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HP's 8440 and 8540 EliteBooks ready to ship with Core i7 inside
HP promised us a mobile workstation refresh in February, and sure enough, today we are staring down the retail pages for its quartet of upgraded business laptops. The new top of the line EliteBook models come in 14- (8440p/w) and 15.6-inch (8540p/w) varieties, with the w-appended models sporting appropriately beefed up NVIDIA Quadro FX graphics with up to 1GB of dedicated GDDR5. If you want to grab one for under a grand, you'll have to make do with the reasonably powerful Core i5-520M / 2GB DDR3 RAM combo, but we're most excited by the future customization options, which include a low-voltage Core i7-820QM CPU with 8MB of internal cache, up to 16GB of RAM, and up to 256GB in SSD storage. Course, we can't put prices to these spectacular beasts just yet, as HP is still only offering preconfigured rigs, but we think it'll be less than five figures. [Thanks, Jared]
BumpTop hits the Mac, covers your OS X desktop with piles just like your real desktop (video)
PC users have been making a 3D mess of their virtual Windows 7 desktops with BumpTop now for nearly a year, and have been doing it two-fingered since October saw the 1.2 multitouch release. Now you Apple fans can get a feel too, with BumpTop Mac newly available. There's a free version for you to try, or a $29 Pro edition that adds support for multitouch trackpads, enabling you to quickly form piles of docs and filter through them. Yes, piles of documents, much like that leaning tower of expense reports your co-workers have been giving a wide berth whenever they walk by. After the break you'll find a video of it all in action, and you can get your free trial at the read link -- assuming you're running OS 10.5 or higher.
ASUS ROG G73jh launches with Core i7, Radeon HD 5870, bragging rights
Power hungry, are you? ASUS has just the rig for you, as it just launched its newest Republic of Gamers laptop here at a CES press event. The G73jh is doing its darnedest to make every other gaming lappie out there look downright weak, with this one boasting a Core i7-720QM CPU, up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, 8-channel HD audio, up to 1TB of HDD space and DirectX 11 compatibility thanks to the internal ATI Radeon HD 5870. You'll also get a spacious 17.3-inch display, a 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, Blu-ray / DVD combo drive, 8-cell battery, a 2 megapixel webcam, 802.11b/g WiFi, gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 2.1, an 8-in-1 card reader and a mini-VGA connector. Naturally, Windows 7 Home Premium will be running the show, and this thing is far from being slim and sexy. There's no word yet on a price and release, but we'll keep you posted. Update: We nabbed a quick hands-on, check it out! %Gallery-81554% %Gallery-81562%
Dell Precision M6500 mixes Core i7 with business savvy
In typical Dell style, the new Precision M6500 17-inch workhorse laptop has shown up on the company's website with nary a peep of self-congratulatory PR from Round Rock. Notable as the successor to the well-juiced M6400 and its even gaudier Covet variant, the M6500 boasts wallet-busting specs like a Core i7-920XM allied to a maximum of 16GB DDR3 memory speeding along at 1,333MHz, a choice of ATI FirePro M7740 or NVIDIA Quadro FX 3800M workstation graphics chips, support for up to three storage devices with optional RAID configurations, and a 1920 x 1200 LED-backlit display. The machine is not quite yet available to purchase, meaning it's safe to go beyond the read link without fearing any heart-stopping sticker shock. [Thanks, Jonty]
Lenovo ThinkPad W701 hints at Core i7 Extreme in FCC reveal
Lenovo can't be feeling too much warmth toward the FCC right now. After Intel and Wistron combined to remove any mystery from its next IdeaPad, here comes the latter with yet another filing revealing yet more tasty morsels of knowledge. Wistron's latest submission is for a "Notebook Computer with Wacom Digitizer," which immediately points us toward the high-end ThinkPad W series,with the W700 being the only Lenovo laptop to sport such an appendage so far. Reassuringly, the new model name appears to be W701 and we've spotted a 2GHz Intel CPU, 320GB Fujitsu HDD, and a Samsung-made 17-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200) display in amongst the test specs. If your appetite hasn't been titillated already, the only contemporary mobile CPU from Intel that we know to run at a default speed of 2GHz is the quad-core Core i7-920XM, which comes with 8MB of L3 cache, 3.2GHz single-core max speed, 55W TDP, and a truly stratospheric price. We might have a Holiday Gift Guide candidate for 2010 already.
Beastly HDX 18 no longer available from HP, dv8 to blame?
