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Everex intros VR2000J and XT500J StepNote laptops
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 XT5000JRead - Everex VR2000J
AMD's laptop-ready M690 chipset unveiled
While AMD's 690 chipset has already been put through its respective paces, it looks like the marketing team took the easy route when labeling its apparent mobile counterpart, but the M690 is here regardless. The firm's latest laptop chipset touts the same snazzy integrated graphics technology as its desktop-based sibling, as an ATI Radeon X1200 series graphics processor is built right in for your convenience. Additionally, it'll support the dual-core AMD Turion 64 X2 processors, and you'll also find an "innovative memory technology known as Display Cache," which reportedly allows the CPU to function in low-power mode without accessing system memory. Of course, the built-in ATI Avivo compatibility ensures both HDMI and DVI support for the media-centric set, and while it will supposedly end up in Asus and Fujitsu offerings in the future, you can test it out right away in HP Compaq's 6515b and 6715b.[Via Laptoping]
Sharp updates Mebius lineup, adds Vista
NEC isn't the only game in town updating its laptop line with Vista pre-installed, as Sharp is revamping its long-standing Mebius lineup to include Microsoft's forthcoming OS as well as a few new pieces of hardware to boot. The 15.4-inch PC-WT70S houses a 1.6GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 processor, 1,280 x 800 resolution, up to 2GB of RAM, 100GB hard drive, ATI Radeon Xpress 1100 graphics chipset, dual-layer DVD burner, PCMCIA, four USB 2.0 ports, FireWire, SD / xD card slots, 802.11b/g, Ethernet, audio in / out, VGA out, and a paltry 1.2-hours of rated battery life. The lower-spec'd PC-WE40S features most of the same kit as its bigger brother, but swaps in an AMD Mobile Sempron 3200+ CPU, 512MB of RAM, an 80GB hard drive, and promises an equally appalling 1.3-hours of longevity. Lastly, the 14.1-inch PC-CH40S (pictured after the break) retains most of the above components, but utilizes a 1,024 x 768 resolution on its marginally smaller screen, and manages to squeeze 2.5-hours out of its Li-ion battery. All three units should be ready to rock the day Windows Vista lands later this month, and while the PC-WT70S will start around ¥170,000 ($1,411), both the PC-CH40S and PC-WE40S will demand ¥150,000 ($1,245) apiece.[Via Impress]
HP's widescreen TX1000 convertible tablet reviewed
If you're in the market for an ultralight, sexy, and multimedia-centric convertible laptop, it looks like the TX1000 might not be such a bad choice. According to LAPTOP Mag's review on the pre-production convertible tablet, HP's design team did a bang-up job here, and all the multimedia sweetness (like a dual-layer DVD burner, webcam, "great" speakers, and HP's Media Center) you'd expect in a Pavilion unit still appears even in the 12.1-inch frame. Also praised was the potent 1.8GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 processor, generous 2GB of RAM, and a rather spacious 160GB hard drive; opening and operating applications was noticeably quick, and the dedicated NVIDIA GeForce Go 6150 graphics card did wonders when playing back DVDs and rendering Vista's Aero interface. The biggest digs came (unfortunately) from the glossy touchscreen LCD, as reviewers noted that the screen felt "quite flimsy" when switched into tablet mode, but was assured by HP that finalized units wouldn't suffer the same issue. Additionally, fan noise was (understandably) louder than similar, less-spec'd units, the touchpad was "an acquired taste," it lacked a hover zone found on many other tablets, and the entire touchscreen was simply less responsive than expected. Overall, however, the machine seemed to do more impressing than disappointing, and if you're looking to use this more like a laptop and less like a tablet, this 4-star rated machine would probably suit you just fine.
