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Dell unveils redesigned Alienware 14, 17 and 18 gaming notebooks, available now from $1,199 (hands-on)
Hot on the heels of refreshing its X51 gaming desktop, Dell is sharing the news gamers have really been waiting for. The company just unveiled some fresh Alienware laptops, complete with a new look and even a new naming scheme: Alienware 14, 17 and 18. As you'd expect, they step up to Haswell processors, the latest NVIDIA graphics and 802.11ac on some models, but the real story is that they've received a serious makeover, the first in six years. For starters, Dell ditched the ol' plastic body and moved to a metal chassis with an aluminum lid and magnesium alloy chassis. As befits an Alienware, there are LEDs aplenty, including lights around the edges and a touchpad that fully lights up. And though the alien logo on the lid always glowed, that color is now customizable like other zones on the laptop. Speaking of the keyboard, you get 10 color zones on the 17 / 18 and five on the 14, and it promises improved travel, too, thanks to some retooled key caps. Dell also added Klipsch speakers, backed by Dolby Audio Theater. On a more practical note, the vents have moved to the back edge, as far as possible from gamers' hands. All told, it's a nicer design, but if you were expecting these guys to be thinner or lighter, you're going to be disappointed: the dimensions haven't really budged. Moving on to performance, Dell added some macro keys on the larger models, with the 18 supporting up to nine, and the 17 allowing for four. All come standard with a quad-core Core i7 processor, though they won't each be configurable with the same range of CPUs. 750GB of HDD storage is the minimum, and SSDs will be available too. On the 14, in particular, you can add up to three HDDs, while the two larger notebooks have room for four. Graphics-wise, NVIDIA's GTX 765M (2GB) is standard on the 17 and 18, while the 14 starts with a 1GB 750M. And on the 18 you get two GPUs by default, in an SLI setup. The Alienware 17 and 18 come with 802.11ac WiFi, while the 14 packs a Killer Wireless-N 1202 radio. As for displays, they're all non-touch (mostly TN), and while 1080p is offered on all, it's only standard on the 18 (the 14, in particular, starts with 1,366 x 768, blech). They're all available now, with starting prices pegged at $1,199 for the 14, $1,499 for the 17 and $2,099 for the 18. A Core i5 version of the 14 is also on the way, and will start around $1,099. Hopefully we'll review one of these soon, but until then have a look at some hands-on photos, a detailed spec table and a trio of promo videos, all embedded after the break.
Maingear announces Nomad 15 gaming laptop: small in size, big on specs
Power and portability is a tricky balancing act, and if you're in the market for a gaming laptop that satisfies both, Maingear's Nomad 15 might be the one. Apart from the 15.5-inch 1,920 x 1,080 anti-glare screen, pretty much every other bit of hardware is customizable on the Windows 7 notebook. You'll have the choice of NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 670M, 670MX, 675MX or 680M for the GPU, up to an Intel i7-3840QM quad-core beast running at 3.8GHz, and a maximum of 32GB RAM. Which optical drive it comes with is also your decision, and for storage, up to dual 256GB SSDs or dual 750GB HDDs are supported. A wireless card is optional, with Ethernet joining the stock ports, including HDMI, DVI-I and S/PDIF outs, two USB 2.0's, three USB 3.0's and a lone Fire Wire. The important part comes after you've finished selecting the guts -- picking the right color finish to match your style. It might not be delivered as quickly as Maingear's other similar sized lappy, but the Nomad 15 certainly packs a heavier punch. Unfortunately, the price is pretty weighty as well: a solid $1,549 for the most basic model.%Gallery-170766%
Razer Blade review (late 2012)
Razer has made a habit of catching us off guard -- breaking the mold as an accessory manufacturer by building laptops, prototype game handhelds and controller-toting tablets. Their Blade laptop cut through our expectations as well, featuring a beautiful aluminum shell and one of the thinnest profiles of any gaming rig on the market. It had some serious flaws, though: it was underpowered, had minor build issues and simply fell short in the audio department. Its maker, apparently, wasn't deterred: mere months after the original Blade's own debut, Razer is now introducing a successor. Most of the changes are internal: this model swaps out the original's Sandy Bridge CPU and last-generation NVIDIA graphics for a newly announced 2.2GHz Intel Core i7-3632QM processor and a Kepler-based GeForce GTX 660M GPU. It caught our interest -- Razer had previously insisted its first laptop wasn't built just for power, but for a premium experience. Now, the firm seems to be focusing on both (now that's a premium experience we can get behind). So, is this upgrade enough to make up for the OG version's shortcomings? Read on to find out.
