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Dell's 17-inch Precision M6600 workstation laptop goes on sale early in the UK (update: US too)
We were promised we'd get Dell's latest Precision powerhouses on May 10th, and that may still be the case for the US, but the company's UK outlet is ready to let you customize and buy an M6600 today. The 17.3-inch laptop offers options for a multitouch display with stylus functionality, a 2.5GHz quad-core Core i7-2920XM CPU, 16GB of DDR3 RAM, up to half a terabyte (2x 256GB) in solid state storage, and NVIDIA Quadro 4000M graphics. Prices start at £1,549 ($2,590) excluding VAT and shipping, though the spec we've listed above would set you back a neat £4,714 ($7,880). Still, a pretty sweet rig if you can afford it. [Thanks, Stephen] Update: The Precision M6600 is now also on sale in the States, and it's been joined by its buddy, the M4600! [Thanks, RajG]
Ask Engadget: what's the thinnest, lightest, sleekest 17-inch laptop?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Shimon, who clearly longs for the best of both worlds. If you're looking to send in an inquiry of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "I am looking to replace my 17-inch MacBook Pro. I am looking for a 17-inch ultraportable laptop, or as close as I can get to one. Key features: light, thin, good battery life, high resolution screen, no lap burn, no noisy fan and doesn't break the bank. Thanks!" Seems as if Mac / PC isn't an issue, so we're assuming they're all on the table. Considering that he's leaving a 17-inch MBP, what else out there can compare given the needs? Any suggestions from 17-inch laptop owners out there? Go on, answer away in comments below -- you've got the time (and screen real estate) to spare.
Sony's new 14- and 17-inch VAIO E laptops invite you to taste the rainbow
Was Sony's last VAIO E laptop, the blue one with a pink keyboard, not garish enough for you? Maybe these new models will saturate your questionable color palette. The E series has gotten a bit smaller and also a bit bigger, adding 14- and 17-inch models to the lineup. The 14-inch, 1600 x 900 VPCEA1S1E models include Intel Core i3-330M processors at 2.13GHz, 4GB of DDR3 memory, 500GB disk drives, and ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5145 graphics. The 17-inch, 1920 x 1080 VPCEC1S1E moves up to Core i5-430M processors at 2.26GHz, 1TB of storage, Radeon HD 5650 graphics, and replaces the smaller unit's DVD player with a Blu-ray drive. All offer 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth, and HDMI output for your media entertainment. No word on price or availability, but we have confirmed you can get them in black if you're not feeling quite so colorful on a Monday. %Gallery-88703%
Dell lets loose Studio 17 laptop with multitouch display
Dell sure is adding multitouch to quite a few products these days, but it isn't exactly doing it with much fanfare on every occasion. The latest to slip into availability is an updated version of the company's generously-sized Studio 17 laptop, which is now available with a 1,600 x 900 display that boasts full multitouch and arm-tiring abilities. Otherwise, you can expect to get the usual wide range of configuration options, including your choice of Pentium Dual Core or Core 2 Duo processors, a maximum 8GB of RAM, up to 1TB of storage, integrated Intel or discrete ATI graphics, and an optional Blu-ray drive, among other standard fare. Some of those options will obviously bump the price up considerably, but things start at just $899 -- look for it to start shipping on December 4th.
Video: Ben Heck's 17-inch PS3 Slim laptop makes hearts race
Is it us or has Ben Heck outdone himself with the minimal clean design of his latest gaming mod? This laptop sees Sony's PS3 Slim stuffed into a monochromatic chassis with 17-inch Gateway 1775w LCD throwing a 1280 x 720 pixel resolution. There's even space inside to tuck away the power cord when traveling. The pinstriped result is nothing short of elegant, sporty even, especially when compared to his PS3 laptop from 2008. Not much in the way of detail yet, but really, this one's meant to stimulate the heart, not the frontal cortex. See it throb to life in the video after the break.
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.
MSI takes the pain, fun out of overclocking with OC Genie
If you thought MSI's obsession with motherboard implants was over after it unveiled Winki to a nearly nonexistent amount of fanfare, think again. The company has just taken the wraps off its latest mobo addition, the OC Genie. In essence, this is the one-touch overclock button that laptop owners have long enjoyed, but for desktops. Right now, the OC Genie is custom built for the company's own P55 motherboard, though it insists that all sorts of mainboards will be supported in due time. If you're curious about the details, you'll have to remain that way for now; all we're told is that activating the module automatically pushes your system to a safe brink within a second, giving even the newbies in attendance the ability to squeeze more from their current rig. In related news, MSI also added yet another model to its growing Classic laptop series, the 17.3-inch CX700, which gets powered by a Core 2 Duo processor, ATI's Mobility Radeon HD4330 GPU and 4GB of RAM.[Via HotHardware]
Dell launches freshened Vostro 1320, 1520 and 1720 laptops
It's been awhile since this family saw any updates, but we must say, Dell did a pretty laudable job with the redesign here. Make no mistake -- these guys are still aimed squarely at the gamboling suits in attendance, but we could certainly see a consumer or two pulling the trigger. The freshened line includes the 13.3-inch Vostro 1320, the 15.4-inch Vostro 1520, and the 17-inch Vostro 1720, all of which come with pre-installed videoconferencing and webcam software (so long as you purchase the integrated webcam and microphone). Furthermore, users can now opt for an SSD in place of the traditional hard drive, a fingerprint reader for added security or an encrypted HDD with Wave Systems software. The whole trio is available today in North America and select South American countries starting at $569 (Vostro 1520), $629 (Vostro 1320), and $649 (Vostro 1720).
