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Core 2 Duo mobile launches due Monday
Well, it's officially late August, meaning that the bit of buffer between Intel's Core 2 Duo desktop and mobile launches should be over any day now. Word on the street is Monday's locked and loaded for a barrage laptop releases with their latest powerhouse dual core mobile processor -- the one some may still know as Merom -- on board. (And thus, we ask for your forgiveness in advance when we have a slew of laptop write ups early next week.) In other words, if you were considering snatching up a laptop this weekend -- PC or Mac -- you'd probably be best off waiting until at least next weekend to do it; who knows what kinds of goodies we'll see in a couple days, right?
Shuttle XPC SD37P2 supports Intel's Core 2 Duo
It was only a matter of time before we could stuff a shiny new Intel Core 2 Duo processor into an SFF box, and although its a little late to the party, Shuttle has unveiled the SD37P2 barebones case and labeled it the "world's fastest SFF PC," even though it doesn't actually come with a CPU. Nevertheless, the relatively standard looking black case rocks the Intel 975x Express chipset supporting the Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Duo Extreme, Pentium Extreme, and Pentium D. With a FSB of 1,066MHz, support for 8GB of DDR2 RAM, and dual PCIe (x16) slots sporting ATI CrossFire technology , you could actually make a halfway decent gaming machine out of this. The obligatory built-in Gigabit Ethernet and 7.1 channel HD audio is included, and the design engineers gave you plenty of reasons to utilize all your off-the-wall USB-powered toys by tossing in 10 USB ports. The SilentX 400 watt PSU, dual FireWire connectors, and support for three internal hard drives rounds out the fairly solid offering -- but as usual, Shuttle likes to throw a premium on their little boxes, and by slapping a €419 ($537) pricetag on this barebones kit, we'd probably suggest finding a less costly destination for your Core 2 Duo.[Via RegHardware]
Asus unleashes Core 2 Duo F2, V1 and R1F portables
The fine folks at Asus are dropping three new portable series to serve professionals with Core 2 Duo speeds and snazzy design. For starters we have the V1 widescreen laptop, with a 15.4-inch display and the full range of Core 2 Duo processors, from the 1.67GHz T5500 to the 2.33GHz T7600. Graphics are provided by ATI's Mobility Radeon X1600, with 256 or 512MB of RAM. Hard drives range from 80 to 120GB, with a dual HDD option, and the V1 features gigabit Ethernet, 802.11a/b/g WiFi and Bluetooth 2.0 for connectivity. There's also an ExpressCard slot, fingerprint reader, S/PDIF audio and a card reader to round out the 0.98-inch thick, 6 pound laptop. The F2 series is only slightly more modest, with processors from Core Solo all the way to the Core 2 Duo T7400, and a 15-inch XGA or SXGA+ display. There's no digital audio, but the F2 does have TV-out and an optional 1.3 megapixel webcam. Graphics are a Radeon X1400 card running 128MB or 512MB of memory, and specs are otherwise similar to the V1. The R1F Tablet PC keeps the trend going, keeping pace with its siblings on specs for the most part, but featuring a 13.3-inch WXGA LCD and most likely integrated Intel graphics. There's no word on price or availability for any of these models, but we're liking where Asus is headed with 'em so far.[Via Laptoping]
Scraping the bottom of the endless Apple rumor barrel
So, things weren't quite as exciting as some people were hoping for at last week's WWDC keynote. No iPhone, no Core 2 Duo MacBooks, not even that surefire rumor of a ninja cyborg Stevie J. clone came through for us, yet somehow we keep on keeping on. Well, the rumor machine is clunking back into gear after those staggering defeats, and we've got the scoop on the juiciest stuff out there. First off, AppleInsider is reporting that some supa' secret shipments are about to make their way via air-freight from the Far East to the United States around the 5th of September. AI is thinking Core 2 Duo MacBook Pros are most