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Fujitsu promises to deliver fastest gaming rig "on the planet"
Fujitsu may not be doing much talking about specifics just yet, but it sure is doing plenty of boasting about its now-in-development gaming desktop, which it says will be the "fastest rig on the planet." That, as you can see above, will be at least partly due to some fine "German ultra clocking," and partly due to Fujitsu's 30+ years of workstation experience -- not to mention some crazy fast components. Not much more to go on than that, unfortunately, but you can learn even less from Fujitsu's teaser video after the break.[Thanks, Jacky]
Rock delivers BD / Core i7-equipped Xtreme 790 and Xtreme 840 gaming laptops
Can you believe it? It's been practically a year to the day since we've seen any new fragging machines from the lads over at Rock, but thankfully things are still moving after being rescued by a rolling Stone. The latest duo to take Europe by storm involves the Xtreme 790 and Xtreme 840, both of which can be outfitted with NVIDIA's 1GB GeForce GTX 280M (or two of 'em, if you're feeling froggy), Blu-ray drives, 6GB of DDR3 RAM, WiFi, four USB 2.0 sockets, an HDMI port, Windows Vista (with a gratis upgrade to Win7 this October), a 7-in-1 card reader, 3TB of HDD space and a 3-year on-site warranty. Heck, you can even toss a Core i7 in there if you think your legs are calloused enough to handle it. Both machines can be ordered up right now, with the 790 range starting at £1,999 ($3,258) and the less extravagant 840 line picking up at £1,699 ($2,769).
iBUYPOWER launches Core i7-packin' Paladin XLC desktops
Nearly a month to the day after iBUYPOWER launched its gamer-centric M865TU gaming laptop, the outfit has now given the desktop gamers in attendance something to consider. The liquid cooled Paladin XLC series is comprised of three well appointed models, the XLC V1, XLC V2 and XLC V3. All three of 'em are stored in the monstrous Coolermaster HAF 922 (the V3 gets a HAF 932), while even the lowest end model gets a Core i7-920 processor. Other specs include up to 12GB of DDR3 RAM, as many as three NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285 GPUs, upwards of 1TB of HDD space, optional Blu-ray support and Windows Vista Home Premium. The trifecta can be ordered now for $1,399, $2,159 or $4,299 in order of mention.
Ask Engadget: Best gaming laptop for under $1,500?
Believe it, vaquero -- you just happened upon this week's episode of Ask Engadget, the only time of the week where you get the opportunity to bestow your wealth of gadget knowledge onto a fellow reader in need. Given the open-mindedness of Niko here, we couldn't help but pass on his inquiry: "What's the best gaming laptop for under 1,500 bucks? I had my eye on the P7805u (Gateway), but it seems Best Buy has run out for the time being. Also, as a secondary question, I like the specs on brands such as iBUYPOWER and CyberPower and the like, but are they reliable? I'm a little worried about buying labels that aren't huge like Dell, Gateway, etc. Thanks!" So, make sure those of you who've avoided the big boys chime in here -- who knows, maybe it's actually better to snag a machine from a lesser-known label. After you've contributed, feel free to send in your own question to ask at engadget dawt com.
iBUYPOWER launches potent M865TU gaming laptop
Another day, another new one from iBUYPOWER. But this one's different, or so they tell us. You see, the M865TU is being hailed as the most powerful 15-inch gaming laptop ever, and considering that Alienware's M17x can't be included here, we'd argue these guys actually have an outside shot at being right. Within, you'll find a 2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9800, up to 4GB DDR3 memory, a 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260 graphics card and a 15.6-inch WXGA (1,680 x 1,050) panel. It'll also ship with an eight-cell battery, 250GB HDD and a dual-layer DVD writer, and it's available now for as low as $1,499. Don't expect that "most powerful" label to apply to Mr. Base Configuration, though.
