GT330M
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Eurocom debuts Optimus-equipped B5100M FOX, B7110 FOX gaming laptops
Last we heard from Eurocom, it was touting its massive, workstation-class X8100 Leopard "laptop," and its now back with a pair of models that are considerably more consumer-friendly -- and gamer-friendly, specifically. Those include the 15.6-inch B5100M FOX and 17.3-inch B7110 FOX, which each pack NVIDIA's Optimus graphics-switching technology (complete with a GeForce GT330M GPU), and a range of other fully customizable options that cover the mid to high-end -- your choice of Core i3, i5 or i7 processors, up to 16GB of DDR3 RAM, and support for two hard drives for up to 1.6TB of storage, to name just a few options. Of course, prices will vary wildly depending on the config, but you can grab the base 15.6-inch model for $999, or the 17.3-incher for $1,199.
Samsung P580 business laptop hands-on
Boy, Samsung's been keeping us busy today -- in addition to the Q330 and Q530, the company was also showing the P580 business laptop at the British Museum today. The particular unit we played with had a vibrant 15.6-inch 1,366 x 768 matte screen, although a higher resolution and greater viewing angle would've made it a prettier package. To our further disappointment, the keyboard was nowhere as good as the Q-series' chiclet offering -- we kept pressing neighboring keys by accident, and the spacebar's right-hand side often failed to pick up our input. An isolated issue? Only time will tell -- you guys might have better luck when this bad boy eventually arrives in the stores.%Gallery-92795%
Samsung Q330, Q430 and Q530 slim laptops to invade Britain in July
Okay, so we can't say we're exactly enthralled about the styling of this here laptop trio -- Q330, Q430 and Q530 (Q430 not pictured) -- that Samsung announced in London today, but let's see if their specs can win us over. For starters, all three machines share the same 27mm thickness, anti-scratch chassis technology, and 1,366 x 768 screen resolution (but across the 13.3-, 14- and 15.6-inch screens). Similarly, you're limited to a Core i3-350M (2.26GHz), DVD burner, 6-cell battery, three USB ports and the same black / silver paint job across all three models. The differences? Look no further than the GPU options and weight -- you get an integrated Intel GMA HD and five-hour battery life on the 1.96kg (4.32 pounds) Q330; the slightly stronger NVIDIA GeForce 310M on the 2.05kg (4.52 pounds) Q430; and the GeForce GT 330M on the 2.33kg (5.14 pounds) Q530. Nothing too thrilling here to be honest, plus the faux brushed metal texture gave a weird touch to the trackpads, but the keyboards were surprisingly nice to type on. Anyhow, we'll hold our final judgment until the prices come out in two months' time.%Gallery-92771%
Samsung announces P580 business notebook with Core i3 / i5 and matte screen
Laptops with anti-glare screens are hard to come by these days, so it's nice to see Samsung adding a new option for us all. What you're looking at here is the P580 notebook, sporting a 15.6-inch 1,366 x 768 LED-lit screen and keyboard with numeric keypad. Underneath the hood you'll find a Core i3 or i5 CPU, NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M (1GB GDDR3) graphics, Trusted Platform Module security, Bluetooth 2.1, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, and 2GB to 4GB of RAM. If you feel that the four chargeable USB 2.0 jacks (one of which is also eSATA) aren't adequate, then there's always the docking port that offers plenty more for your socket fetish. Not bad for a 2.5kg (5.51 pounds) package, and let's hope this workhorse trots in before long with appropriately alluring pricing. Full PR after the break.%Gallery-92739%
Sony VAIO Z brings Quad SSD drive and dynamic graphics switching to Europe in March
Announced at CES with a "late Spring" availability, we just got word that the Core i7-620M pumpin' VAIO Z series from Sony will be hitting Europe in late March. The Z's biggest claim to fame is its ultra-fast Quad SSD, a rather unique Sony innovation that writes data in parallel to four SSDs (up to 256GB total capacity in RAID 0) at speeds up to 6.2x faster than typical 5400 rpm laptop hard disks. Sony also fits the Z with a hybrid graphics solution that combines 1GB of NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M with Intel HD graphics allowing you to automatically (or manually) switch between "speed" and "stamina" modes... presumably without requiring a logout if we're reading "dynamic" correctly. Rounding out the specs are 6GB of DDR3 SDRAM, 802.11n WiFi, integrated optical drive, and optional VAIO Everywair 3G mobile broadband module all stuffed into this 13.1-inch laptop with 1920 x 1080 pixel LED backlit display with 210 x 23.8-32.7 x 314mm and 1.43kg footprint. Power AND portability? Come give us a hug Sony.
