GT540M
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NVIDIA rebadges GeForce 500M chips in preparation for Ivy Bridge release in 2012
NVIDIA has released a new range of mobile graphics chips that bring the features of last year's 500M series down to a lower price point. Keen-eyed observers might notice the GT635M is remarkably similar to the GT555M, albeit with slightly faster memory bandwidth. The GT630M is a dead ringer for the GT540M/GT550M and the 48 CUDA core GT610M could be the GT520M if you squint at it in bad light. It's all rather detailed and low-key, but NVIDIA reminded us that it'll launch "something more exciting" around the time Ivy Bridge makes its debut in 2012 -- very possibly those 28nm Kepler chips we've been drooling over for a while? [Thanks, Omar]
Toshiba Qosmio T851 can do simultaneous 2D and glasses-free 3D, arriving in Japan this July
Glasses-free 3D on your laptop is now just a couple of brief months away. Toshiba has set loose details of its new 15.6-inch Qosmio T851, and this fella promises to not only dispense with the unstylish glasses, but to also give you 2D and 3D imagery at the same time. You'll be able to view content in differing dimensions in neighboring windows (as illustrated above), thanks to the familiar parallax technique -- sending a different image to each eye -- which is here aided by the integrated webcam to track the position of your face in order to deliver the most fittingly angled visuals. There's also integrated 2D to 3D conversion, powered by a dedicated SpursEngine image processor, with Face3D technology automatically recognizing faces and applies a "human depth template" to their features. Aside from Toshi's obsession with faces, there's a GeForce GT540M churning out the graphics, a Core i5-2410M processing processes, up to 8GB of RAM, and a BDXL-reading Blu-ray player. Shipping begins in July, just as soon as the kitchen sink has been fully attached.
Manual for Alienware M11x with Sandy Bridge confirms NVIDIA GT540M graphics
If the previous Alienware M11x R3 spec leak got you all giddy, then we have some good news for you: according to a manual dug up by one of our eagle-eyed readers, it appears that this year's M11x refresh will indeed be coming with second-gen Core i5 ULV and Core i7 ULV options, along with a faster DDR3 bus (1333MHz instead of 800MHz), a higher-res webcam (2MP instead of 1.3MP), an HD TrueLife LCD, and optional 3G / 4G mobile broadband. But of course, the real meat on this laptop is its graphics card, which turns out to be an NVIDIA GeForce GT540M with either 1Gb or 2GB of dedicated memory -- not bad for a laptop of this size. Unsurprisingly, no dates or prices are mentioned here, but given the early start of inventory clearance, it shouldn't be long before Round Rock reveals all. [Thanks, Matt]
MSI spits out four more Sandy Bridge laptops, including tasteful-looking F Series gaming rigs
If it seems like MSI is dropping a lot of laptops this week, you're not imagining things. The company just announced the FX620DX and FX420 gaming rigs and two mainstream notebooks, the FR720 and FX720, some of which join the 16 laptops it unveiled at CES. The FR720 and FX720 are both beastly 17-inch desktop replacements, with prices ranging from $710 to $900 depending on whether you opt for an Intel Core i3, Core i5 or Core i7 CPU, and whether you stick with integrated Intel HD 3000 graphics or spring for one with a discrete NVIDIA GeForce GT520M card. As for the gaming machines, we have to say they're pretty conservative-looking, with black lids made from a non-peeling, scratch- and smudge-resistant material, and a handful of chrome accents and blue LEDs thrown in for good measure. The 15.6-inch FX620DX packs either a quad-core Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M with 1GB of video memory, and a 720p webcam. The 14-inch FX420, meanwhile, comes with that same quad-core Core i5 CPU and AMD Radeon HD 6470M graphics, also with 1GB of memory. The FX620DX also comes with either a 1920 x 1080 or 1366 x 768 display, while the more diminutive FX420 just offers the latter. Other than that, though, these machines share the same DNA, including an six shortcut buttons, HDMI and VGA port, 4 USB ports (two of 'em USB 3.0), six-cell batteries, and hard drives ranging from 500GB to 750GB with speeds of either 5,400 RPM or 7,200 RPM. MSI hasn't announced pricing or availability for the F Series, but hit the source link to peep these laptops' very discreet designs.
Acer releases third-gen Aspire Timeline X laptops with Sandy Bridge, but only in Taiwan for now
If you've been waiting for Sandy Bridge to land on Acer's Timeline X laptops, then today's your day. Well, it depends, as these new machines are only available in Taiwan for the time being. Just a few hours ago, the lucky folks over at Engadget Chinese managed to get up close and personal with these bad boys: we have a couple of 13.3-inch 3830TGs (pictured after the break), a 14-inch 4830TG, and a 15.6-inch 5830TG (pictured above). With the exception of Core i3-2310M on one of the 3830TGs, these laptops all come with Core i5-2410M, NVIDIA GT540M (with 2GB DDR3 RAM), 640GB hard drive, 2GB DDR3 RAM, and USB 3.0 ports. As for multimedia, sitting below the 1,366 x 768 LED-backlit LCDs are Dolby Home Theater speakers by Kenwood, and additionally, the two larger models also pack a DVD Super Multi DL drive. Compared to the previous-gen Timeline X range, the most notable difference here is the new chiclet keyboard brought over from the Ethos range, which should trap a lot less dirt thanks to the tighter gaps. You'll see that the new Timeline X ID has gone for a more tranquil look -- the touchpad no longer has a silver trim around it, and likewise, the edges around the body are no longer tapered. Also gone is the removable battery underneath, but given the impressive portability (4.12 pounds, 4.67 pounds, and 5.49 pounds, respectively), we won't miss this feature too much. On the contrary, there's now an extra mouse button, presumably for offering better left and right-clicking. So far so good, and if you're digging these laptops as well, then they can be yours for between NT$32,900 (US$1,133) and NT39,900 (US$1,374). Head over to Engadget Chinese for the whole stash of hands-on photos.