OCZ intros 17-inch DIY laptop, Ion-based HTPC / Neutrino netbook
Just as it did with the Z-Drive at CeBIT, OCZ Technology has delivered a few surprises across the way at Computex. Kicking things off the 17-inch DIY gaming laptop, which takes a note from the DIY-styled Neutrino, but gets a much bigger form factor. It's one of the few laptops that actually arrive sans a CPU, hard drive and RAM, but it'll support Core 2 Duo / Core 2 Extreme chips, as many as two 2.5-inch hard drives and plenty of DDR3 memory. Other specs include a 17-inch WXGA panel, NVIDIA's Hybrid GeForce 9600GTS graphics, an optional Blu-ray drive, ExpressCard slot and a full accompaniment of connectors. The 7.9 pound machine ships with an 8-cell battery, though there's no word yet on pricing or availability. Moving on, we've got the Ion-based HTPC, which is outfitted with a 1.6GHz Atom 230 CPU, Vista Ultimate (64-bit), 4GB of DDR2-667 RAM, an OCZ 120GB SSD, Blu-ray drive, gigabit Ethernet, WiFi, HDMI output and a multicard reader. Finally, there's an all-new Neutrino, which is being introduced just weeks after the original shipped here in the US. This new character packs a little more color and a lot more oomph, with NVIDIA's nForce Ion graphics, a 1.6GHz Atom 230 CPU, 10.1-inch display (1,024 x 600), room for 2GB of DDR2 RAM (ships with none), a 2.5-inch HDD / SSD slot (ships with none), WiFi, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, Ethernet, HDMI, two USB 2.0 sockets and audio in / out jacks. As with the 17-incher, there's no word yet on pricing or availability, but we're hoping to hear more on those tidbits soon.
BFG inadvertently outs new Intel Core i7 950 / 975 CPUs in Phobos gaming PC
So, here's an interesting one. Intel has yet to officially launch the two newest members of its Core i7 crew, but that little factoid isn't stopping BFG Technologies from doing the honors. Today, the company has introduced its freshest gaming rig, the Phobos, complete with Core i7 950 (Phobos Advanced) and Core i7 975 (Phobos Elite) CPU options. Furthermore, BFG is claiming that these new machines are the first ever to offer one-touch CPU and GPU overclocking, as all that can be handled on the front-mounted touch panel on the tower itself. Heck, there's even an integrated iPhone / iPod dock on the top of this bad boy. The Phobos rigs are yours to order right now starting at $5000 (Advanced) / $8000 (Elite), and the full release is after the break.
MSI introduces GT729 and EX723 gaming / multimedia laptops
Every few weeks or so it feels like we're being formally introduced to yet another MSI laptop, and today we've the pleasure of greeting a pair. Up first is the gaming-centric GT729 (shown left), which rolls in with 3GB of RAM, a Core 2 Duo processor, WiFi, 17-inch LCD, ATI's 1GB Mobility Radeon HD 4850 GPU, a 4.1 audio system (yes, it has a "subwoofer"), 2 megapixel webcam, optional Bluetooth, HDMI / VGA outputs, three USB 2.0 sockets, a 4-in-1 card reader, audio in / out, an ExpressCard slot, up to 500GB of HDD space, a Blu-ray drive and your choice between a 6- or 9-cell battery (take the latter, just sayin'). The 17-inch EX723 (shown right) doesn't differ much, though it does tone things down a bit with a GeForce G110M graphics set and a hard drive maximum of 320GB. Per usual, MSI's steering clear of detailing things such as price and release, so hold tight if you've found yourself drawn.Read - MSI GT729Read - MSI EX723
iBUYPOWER's Core i7-powered LAN Warrior makes other SFF rigs weep
See that, Shuttle? Yeah, that's your worst nightmare. iBUYPOWER has just shocked the small form factor (SFF) world with a new rig that's potent enough to act as your standalone gaming machine. Equipped with a menacing look, a carry handle and room for two full-sized dual slot video cards, the aptly titled LAN Warrior caters to no one outside of the enthusiast niche. For the crowd willing to shell out for the latest and greatest, they'll find a Core i7 CPU (920, 940 and 965 Extreme available, up to five ventilation fans, an optional liquid cooling system, ASUS' Rampage II Gene X58 motherboard, up to 12GB of DDR3 memory, twin GeForce GTX 295 / Radeon 4870 x2 GPUs, four internal 3.5-inch bays, up to 6TB of HDD space, up to two Blu-ray writers, gigabit Ethernet, 802.11n WiFi and a planet-killing 1000-watt power supply. Amazingly, the starting tag on this one is just $999, and it's available now from the outfit's website. Full release is after the break.