Samsung refreshing Series 7 Gamer with 3D display, AMD Radeon HD 7870M
If Samsung's first dedicated gaming laptop wasn't built to your liking, you're about to get another option -- the Series 7 Gamer is due for a refresh. The company's Samsung Tomorrow blog pegs the new build as the Series 7 Gamer Yellow 3D, which outshines the subtle design we praised in our review of the last model with -- you guessed it -- a bright yellow finish. Style aside, the new oversized notebook will swap out its current GPU for an AMD Radeon HD 7870M and, as the name implies, a 14.3-inch SuperBright (400 nit) 3D LED display. The new configuration will also split its twin drive bays between a 1TB HDD and a fast-booting 128GB SSD. There's no word yet on international availability, but folks in Sammy's homeland can pick up the rig on August 14th for 2.99 million Won, which rings up to about $2,643 here in the states. Check out the official announcement at the (translated) source link below.
MSI GT60 and GT70 gaming laptops get NVIDIA GTX 680M graphics, available now from $1,899
MSI introduced the GT60 and GT70 notebooks in March, and the latter has already received an upgrade to NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 675M GPU. Now both laptops are taking another step up, this time to the GeForce GTX 680M, NVIDIA's latest GPU, with 4GB of dedicated memory. The refreshed 16-inch GT60 and 17-inch GT70 are available in the US today for $1,899 and $2,599, respectively. Specs remain the same aside from the revved-up GPU; both models come standard with an Intel Core i7-3610QM CPU, a 1,920 x 1,080 display, HDMI output, a Killer E2200 LAN card and three USB 3.0 ports. For more info, head to the press release below the break.
Samsung Series 7 Gamer review: the company's first gaming laptop makes its way to the US
Sure, thin, light and power-efficient may be the latest trend in notebook design, but one category of portable computing isn't afraid of going against the grain: the oversized gaming laptop. These big machines often flirt with double-digit weights, with screens in excess of 17 inches and the most powerful chipsets under the hood. Samsung's Series 7 Gamer is no exception, of course, weighing in at 8.39 pounds and packing plenty of power. The machine's recent US debut isn't its first foray into the market, however -- this machine first appeared in Europe late last year, albeit with an older processor and GPU. Now, Sammy has brought the rig stateside, adorning it with new parts for the New World, namely a 2.3GHz Core i7-3610QM CPU and NVIDIA's GTX 675M graphics processor. How does Samsung's first oversized gaming machine measure up? Let's find out.%Gallery-159891%
MSI GT70 gaming laptop kindly updated with GeForce GTX 675M graphics
We sure hope you like surprises, because we've got a good one for you. It seems as if MSI wasn't quite pleased with the killer graphics on its feature-loaded GT70 laptop and decided to give it a quick boost. Earlier today, the outfit announced its fresh gaming machine will now ship with NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 675M GPU instead of that already powerful GTX 670M found in our review unit. MSI says the change was driven by the company's beliefs that "exceptional performance starts with outstanding components," and, needless to say, we're certain you'd agree. In case you've yet to grab one of these for yourself, you can do so at the source below.
Alienware laptops to use Killer Wireless-N 1202 WiFi cards, guarantee a few frags at the coffee shop
You might recall that Killer Technology launched the Killer Wireless-N 1202 card as a bit of an orphan: without an immediate laptop partner or an aftermarket reseller, it wasn't clear how and when gamers would get their hands on the low-lag WiFi add-on. Alienware is stepping up and making that much easier as of today by planning to use the Qualcomm Atheros-owned technology across its laptop line. The PC builder didn't say which models are getting the treatment, although it made clear that more than one of the newly refreshed arsenal will tuck the 1202 inside. If you're the sort that needs to crush newbs with the lowest ping times, but don't want to leave the comfort of Starbucks WiFi to plug in an Ethernet cable, your solution now looks to be at hand.
