920x1200 WUXGA TFT LCD
Storage: 160 GB HDD (7200 RPM) x 2, RAID 0 configuration
Optical Drive: DVD recordable
Wireless: Intel Wi-Fi Link 5300 (802.11a/g/n), Bluetooth 2.0
Graphics: NVIDIA Quadro FX 3700M with 1 GB
Battery: 9-cell lithium-ion (84 Wh)
Dimensions: 16.1" x 12.3" x 1.5"
Weight: 8 lbs, 10 oz (with battery)
Price As Tested: $4,333.30
Starting Price: $2,531.30

Design and Build

We've jokingly billed the W700 "the laptop designed to make normal people feel small," and the name fits. With a footprint measuring a generous 16 by 12 inches, working with the W700 actually on your lap is not really advised. And forget trying to take it on a plane – we're not sure that the Lenovo would fit in the overhead compartment of a regional jet, much less on the tiny tray table. Likewise, finding a case for the W700 will almost certainly require shopping at the laptop bag equivalent of "big and tall" stores.

Build quality with the W700 is everything Lenovo is known for, with tight fitment all around and an impressively small measure of panel flex for a laptop this large. A bit of time hauling the W700 has confirmed initial impressions: while large notebooks rarely rival their smaller counterparts in terms of ruggedness, this is one heavily built, robust laptop in spite of its size.

Keyboard, Touchpad, and Digitizer

Input options abound with the W700. For many diehard Lenovo fans, though, the world of input devices begins and ends with Lenovo's legendary keyboards. And the W700's equipment in this area is just as we've come to expect, with smooth key action and a quick, short stroke that makes typing on the W700 a pleasant experience. There's a hint of flex at the top right corner of the our review unit's 'board – up around the Backspace key – but otherwise the full-size keyboard and num pad feel securely anchored to the W700's subframe. Compared to other Lenovo keyboards we've looked at, key presses on the W700 may be just a bit noisy, but as with calibration concerns, the fact that the keyboard itself feels nice in use makes this secondary concern a minor issue for most.

Battery Life

The W700 sports a nine-cell lithium-ion battery. With a screen this size, we weren't expecting much in terms of battery longevity – though the question of how often you'll be taking this notebook away from a desk, and thus away from a power outlet, is a fair one.

In spite of low expectations and a high-power screen, the ThinkPad actually performs surprisingly well "off the plug." Some light web browsing, word processing, and photo editing with the screen at a still relatively bright half power yielded 2 hours, 23 minutes of use time before the first battery warning advised me that it was time to reconnect to the grid. For a business notebook, we'd admittedly be disappointed by this performance, but for a behemoth like the W700, two-plus hours of unconnected computing isn't bad at all.

Playing a DVD at maximum brightness puts a serious dent in this time, however. Even with Wi-Fi disabled, we were only able to get just over an hour of playback (1:03) before Vista forced a shutdown with these settings. What this suggests is that the settings you choose and the processes you run have a serious impact on battery life in this case, and while it can perform better than anticipated if you're conservative, the W700 is still a huge notebook with a lot of power-hungry accouterments. And if you plan to make the most out of what this highly capable graphics machine can do, proceed into the field without a charged spare battery, a charging plan, or a backup generator at your own risk.

Heat and Noise

For a machine with this much power, getting hot is almost a given. And that's where the W700 surprises: even under the heaviest graphics loads we could throw at it, chances are you'll find the weight of the Lenovo on your lap unbearable long before you'll be offended by how much heat it's giving off.

Conclusion

In my not so distant professional past, I worked as a graphic designer creating corporate marketing collateral. I was often on the road, working face-to-face with clients to put the finishing touches on print and web projects, and hence I speak from experience in saying that attempting to do any measure of serious design work on most notebooks – even larger desktop replacement models – is usually an exercise in frustration. Questionable displays, limited storage space, and poor processor responsiveness were my day to day headaches back then. The fact that the ThinkPad W700 squarely addresses every one of these concerns – and several others – will likely make it the workstation that many mobile graphics pros have been waiting for, even with its heavy price tag. After all, the productivity increases afforded by a machine like this ThinkPad, a laptop capable of taking on serious graphics production tasks, will be invaluable for many companies and users.

On the other side of the coin, it's only fair to expect a lot of a machine that costs as much as a used compact car, and to this end not everything is completely sorted with the W700. The tablet surface certainly isn't as good as a third-party unit, though to be fair, as a compromise solution for mobile use it's not a bad one – meaning your Wacom is one less thing you'll be packing along next time. Given the cost of the W700's high-end screen upgrade, we would have liked to see at least a vertical alignment panel type as well. And the calibration system, though effective, is limited enough in functionality that it may prove to be more gimmick than substance for this user set, who are for the most part both proactive and opinionated about color management.

What can't be disputed, though, is that a quad-core processor, serious RAM potential, and a high-end graphics card make this one of the most powerful workstations, mobile or otherwise, currently available off the shelf from an OEM. If Lenovo set out to dazzle us with power, they've certainly succeeded on that score. So is it worth the price?

Like so many things in life, it all depends on who you ask.

