Voodoo Firefly gaming laptop prototype gets hands-on treatment

While most of the hype surrounding Voodoo right now pertains to the Firebird gaming tower, LAPTOP has discovered yet another undercover rig from the company's arsenal worth swooning over. Before you go getting too excited, we must caution you that the Firefly is merely a prototype at the moment, but we all know concepts are made with the intent to commercialize. With the fine print behind us, it's worth reading up on what this Voodoo DNA'd machine offered up; for starters, you'll notice a 17-inch panel and a hefty 13-pound frame. There's also a multitouch trackpad, keyboard with customizable backlighting, a secondary 4.3-inch 800 x 480 display sitting beneath the main screen, a 2.4GHz Core 2 Extreme CPU, 4GB of RAM, two ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3870 GPUs and a 250GB HDD. No benchmarks were allowed, but Far Cry 2 ran "silky smooth" even with details maxed. For the rest of the nitty-gritty, we'll direct you to the read link, and before you get all irate that this isn't available for purchase, just be thankful this post isn't about yet another teaser from Mr. Sood.

[Flashpoint @ Jan 2nd 2009 1:58AM]

I can't think of alot of things I could use that second LCD screen for - its too small to see anything without squinting.

[KarlW @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:09AM]

It's pretty high resolution though. You could videochat with someone whilst getting on with something else full-screen.

It's the multi-touch trackpad that throws me. Windows doesn't support touch input right now, and the stuff I've seen for Windows 7 indicates that they're going after touch-based displays, not trackpads.

[Will H. @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:24AM]

There's nothing wrong with having a multitouch trackpad even though existing ( windows ) software doesn't offer great support. Software moves pretty fast, and by that I mean insanely fast.

I'm not a huge fan of the two screens concept, but it's not a bad use of space if it's there. I'm keen on this laptop though! Looks pretty nice and I'm a big voodoo fan.

[SKI @ Jan 2nd 2009 12:14PM]

Have iTunes (or similar) on it or a walk through for a difficult game.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Jan 2nd 2009 9:10PM]

Like a Rear View for playing Counter Strike or any other Multiplayer FPS Game. It will certainly make sure you never get PWNED in the back with a knife again.

[allislost @ Jan 2nd 2009 1:58AM]

I'd rather get a sandwich...

[Oli D @ Jan 2nd 2009 6:22AM]

a $6000 sandwich...

you could have all the endangered species in there that you want!

[Jeff @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:00AM]

SEXY

But, what is Voodoo DNA?

[Will H. @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:26AM]

The "DNA" is just a marketing line to describe a Voodoo designed computer.

[mvp @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:05AM]

Now I can game and watch porn too?

[Oli D @ Jan 2nd 2009 6:23AM]

question is, which activity gets which screen.

[Jonathan-DBOSS @ Jan 2nd 2009 12:44PM]

:-D !

[eggothewaffle @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:08AM]

...That is hideous. And this is from Voodoo? Really?

[AVG @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:42AM]

Yeah, I was thinking Alienware when I saw this. Until my brain processed it was actually a VooDoo...

...what the fuck, Voodoo? What did HP do to you?!

[eggothewaffle @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:44AM]

Yeah seriously...Voodoo? More like Voodon't!

[AVG @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:58AM]

Nice.

[Heshmati4 @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:00AM]

It's a concept, so don't worry... :)

[eggothewaffle @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:01AM]

Heshmati...Hmm, would you happen to know a senior with the same surname as you at JHU? That would be one small world :o

[TareX @ Jan 2nd 2009 10:29AM]

Seconded. I hate the screen. Too much bezel.

There is a rule, people. The less display there is on that upper part, the worse looking the laptop gets.

But on the inside, WANT.

[Kris120890 @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:16AM]

All those specs in a nicer frame and ooooohhhhhh mama. I'd never be able to afford one but I want one.

[Doug @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:20AM]

Johnny Poo Poo Pants!

[Lucretius @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:22AM]

Yeah, but can it play, um.

Boy, they sure thought of everything. Putting DOOM on that little screen would have taken this from cool to WIN, however.

[Tim @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:27AM]

No left-handed people were involved in the design process, I can see...

[Danger @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:42AM]

Every lefty I know (including myself) uses mice and trackpads right handed..

[Skemo @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:52AM]

That's because they've been brain washed by our right handed overlords.

[jay.viz @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:07AM]

@Danger

My brother and I also use mice left handed. Maybe you don't know enough lefties?