AMD's revamped roadmap unveils APUs, Hawks, and Griffins
While we've had plenty of time to digest Intel's path forward, we've been critiquing AMD's latest efforts rather than gazing down their intriguing roadmap. Nevertheless, a (presumably yawn-inducing) four-hour presentation yielded a few noteworthy tidbits about where AMD's headed, and how it plans to arrive. The firm insinuated that Intel's gazillion-core approach was simply rehashing the megahertz race, and said it would be focusing it efforts instead on Accelerated Processing Units (APUs). Although the composition is still a bit vague, the devices will supposedly be "multi-core chips that include any mix of processor cores and other dedicated processors," such as discrete units for graphics, physics, audio, video, encoding, etc. While a dash of this has already been divulged when we heard about Fusion, it looks likes AMD's getting pretty serious about it now. Additionally, the desktop roadmap didn't deviate from what we'd previously seen, but the firm plans to unveil a new power-conscience "Hawk" processor to replace the current Turion 64 X2 and Mobile Sempron chips. Moreover, it's working on offering up a hybrid graphics solution, which would see discrete GPUs disabled when unplugged from a power source, letting the integrated graphics set take over and conserve juice. Finally, the company plans to introduce yet another mobile chip (dubbed Griffin) in late 2007 that will reportedly support split power planes and HyperTransport 3.0, hopefully meaning that it'll be based on a quad-core architecture. While we don't exactly recommend sitting through the entire webcast, those who eat, sleep, and drink circuitry can hit the read link for the full (and we do mean full) skinny.[Via TechReport, thanks Keaton]
CompAmerica kicks out 20-inch Tiger Shark 9500 x2 laptop
CompAmerica is taking its Tiger Shark lineup to new heights by introducing the 9500 x2, which joins the elite (and ginormous) crowd of ridiculously large 20-inch laptops. While not directly dubbed as yet another "most powerful laptop on Earth," this behemoth packs quite a wallop, including an AMD Turion 64 X2 processor, WSXGA+ LCD, dual NVIDIA GeForce Go 7950 GTX or Quadro FX 2500M SLI graphics sets, 512MB to 2GB of DDR3 RAM, up to 120GB SATA hard drive, a built-in 1.3-megapixel webcam, optional TV tuner, and a dual-layer DVD burner. Additionally, you'll find a 7-in-1 flash card reader, gigabit Ethernet, 802.11a/b/g, full sized keyboard with number pad, four speaker sound system (including a "subwoofer"), front panel audio controls, DVI / S-Video / composite outs, FireWire, serial port, audio output, and five USB 2.0 ports to round things out. This 15-pound machine starts out around $3,399, but you can tweak this bad boy 'til your credit card cries uncle if you so desire.[Via CompAmerica]
DosPara unveils snow white ultraportable: the Prime A Note Cressida NB
There's nothing like a PC wrapped in Apple's white clothing, and DosPara's latest ultraportable sports a glossy WXGA display, dual-core processor, and a decent pricetag to go along with the trendy white finish. While the company has unveiled a few larger offerings of late, this 12.1-inch gem features a 1.6GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-50 CPU, 512MB to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, 80GB 5400RPM SATA hard drive, dual-layer DVD burner, an option for NVIDIA's GeForce Go 6100 graphics, three hours of battery life, and built-in 802.11b/g -- all in a knapsack-friendly four-pound package. On the sides, you'll find VGA out, a Kensington lock port, 4-pin FireWire, audio in / out, Ethernet, a 56k modem, and a trio of USB 2.0 connectors. Sans an operating system, the basic Prime A Note Cressida NB will run you ¥109,980 ($957), while tossing in Windows XP Home (with a discounted upgrade to Vista, mind you) will cost ¥121,980 ($1,061).[Via Akihabara News]
Rock goes for broke with its SLI-equipped Xtreme SL Pro laptop
