Neither of Everex's latest StepNote laptops are apt to stop the presses, but they do offer Windows Vista and all the basics for those not interested in flashy extras. Up first is the XT5000J, which chooses the 1.6GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 processor to handle the number crunching, and also packs a 256MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7600 graphics card, 17-inch WXGA+ display, 1GB of RAM, 120GB SATA hard drive, dual-layer DVD writer, and built-in speakers with an included "subwoofer." Furthermore, you'll find Ethernet, 802.11b/g, a 56k modem, FireWire, PCMCIA, four-in-one flash card reader, a trio of USB 2.0 ports, and a paltry 2.4-hours of battery life. The lesser-spec'd VR2000J rocks a 15.4-inch WXGA display, and opts for an Intel Core Duo T2080 running at 1.73GHz. Moreover, this lappie offers up Intel's GMA950 graphics set and four hours of battery life, but other than that, most everything else mimics its sibling. The 17-incher looks to be priced at ¥129,800 ($1,087), and while the VR2000J doesn't seem to carry a price of its own, you can probably assume that it will run a few hundred less.

[Via Electronista]
Read - Everex XT5000J
Read - Everex VR2000J

Everex has trotted out a new laptop that's low-power in more ways than one, with its StepNote NC1501 promising to consume less energy at the expense of some more processor-demanding tasks. Like the company's previous NC1500 laptop, this one packs a 1,280 x 800 15.4-inch display, along with a 1.5GHz VIA C7-M processor, 512MB of RAM, a 60GB hard drive, a DVD burner, and built-in 802.11b/g WiFi. Also getting a much needed upgrade this time is the battery, which now comes in the 6-cell variety with a promised 4.25 hours of operating time (as opposed to 1.5 hours on the earlier model), although it looks like you can still get one with a lower-power 3-cell battery if you like. If that sounds like a trade-off you're willing to make, you can grab one of these now at Wal-Mart or Best Buy for $500.

[Via Laptoping]

The barrage of notebooks flying our way with Windows Vista pre-installed and ready to "wow" has included a rather wide range of models and choices, but we've yet to come across a pre-fab unit sporting Microsoft's latest OS and demanded less than $500 -- until now. The Everex StepNote VA4101M is the proud owner of a $498 pricetag, a 15.4-inch WXGA display, and Vista Home under the hood, but what this unit lacks in price, it makes up for in weak componentry. Users will likely be let down by the paltry 1.46GHz Intel Celeron M 410 processor, 512MB of DDR2 RAM, 60GB hard drive, and lack of Bluetooth, but hey, you get what you pay for. Notably, Everex did manage to include a dual-layer DVD burner, 802.11b/g, Ethernet, 56k modem, VGA out, and a trio of USB 2.0 ports. So while you won't buy much horsepower for half a grand these days, Everex's latest StepNote can get your feet wet with Vista without breaking the bank, but waiting on that CPU to catch up with your clicking finger just might negate any value that was here.

[Via Laptoping]