CoreI5-580m
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HP Envy 15 and Envy 14 with Radiance display no longer available through HP, new CPUs ease the sting
Well, this is depressing. Earlier today we were tipped off on disappearance of the Envy 15 on HP's site, and according to the company it'll no longer be available through HP. Obviously, you can still snatch up the 15.6-inch version of HP's magnesium alloy rig through other e-tailers, but there's no telling how long they'll be in stock. The vanishing of the Envy 15 happens to make a lot of sense with the introduction of the Envy 14, but there's also something fishy going on with that one. The machine, which we do love so, doesn't have an option to be configured with HP's brighter Radiance panel any longer. HP wouldn't comment on future plans, but did confirm that the Radiance panel is no longer available on the 14. We'll be keeping an ear to the ground for further updates, but it's on you to bring the tissues next time. Though it's little consolation for nature-loving outdoor laptop enthusiasts, there is a silver lining in this cloud -- the Envy 14's now showing a new set of powerful CPU options, up to and including that 2.66GHz Core i5-580M we've been lusting after for months. [Thanks, Eric]
Intel prices fresh Core i5 and i7 mobile parts
We'd say Intel is delivering its new chips like clockwork, but then our favorite timepieces don't usually leak anywhere near as often as Chipzilla's roadmaps. The now well known 2.66GHz Core i5-580M has finally been made official, costing $266, alongside an identically clocked family mate in the Core i5-560M, which will set bulk buyers back $225 a piece. From what we know of those two, the major difference is that the 580M can Turbo Boost its way to 3.33GHz whereas the 560M maxes out at a humbler 3.2GHz. Both are overshadowed, however, by the new i7-640M colossus, which runs at 2.8GHz by default and will reach 3.4GHz when called upon -- yours for only $346. Of course, should the 35W TDPs of those chips seem too gaudy for you, Intel's wisely dropping a pair of 18W parts as well: the Core i5-560UM slinks along at 1.33GHz and asks for $250, while the Core i7-680UM raises those numbers to 1.46GHz and $317, respectively. Finally, for the perfect balance of power and efficiency, the i7-660LM couples 2.26GHz (or 3.06GHz in Turbo mode) to a 25W thermal envelope. It matches the 640M with a $346 unit price. All these CPUs sport a pair of 32nm cores alongside a 45nm integrated graphics unit and there are absolutely no Performance Upgrade Card anywhere in sight!
Sony updates VAIO F, E, and L with shiny new silicon, a pinch of Blu-ray and some denser screens
Fall is fully upon us and winter around the bend, which can only mean one thing -- time for Sony to refresh its alphabet soup of Vaio laptops with some seasonal upgrades. First and foremost, the 16.4-inch VAIO F is getting a kick in the graphical department -- just as expected, you can grab a GeForce GT 425M 1GB for a nominal $50 fee -- and there's a pair of standard-issue USB 3.0 ports to power some potent peripherals. The Vaio L touchscreen all-in-one, meanwhile, is getting a Blu-ray burner at the $2,199 level, and both the VAIO EA and VAIO EB have access to 2.53GHz Core i5-460M and 2.66GHz Core i5-580M processors for $130 and $230 premiums, respectively, as well as ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 graphics for a mere $100. Last but not least, the EB and EC can trade in their weak 1366 x 768 displays for 1920 x 1080 full HD panels nearly worthy of Paul Miller's enthusiasm, and until October 9th that particular $50 upgrade costs you the very reasonable price of free.
Intel Core i5-580M and Core i7-640M highlight Sony's Asian laptop refresh
Sony's decided to litter its Asian portal with a smattering of blood-red "coming soon" signs, signifying an unannounced but seemingly very real wave of laptop refreshes. The F Series gets to play with NVIDIA's new 425M mobile GPU, but the real hotness is to be found in the Z Series, which get access to 2.8GHz Core i7-640M and 2.66GHz Core i5-580M CPU options from Intel. You'll recognize both as mostly roadmap fodder until now, and they're joined by the i5-560M, which makes its debut on a couple of Sony's midrange consumer lines. Basically, it's a whole lot of new silicon in what look like the same old enclosures, but that's not going to stop us from speccing out a Quad SSD-equipped VAIO Z just for the fun of it. We can probably expect these upgrades to journey westward soon as well, so why not hit the source link for a little bit of advance reconnaissance? [Thanks, Wes]
Leaked Intel roadmap reveals six new notebook CPUs for 2010, better battery life in 2011
We love the smell of silicon in the morning -- especially when it emanates from one of Intel's legendary leaked roadmaps. Today, we've stumbled across one with specs for Chipzilla's entire fall collection of mobile chips, and a couple new details about that desiccated overpass the execs keep talking about. First up, it appears sources were spot-on about the Core i7s and Core i5s we heard about last week, but the 2.66GHz / 3.33 GHz Core i5-580M won't be the only dual-core CPU to look for in Q4; it will be sandwiched between the 2.8GHz Core i7-640M (which turbos to 3.46GHz) and the 2.66GHz / 3.2GHz Core i5-560M -- all of which peak at a conservative 35 watts. True juice sippers will want a 15W CULV, however, and it seems more of those exist than Intel initially let on; Q4 will see a high-end Core i7-680UM that starts at 1.46GHz and turbos up to 2.53GHz and a 1.33GHz / 2.13GHz Core i5-560UM, plus a 25W 2.26GHz Core i7-660LM low-voltage chip will also join the fray. All these new dual-cores will have on-die Intel HD Graphics in one form or another, but all are also stopgaps until Intel's 32nm "Huron River" platform debuts in the first quarter of 2011. Then, we'll get WiMAX, WiDi and Intel Bluetooth alongside an intriguing new concept dubbed Zero Power ODD, which promises a power-saving sleep mode for our noisy optical disc drives (see more coverage link) and the promise of enough battery life to play two full Blu-rays on a single charge. Don't believe us? See the slides below for more. %Gallery-93924%
Intel Core i5-580M speeding toward a fall release at 2.66GHz?
The Core i5-540M is still quite rare on the ground, but we're hearing word that Intel is already prepping the assembly line for its successor. A new Core i5-580M has been dug up by the sleuths at Notebook Italia, who say it'll run at a default 2.66GHz and ramp up to 3.33GHz via Turbo Boost when needed. Those numbers compare favorably to the 2.53GHz and 3.06GHz of the 540M, and if Intel and company get their timing right,the 580M should be stealing some of that Core i7 thunder just in time for the back to school shopping rush. Won't hear any complaining from us if that turns out to be the case.