If you're the kind of person who likes their gizmos to the Xtreme, then you're sure to love Rock's new Xtreme SL Pro. Following in the same 20-inch vein as Acer's Aspire 9800 and Dell's XPS M2010, this gargantuan machine packs specs most commonly found in a full-fledged desktop. Powered by a 2.0GHz AMD Turion X2 TL-60 processor, the SL Pro also packs twin NVIDIA GeForce Go 7950 GTX 512MB graphics cards, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, a pair of 100GB 7200RPM SATA drives, dual-layer DVD burner, WSXGA+ display, 5.1 surround sound output, 1.3-megapixel webcam, and a 4-in-1 flash card reader. Additionally, you'll find built-in WiFi / Bluetooth connectivity, a DVI output, FireWire, and five USB 2.0 ports. Aside from weighing 15.2 pounds, having a presumed 28.4 (at best) minutes of battery life, and being nearly two inches thick, this prodigious laptop will set you back at least £2,499 ($4,720) depending on options -- but hey, it'll sure be easier to snag than that other crimson-clad eXtreme toy this holiday season.[Via Pocket-Lint]
Averatec goes dual-core with ultraportable 2300
After blessing its slightly larger offerings with that dual-core goodness, Averatec is finally looking after the little guy by upping the innards of its slim and trim 2200. The 2300 retains the same 1.3-inch thickness and four pound weight as before, while receiving a welcome upgrade in the CPU department. Still sporting the tantamount 12.1-inch WXGA AveraBrite LCD, the machine boasts an 1.6GHz AMD Turion 64 X2 TL-50 dual-core processor, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, 100GB 5400RPM SATA hard drive, 802.11b/g, and a dual-layer DVD burner. It also packs a plethora of ports for its size, including gigabit Ethernet, 56k modem, audio in / out, 4-in-1 flash card reader, VGA output, 4-pin FireWire, a trio of USB 2.0 connectors, and a snazzy ExpressCard slot to boot. To top it off, Averatec coupled the boosted specs with a drop in price -- the 2300 ranges from just $849.99 to $949.99, depending on those BTO add-ons.[Via Laptoping]
Dell prepping AMD-based laptops for Q4 '06?
As usual, there's no official word from Dell on any of this, but it's clear that they can't ignore AMD in the consumer space forever. According to a report by ZDNet Asia, Dell is planning to release laptops based on AMD's Sempron and Turion 64 X2 processors this October, kicking things off with some 15.4-inch models. The anonymous Dell exec behind the leak was quick to downplay things: "This is not a big deal," he said, "In order to remain competitive, we have to make sure that we have [a wide] enough variety of products to meet the market demand." Apparently a "wide variety" doesn't mean AMD chips unless Dell decides to use them. An AMD rep was a bit more forthcoming, saying "This is a sensitive topic, though we won't deny the fact that we are working with Dell on desktop and notebook PCs." He also went on to note: "Consumers will be able to buy AMD-based computers from Dell by the end of the year." If that doesn't sound like a positive confirmation, we don't know what does.[Via DailyCE, thanks Sabir S.]
NEC throws down some LaVie laptop love
We suppose it's a bit of a stretch to call buying a Turion-based laptop "sticking it to The Man" now that AMD is clearly becoming "The Man" in their own right, but we're sure you can find some other excuse here to get your Turion on. NEC's new Turion 64 X2 laptops manage 15.4-inch 1,280 x 800 displays, ATI Radeon Xpress 1100 integrated graphics and dual-layer DVD burning across the board. There's also Firewire, four USB 2.0 ports, a PC card slot, multi-card reader, gigabit Ethernet and 802.11a/b/g WiFi. The Lavie L line tops out with the 210,000 Yen (around $1,819 USD) LL590/GG, which includes a 100GB HDD, 768MB of RAM (2GB max) and WMCE '05, powered by an AirTV external TV tuner. Two other lower-end configurations are available, along with a 125,000 Yen ($1,082) build-to-order LaVie G type L option. The biggest downside of all this seems to be the lame 1.9 hour battery life, though the 1.5-inches of thickness and 6.8 pound heft are close contenders. Maybe we'll keep our anti-The Man tendencies in check for the time being.