MSI launches AMD-powered GX733 gaming laptop
Not down with MSI's GT725? Just an AMD purist? Either way, you'll be thrilled to feast your retinas on the company's latest gaming behemoth, the GT733. This 17-inch beast gets powered by a AMD Turion X2 Ultra dual-core mobile CPU, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, a WUXGA display, ATI's Mobility Radeon HD 4670 (512MB GDDR3), up to 500GB of SATA hard drive space, an optional Blu-ray optical drive, 2.0 megapixel webcam, and a 4-in-1 multicard reader. There's also gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, three USB 2.0 sockets, HDMI / VGA outputs and your choice of a six- or nine-cell battery. Per usual, MSI's keeping quiet on the pricing / availability front, but we reckon it'll be filtering out here soon.
Apple firmware update aims to fix vertical line issues on 17-inch MBP
Apple's latest firmware update for the recently shipped 17-inch MacBook Pro sure is light on details, but one thing's for sure: it reportedly nixes those weird vertical line issues that have plagued so many. Unfortunately, the "MacBook Pro Graphics Firmware Update 1.0" doesn't point out whether it was an overheating problem or a GeForce 9600M quirk that was wreaking havoc, but so long as it works, we guess it matters not. Hit up your Software Update when you get enough courage to suck down 770KB of problem-solving goodness.[Via MacRumors]
17-inch MBP fan / overheating issues causing GeForce 9600M to bug out?
Oh, brother. We can already tell this one's going to be a fun, enjoyable journey to follow. Shortly after Apple's 17-inch unibody MacBook Pro began making its way out to early adopters, small legions of owners have reported all sorts of bizarre graphical glitches. While we first assumed that it was NVIDIA's GeForce 9600M causing all the mayhem, further investigation has led us to believe that faulty fan controls could be the culprit. Granted, all of this is just speculatory at the moment, but it seems that some users have noticed that their fans aren't kicking into high gear when they should. 'Course, some folks have seen those RPMs spin up while the funky lines and psychedelic colors remain, so it's still hard to pinpoint a definite root cause. We're told that folks from NVIDIA and Apple are spending their weekends working to figure it out, but we can't help but be reminded of an eerily similar string of events with overheating MacBook Airs just last year. Hopefully a fix will be out soon; till then, just pretend those erratic colors are some new curative feature.Read - Fan grumblingRead - More discussions
NVIDIA's GeForce 9600M causing issues in 17-inch MacBook Pro?
It's hard to say at this point whether we should point the blame at NVIDIA, Apple or right in between the two corporate campuses, but it seems that an uncomfortable amount of 17-inch MacBook Pro owners are having some serious issues with their GeForce 9600M graphics card. For those unaware, there is actually a 9400M in there too, but word on the street has it that the random green lines and nasty artifacts are only showing up when the more potent card is kicked into action. Most folks are saying that a reboot solves the problem momentarily, but eventually it returns to bother, annoy and sadden new owners. Anyone else out there pulling their hair out over this? Here's hoping a firmware update is all that'll be needed to bring closure to yet another NVIDIA-Apple related fiasco.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]Update: We just got word from an NVIDIA spokesperson, who had this to say: "Our understanding is that Apple is investigating this, and if they need our help we will certainly support them. But right now it's unclear what the issue is, so jumping to conclusions at this point is premature." We'll keep you posted!
MacBook Pro 17-inch unibody review
There's not much that can be said about the 17-inch version of the MacBook Pro that hasn't already been said about the 15-incher (and to some extent, the MacBook). Still, the big, big brother of the family has a few key differences that make it stand out from the rest of the gang. The first being its non-removable battery, built out of tech which Apple claims will result in groundbreaking lengths between charges. The second difference, available only as an option, is a non-glossy display -- an addition which many have pined for since Apple's full throttle decision to move to extremely high-glare screens. Are these changes compelling enough to induce users to upgrade? Will previous 17-inch fans find a slam dunk or a dud underneath the unibody exterior? Read on for the full scoop. %Gallery-45838%
Apple's 17-inch unibody MacBook Pro gets unboxed
We had heard that quite a few early birds were receiving shipping notifications, and sure enough, Apple's 17-inch unibody MacBook Pro has left the docks. One proud owner has even taken the time to host up a handful of unboxing shots as proof, and while nothing here is out of the ordinary for those acquainted with Apple's newest 15-incher, the actual machine just looks a touch longer and wider for some reason. Maybe it's just our eyes.[Thanks, Derek and Michael]
17-inch unibody MacBook Pros now shipping?
