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Alienware M11x R3 specs leaked, brings Sandy Bridge to your next LAN party?
Alienware's laptops first hopped on the Sandy Bridge bandwagon when the company's top-of-the-line M17x got Intel's second-gen Core processors, and now it appears the more budget-conscious M11x may get some Sandy Bridge love too. According to Dell News and more -- who correctly foretold the 3D screen on the M17x R3 before its January debut, among other things -- the littlest alien laptop is getting your choice of Core i5-2537M, Core i7-2617M, and Core i7-2657M chips ranging in speeds from 1.4GHz to 2.7GHz. Accompanying the new silicon is an optional 750GB HDD (up from 640GB) and an upgrade from 800MHz to speedy 1333MHz RAM. And, to keep you gaming wherever you please, the company will offer optional 3g, LTE, and WiMAX radios as well. Unfortunately, one minor detail didn't make it out -- how much will the extra goodies cost?
Intel brings vPro to Sandy Bridge CPUs, makes losing your work laptop slightly less painful
Imagine, if you will, business travelers gallivanting across the globe with nary a care in the world -- secure in the fact that should they lose their laptop by hook or by crook, they can disable it with a simple text message. Well, the dream is now a reality as Intel has put its fifth-gen vPro technology in Sandy Bridge Core i5 and i7 business chips, giving users the ability to lock down and reactivate a PC remotely via SMS. Not exactly a fresh idea, but nice to see it passed on to more modern chipsets. To further simplify the lives of IT professionals, the new version of vPro also has an encryption login requirement upon awakening from sleep mode, 1920 x 1200 resolution remote management, and host-based configuration to allow the set up of countless PCs at once. Of course, that assumes your employer's willing to pony up for Chipzilla's new gear -- the economic downturn's almost over, right?
Intel working with Symantec and Vasco for IPT, hardware-based security measures
Phishers are getting so good and so numerous that even the most technically adept of online bankers should think twice before typing in that password. Even if it's a legit site, databases can be infiltrated and passwords can be cracked. Time for something more, then. Intel is working on it, teaming up with Symantec and Vasco on what's being broadly termed Identity Protection Technology, or IPT. This tech enables a computer to, in hardware, generate a one-time password (OTP) that a compatible site could accept. That computer would have been earlier paired with the site to ensure that only authorized machines sign on. It's similar to the random generating key fobs you might need to sign on to VPN, but built in to Intel's Core i3, i5, and i7 processors. Of course, that won't help if you e-mail your credit card number to a supposed friend who's supposedly stranded in some supposedly far away land, but it's progress.
MacBook Pro BTO gets a silent speed bump
After distracting us with new goodies, Apple updated the MacBook Pro with a build-to-order CPU bump, bringing the full speed processor choice up to a 2.8GHz i7. The upgrade will cost you US$400 and is limited to the 17-inch and 15-inch models. Consider this the polar opposite of the new Core 2 duo-powered MacBook Air -- huge, heavy and full of power and storage. If you need a maxed-out Apple portable, this is it.
Alienware M11x gets overseas Core i3 / i5 / i7 and NVIDIA Optimus bumps (update: US too)
We've been hearing about an impending CPU update to Alienware's M11x for some time now, and now Dell Malaysia has quietly updated its website with options to order the revised not-quite-netbook. So what's new? Well, there's NVIDIA Optimus for starters, and the Intel Core 2 Duo processor has been thanked for its time and shown the door in lieu of Core i3, i5, and i7 CPUs on a QS57 chipset. Prices start at RM 3,699, or about $1,110 in US bills. Speaking of which, while Dell's US site has yet to update, we've seen what's purported to be some internal documentation that pinpoints the official stateside launch for the revised M11x as tomorrow (technically, it's already Tuesday in Malaysia). No confirmation yet, but hey, it'd make for a pretty nice pre-E3 gift. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in] Update: UK Alienware lovers can now also get their Core i5/i7 M11x fix, as the new hardware options have gone live on the laptop's local microsite. Yes, Optimus is there too. [Thanks, Mike] Update 2: And now it's live in the US with prices starting at $949 with a Core i5 520UM. Less if you're thinking Core 2 Duo, which you're not. [Thanks, MastrCake]