We fully understand that the market for 18.4-inch gaming laptops is a niche one, so we suppose this all makes sense from a business perspective, but still -- we can't help but shed a tear. HP's beastly, benchmark-smashing HDX 18 (and HDX 18t) has been forcibly removed from the outfit's website, with even cached links leading to a customization page turning up "Sorry!" portals. The marginally smaller HDX 16 remains alive and well, but it seems as if the 18-inch dv8 is your only option now when selecting a larger-than-life lappie from the folks at HP. Gotta keep keepin' on, we guess. [Thanks, pyro92005]
MSI GT640 houses Core i7, claims to be 'world's most powerful gaming notebook'
Man, Core i7 laptops just keep coming and coming (kinda like Arnold). The latest in what's sure to be a torrent of companies upgrading their premier products to Intel's finest quad-core battery killer is MSI, with the GT640. Though MSI hasn't yet specified which of the trifecta of Clarksfield chips it has inside the machine, we do know there's a 1GB NVIDIA Geforce GTS 250 taking care of graphics, as well as options for up to 4GB of DDR3 RAM, half a terabyte of storage and a Blu-ray burner. Other notables include a two megapixel webcam, HDMI, 7.1 channel audio output and an eSATA input. While we don't yet know the wallet damage for that red-striped aluminum alloy body, its Windows 7 installation would indicate a release some time around, oh, October 22 perhaps? One more shot of the keyboard and screen after the break.[Via Laptoping]Update: The German announcement for this machine has been more forthcoming with the details. There's a 1680 x 1050 resolution, 4,800mAh battery and a two-year warranty among the things we didn't know about before, and the most important thing, the CPU model, is now revealed as a 1.6GHz Core i7 720QM. [Thanks, Johannes]
ASUS dubs self SonicMaster, outs N61 an N71 laptops to prove it
If what's been missing from your life lately can be quantified as a large widescreen laptop with "unparalleled audio reproduction" and up to a GeForce GT240M graphics card, you'd better listen up, partner. ASUS has just introduced the 16-inch N61 and 17.3-inch N71, both of which will sport up to a Core 2 Quad Q9000 CPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, a Blu-ray drive, and the aforementioned GPU with a gigabyte of dedicated memory. The primary differences are in resolution and storage, where the N61 makes do with 1366 x 768 and 500GB versus 1600 x 900 and up to 1TB spread over two HDDs on the N71. We suspect the SonicMaster "dedicated resonance space arrangement" might be as useful as those 'shopped speakers in the picture, so we'd still advise getting a solid pair of headphones.
Walmart's $348 17-inch Toshiba Satellite L355 reviewed: surprisingly awesome
Looking for an ultra-cheap machine to take to school, are you? If you couldn't care less about extreme portability, Toshiba's shockingly inexpensive Satellite L355 (S7915) could be just the thing. $348 at Walmart nets you a 17-inch display (1,440 x 900), a 2.2GHz Celeron 900 CPU, Vista Basic, 3GB of RAM, a 250GB (5400RPM) hard drive, 8x DVD writer and GMA 4500M integrated graphics. The 7-pound machine was recently tested over at Laptop Mag, and critics were noticeably stunned at just how well the machine performed. The display was bright, the keyboard was more than adequate and the six-cell battery managed to hang on for over 2.5 hours in real-world testing. All in all, reviewers felt that the rig was perfectly suitable for handling schoolwork and other basic tasks, and save for the omission of a webcam, they couldn't find any huge beefs given the uncharacteristically low MSRP. 'Course, if you already snapped up that $298 Compaq, maybe you should just plug your ears here and pretend this whole thing never happened.
New Toshiba Satellite laptops now available Stateside
Remember those new Satellites that Toshiba dropped in Europe a week or two ago? Seems like they're making the scene Stateside starting today, alongside several of their siblings. As previously noted, the A500 is a 16-inch multimedia machine (starting at $749.99), while the U500 ($849.99) is a 13.3-inch guy more suited to on-the-go computing. Newly announced are the M500/M505 (with 14-inch high-def LED display, starting at $699.99) and the P500/P505 (an 18.4-inch desktop replacement with slot-loading DVD drive, starting at $799.99). All the new Satellites include multimedia command keys, webcam, face recognition software, harmon/kardon speakers and, of course, the world renowned eSATA/USB combo port. And if you're good, we have a couple pics for you. After the break, of course.