If the above picture is to be believed, the new unibody 17-inch MacBook Pro is beginning to ship a little earlier than Apple projected when it announced that two-week delay. That's a fun little valentine treat if it's true -- anyone else get a ship confirmation?[Thanks, Michael]
Apple reveals 17-inch MacBook Pro battery replacement details
Ever since the new 17-inch MacBook Pro was introduced, the million dollar question (make that $179 question) has been: what goes down when the battery fails? Sure, the machine is small -- and the alleged eight hours of charge is nothing to sneeze at -- but is all that worth the hassle of a non-removable battery? When the thing eventually goes kaput (and they always do), those of us in the States can expect to lay out $179 plus tax for a replacement. According to the site, if you drop the machine off at the Apple Store they can turn it around in a day (with appointment). If you mail it in, give it four days or so upon receipt. If you decide to do it yourself? Well, you probably shouldn't. But if you do, make sure you send us pictures.[Via Boy Genius Report]
How much will it cost to replace your 17-inch MacBook Pro battery?
Apple posted details about how much it will cost to replace the battery in the new 17-inch MacBook Pro notebooks announced at last week's Macworld Expo. The cost works out as follows: United States: $179 Canada: C$219 Europe: €179 (including VAT) United Kingdom: £139 (including VAT) Japan: ¥19,800 (including tax) Australia: A$299 (including VAT) China: 1498 RMB (including VAT) Apple says batteries can be replaced and your laptop returned to you the same day if you make an appointment at an Apple retail store. Otherwise, mail-in replacement will take three to four business days after the unit arrives at depot. Apple also says that battery replacement services may be available at your local Apple Authorized Service Provider, but the prices may vary from those listed on Apple's website. Note that Apple claims these batteries will last three times as long as conventional laptop batteries (up to five years or 1,000 cycles), and any defects in the first year of ownership are covered under the existing warranty. It's not clear whether AppleCare would cover battery replacement during the extended warranty period if it wears out, since the battery is considered a consumable item. Jared points out in the comments below that AppleCare currently does cover batteries that wear our prematurely (before the rated number of charge cycles). Just FYI, you can check the cycle count of your battery via Apple System Profiler / "More Info" in About This Mac, by viewing the Power section.
MacBook Pro 17-inch first hands-on (update: video added)
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/MacBook_Pro_17_inch_first_hands_on'; Yep -- it looks just like its little brothers! Feels like 'em too, except the obvious bit of heft added by that 17-inch display. Of course, they don't have that sweet, gigantic battery inside, or that matte display option (until we torch Curpertino, of course... in love). Video after the break!Update: Added another video. It'll be exciting, we promise!%Gallery-40734%
Alienware's surprise: the CrossFire X-enabled M17 gaming notebook
When it said evolutionary, it wasn't kidding around. Alienware has just taken the wraps off of a relatively uninspiring (or, unworthy of hype, we should say) new laptop: the M17. Not to be confused with the M17x, this 17-incher is the outfit's very first CrossFire X-enabled notebook, and those with the requisite coin can get one outfitted with a Core 2 Quad / Extreme CPU, up to 4GB of DDR3 RAM, twin ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3870 GPUs, a WXGA+ / WUXGA panel, an optional ATSC HDTV tuner, up to 640GB of HDD space in a RAID 0 array, a dual-layer DVD writer / optional Blu-ray reader, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, gigabit Ethernet and a facial recognition sensor. As with most of its siblings, this one puts a beating on the scales at 9.5-pounds, and we're certain you can deplete that 12-cell battery in no time flat. Granted, it does get going at "just" $1,399, but you can expect that figure to head far north when you add anything drool-worthy to the build sheet.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Dell's 17-inch Precision M6400 powerhouse breaks loose for retail
Well, hiddy ho Dell Precision M6400, nice to finally meet you all retail-like. The 17-inch (LED back-lit 1,920 x 1,200 pixels covering 100% of the RGB color gamut) Mobile Workstation capable of playing host to 16GB of memory, a Core 2 Duo Quad Core Extreme processor, and up to 1TB of data (2x 500GB disks in RAID 0 or RAID 1 configs) is now up on Dell's website. Other specs include up to 1GB of NVIDIA Quadro FX 3700M Graphics, Bluetooth 2.1, Ultra-wideband, WWAN, GPS, 802.11a/g/n WiFi, stereo speakers and dual-array mic, 8-in-1 card reader, ExpressCard 54 and PCMCIA slots, Firewire, 4x USB 2.0, DisplayPort, eSATA, and more. All that in a 15.4 x 11.0 x 1.35-inch chassis weighing 8.5-pounds with a biggie 9-cell battery. The only thing missing is Blu-ray and that shuttle controller spotted in the teaser video. Starts at $2,599 with an October 22nd ship date.Update: Ah, we get it: the track pad "works like a jog shuttle" -- it's not a physically distinct device. See it pictured after the break.%Gallery-32564%[Thanks, M.Luczak]
