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Lenovo gives its Legion gaming laptop line a tasteful makeover
If I asked you to imagine a gaming laptop, flashy designs, colorful lights and beefy chasses probably come to mind. Lenovo wants to move away from that motif and appeal to more users by redesigning its Legion series of gaming systems. For E3 this year, the company is introducing the new Y530, Y730 (in two sizes) and Y7000 laptops, which feature a subtler aesthetic, among other updates. It's also adding four new desktops to its lineup -- the T530 and T730 towers and the cubic C530 and C730.
AMD calls out NVIDIA's partner program, G-Sync 'gamer taxes'
A promotional push by NVIDIA has apparently tied up PC builders, and raised the ire of its competitor AMD. The current leader in the graphics card market, NVIDIA has apparently developed a GeForce Partner Program (GPP) that it claims exists to "ensure that gamers have full transparency into the GPU platform and software they're being sold, and can confidently select products that carry the NVIDIA GeForce promise." But according to AMD, that vague explanation hides an attempt to elbow competition out of high-profile system lines. A recent report by HardOCP suggests that for PC builders to be a part of the program (with access to combined marketing efforts, bundles and rebate offers) they have to exclusively align their gaming brand with NVIDIA's GeForce hardware (and not AMD's Radeon). Things came to a head yesterday when ASUS suddenly announced a new gaming line, AREZ, that apparently exists only to keep AMD Radeon-powered PCs out of its well-known ROG gaming equipment. With AMD out of the way, the ROG line can join NVIDIA's GPP.
ASUS' latest laptop embraces eSports with help from a top team
ASUS has partnered with SKT T1, one of the biggest teams in eSports, on its latest iteration of the ROG Strix laptop line. The ROG Strix SKT T1 Hero Edition is a laptop designed to play Multiplayer Online Battle Arena games like League of Legends, featuring an Intel Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Graphics and a wide display with 100 percent sRGB color gamut. These details have been floating around since November, so here's the new bit: The ROG Strix SKT T1 Hero Edition costs $1,700 and will be available in Q1 of 2018.
The ASUS ViVoPC X is a compact box designed for virtual reality
Right now, going all in on PC virtual reality means going big: You need a big space for room-scale VR; a big, powerful gaming PC; and a big wallet to buy it all with. ASUS wants to make one of those things smaller. Unfortunately, it's not the price. The new ASUS ViVoPC X is a compact gaming desktop that's powerful enough for virtual reality but still small enough to be moved in a pinch.
Origin has an all-in-one gaming PC, too
One trend we didn't expect to see at CES this week was all-in-one gaming PCs. But here we are with another, this time from the folks at Origin PC. Dubbed the "Omni," the machine packs quite a bit of customization for its class. The company's calling it the "world's most powerful and customizable" device of its kind, saying that there's room for up to an Intel Core i7 5960X processor and a 12GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan X under its 34-inch Ultra-wide 3K display (3440 x 1440 resolution).
Lenovo Y900 'Razer Edition' gaming desktop to launch in June
Project Christine, Razer's boldly designed modular gaming PC, still hasn't surfaced as a commercial product -- but that doesn't mean you can't get a Razer-branded gaming desktop. Lenovo just announced that its Ideacenter Y900 gaming rig will be getting its Razer makeover this summer, equipping it with revised case lighting, a mouse and a keyboard that all work on Razer's Chroma system.
Dell revives the Alienware 18, upgrades its smaller gaming laptops
It's a rare, satisfying feeling when a community rallies together to ask a company to bring back a discontinued product and it actually works. Today is one of those days: Dell announced at PAX that it's bringing back the Alienware 18 -- the most powerful portable gaming machine the company's ever made. The revived 18-inch rig is being touted as a 'special edition' and will pack in a 4th Generation Intel i7 processor, up to 32GB of RAM, a 1TB HDD (with an optional 512GB SSD) dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970M or 980M graphics, depending on the configuration. Too big? Too much? No worries --- Alienware is refreshing its 13-, 15- and 17-inch laptops, too.
HP's slim 'Omen' gaming laptop conjures up Voodoo memories
Remember that gaming laptop HP was rumored to be building, the one @evleaks said would rival Alienware's rigs? Well, it's here -- and it's not quite what the retired leaker expected. Instead of a thick, meaty machine to match the Alienware 14 and 17, HP is putting out the Omen, a 15-inch gaming notebook that measures only 0.78-inches at its thickest point. Don't let its svelte chassis fool you, though, there's more than enough under the Omen's hood to compete in today's laptop market.
The Alienware Area-51 gaming rig just got one hell of a redesign
After a few years finding itself/getting a heavy-duty industrial makeover, Alienware's well-respected (and, importantly, customizable) desktop gaming PC has returned. The Area-51 isn't small, but it now has a new triangular... hexagonal... something-between-the-two design, intentionally hewn that way to maintain airflow and keep it cool, even when positioned against a wall. It's certainly come a long way since the tower desktop days of 2011. Given its size, two of the corners have handles to lug it around with -- we hope you can bicep-curl 45 pounds though, because that's how much it weighs. It also looks nothing like Alienware's incoming Steam Machine. (Ironically, the new Area-51 chassis looks far more "Valve," in a lot of ways.)