Samsung Series 7 Gamer laptop goes on sale in the US for $1,900
Who could forget that marigold yellow gaming laptop sitting around Samsung's booth at CES? Though the Series 7 Gamer has been available in Europe since last fall, the company decided to wait until Intel made its big Ivy Bridge reveal before introducing its first gaming laptop here in the states. Now that those chips are starting to ship, the Series 7 Gamer is at last on sale here in the US, available in a single configuration that'll set you back $1,900. (Sorry, folks, it will only be sold in black.) Though that price is slightly higher than the estimate we heard four months ago, the specs are also beefier than we were expecting. For the money, you'll get a 2.3GHz i7-3610QM Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, an NVIDIA GTX675M GPU, a 1.5TB 7,200RPM hard drive and a 400-nit, 17.3-inch, 1080p display. Like that other Series 7 laptop we reviewed recently, that HDD is paired with 8GB of flash memory to help cut start-up and application launch times. At its best, the battery is rated to last 3.7 hours -- not bad for a 13.34 8.39-pound system -- and you can exert some control over the runtime by selecting from one of four power modes using an analog dial. All the major e-tailers like Amazon and NewEgg will carry it, and feel free to revisit our hands-on from CES if you need a few close-up shots to jog your memory. Update: Though the press material Samsung sent to reporters listed the weight as 13.34 pounds, the product page below says it weighs 8.39 pounds, which sounds far more likely, if you ask us.
Origin PC joins the 11-inch, rebadged gaming laptop party, outs the EON 11-S
Last week may have drawn to a close, but the march of Clevo news continues. On the heels of Maingear announcing an 11-inch gaming notebook, Origin PC is throwing its own ultraportable into the ring: the EON 11-S. Though this is a new model for the company (the smallest laptop it's ever sold, in fact), it's not quite fresh to us: this is the same exact Clevo-made notebook Maingear unveiled two days ago, only re-badged under Origin PC's brand and available in a wider range of colors. As far as performance goes, then, that means you can expect Ivy Bridge processors, a 2GB NVIDIA GT 650M GPU, Optimus graphics-switching technology and a battery rated for 6.5 hours of runtime. In Origin PC's case, the laptop starts at $999 (compared with $1,099 for Maingear), though you'll have to head over to Origin's site for a breakdown of what specs you'll be getting at that lower price. (Spoiler alert: adding an Ivy Bridge CPU instantly bumps the price to $1,294.)
Toshiba intros Qosmio X875 gaming laptop with Ivy Bridge, fairly tame digs
In case it wasn't clear, Toshiba's overhauling its entire consumer lineup for the back-to-school season, and that includes its lone gaming rig. The 17.3-inch Qosmio X875 replaces last year's X775, ushering in Ivy Bridge and that same reined-in design we we've seen in recent photos. Though Toshiba's remaining fairly mum on specs (we bet this has something to do with not wanting to steal Intel's thunder), we can confirm it packs "third-generation" Intel Core processors, NVIDIA GTX 670M graphics with 3GB of video memory, dual hard drive bays, quad Harman Kardon speakers and four memory slots, with up to 16GB of RAM on board out of the box. The resolution can be either 1600 x 900 or 1080p, with that latter pixel count only available on the 3D model. As you can see in the photos, Toshiba's moved to a subtler aluminum aesthetic it's calling Black Widow, but what you can't tell from that vantage point is that this guy is 25 percent thinner than its predecessor. In case you needed more proof this is an Ivy Bridge machine, note the release date: this beastly fellow won't be available until June 24th. At that point, it'll start at $1,299, though the highest-end configuration will set you back a cool $2,499. That's more than two months away, of course, so for now you'll have to content yourselves with our teaser shots below.