likely, but we've got our fingers crossed for a refresh to Apple's iPod Socks (pictured, though sadly not actually on the rumor radar). Next, the AI folks mention that the iPod nano is set for end-of-life on September 16th, the date which also marks the end of Apple's iPod nano back-to-school giveaway. The final rumor, this one from DigiTimes, is also in regards to those pesky iPods, and simply states that Apple is launching a wireless iPod "soon." This word is from "market sources," who also mention that Apple is shipping out some marketing types to major markets in Asia to teach sales staff how to sell the rumored iPod. In summary, it looks like September could be a good month for Apple types, or could just mark another set of defeats for the rumor crowd -- only time will tell.[Thanks, Chris H.]Read - AppleInsiderRead - DigiTimes
MacBook Pro with Core 2 Duo rumors persist
If there's anything we've learned about Apple, it's that when Stevie J. takes the stage, expect the unexpected. This time, unfortunately, the unexpected took the form of significantly fewer real announcements than had previously been prognosticated by man; still no iPhone (figures), still no iTunes movie support (same); neither were very surprising, but we were really taken aback when Apple didn't give their MacBook Pros some Core 2 Duo processor upgrades, being that every other laptop manufacturer has either done it or is lining it up. So, be that as it may, it should come as no surprise that the Commercial Times is supposedly reporting Asustek and Quanta are prepping to ship somewhere to the tune of 200,000-300,000 MacBook Pros and MacBooks with Core 2 Duo as of next month. Will it happen? Well, Apple is due for fall consumer product announcements (last year's was in October), so this is one we're not counting out.
HP Japan outs Core 2 Duo xw4400/CT Workstation
We've seen enough Core 2 Duo desktops by now to have the genre fairly well represented, but another workstation can't hurt anybody, right? This new model from HP Japan, the xw4400/CT, is available today for a reasonable 137,550 Yen ($1199 US) and will be on sale for a mere 99,750 Yen ($870 US) between August 21st and September 27th. The base model is pretty bare, and comes with a 1.86GHz Core 2 Duo E6300 CPU, Intel 975X Express integrated graphics, 512MB of RAM, an 80GB HDD, CD-ROM drive (youch!) and gigabit Ethernet. Luckily, things are pretty extendable from there, with dual PCI Express slots (one of them 16x), three PCI slots, and plenty of drive bays (5), USB 2.0 ports (8), and Firewire jacks (3) to keep you busy. You can also pump the specs with a build-to-order box if that's your style, with options for a Quadro FX or NVIDIA 4500 card.[Via Impress]
Okoro Media Systems now shipping Core 2 Duo based systems
Trailing only slightly behind the onslaught of Core 2 Duo machines we've seen recently, Okoro Media Systems is following suit by offering Intel's latest processors in their home theater computers. Okoro has shown it likes to keep pace in the HTPC race, and by tossing the Core 2 Duo in three of their PCs, it hopes to take advantage of the extra speed and efficiency the chips offer. The OMS-TH540 will sport the Intel 1.8GHz E6300, while the OMS-TH550 gets the 2.13GHz E6400, and still holding tight to its "fastest HTPC available" claim, the OMS-GX300 rocks the Intel Core 2 Extreme 2.93GHz X6800. While it doesn't look like they've removed any fans, the company states that the Core 2 Duo was chosen because of its efficient nature, allowing the creation of "high performance, ultra-quiet, and low power" entertainment systems. This new trio runs "up to 40 percent faster and quieter" than the previous generation of Okoros, and these fresh releases also rock "DTS Connect" technology, which provides 7.1 "HD audio," HDCP compliant video playback, and ATSC recording capabilities. The revamped lineup -- Core 2 Duo and all -- is available immediately, but with prices starting at $2,095 and reaching way past our credit limit, the bleeding-edge technology comes at a painful premium.
Dell has Core 2 Duo laptops in the wings?