BenQ's Joybook P52 15.4-incher with DVB-T
The latest from BenQ is a well-specced AMD Turion-based laptop with plenty to love. Beyond the large range of dual-core Turion 64 X2 processors, the Joybook P52 features an ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 card with 512MB of memory, up to 2GB of RAM, a 120GB SATA HDD, dual-layer DVD burning and DVI-D in/out. There's four USB 2.0 ports, Firewire, gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 2.0 and 802.11a/b/g WiFi for connectivity, along with a 5-in-1 card reader. The 15.4-inch screen manages a 1280 x 800 resolution and 16ms response times, and there's an included DVB-T tuner to round it all off. The main thing the computer seems to lack is the built-in webcams of its contemporaries, but at 1.2-inches thick and 5.6 pounds, it seems BenQ did a pretty job with this one all the same. No word on price or availability, but hopefully those AMD chips point to budget-friendly leanings.[Via Engadget Chinese]
Asus goes Turion with new 15.4-inch Z92T laptops
As far as we know, the jury is still out on AMD's Core Duo competitor, the Turion 64 X2 Mobile, but manufacturers seem to be fully behind the chips, with every day seemingly ushering in a few new Turion-based notebooks. Now Asus is joining the fray with their Z92T laptop, featuring a WXGA 15.4-inch screen, 1.6GHz TL50 processor, 1.3 megapixel webcam, NVIDIA GeForce Go 7600 with 256MB of RAM, 1GB of DDR2 memory, 100GB HDD, TV and DVI out, gigabit Ethernet and 802.11b/g WiFi. Pretty meaty specs other than that 1.6GHz processor, which is the lowest of the Turion line, but it all manages to fit inside the 1.38-inch thickness of the Z92T, so we're not going to do too much complaining. You should be able to get this in France today for 1,199 Euros (about $1542 USD).
AMD launches Turion 64 X2 to fight Core Duo
Now it's on. After letting Intel run amok with the performance per watt crown for a few months with that well received Core Duo processor of theirs, AMD is jumping into the game with their new Turion 64 X2 chips. The chips range from 1.6GHz to 2.0GHz, and range in price from $184 to $354 in bulk purchases. Of course, it's just not nice these days to call a chip by its clock speed, so the models go by names like TL-50 (1.6GHz), TL-56 (1.8GHz) and TL-60 (2.0GHz). Turns out the wattage, when in an active state at least, is a bit higher than that of the Core Duo, but AMD claims that the Turion 64 X2 won't zap as much power in the down times, so it might turn out to be a wash. No matter how it works out for performance per watt per dollar per lame model number scheme, more competition in the mobile space should be fun. At least for our benchmarks if not for our wallets.[Via MobileMag]
NEC Japan's twenty-six new laptops and all-in-one desktops
If there were ever any doubts as to our complete and total dedication to you, dear reader, let them be dispelled here and now, as we've just trudged through page upon page of horrible machine translation to bring you the relevant deets and specs on no less than 26 new computers from NEC -- for the Japanese market! This cornucopia of hardware comes in both laptop and all-in-one, media-centric desktop flavors, and can be further divided into their respective series: the LaVie 15.4-inch L, T, and 12.1-inch A laptops, and Valuestar W/X, L, and R desktops. More specifically, the W lineup come in four different configurations (VW970/FG, VW900/FH, VW770/FG, VW700/FG), with displays ranging from to 20 to 32-inches, either a 2.8GHz Pentium D or 3.06GHz Celeron D processor, and RAM and hard drive capacity ranging from 512MB to 1GB, and 400GB to 800GB, respectively, while the only X model, the 20-inch, 2.80GHz VX780/FD, seems to differ from the W's in that it utilizes a tower configuration and sports a nVidia GeForce video card (all the rest of the desktops feature integrated graphics). For pics and details on the rest of the desktops and all of the notebooks, keep on reading after the jump...