HP Firebird 802 gaming rig gets $500 price drop
Well, it's only been available for a few short months but HP has already seen fit to give its flagship Firebird 802 gaming desktop a fairly sizable price drop -- $500, to be specific. That includes a $150 cut to the $1,799 base price and a $350 instant rebate that brings the price down to a pretty darn reasonable $1,299, questionable keyboards aside. For those that haven't been pricing gaming rigs lately, that'll get you a Core 2 Quad 9400 processor, 4GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive, and dual NVIDIA GeForce 9800S graphics cards (with 512MB of DDR3 memory on each card). Of course, any price drop of this size also invariably bring of the question "why?" and, in the case, the reasons are still a bit hazy. While HP discontinuing the line outright seems to almost certainly be out of the question, a slight revision does seem at least possible, if not necessarily imminent -- although, any way you shake it, $500 off is $500 off, so we're not complaining.[Thanks, Ali]
MSI details Wind U123 variants, introduces GX403 gaming laptop
Earlier this month, MSI let loose details on its slimmest ultraportable yet and its oh-so-promising Wind U123 netbook. Today, it's fully detailing the U123 lineup and formally introducing its newest gaming / multimedia laptop. As for the former, users can soon expect to see a U123, U123H and U123T; the first is the standard fare model, while the second gets equipped with a 3.5G (HSDPA) WWAN module. The U123T gets gifted with an integrated TV tuner, but sadly, there doesn't seem to be a way to get both extras bundled into one mega-U123. Moving on, there's the 14.1-inch (1,280 x 800) GX403, which sports a Core 2 Duo CPU, NVIDIA's GeForce GT 130M (512MB) graphics card, Turbo Drive overclocking, 4GB of system RAM, gigabit Ethernet, WiFi, HDMI output, 4-in-1 card reader, USB / eSATA sockets and an optional Blu-ray drive to boot. Mum's the word on pricing or availability, but you can catch a glimpse of it just beyond the break.Read - Wind U123 versionsRead - MSI GX403
MSI launches AMD-powered GX733 gaming laptop
Not down with MSI's GT725? Just an AMD purist? Either way, you'll be thrilled to feast your retinas on the company's latest gaming behemoth, the GT733. This 17-inch beast gets powered by a AMD Turion X2 Ultra dual-core mobile CPU, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, a WUXGA display, ATI's Mobility Radeon HD 4670 (512MB GDDR3), up to 500GB of SATA hard drive space, an optional Blu-ray optical drive, 2.0 megapixel webcam, and a 4-in-1 multicard reader. There's also gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, three USB 2.0 sockets, HDMI / VGA outputs and your choice of a six- or nine-cell battery. Per usual, MSI's keeping quiet on the pricing / availability front, but we reckon it'll be filtering out here soon.
Mouse Computer doles out dueling Core i7-powered desktops
It has seriously been a hot, hot minute since we've seen a compelling new desktop from the doors of Mouse Computer, but lo and behold, we've finally found a pair worth glancing all the way to Japan just to swoon over. The outfit's NextGear L720 and Masterpiece V1200 lines arrive with all manners of Core i7 CPUs within, each boasting between 3GB and 12GB of DDR3 RAM, SATA hard drives and NVIDIA GeForce graphics. Prospective buyers can also load one up with a Blu-ray drive should they choose, but you can plan on laying down ¥110,000 ($1,121) at the very least to get your palms around one.[Via Engadget Spanish]
Toshiba Qosmio X305-Q725 reviewed: a nice performer, but it's still ugly
Toshiba's Qosmio X305-Q725, which was unveiled amidst a flurry of other gizmos at CES, boasts the same incredibly controversial motif as the higher-end X305-Q708, but with an MSRP of $2,700 (versus $4,200 on the Q708), it's at least a wee bit more affordable. The benchmarking crew over at HotHardware decided to put this newer, marginally more affordable iteration to the test in order to see if it still performed under pressure, and by and large, it did. While it couldn't go toe-to-toe with higher-end desktops, the GeForce 9800M GTX GPU, quad-core processor and SSD helped it to blaze through everyday tasks and hold its own in the gaming arena. Our biggest issue is the omission of a 1,920 x 1,200 display, but we suppose that's why there's the more expensive alternative. Hit up the read link for pages upon pages of test results and impressions.