A few spicy tidbits have been showing up on Dell's websites pointing to some Core 2 Duo releases sooner rather than later. Their UK website lists Core 2 Duo versions of their XPS M1210, M1710, M2010 and Inspiron e1705 and e1505 laptops, while the US support site mentions a BIOS update to allow current owners of those laptops to upgrade to Merom processors. So far there isn't any official word from Dell on any such upgrades, and you'll have to call up Dell in the UK to try and finagle those Core 2 Duo models, but it seems like Dell fans aren't going to have to wait too long to get some of that next-gen Intel action.
Core 2 Duo laptops to get SLI?
All ye Intel faithful, we come bearing (potentially) sterling news. According to DigiTimes' Taiwan notebook manufacturer sources, with the addition of Intel's Core 2 Duo mobile processor lineup also comes the addition of SLI support; yes, it could be that you'll no longer be shackled to faster, cheaper, cooler-performing AMD chips to get your double-barreled graphics adapter-equipped mobile gaming rig on. Supposedly they're building in support for NVIDIA SLI and CrossFire both, but don't be surprised if ATI gets the rug pulled out from underneath them at the last moment now that they've officially joined the AMD cadre. In fact, until support is officially confirmed don't be surprised if it just never happens at all.[Via Laptoping]
Intel's Core 2 Duo T7600 mobile processor tested
The Core Duo T2600 (pictured right) has had its time to shine, and while it's had a good run, we're naturally looking forward to the battery savings and speed boosts promised by Intel's new "Merom" Core 2 Duo T7600 chips. Tom's Hardware has the first set of numbers for us, and things look good -- if not exactly mind-blowingly awesome. So far they've only run the more mundane office-productivity tests, but the new chip managed close to Intel's promised 20% speed boost while lasting 7% longer in the battery department. Heftier tasks will probably reveal even greater speed disparities between the T2600 and T7600, but are also likely erase most battery gains. For easy tasks the T7600 can churn through its duties and then shut of elements of the chip once they're no longer needed.
Voodoo goes Core 2 with Omen i:121 Extreme
With Alienware having just added Core 2 Duo options to its Area-51 7500 desktop, you didn't really think that rival Voodoo would be far behind, did you? The boutique gaming rig manufacturer has just announced its OMEN i:121 Extreme tower, which crams a 2.93GHz Core 2 Extreme X6800 processor into either a liquid- or air-cooled case designed to "operate at peak efficiency without draining excess power." Since video processing is even more important than CPU horsepower in a system like this, Voodoo is offering the new Omen with a number of graphics configurations, ranging from a single ATI Radeon X1900 or nVidia GeForce 7900GT setup all the way up to SLI or Crossfire dual-card powerhouses. You're also getting 2GB of RAM in the base configuration, along with a 7,200RPM 80GB hard drive and 16x dual-layer Pioneer DVD burner. As usual, pricing on these machines borders on the ridiculous, with SLI and Crossfire rigs starting at $4,400 and $6,000, respectively -- hey, no one said that being on the cutting edge of performance would come cheap.[Via TrustedReviews]
Dell Precision 390 workstation goes Core 2, too
Dell's giving that sweet Core 2 love to more than just the XPS 410 and XPS 700 desktops; even workstations are getting into the game. As part of the continuing onslaught of spec-bumped machines, the company announced that its Precision 390 tower is now available with four Core 2 Duo options (1.86GHz E6300, 2.13GHz E6400, 2.40GHz E6660, or 2.66GHz E6700) or even the blazing 2.93GHz Core 2 Extreme X6800, along with a seemingly-ancient 3.0GHz Pentium 4. The new rig can handle up to 8GB of DDR2 RAM, up to a 7,200RPM, 500GB hard drive, and comes with a number of graphics options from either nVIDIA (the Quadro series) or ATI (either a FireGL V7200 or V3400). If you act now, you can pick up a base configuration (which includes the E6300) for just $800, though going high-end will cost significantly more: a Core 2 Extreme--equipped setup more than doubles the price to $1,790.[Thanks, Michael]
Velocity Micro hooks up Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Extreme
The flood of Core 2 desktops continues with Velocity Micro being the latest to get in on on the party, announcing that both Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme options are now available in a whole slew of its systems. The basic Core 2 Duo processor gets slotted in Velocity Micro's lower-end ProMagix and Vector lines of desktops, while the beefier Raptor DCX, Gamers' Edge PCX, and ProMagix systems get the high-end Core 2 Extreme as an option. You can get any of 'em pre-built or customized to your liking from Velocity Micro or from Best Buy online, both of whom are now taking pre-orders. Or if you can wait a bit, you can grab one off the shelf when they hit Best Buy retail stores on August 7th. Five bucks to the first person to ride theirs home like a skateboard.