Sager NP9280 with Core i7 and triple SSDs is world's most powerful laptop, anchor
This one slipped by us but the world's first Core i7 laptop to ship is probably worth a double-back don't you think? The Sager NP9280 is almost certainly the same Clevo D900F we spotted at CeBIT back in March. That means a Core i7 snuggled up with Intel's X58 chipset with triple channel DDR3 memory, 1GB of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280M graphics, and a 17.1-inch 1920x1200 display. No telling how long the 12-cell Lithium-Ion battery will last but if it exceeds 30 minutes of usage then we'd be impressed. As a desktop replacement, it's fully loaded with up to a trio of SATA hard disks (or SSDs), 4x built-in speakers, eSATA, HDMI and DVI video outputs, integrated 3 megapixel webcam, and 4x USB 2.0 jacks plus a single Firewire port all riding an 11.55-pound slab requiring 15.5 x 11.75 x 2.35-inches of elbow room. Unfortunately, there's no option for running dual GTX 280M GPU in SLI, for that you'll have to look to Alienware's Core 2 Extreme--based M17x. The NP9280 starts at about $2,000 though we like ours maxed out with a Core i7 975 Extreme Edition desktop processor, 12GB of DDR3 memory, and 3x 160GB SSDs for more than $7,000. But hey, that's us and we think robots are scary. Check the hover-craft inspired bottom after the break.[Via ReviewStash]
How would you change Lenovo's ThinkPad W700ds?
Here it is, folks -- what's likely to be the largest laptop of 2009 in terms of sheer screen real estate. We actually managed to cart one of these off of the freight truck and into an airplane hangar for testing, but this outlet isn't about our opinions. In fact, we're wondering how you (dearest readers) would change this monstrosity if given the keys to the Lenovo kingdom. Is the lofty MSRP justified? Is the secondary panel really that awesome? Has this increased your productivity? Have you pushed any lamps off of desks and been forced to pay for replacements? No need to be gentle here, how would you change the ThinkPad W700ds? And... go!
Lenovo's ThinkPad W700ds shows its second screen on video
Mmm, dual screens. Lenovo's almost too-good-to-be-true W700ds got pretty darn official last night, and now we're being treated to the unit's first widely available video. The unit in the vid -- which is hosted up just beyond the break -- looks like it's straight out of pre-production, and the slight wobble in the pull-out panel doesn't instill the greatest amount of confidence in us. Still, we're hoping Lenovo tightens a few screws before it hits the market for real, and given the history of the rock solid ThinkPad line, we fully anticipate that happening.
Lenovo ThinkPad W700ds dual-screen laptop details and pics unearthed
We caught wind of this dual-screened ThinkPad last week, but now we've got some more details to get your mouths watering -- and your wallets running for cover. The W700ds comes with your choice of Intel Core 2 Quad processors and combined with the NVIDIA Quadro FX 3700M GPU. RAM maxes out at 8GB and you can stuff a total of 960GB of SSD / HDD storage into this bad boy. The primary 17-inch screen is supposedly the brightest on the market, and if there wasn't already enough to make you drool, it packs an integrated WACOM digitizer as well (like its single-screened sister, the W700). However, this 11 pound package starts at $3,600, so you'd better be ready to break out the piggy bank come January when this beast is set to ship. Don't pout though, it probably wouldn't have fit under the tree anyway. Check out two more pics after the break.[Thanks, Brian K]Read - Lenovo to release ThinkPad laptop with 2 LCD screensRead - Lenovo Mobile Workstation Now Offers Dual-Screen Display
Ask Engadget: Best "desktop replacement" laptop?
Although netbooks seem to be all the rage right now, there's still a lot of demand out there for laptops that are only able to be labeled as such due to their design. Take a look at Paul's question as he attempts to locate the best desktop replacement on the market today. "I am currently looking to replace my desktop PC with a high spec laptop. Portability isn't a concern as it will spend most of its life on a desk. Here are a couple of things I am looking for: biggest screen possible, plenty of HDD space, plenty of RAM, and plenty of GHzs. Cheaper is better, but my budget is up to around $3,000." This fellow didn't specifically mention gaming as a concern, but we'll go ahead and assume he's not buying a 9+ pound laptop to tinker on Minesweeper all day. So, what's the preferred laptop that weighs more than some mini-towers? And what's a question that's been on your mind? Send it in to ask at engadget dawt com.