Toshiba outs Qosmio X870 gaming laptop with 3D display, not-too-tacky design
What's this, then? Why, it's what appears to be a brand new, redesigned gaming laptop, courtesy of 'ol Toshiba. Though it hasn't been announced here in the US, UK-based site TechDigest is showing us the first photo of the Qosmio X870, which seems to have a rather reined-in design compared to previous Toshiba gaming machines we've seen (to the extent that a PC with red accents can ever be called staid). According to the site, its specs include a 17.3-inch, 1080p, 3D-capable display; the "latest" Intel processors; unspecified, next-gen NVIDIA GPUs with 3GB of video memory; and up to either 2TB in HDD storage or a (presumably smaller) hybrid SSD. Rounding out the list, the laptop is said to rock Bluetooth 4.0, four USB 3.0 sockets (including two with Toshiba's Sleep-and-Charge technology), HDMI, Harman Kardon speakers, an optional Blu-ray player and that all-important LAN port. Sounds good to us, though as of this writing we've yet to see a press release posted on any of Toshiba's regional or global sites. If TechDigest's report is on the money, though, this thing should land sometime in Q2, which means Tosh has a few months yet to clarify that minor pricing question.
Samsung bringing its Series 7 Gamer to the US, we go hands-on (video)
We're going to get this out of the way up front: Samsung is showing off a lot of laptops this week at CES. Given how of the moment Ultrabooks are, we can see why Sammy would choose to highlight its Series 5 Ultras and redesigned Series 9. The emphasis on skinny PCs has been so fervent, in fact, that you might not have heard the company is bringing its first gaming laptop, the Series 7 Gamer, stateside. We're told Samsung is currently planning on offering just one configuration, with a Core i7 CPU, 2GB AMD Radeon HD6970M card, a 5,900mAh battery, JBL speakers and a 300-nit, 1080p display. For those who haven't seen this in action yet, it sports a backlit keyboard, with the all-important WASD keys conveniently highlighted in a different color, along with an analog dial for toggling power modes. On the outside, Samsung's logo glows with the help of an LED backlight, but disappears when the lid is shut. Expect it to hit this side of the Atlantic in April for $1,799, and in the meantime we've got hands-on photos and video, but sadly, no answer to that question for the ages: red or marigold yellow?
Sony VAIO F Series review (late 2011)
Sony barreled into CES earlier this year flaunting a 3D monster laptop boasting a 16-inch 1080p display, a built-in 3D transmitter and a fancy button that promised to instantly add an extra dimension to your boring "regular" 2D movies. It was the latest in the outfit's VAIO F Series, and it was ready to snatch $2,000 straight out of your wallet -- but not all of us can throw down that kind of scratch. Still looking for a suitably powerful desktop-replacement that won't decimate your bank account? That same 2011 VAIO F Series rig just might be your ticket, sans 3D trickery -- and knocked down to a base price of $980. Does this somewhat more budget-friendly variant still pack enough punch to knockout your hefty desktop PC? Let's find out. %Gallery-138564%
Toshiba Qosmio X775-3DV78 review
When NVIDIA played its signature GPU number-bump card back in May, it made a point to throw around some big names. Alienware, MSI and ASUS each announced notebooks with the outfit's new GeForce GTX 560M, but one lone machine played coy, listed only as the "new Toshiba gaming laptop." Known today as the Qosmio X775-3DV78, it pairs 1.5GB GDDR5 with the aforementioned GPU, an Intel Core i7-2630QM processor, 1.25TB of storage split between two drives and 8GB of DDR3 RAM. So, can this heavyweight desktop-replacement hold its own in Engadget's review ring? There's only one way to find out. %Gallery-130544%
AMD announces the Radeon HD 6990M, has some pointed words for NVIDIA
Here are five words you've heard before: "the world's fastest notebook GPU." Why, NVIDIA made just that claim two weeks ago, when it touted the GeForce GTX 580M as the nimblest card this side of Pluto. Not so fast, says AMD. The outfit just unveiled the Radeon HD 6990M with DirectX11 and HD3D support, and it insists this is the speediest GPU on the block -- specifically, up to 25 percent faster than any other GPU that's been announced to the public. And yes, AMD's well aware of that 580M. Just like NVIDIA came out swinging, making pointed comparisons to the Radeon HD 6970M, AMD's got some fighting words of its own: the company says the 6990M can whip the 580M in the benchmark AvP and games such as Batman Arkham Asylum, Dragon Age 2, Shogun 2, BattleForge, Left 4 Dead, Metro2033, Wolfenstein MP, The Chronicles of Riddick, and ET: Quake Wars. We don't need to remind you that these numbers merely represent the story each company wants to tell. Still, you get the idea: these are the top-of-the-line cards each has to offer at the moment, and they'll likely be competing for space in your next gaming rig. As you can imagine, the 6990M joins other Radeon HD cards in supporting the company's Eyefinity technology, as well as GPU app acceleration. Let it be known, too, that while the 6990M supplants the popular 6970M as far as performance claims go, AMD tells us the 6970M will still be available for the foreseeable future. Speaking of availability, the 6990M will be offered in the Alienware M18x -- right alongside NVIDIA's 580M. Additionally, you'll find it packed inside Clevo's P170HM and P150HM. And you didn't think we forgot about specs, did you? Head on past the break to find the full PR, along with a handful of technical details straight from the horse's mouth.