IBuyPower dishes Dragon-based gaming desktops under $1,500
Yet again, IBuyPower is stepping out with a few new gaming rigs for the bargain-minded among us. The most recent duo to be outed by the company is the Gamer HAF 91B and the Gamer Fire, both of which are based on AMD's latest Dragon platform and Phenom II CPU. The former gets going at just $999 and includes the Phenom II X4 920 processor, 4GB of DDR2 RAM, a 500GB SATA II hard drive, a dual-layer DVD writer, ATI's 512MB Radeon HD 4850 graphics card, a CoolerMaster HAS 932 case and a 550-watt power supply. The more fiery sibling ups the ante with a Phenom II X4 940 CPU, a 750GB HDD, LG GGC-H20L Blu-ray drive and an NZXT Guardian 921 chassis. 'Course, you'll be paying $1,439 for that one, but either way you'll be keeping things below the evidently magical $1.5k mark. Order away, should you be so inclined. Full release is after the jump.
How would you change HP's Firebird gaming rigs?
After arguably the biggest hype-fest of late 2008, HP's Firebird with VoodooDNA was revealed as Rahul Sood's ambitious little secret. The miniaturized gaming rigs began shipping out during CES, and we've no doubt that a few of you with space constraints and a lust of high frame rates have already chomped on the bullet. So, does the machine live up to the hype? Is it worth the asking price? What features weren't included that should have been? Has it handled your gaming demands with ease? Feel free to sound off below -- who knows, maybe Mr. Sood will tune in and hear you out.
BFG Technologies' Phobos gaming PC packs Core i7, personal concierge
PC startups, take note -- this is how you cut through the noise and get recognized. Rather than simply copying Alienware or some other boutique gaming outfit, BFG Technologies is introducing its first line of high-performance PCs with quite the unusual extra. Sure, the 3.2GHz Core i7 965 Extreme Edition is totally expected, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 295 GPUs aren't all that shocking, but the complementary concierge service is certainly a step in a new direction. With each Phobos purchase comes six months of said service, which includes "expert in-home installation and a six month follow up maintenance visit." Check the full release after the break for all the deets, but you can count on spending at least three large to get in.
Dell's XPS 730x H2C Core i7 gaming PC benchmarked and tested exhaustively
If you thought the original XPS 730 H2C was boss, get a load of this. The incredibly diligent benchmarkers over at HotHardware have taken the Core i7-powered XPS 730x H2C under their wings for a fortnight of testing, and they've got a baker's dozen worth of review pages to display their findings. We can't even begin to cover the array of graphs, bar charts and triple-digit FPS numbers here, but we can tell you that critics were duly impressed with how well the Core i7 performance compared to older Core 2-based offerings. Gaming performance was predictably "fantastic," and even the single GeForce GTX 280 that it was packin' held its own under pressure. All in all, this fanciful machine was deemed "a worthy update to what [reviewers] thought was the best XPS 700 series system to date," and if you've got the coin, you'll probably be incredibly pleased with what it delivers. Dive deep (and we mean deep) in the read link below.
Mouse Computer delivers QX9300-powered NEXTGEAR M750WX1 gaming laptop
It has been a hot minute since we've heard from our pals at Mouse Computer, but it has apparently ditched those netbook-esque ways in favor of the other extreme judging by the monstrously potent NEXTGEAR-NOTE M750WX1. The 17-inch goliath touts a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9300 processor, 4GB of RAM, NVIDIA's GeForce 9800M GTX (1GB), a 120GB SSD, WiFi, a slew of ports and even a Logicool G5 LaserMouse. Too bad the ¥349,000 ($3,769) price tag is on the wrong side of awesome.
Novatech's X50MV Pro gaming laptop reviewed, SideShow makes surprise appearance
Man, remember when everyone thought their next laptop would have a minuscule SideShow display baked in the lid? Yeah, whatever happened to that fantasy? Apparently the engineers over at Novatech never got the memo that said technology was doomed for failure, as they certainly included a 2.5-inch color display on the lid of the X50MV Pro gaming laptop. That nifty inclusion aside, the unit also packed some pretty stout internals, though reviewers did lament the GeForce 9600M GT graphics chip. Still, the LCD was deemed gorgeous to look at, the inbuilt TV tuner was a welcome extra and performance was highly lauded in every area except hardcore gaming -- which is obviously odd given the nature of the beast. In the end, critics couldn't wholeheartedly recommend this machine over a litany of others for close to the same price, but there just might be a few unique features here that push you over the edge.