Pros:

Quad-core performance offers a desktop-esque experience
Solid Lenovo keyboard, touchpad
Built-in digitizer a handy addition
Color calibration console couldn't be simpler
Impressively rugged build for a 17 inch system

Cons:

Display doesn't quite meet lofty expectations
Speaker audio makes everything sound like a Paul Harvey broadcast
Supplied pen is small, feels cheap
I don't have a spare $4,333.30

HP Compaq 2230s

2008-10-25T06:27:00.000-07:00

The HP Compaq 2230s is an ultra-portable consumer notebook that is targeted towards small businesses similar to the Dell Vostro or Lenovo SL series line of machines. This notebook gives consumers a less expensive option than the HP EliteBook series, with a starting price of $999 instead of $1,679

Build and Design

The design of the HP Compaq 2230s is somewhat like a black Apple MacBook, with a clean all-black plastic exterior. As far as business notebooks go, it is HP’s attempt to compete with the Dell Vostro line, offering a more consumer look and feel to a business notebook. The all-black color scheme continues into the interior of the notebook, with the palmrest, touchpad, keyboard, and trim all covered in matching black. An interesting design change over a consumer notebook is the touch sensitive controls above the keyboard which normally activate media functions. On the HP 2230s, these control system functions such as external displays, wireless on/off, and volume.

The build quality turned out to be very unappealing and unlike what we've come to expect from a business or even small business grade notebook. The moment you pick up the 2230s you'll notice a great deal of flex in the screen cover from very thin unsupported plastic. Opening up the notebook you find the same thing around the main chassis, with weak plastic surrounding the keyboard. The palmrest has plenty of flex on either side, with the side above the optical drive being the worse of the two. On the optical drive side you have flex on the palmrest as well as the bottom shell when gripping the notebook from the side. The notebook feels more like a budget consumer notebook than a small business notebook with a starting price of $999. The only real advantage of the thin plastic material used is the total notebook weight is kept at a minimum. Unfortunately, the thin plastics don't give this notebook a feeling of durability.

Display

The glossy WXGA display on the HP Compaq 2230s is pretty nice, with vibrant colors and high contrast. Black levels are average with some grey apparent in dark settings depending on the angle you are viewing the panel. Vertical viewing angles are adequate for regular day-to-day use, but colors invert when outside of the 10-15 degree up or down sweet spot. Horizontal viewing angles are better, keeping colors true even to the very edge of being able to still see the screen from the side of the notebook. Brightness levels are above average, enough to comfortably view the screen in a bright office setting. Using the notebook outside would be limited with the glossy display because of reflections, but should be fine as long as you are under shade.

Conclusion

The HP Compaq 2230s is a conservative-looking notebook with some features targeted towards small business users. Unlike most business or small business notebooks, this notebook doesn’t offer the rugged feel, only a rugged look. The plastic used throughout the design is weak even when compared to the HP Pavilion lineup. While the keyboard is impressive, it doesn’t outweigh the lackluster build quality. For small businesses my best recommendation would be to look at notebooks such as the HP Pavilion tx2500z or stepping up to the HP EliteBook series.

Getac A790

2008-10-21T22:11:00.000-07:00

This is a review of the GETAC A790 fully rugged notebook computer, a machine specifically built to provide maximum performance and utility under the harshest possible environmental condition. Also, right upfront, if you wonder why the system unit part of the machine shown in the picture below is so thick, that is because it is one of the very few notebooks that can handle two 3/4-length desktop-style PCI cards in an optional PCI Expansion Unit that's bolted onto the bottom of the notebook. The machine shown in this picture has the PCI expansion unit installed. Why is this important? Because while today's notebooks come fully equipped, some functionality is only available via standard PCI expansion cards, and if an application requires that functionality, the GETAC A790 is one of the very few state-of-the-art rugged notebooks that can deliver. And not just PCI cards. GETAC has expansion units for older legacy ISA cards and the new PCI Express cards also.

Existing and potential GETAC customers are likely familiar with the company background and so I'll only state the basics: General Electric-Aerospace and Mitac Group of Taiwan founded GETAC back in 1989. Ever since, GETAC has been at the very forefront of ruggedized mobile and portable innovation for military and other demanding markets worldwide.

By now, the company is closing in on 20 years of experience in building water-tight enclosures, thermally efficient no-vent equipment, resistance to shock and vibration, accommodating operation in very wide temperature ranges, and whatever else it takes to building computers that can handle dust, sand, snow, water, hazardous materials and other environmental conditions.

The A790 benefits from all this experience. It also benefits from the numerous man-years of testing and using the platform in military, industrial, and extreme commercial applications. That's because the A790 is the latest version of a field-proven, reliable platform that builds upon the success of the GETAC A770, A760, and going all the way back to the A740 running on a Pentium 200MMX chip. From a design standpoint, this machine has been a success from its inception. And GETAC made sure it kept the technology of the A-Series up-to-date.

GETAC A790 highlights:

Full size, rugged computer with up-to-date technology
Massive battery power (well over 200 watt-hours) via main and two auxiliary batteries
Extensive onboard connectivity, including advanced optical drives
Availability of ISA, PCI, PCI Express expansion units
Availability of all current and advanced wireless options
Beefed-up security with fingerprint reader and TPM chip
No fan = virtually silent operation

But keep in mind:

Fairly large and heavy, especially with expansion unit
Rubber keyboard takes getting used to
Touch screen option only on smaller 12.1-inch screen