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Fujitsu Lifebook AH77/E and SH76/E hands-on
If you're familiar with Fujitsu's AH572 and S761/C laptops, then you'll certainly recognize the similarities on their Japanese cousins. On the left we have the beastly 15.6-inch AH77/E, which sports an Intel Core-i72670QM processor (2.20-3.10GHz), 750GB hard drive, 8GB RAM, Blu-ray drive and a handy circular scrolling pad. We dig the slanted keys and their color-accented sides (combinations include black on red, white on black and black on blue), and likewise with the removable dust trap near the heatsink on the bottom side, though the already-discounted price of ¥175,320 ($2,284) is rather steep for a machine lacking a dedicated graphics card -- you get an Intel HD Graphics 3000 instead. If you're looking for something lighter than the 2.9kg AH series, then consider the SH76/E: at 1.34kg, it's one of the lightest 13.3-inch laptops that come with an internal DVD drive. Specs include a Core i5-2520M chip (2.5GHz-3.2GHz), 4GB RAM, 128GB SSD, the same circular scrolling pad, the same dust trap and an impressive 13.7-hour battery life. Like its international cousin, the SH76/E can also swap its optical drive for a pico projector or a weight-saver frame. With the exception of the flimsy and duller display compared to the AH model's, the SH's overall build quality was satisfactory. However, Fujitsu wants ¥161,820 ($2,110) for its latest portable laptop, so you might want to customize it with cheaper components on the company's Japanese website (choosing a 500GB HDD would save you about $980, for instance). Both models will be available in a week's time. %Gallery-135892% %Gallery-135893%
Panasonic outs Toughbook S10 with Sandy Bridge, USB 3.0, and 12.5-hour battery life
If you were Panasonic and had already whittled a 12-inch laptop down to three pounds while keeping the optical drive intact, what would your next move be? If you guessed make it manilla envelope-thin, you'd be wrong. The outfit just announced the Toughbook S10, and while it looks awfully similar to the three-pound S9 it's replacing, it ushers in a series of welcome (and predictable) changes on the inside. This time around, it steps up to a Sandy Bridge Core i5-2520M processor, 4GB of RAM, USB 3.0, and a battery that promises up to 12.5 hours of juice -- the longest in its class, according to Panasonic. Other I/O options include HDMI and VGA output, a USB 2.0 socket, and support for SDXC cards. Like the last generation, it can withstand a 2.5-foot operating drop, has a spill-resistant keyboard and shock-mounted 320GB hard drive, and can take more than 220 pounds of pressure on its lid and base. As always, though, 12.1-inch laptops with a built-in DVD drive and enough magnesium alloy armor to survive a fall from the conveyor belt don't come cheap: this bad boy will set you back no less than $2,449 when it hits stores next month.%Gallery-130285%
Dell Latitude XT3 convertable tablet hits the FCC, sneaks in with Broadcom filing
Well, look what we have here: the Dell Latitude XT3, fresh from the all-seeing eyes of the FCC. It wasn't under federal inspection on its own, mind you, but was merely tagging along with a Broadcom WLAN minicard that dropped in for certification. This notebook / tablet hybrid rocks a dual-core 2.5GHz Core i5-2520, 2GB of RAM, a sunlight-friendly 13-inch matte display, and of course, Broadcom's own 802.11g WLAN card. Pricing and availability? Still no word, but check out our hands-on for a peek at the hybrid-slate's multitouch capabilities.
Panasonic launches semi-rugged Toughbook CF-53, with optional LTE and CircuLumin touchscreen (video)
Panasonic's been slimming down the ToughBook lineup as of late, but today it goes state-of-the-art -- today, the company's finely replacing the venerable Toughbook 52 with a 14-inch machine sporting Intel's new Sandy Bridge processors, a larger touchpad, and a USB 3.0 port. The Toughbook 53 is also smaller, lighter at 5.6 pounds, and doesn't sacrifice the company's reputation for taking a licking and ticking right through -- it passes eight MIL-STD-810G tests for durability, comes with the same shock-resistant removable hard drive cartridge and spill-resistant keyboard, and is priced at a (relatively) reasonable $1,599 for the Core i3 model with 2GB of RAM and a battery rated for six hours. You'll see that one appear in August of this year. It's the optional extras that really make this new Toughbook, though, as the $1,899 version will include a 2.5GHz Core i5-2520M processor, 4GB of RAM, 7200RPM hard drive and a 10-hour Li-ion cell when it arrives in June, and in July your $2449 can add a backlit keyboard and a Panasonic CircuLumin polarized anti-glare touchscreen which can vary the brightness up to 800 nits for outdoor use. We didn't ask how much the optional car dock costs, but there's one of those too, and Panasonic will also be offering LTE modems for both Verizon and AT&T later this summer for on-the-go communication. You won't be chaining this one to a snowmobile, but the rig sounds pretty versatile -- all it'd need is a discrete GPU and a high-res screen to lure us away from our consumer-grade clamshells. Find a video walkthrough and PR after the break.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 priced at £1,293 by Amazon, shipping May 20th
The leaks should've already told you most of everything you need to know about the Lenovo ThinkPad X1, but here's some affirmation of perhaps the most relevant bit of info, the release date. Amazon has listed the ultraslim 13.3-inch laptop for pre-order, giving it the extremely specific price of £1,292.52 ($2,120) and a shipping date of May 20th. That's a heftier price tag than you'll find on Apple's 13-inch MacBook Air, however Lenovo will provide you with the latest generation of Intel processor -- in the shape of the 2.5GHz Core i5-2520M -- 4GB of RAM, 320GB of HDD storage, a backlit keyboard, and a promised eight hours of battery life. You don't need us to tell you that there hasn't yet been a laptop that's combined the thinness, processing power and battery endurance on offer from the X1. We'll be keen to check these mighty specs out for ourselves when it launches, but if you're already convinced, hit up the source link to get your pre-order in. [Thanks, Raj]