Razer Blade review (2014): a 'no-compromise' premium gaming laptop
More often than not, I feel like my feedback -- both as a customer and a writer -- vanishes into a collapsing singularity of customer service. And yet, I've never felt this way about Razer. When the company launched the original Blade gaming laptop, it was panned for being underpowered, so the company replaced it in the same calendar year. When that second-generation machine was written up for being too short-lived, a smaller machine with exceptional battery life hit the market. That machine was judged for having a middling screen, and so Razer answered its critics again, this time with the fourth-generation Razer Blade, a machine that brings more power, more features and a significantly better display. So, does it answer my biggest complaints? Let's find out.
Valve's SteamOS is ready to download -- only Linux vets are encouraged to apply
Just as promised, Valve has made its first release of SteamOS available for downloads at the same time it ships out prototype Steam Machines to 300 beta testers. Based on the Debian 7.1 flavor of Linux, SteamOS is a platform purpose built for playing PC games on the TV. Cutting out the cruft of desktop operating systems that aren't well suited for the lean-back experience, one of its main features is the ability to stream games running on a computer elsewhere in the house, so they can be played on the TV, as well as play native SteamOS games. It's currently in beta, so Valve is recommending those without experience with Linux wait for a more polished version next year, around the time Steam Machine gaming PCs arrive at retail. Still, if you know your apt-get from your su and want to show those Xbox One and PS4 owners what an open next-gen platform is like, feel free to start the 960MB download here (good luck, some report downloads are already choking under the strain) to check it out early. Need more information on how it's done? All the information you'll need to get up and running, from hardware requirements to installation instructions can be found in this freshly-posted FAQ.
Razer Blade review (14-inch, 2013): smaller, faster, lighter
More Info Razer Blade review (late 2012) Razer reveals the Blade Pro and 14-inch Blade gaming laptops Razer Blade Pro and 14-inch models hands-on Most companies refresh their products on an annual basis, carefully timing development and release schedules to match consumer demand, product obsolescence and component upgrades. It's the norm, an expected pattern that most PC, smartphone and tablet manufacturers follow. Razer, however, completely ignores this cycle, as exemplified by its Blade line of gaming laptops -- already on its third generation in less than two years. This would be less impressive if the firm wasn't a relative newcomer to the game; before it announced the Blade, Razer was known primarily for creating keyboards, gaming mice and console controllers. A fully fledged gaming PC was a jarring departure for the humble peripheral maker. Even so, here we are: reviewing the third-generation Razer Blade gaming laptop. This, too, is a departure from what we've grown to expect from the company -- a smaller, thinner device bereft of the previous model's signature Switchblade interface. For some PC manufacturers, a 14-inch machine might be just another SKU in the catalog. But for Razer, it's almost a mark of progress: not only is the Blade popular enough to necessitate successive generations, but also multiple form factors. It's also the company's lowest-priced laptop yet, not to mention its first to include Intel's new fourth-generation CPU -- but at $1,800 for the base model, it still isn't cheap. Read on to see if the new Blade has enough charm to be worth its lofty price tag.
iam8bit Entertainment System retro gaming console / art project to debut during E3
The iam8bit collective has presented intersections of art and old-school gaming frequently over the last few years, and at an LA event during E3 this hand-built console will join the show. Designed "specifically with retro gaming in mind" and put together by artist Travis Chen, the iam8bit Entertainment System's hardware specs will be revealed at its public launch Friday night. The systems will be made available for purchase both in person and online, although price is still TBA just like the heavyweights from Microsoft and Sony. Is the promise of a retro gaming PC featuring some classic wood paneling not enough to draw you in? The exhibition also features work from more than 80 artists plus a real-life replica of Uncle Scrooge McDuck's money bin to celebrate Ducktales: Remastered. It's scheduled to run until June 30th, take a look after the break for the location and time.%Gallery-190517%
Digital Storm's Hailstorm II relieves you of gaming PC claustrophobia, $2,760 cash
What's the price for glory? Digital Storm's just launched its latest flagship PC gaming platform, the Hailstorm II, letting serious players part with anywhere between $2,700 and $8,000-plus. A sequel to the original Hailstorm PC, the integrator claims its new platform is the first to take advantage of the Corsair Obsidian Series 900D case, letting it accommodate up to quadruple GPU and dual CPU configurations. In order to keep those setups chill, the case can accommodate up to two power supplies, four radiators and 15 total fans, allowing for overclocking speeds of up to 4.8GHz. The top level 4 configuration will include three NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan 6GB graphics cards, an Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition 3970X CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 1200-watt power supply, "custom exotic liquid cooling" and a 240GB SSD / 1TB HDD combo, all for the cool sum of -- wait for it -- $8,085. Lesser configurations bring the price down considerably, but if you care less about dollars than FPS, hit the PR after the break for more.