Alienware M11x getting Intel Core i3 / i5 / i7 upgrade next month, says Dell rep
Meet Pearce Clune, Dell's Head of Consumer Operations for Middle East, Africa, and Turkey. Clune's gone ahead and given a pretty brief demonstration of Alienware's laptop lineup to Shuffle Magazine, include the mighty impressive M11x powerhouse in netbook clothing. It's all pretty standard fare until about 2:20 into the video, where the fine gentleman casually drops that the Core 2 Duo processor is about to get a modern upgrade with Core i3, i5, and i7 options. That's right, a Core i7 processor in a 11-inch form factor. We'll let that sink in for a second. But don't just take our word for it -- video after the break. Now, is Optimus en route, too? [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Report: Core i7 MacBook Pros running hot
Tests performed by PC Authority found a Core i7 MacBook Pro to be running very hot, climbing to over 100 degrees Celsius. The magazine had a Core i7-620M based 17" MacBook Pro on their hands for testing. While putting it through their benchmark suite, they noticed that it scored lower in Photoshop tasks then expected. Suspicious that heat might be affecting their results, they propped the machine on its side and repeated the test. Performance improved. Having booted into Windows via Boot Camp, the group ran a Dwarf Fortress test that, according to PC Authority, got the temperature up to 84ºC. They said that the bottom casing was "almost too hot to touch." When running Cinebench 11.5, the temperature climbed to 90ºC and eventually broke 100 (101ºC specifically) during a second test of Cinebench 11.5 the following day. The magazine argues that a flaw in the machine's cooling design caused the problem. The Fujitsu LifeBook SH760, which uses the same CPU, reportedly gets no hotter than 81ºC during the Cinebench test. Note that the SH760 uses a copper heat sink that vents out of chassis, unlike the MacBook Pro. We've not done any testing of our own, nor have we heard of this issue before. I can tell you that my 2 GHz Intel Core Duo 15" MacBook Pro gets pretty hot during World of Warcraft marathons, but that was a known issue with that older machine. If you've got one of the 17" i7 MacBook Pros, share your anecdotal experience with heating issues below. [Via MacNN]
Newegg terminates supplier relationship over counterfeit Core i7 CPUs
This weekend, up to 300 Newegg customers who pulled the trigger on a new Intel Core i7-920 processor found themselves puzzling over a clever fake instead. Who's to blame? It's not exactly clear -- Newegg initially said that the processors were "demo units," but has now posted a statement to Facebook saying that supplier IPEX shipped counterfeit chips and has had its contract revoked. That's good news for D&H Distributing, another Newegg supplier that responded to an initial wave of finger-pointing by issuing legal nastygrams to sites covering the story, thus ruining whatever good vibes the truth's generated. Finally, here's the statement Intel just sent us, explaining in no uncertain terms that these are counterfeit parts: "Intel has been made aware of a limited number of counterfeit i7 920 packages in the marketplace, specifically Newegg, and is working to how many and/or where they are being sold. The examples we have seen are not Intel products but are counterfeits. Buyers should contact their place of purchase for a replacement and/or should contact their local law enforcement agency if the place of purchase refuses to help. Intel is getting samples to inspect and until then we can say that everything in the package appears fake. Some of the photos of the processor look like it is a casting and not even a real processor of any kind. Newegg has moved quickly to replace the suspect units." No matter who's at fault here, the damage has been done. We'll never build another PC without losing precious seconds carefully examining its CPU first. [Thanks, Cody C.]
Lenovo ThinkPad T410s, T510 and W510 now sniffing for your wallets
Lenovo's just reminded us that there's still a world outside CES -- their recently-announced ThinkPad T410s, T510 and W510 are now available for on-line ordering. If you're up for some of that Core i5 / i7 action, prices start from $1,389, $999 and $1,599 respectively, but hey, save some money for the rest of 2010, OK? Your dog needs it.