[insky60 @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:00AM]

I'm guessing at least 70% of the male internet using population has become proficient using a mouse/trackpad with their non-dominant hand...Just a hunch.

[Oli D @ Jan 2nd 2009 6:24AM]

Inksy wins.

[Arzach @ Jan 2nd 2009 6:49PM]

Inksy is "guessing" no real argument here, besides even thought left handed population is less than 20% we at least deserve some respect from designers by giving it an option to the "wrong side" trackpad.

[Jon Nelson @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:50AM]

Lemme go ahead and nip it in the bud before anyone asks:

Yes.

It can fucking play Crysis.

Now go die.

[Skemo @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:55AM]

By saying that you are doing nothing more than reinforcing the meme.

[Jon Nelson @ Jan 2nd 2009 2:58AM]

Oh hell. I fear you may be right.

[eggothewaffle @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:00AM]

But can it play GTAIV? Eh, smartypants?

Bet you weren't expecting that!

[DOM @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:05AM]

I WILL TAKE 9

[Eric @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:14AM]

13 LBS! What the hell? What point is there nowadays to build a laptop weighing 13 lbs. Might as well buy a desktop at that point. Only a few lbs more... *confused*

[Hangster @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:28AM]

my desktop is about 45 lbs :D. much more capable, thankfully.

[Patriks7 @ Jan 2nd 2009 8:09AM]

Try bringing a heavy desktop + screen to a lan party..

[Oli D @ Jan 2nd 2009 6:19PM]

try bringing a girlfirend to a LAN party...

talk about a dead weight

[Noah @ Jan 2nd 2009 3:22AM]

Looks like Voodoo didn't get the message. Flat black is the new gloss black.

[Shinigami @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:55AM]

Great gaming laptop ruined by 2 things:
- core 2 extreme processor, since it costs over 1k and you can't use it to its full potential in a laptop;
- ATI 3870? two? one 4870 eats 3870x2 on breakfast. new mobile chips are coming this year so wait just a small bit if you want a similar toy

[ijyt @ Jan 2nd 2009 8:26AM]

The trackpad is trying to escape.

[finite_rings @ Jan 2nd 2009 8:29AM]

am i the only one that notices the visible heatsinks???

[krs360 @ Jan 2nd 2009 8:56AM]

I notice stereo speakers and vents, not heatsinks.

[Agent .25i @ Jan 2nd 2009 9:06AM]

Nice machine... but call it what it is, a DRS. Desktop Replacement System.
I love the idea of the trackpad on the right. With as much space available as most 17+ inch laptops/DRS's there has been enough room for one over there for a while.
I don't care much for the glossy look. But really, if you bought this, you will probably have an external keyboard/mouse anyway that you'll use most of the time, keeping smudges to a minimum.
Looks as though they have plenty of breathing space for the fans/cooling. The intakes on the top are a great idea, since a lot of times users of a laptop/DRS will have it on their laps, bed, couch, other soft surfaces that aren't always flat. I saw this first on my XPSM1710, albeit, much, much smaller intakes. However, you can hear/feel (when you have this badboy on your lap) that they are working when the ones on the bottom are covered.
The multitouch on the trackpad is a great idea, but again, most users will have an external mouse. But just pretending Im running around with my hands placed where the trackpad is going to be, with my other hand where the wasd keys will be, feels nice.

[Rob @ Jan 2nd 2009 9:40AM]

Nice, but that's not a laptop. I'm pretty sure it's some sort of new training machine for norwegian Body Builders.

[fortunado @ Jan 2nd 2009 9:59AM]

3870x2?? I bought a sub $1000 gateway with a 9800 GTS and a p8400 that is competitive with that machine. And its not too bad looking. I took it to my friends house and it ran L4D as well and better than their desktops. These notebook mfgs need to take a hard look at what gateway is doing with the PXXXX line, its pretty awesome.

[fortunado @ Jan 2nd 2009 10:00AM]

oh also as someone mentioned above, the 3870 is olde, they should get some modern gfx muscle in that monster

[Arthur @ Jan 2nd 2009 12:10PM]

It's about time laptop makers put the touchpad on the right side!!

[Scabrous Vermicelli @ Jan 2nd 2009 1:58PM]

Whoa, retro...looks like an Atari 5200 with an LCD screen grafted on top. Probably about as big, too.

[fatboysr @ Jan 2nd 2009 4:18PM]

How are you going to play games on that tiny screen?