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 shows up online, looks freakishly thin
ThinkPad aficionados mourning the loss of the X300 series of ultraportable laptops might have something mighty fine to look forward to in the near future. A ThinkPad X1 has shown up at Swiss e-tailer Tell IT systems and other online locations, replete with a 2.5GHz Core i5-2520M CPU, a 160GB SSD, a 13.3-inch Gorilla Glass screen, and as you can see above, a profile thin enough to rival the likes of the Samsung Series 9 and Apple MacBook Air. The X1 is said to be 21.5mm thick, so it doesn't quite match those crazy cats, but -- provided we're not looking at an extremely elaborate hoax here -- it'll still be the thinnest ThinkPad by far when it launches. One 8GB stick of RAM, an SDXC card reader, and a 1366 x 768 resolution fill out the list of salient specs, while a price of 2,585 CHF ($2,920) sits alongside a promised delivery date of May 20th on Tell IT's website. You'll find a couple more images of Lenovo's purported new bread slicer after the break. [Thanks, Ivan]
Fujitsu LifeBook S761/C and P771/C replace optical drives with pico projectors, past with future
Optical disc drives may be passé nowadays, but the enclosures usually reserved for them in laptops need not go to waste. Fujitsu has just rolled out its latest line of portables and a pair of them pack a pretty awesome new extra: an integrated pico projector. The 13.3-inch LifeBook S761/C and 12.1-inch P771/C both fill their ODD slots with a small visualizer, and while the specs of its actual output aren't clear, the two machines have been fully specced and priced. The S761/C can offer you a Core i5-2520M CPU, a (presumably upgradeable) 1GB of RAM, 160GB of storage, and a 1366 x 768 resolution for a price of ¥219,450 ($2,675). Moving down in size class but up in price, the P771/C matches those specs, but for a squarer 1280 x 800 resolution, and asks for ¥255,150 ($3,110). Both will be available in Japan in mid-May, which is also when Fujitsu will release its LifeBook E741/C, whose claim to fame is the ability to authenticate users by reading the veins in their palms. Sexy!
ASUS' K53E laptop gets reviewed, 2.53GHz Core i5-2520M CPU gets praised
Never mind the fact that Intel's outing a mid-range laptop CPU long after the highest of high-end -- the 2.53GHz Core i5-2520M is shaping up to be a lovely option for those who'd prefer a budget choice with plenty of horsepower for churning through HD video. The benchmarking gurus over at Hot Hardware recently grabbed hold of the new silicon, and they noticed an "unmatched performance-per-watt profile for mobile CPUs," not to mention a robust graphics core, "ridiculously low idle power consumption," a respectable price point and plenty of power for any software title not named Crysis 2. ASUS' 15.6-inch K53E was the test machine, and with a starting tag of just $899, it's definitely a compelling package. Based on their testing, this particular CPU was around 15 to 25 percent faster across the board compared to its previous generation 2.5GHz Arrandale counterpart, and that's with around the same power draw, too. Hit the source link for more charts than you'd care to see on an average workday, and be on the lookout for this chip to hit a whole slew of new rigs in the coming weeks.
Lenovo ThinkPad X220 review
Admit it, when you look at the picture above, all you really see is a laptop with a design that hasn't changed much in the last ten years. It's true, based on its professional aesthetic alone, the ThinkPad X220 can't really be distinguished from the other X Series laptops Lenovo's released pretty much on an annual cycle, but there's much more than meets the eye with that there ultraportable. The 12.5-inch machine is filled to the brim with the latest and greatest technology, including a new Intel Sandy Bridge Core i5 processor, an IPS display, and a six-cell battery. And if you look even closer, Lenovo's made some small tweaks to the touchpad and keyboard, which make more difference than you'd ever think. The point is, that all-too-familiar ThinkPad can deceive you with its boring business looks, but it's arguably one of the best laptops we've ever tested. Hit the break to find out why we think it's so laudable.
Dell Latitude XT3 convertible tablet, hands-on (video)
Dell unveiled a mighty business laptop lineup this morning, but only a few stood out -- like this Dell Latitude XT3 convertible tablet PC with a quad dual-core Intel Sandy Bridge processor inside. Yes, it seems Dell's decided to forgo the incredible battery life of its predecessor for potent performance instead, with this particular unit packing a 2.5GHz Core i5-2520M CPU and 2GB of RAM underneath that swiveling 13-inch display. While the prototype XT3's screen seemed a little washed-out and viewing angles left something to be desired, we have to admire its matte dual-digitizer display, which takes multitouch input from at least three fingers simultaneously and also recognizes a pop-out stylus pen (the former responsive enough to navigate Windows 7 by touch alone, and the latter beyond our can't-draw-a-straight-stick-figure ability to easily test). That sunlight-readable screen isn't just for traveling artists, though, as Dell was quick to inform us that the XT3 is the company's attempt to make a convertible tablet that corporate IT will accept as one of its own, thanks to the same magnesium frame and universal docking port as the rest of the new Latitude lineup. We can't lie: we'd be pretty excited about the potential for awesome here, if we had any notion of release dates or price. Find some pictures below, and mosey past the break for a hands-on video. %Gallery-115994% Myriam Joire contributed to this report.