Leaked details of Intel's Core i7-980X Processor
You'd think we were on the verge of an old-school Macworld Expo Keynote with all the rumors about this morning. Chinese site PCOnline.com.cn has spilled the beans on Intel's forthcoming Core i7-980x Processor. We're guessing that this processor could reside in future Mac Pros. Code-named "Gulftown" the 32nm, six-core i7-980X will be labeled as the i7x ("Extreme Edition"), not the i9 as many expected. It will be the first dual-socket, six-core processor from Intel. The image reveals that, with 6 cores and 12 threads, a dual-configured, i7-980X Mac Pro will sport 12 physical cores and 24 logical cores. Expect a top frequency of 3.33GHz. It's a guess as to if and when these processors will appear in Mac Pros, so we'll keep our eyes peeled. That's going to be one nasty machine. Earlier this month, the the quad-core Mac Pro was updated to include a 3.33 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon "Nehalem" processor. [Via HardMac]
Rumor: MacBook Pro Intel Arrandale processors in January
Fudzilla is reporting that Intel will release Arrandale-based processors on January 3rd, 2010. Three in fact, branded as "Core i5" and "Core i7," ranging in speed from 2.4GHz to 2.66GHz. There are two Core i5 models. One features 3MB of cache, a 2.4GHz frequency, two cores and four threads plus Turbo Mode, while the other features two cores, four threads, Turbo Mode, 3MB of L2 cache and a 2.53GHz frequency. Fudzilla prices them at $225US and $257, respectively. Finally, the 2.66GHz Core i7 model features 4MB of cache and Turbo Mode and can run faster. Fudzilla expects them to sell for $332. You'll remember that desktop Macs received Nehalem architecture processors earlier this year, which these Arrandale processors are based on. If built into Apple's MacBook Pros, they'd represent a significant performance boost over the Core 2 Duo processors currently in use. [Via MacRumors]
Core i7 iMacs showing up DOA -- including ours
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/Core_i7_iMacs_showing_up_DOA_including_ours_Engadget'; Apple's new Core i7-based iMac might be a performance monster, but it looks like the whole family's having some problems getting out of the gate: in addition to the previously-noted performance issues with the Core 2 Duo models, a quick glance across Apple's support forums and on other Mac boards around the web reveals that some machines are showing up DOA and / or with cracked screens. We're a little more familiar with the DOA issue, since the new i7 we just bought doesn't boot at all, but the cracked screen issue seems to be equally common and mostly affecting the bottom left corner, from what we can tell. Now, our review Core 2 Duo 27-inch iMac is perfectly fine, and Chris Ziegler's new Core i7 machine doesn't have any problems either, so these obviously aren't universal issues, but if you're about to stick one of these under the tree for someone it might be wise to do some surreptitious testing first.
Maingear's Axess HD Gamer PC looks to blow your mind, empty your wallet
Make no bones about, Maingear's new Axess HD Gamer (and by merit of its namesake, HTPC, too) is nothing if not a powerhouse for those wanting to pay an arm and a leg for a souped up gaming experience. You want specs? At its best, we're looking at an Intel Core i7 on a X58 chipset, dual NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT in SLI, up to 12GB of DDR3 RAM, Blu-ray, Windows Vista / Media Center, and two 3.5-inch storage bays supporting 320GB SSD or 2TB HDD. If you need more nerd cred, ghost of vaporware past Phantom Lapboard serves as one of the bundled input devices, as does the NVIDIA GeForce 3D vision kit and a 22-inch Samsung LCD. Starting price is $1,799, but if you wanna go for broke -- and whether not you can, you probably want to -- top configurations can run you well over $5,000.
Intel rebrands: Core i3, i5, i7 are in, Centrino on the outs
Intel's doing some spring cleaning on its branding structure, adding new Cores on the block. Joining the high-level Core i7 series will be the mid range Core i5 in the coming months and the lower-end Core i3's early next year. To be more specific, the Lynnfield chipsets will be either i5 or i7 depending on the feature set, Clarkfield mobile chips will be i7, and the 32nm Arrandale will at least at first fall under i3. Of course, with the new gang in town, some older monikers will be going wayside, and getting the slow fade out are Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Quad, and Centrino, the latter being eventually marginalized for WiMAX and WiFi products only. Making the cut are Celeron, Pentium, and the ever-resilient Atom names. We're a bit sad to know there will never be a Core 2 Dodeca, but hey, it's only a name, right?. Hit up the read link for more details, including a video interview with Intel's VP of Marketing Deborah Conrad.[Via CNET]Read - Intel's New Brand Structure ExplainedRead - Fewer Brands, Greater Impact
Six-core Intel Nehalem processors in the works?
It's a bit of a whisper on the wind, but bit-tech says Intel's got six-core Nehalem processors in the works for later this year. The chips are said to be compatible with existing Nehalem mobos, so you crazy builders out there will be able to just drop it in and go. If you've got the scratch, of course -- pricing hasn't been revealed, but we'd expect the new part to be more expensive than the quad-core Core i7 975, which runs about a grand.[Via TrustedReviews]
Is this the Alienware 'Allpowerful' laptop?