LG's X-R700 and X-S900 replace desktops, double as paperweights for product models
Don't know about ya'll, but our eyes tend to glaze over with apathy as soon as we see "desktop replacement" in a laptop press release. Nevertheless, here's LG's take on the semi-portable: the 17-inch X-R700 and 19-inch X-S900. They're big -- much bigger than the average mini-skirt found on Korean product waifs. The ???1,699,000 (about $1,744) Model X-R700 XP50K sports a WXGA display with integrated 1.3 megapixel webcam, 3GB of memory, 512MB of nVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics and a 1.83GHz T5550 Core 2 Duo pumping away under the hood. The ???1,390,000 (about $1,436) X-S900 KP55K model packs the same 1,366 x 768 resolution and processor but slaps in 256MB of ATI Mobility Radeon HD2400 graphics, 2GB of memory, and bumps the disk from 250GB to 320GB spinning at 7,200rpm (thanks Fujitsu). While the laptops are a bit meh, at least you'll notice how much bigger the images are on the new and improved Engadget layout.%Gallery-20229%
Voodoo launches the ENVY M:152 Core 2 Extreme laptop
Love to be beaten to a bloody pulp by your overpowered laptop? Looking for performance that would make even the strongest bodybuilder collapse in fear? Have you been feeling let down by game speeds which don't actually rip open a hole in the space-time continuum? Well, luckily for you, Voodoo exists... and its made a new laptop. Check into the ENVY M:152, the company's latest entry into the gamer-centric laptop world, which showcases a Core 2 Extreme X7800 CPU, Intel's murderous Santa Rosa chipset, a 15.4-inch, WSXGA+, 1680 x 1050 display, the NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT video card, up to 4GB of RAM, a wide array of hard drive options, plus Bluetooth, a built-in webcam, and style to spare (or so we hear). No word on pricing or street date, but you can expect the systems soon.
LG's 19-inch S900-UP73K Xnote goes big at SEK 2007
LG's Xnote lineup essentially has all of its bases covered with regard to sizes, as it includes laptops ranging from ultraportable to ultra-ginormous -- the latter of which was recently showcased at SEK 2007. This 19-inch behemoth likely required photos to be taken from several steps back, but aside from its awkwardly large footprint, it sports a 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 1GB of RAM, NVIDIA's 256MB GeForce 8600M GS graphics set, a 320GB hard drive, dual-layer DVD burner, 802.11a/b/g, audio in / out, a number of USB ports, and a built-in flash card reader for good measure. No word on a release date or an estimated price, but be sure and click through for a few more shots of this beast on display.[Via TechGadgets]
Beastly Toshiba Satellite X200 laptop gets spotted
You already knew that Toshiba was doling out the HD DVD love to the X205, but a purported Satellite X200 machine has apparently been apprehended by a Frenchman (or woman) and revealed to the world. Reportedly, this "desktop replacement" starts off with a 17-inch 1,440 x 900 resolution LCD, and packs a 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300, a 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8700M GT, 2GB of RAM, a 200GB hard drive spinning at 4200RPMs, Harmon Kardon speakers, Bluetooth 2.0, WiFi, a DVD burner, 1.3-megapixel camera, hordes of USB 2.0 connectors, fingerprint reader, an ExpressCard slot, and even a numeric keypad thrown in for good measure. While we've seen nothing official, word on the street has this bad boy landing next month for around €1,599 ($2,147), but for now, click on through for the rest of the show.
Clevo 901C gaming laptop packs some serious firepower
We shouldn't all act surprised that Clevo of all companies is cranking out yet another desktop replacement that would likely burn through even the thickest jeans (and potent batteries) in no time flat, but the firm's 901C ups the ante over the previous rendition with a few notable hardware bumps. Coming just months after the already wicked 900C, this sucka includes your choice of Intel's Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Duo Extreme X6800 processors, a 17.1-inch WXGA / WSXGA+ display, up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, NVIDIA's 512MB GeForce Go 7950GTX or the 8700M GT, room for a trio of SATA II drives hooked up in RAID, a full size keyboard with numeric pad, 12-cell battery, digital audio out, built-in microphone, four integrated speakers, and a seven-in-one card reader. Furthermore, you'll find ports for FireWire, USB 2.0, S-Video / VGA / DVI, gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth, 802.11n WiFi, an integrated webcam, 56k modem, and a TV tuner to boot. Apparently, there's no word just yet surrounding price or availability, but we wouldn't count on this powerful 11.9-pounder to run you cheap.[Thanks, Bazald]