Origin whips out dual-wielding EON17-SLX laptop with SLI / CrossFireX support
Origin's introducing the brawny EON17-SLX to its adoring public of hardcore gamers. The 17-inch laptop comes packing professionally overclocked Ivy Bridge CPUs and the option to add dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M or similarly paired AMD Radeon HD 7970M units -- offering performance that might even be able to run Crysis 3. While you'll only be able to pick up the gear in a traditional-style body initially, the company's working on custom paint options including matte black and red. The base unit will set you back the very specific price of $1867, with the options beyond limited only to the size of your imagination or, you know, your wallet. %Gallery-162687%
Triple-screen gaming setups put under the microscope, deemed an attainable luxury
Can't help salivating over gaming setups with three screens? The Tech Report knows your hunger, and aims to satiate your cravings with a detailed look at the triple-display efforts of Gigabyte's GeForce GTX 680 OC and ASUS' Radeon HD 7970 DirectCU II Top. The high-end GPUs ran Battlefield 3, Arkham City, Rage and a few other games through the wringer -- competing on temperature, game performance, noise level and more -- outputting each title in a glorious extra-wide resolution, with a few quirks on the side. The Tech Report emerged from the gauntlet reluctant to relinquish its additional displays, extolling the trial as the first "next-generation gaming experience" they've had in a while. What's this mean for you? The author sums it up nicely: "In a few short years, surround gaming has gone from being somewhat of an exotic luxury to something far more attainable." If snagging a multi-panel gaming setup is your goal, venture on to the source below where an unabridged, 11-page breakdown awaits.
iBuyPower rides new Valkyrie line of gaming laptops
Not content with the unveiling of its Chimera 4 and Erebus GT desktops, iBuyPower is turning its attention to gamers of a more mobile persuasion with the launch of its new Valkyrie line of gaming laptops. For $1,299, the base Valkyrie CZ-17 features a third-generation Intel Core i7-3610QM CPU, 8GB of RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M GPU, 500GB 5,400 RPM hard drive, LAN E2200 module, backlit keyboard and a 17.3-inch, 1080p display. Folks who want to channel their inner Rich Uncle Pennybags can also configure the Valkyrie with more options such as an i7-3820QM processor, up to 32GB of RAM, dual HDD/SSD storage and a Blu-Ray drive. iBuyPower says the Valkyrie line is part of efforts to beef up its laptop offerings in order to compete with the likes of Dell/Alienware and ASUS. In the meantime, folks who've got Elmer Fudd's rendition of "Kill the Wabbit" stuck in their heads after reading the word "Valkyrie" can clear their minds by perusing the PR after the break.
Velocity Micro relaunches Overdrive gaming desktop: overclocked to 4.6GHz, with trio of GeForce graphics
After furnishing its latest machines with fresh Ivy Bridge processors, Velocity Micro has decided to tend to its high-performance gaming machines. The desktop's Overdrive BigBlock GTX promises to be "the new benchmark for extreme speed and luxury." It reckons it accomplishes this with a Core i7 3960X processor, "hyperclocked" to 4.6GHz, 32GB of quad-channel memory, three (yes, three) NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 graphics cards in Tri-SLI and two SSDs backed up with a weighty 2TB hard drive. The machines will also get treated to a splash of sports car-style paint, aiming to mirror the likes of Ferrari and BMW. Naturally, all that top-drawer tech corresponds to a similarly top-drawer price tag. The gaming rigs start from $8,000, which helps soften the blow of another recent product launch.
CyberPower jumps on the GeForce GTX 690 bandwagon, promises to melt your eyes for $1,700
Dying for NVIDIA's latest, but not so much that you'd bother to learn to build your own PC? No worries, CyberPower's got your back, answering its competitor's GPU offerings with a resounding echo: Get your GeForce GTX 690 here. The customizable PC builder is now letting customers drop NVIDIA's dual GPU Kepler card into its Fang III, Zeus, Gamer Xtreme and Ultra series PCs. CyberPower says they can build a tricked out rig for just under $1,700. Looking for more oomph? More powerful configurations can breach $4,000, if your pockets are deep enough. Read on for the official press release.
Maingear reveals more heat-dissipating desktops, keeps those new Ivy Bridge internals cool
Maingear gave us a quick nudge to say something was coming. Now it can reveal that -- alongside Intel's third-generation processors inside all of its desktops and laptops -- it's further updated two of its tower models. The F131 ($1,049), the middleweight option, now houses the same vertical heat-dissipating design found on Maingear's Shift model, alongside hot-swappable storage. It's followed by the Potenza ($899), the company's "mini-ITX gaming solution." It's 45 percent smaller than the F131 with the same heat dissipation design, but still capable of squeezing in NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 680 and support for a liquid cooling setup on the side. Phew. So pick your size, pick your processor and hit up the source for all the custom desktop options.