Menacing huh? The slightly enhanced image above was uploaded to the NotebookReview forums by a jockey claiming to be from Alienware marketing in Costa Rica. The tease upon tease shows what could be the Allpowerful laptop already counting down for product launch in 15 days. Further image manipulation reveals the typical offset-left trackpad found in Alienware's current gaming rig lineup. One thing's for certain, with a name like "Allpowerful," we'd better be looking at a 17-inch screen (minimum) and heavy-hitting Core i7 or we're setting phasers to kill. Pew pew. Fully enhanced image with added fanart by forum member Quicklite after the break.[Thanks, Sneaky]Read -- Original postRead -- Image dissection
Eurocom lays claim to Core i7-equipped Clevo D900F
Remember all those Clevo laptops revealed last month? While we're expecting more information at CeBIT 2009, those crazy Canadians at Eurocom have gone ahead and spilled the beans on the 17-inch D900F. As conjectured, the 11.9-pound behemoth's packing an equally-mighty Intel Core i7 processor in 2.66, 2.93 and 3.2GHz varieties. It's also got three 500GB hard drives totaling 1.5TB of space, 8GB DDR3 RAM, an NVIDIA G280 GPU, and a Blu-ray burner. Launch date is May 1, although according to Notebook Reviews we shouldn't expect to get our hands on it until Q4 2009. No word on pricing, but we suspect this powerhouse is gonna burn a giant hole in our pockets from both the inside and out.[Via Notebook Reviews]
Cowon hacks prices on practically every PMP it makes
Cowon already lowered the primary barrier to entry on its PMP line once this year, but evidently that wasn't enough. In order to entice prospective buyers to go ahead and snag that Cowon-branded player they've been on the fence about, the outfit has taken a sling blade to the stickers of the F2, D2, I7, Q5W, A3 and U5, leaving just the O2 as-is. The cuts aren't exactly small beans either, with discounts ranging from $10 to $70 off of MSRP. For the full list of new and old prices, hop on past the break.
Intel Core i7 review roundup
We've already seen a few benchmarks of Intel's new Core i7 processor, but if you're still craving some more details about Intel's latest and greatest you now have plenty more than that to chew on, with reviews, overviews, and yet more benchmarks pouring in left and right. As you might expect, most sites are describing the CPU as a very big deal for Intel, with the folks at Maximum PC even going so far as to call it the company's "most significant CPU launch in, well, ever." What's more, as those early benchmarks hinted at, it doesn't look like there's too many folks disappointed with the new processors, with even the "low end" Core i7 920 able to defeat the higher clock speed Core 2 Quad Q9650 "over and over" according to TechSpot, a feat due in large part to the CPU's on-die memory controller and Intel's new QPI technology. The first few systems shipping with the processor also look to have been fairly well received, with Slash Gear finding that Gateway's new Core i7 920-based FX6800-01e delivered a reasonable but not revolutionary upgrade over its Core 2 Quad-based predecessor, and Computer Shopper also finding plenty of things to like in new systems from Falcon Northwest and iBuypower, though the price of each of those systems is another matter. That, of course, is just skimming the surface, and if you've got a few hours to spare, you can find plenty more to keep you busy by diving into the links below.Read - PC Perspective. "Nehalem Revolution: Intel's Core i7 Processor Complete Review"Read - Techgage, "Intel Core i7 Performance Preview"Read - Maximum PC, "Core i7 Dissected and Benchmarked"Read - Computer Shopper, "Intel's Core i7 Debuts: Systems, CPUs, and Motherboards Reviewed"Read - HotHardware, "Getting To Know Intel's New Core i7, Video Spotlight"Read - HotHardware, "Intel Core i7 Processors: Nehalem and X58 Have Arrived"Read - TechSpot, "Intel Core i7 920, 940 and 965 Extreme Edition review"Read - Custom PC, "Intel Core i7 - all you need to know"Read - SlashGear, "Gateway FX6800-01e Review"
Gigabyte shows off robust Core i7 prototype motherboard
Surely you've been wondering what types of motherboards would be surfacing to support Intel's Core i7, no? Regardless of your answer, we're pretty sure the gamers and performance mavens in the house will appreciate Gigabyte's latest effort. The prototype mobo, coined Extreme Edition, was recently displayed at NVIDIA's NVISION 08 expo, and if the final version is anything like this, we'd say some records are in real danger of being obliterated. The unit was said to be based on the X58 chipset and provide support for up to six graphics cards, 24GB of DDR3-1333 RAM (or 6GB of DDR3-1900/2000 using overclocked 2GB DIMMs) and a separated 12-phase power supply for the CPU. Interested yet?