The Alienware Area-51 7500 lands with Core 2 Duo and new chassis
Perhaps the most notable things about the revamped Alienware Area-51 7500 are its new mood-lighting adjustable case and P2 chassis. The AlienFX case sports user-adjustable lighting in six different areas of its tool-less entry chassis, while the inside adds additional slots and inputs for the h@x0r in you - complete with AlienWare's AlienIce cooling system. Specs-wise, the new 7500 (an apparent bump from the MJ-12 7500) packs a dual core Intel Core 2 Duo processor or 2.93GHz Core 2 Extreme X6800 (at the high end - default config is a Core 2 Duo E6400 2.13GHz), nVIDIA graphics (options include both single and SLI configurations, with up to dual 512MB GeForce 7900 GTXs), and as much as 4GB of DDR2 SDRAM. The new machine starts at $1,799, but our configured uber-rig (with 30-inch LCD, mind you) got us over $6,800 within just a few radio button clicks. Do your credit card a favor and take it out to dinner before you lay this one on it.[Thanks, David]
Fujitsu to add Core 2 Duo options to LifeBook N6400 series
We've sure seen a lot of Core 2 Duo- and Core 2 Extreme-equipped desktops today, so props go out to Fujitsu for breaking up the monotony and announcing a laptop spec-bump instead. Available sometime during the fourth quarter, the new and improved LifeBook N6400 series -- which was one of the first to get the original Core Duo treatment -- stays true to the lineup's origins by featuring the same 17-inch, Crystal View display and built-in subwoofer as its predecessors, but speeds things up a bit with some of that Merom-style Core 2 Duo love. The rest of the specs probably won't change too much either, so you can expect to see configurations sporting dual 160GB hard drives, up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, and most likely a non-integrated graphics chipset of some sort. With the release still more than a month away we don't have any pricing details to share with you, but the current-generation N6410 (pictured) goes for around $1,700, so maybe that will give you some idea of what to prepare for.[Via laptoping]
Intel's Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme chips
Today Intel took the wraps off their 10 chip Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme processors. Expect fast processing and lower power consumption to be hallmarks of these chips that have a host of technologies with names like 'Intel Intelligent Power Capability,' and 'Intel Smart Memory Access.'Here's hoping that some Core 2 Extreme processors find their way into the PowerMac's replacement.I suppose we'll know soon enough.[via Engadget]
Core 2 Duo-powered Dell XPS 410 and HP Pavilion d4600y desktops announced, reviewed
If there's anything better than killing two birds with one stone it's killing four of them, and thanks to a pair of early looks from Cnet, we're able to cram two product announcements and their corresponding reviews into one tidy little post. Even though they were just unveiled today, the tech mega-site was already able to take Dell's XPS 410 (pictured, left) and HP's Pavilion d4600y (pictured, right) Core 2 Duo-powered desktops out for a spin, and both machines come across as very capable performers. The two rigs share the same 2.4GHz E6600 CPU and 2GB of 667MHz DDR2 RAM -- meaning that they throw down almost identical benchmark numbers, with the HP enjoying a slight but ultimately inconsequential edge -- but the Dell's nVIDIA GeForce 7900 GS graphics card with 512MB VRAM makes short work of the ATI Radeon X1600XT-sporting Pavilion in the all-important gaming department. Dual 320GB hard drives also put the XPS 410 on top when it comes to storage capacity (although the d4600y still offers a very reasonable dual 250GB HDD array), and both towers seem equally well-suited for multimedia applications with their on-board dual-tuner TV cards and plethora of connectivity options. In the end, each $2,000 system earned a Very Good score of exactly 7.2 from Cnet, with the Dell obviously getting the nod for gamers, while the cheap-looking but feature-filled HP sounds like a better choice for the all-around user who wants greater expandability. Luckily, the hot new dual-core processors in both PCs means that you'll be getting one of the fastest machines on the market, no matter which model you choose.Read- Dell XPS 410Read- HP Pavilion d4600y
Samsung's Core 2 Duo-powered BZ60 desktop
With Intel formally rolling out its Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme processors today, we were expecting to see more new machines with these chips besides the Gateways we brought you earlier, and our friends over at Samsung did not disappoint. The Korean manufacturer has just announced a new desktop known as the BZ60, which rocks the 1.86GHz E6300 variety of Core 2 Duo, and also throws down nVIDIA GeForce 6200 graphics, 1GB of 667MHz DDR2 RAM, and a capacious 320GB SATA2 hard drive. As far as pricing and availability goes, well, we have no clue about the former, and the latter is rather inconsequential considering that this model will probably never make it stateside. Stay tuned, because new dual-core models -- ones that you will be able to purchase -- should be coming at a fast and furious pace in the coming hours and days...
Intel's Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme ten chip lineup
Seems like only yesterday we were firing off Core Duo announcement after Core Duo announcement (with the occasional Core Solo thrown in for good measure), and now the Merom (aka Core 2) family has finally landed. We can expect ten new Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme chips from Intel today; we'll leave the bithead biz to the fine folks at Tom's and the like, but expect to Leap Ahead into "performance enhancing" buzzwords like Wide Dynamic Execution, Smart Memory Access, Advanced Smart Cache, Advanced Digital Media Boost, and 64 bit processing (from the Core 2 Extremes and Duo desktop chips), as well as Core 2 Duo mobile processors' new Dynamic Power Coordination, Dynamic Bus Parking, and Enhanced Intel Deeper Sleep with Dynamic Cache Sizing, all intended to drop processor juice usage even further. Should we expect to see some announcements of machines based on these long awaited processors? Well, check back in a couple hours, why don't you? In the mean time, Intel assures us that boxes with Core 2 Extreme chips are already ready to rumble, but unfortunately you'll have to wait for the Core 2 Duo desktops and mobiles until early and late August, respectively.P.S. -If you're of the bencharking ilk -- and somehow we have a feeling you are -- PC Perspective's got a load of early-release performance data they just threw up. Thanks Ryan.
Dell cops to XPS 700 delays
Apparently consumers who ordered Dell's XPS 700 gaming PC have not yet received their machines in the mail, and in the face of increasing complaints, the company has finally come clean on the issue. According to Dell's new one2one blog, the Pentium D- and Pentium Extreme-powered versions of the tower have indeed been delayed, though no specific reason is given -- all that's being said is that inadequate processor inventory is not to blame. While Dell isn't currently providing customers with a solid ship date, folks who ordered their 700 prior to July 18th will receive either a free upgrade to a Core 2 Duo CPU or a gift card for some unknown amount as a bribe to keep them from canceling their orders big thanks for being so patient. If you already have one of these desktops on order, expect to receive a call from Dell customer service in the coming days outlining your options and presumably apologizing for keeping you waiting. And if you haven't already ordered one, well, maybe you can get a good deal on an XPS 600 Renegade on eBay.