ASUS refreshes Lamborghini VX7 with Sandy Bridge, mercifully offers a black option
Just in time for spring, ASUS has refreshed its Lamborghini VX7, a staple in the company's line of premium notebooks (and fugly smartphones) inspired by the storied Italian car maker. Available in orange and a more staid black, this 8.4-pound beast packs a quad-core Sandy Bridge Intel Core i7 processor, Full HD 15.6-inch display, discrete NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M graphics with 3GB of video memory, up to 16GB of RAM, an 8-cell battery, one USB 3.0 port (along with three USB 2.0 ones), HDMI output, a 2 megapixel webcam, and hard drive space ranging from 500GB to 750GB with speeds of either 5,400RPM or 7,200RPM. Or, you can opt for an SSD as large as 1.25TB. (ASUS likens the speeds to a 10,000 RPM drive.) No word yet on pricing or availability, though we're pretty sure Valentino Balboni won't be ponying up to type on one of these either way. Update: A couple sites are taking pre-orders, with the VX7 consistently priced at $2,269. Have at 'em!
Rahul Sood leaving HP
HP acquired VoodooPC and its founder Rahul Sood in 2006, and it's been a wild ride ever since. The ever out-spoken Rahul has brought a lot of "Voodoo DNA" to HP products, most notably the Envy line, but also witnessed the slow fade of the actual Voodoo brand. He also went on a lot of extreme cycling trips in-between all the product teases and wild statements. Rahul isn't saying exactly why he's leaving HP, but he has penned a substantial blog post detailing some of Voodoo's history and thanking a whole bunch of people and companies. As for his time with HP: "We merged, we invented, we kicked ass, and we had fun, but then things got a little complicated." What he means by "complicated" is unclear, but whatever Rahul is moving on to next (he says he "can't wait to be directly involved in a product pipeline again," for what it's worth), we're sure he'll do it with his trademark flair for the dramatic that we've come to know and love.
Alienware M11x getting NVIDIA Optimus and new Intel CPUs this summer?
Either someone at Alienware is reading our reviews or the engineers over there happen to be as smart as us. What was our top complaint about the M11x? The lack of NVIDIA Optimus to automatically switch between the IGP and the GT335M GPU to help save battery life, of course. Well, if Notebook Review forum commenter Darkhan, who apparently has some affiliation with Alienware, is to be believed the company is working on adding just that to an updated M11x. Said to be released in the June / July time frame, the refreshed 11.6-inch laptop will apparently also be getting some new Intel Core 2010 CPUs. It does seems a bit early to update a product that started shipping just a month ago, but we wouldn't put it past those crazy gamers. Dell wouldn't comment on the rumor, so the only thing we can promise at this time is that we'll be keeping an ear to the ground on this one. Updated: Darkhan has updated the Notebook Review forum page saying that he isn't an employee of Dell or Alienware and that he just hears rumors like everyone else. We still have a hunch that some sort of update is headed to the M11x, but to reemphasize it is all just wishful thinking at this point.
Asus, Intel launch WePC website, ask community to design PCs for them
True power is derived from the people, yes? Asus and Intel know this well, so they've launched a website called WePC, where users can draw up concepts and specs for new netbook and notebook models then argue about how fantastic or utterly impractical they are. In a sense cooperative laptop design is not new -- we've seen groups of companies work together to develop products, and Best Buy's Blue Label is somewhat similar to this -- but Asus and Intel are going full-on populist (or at least the appearance of it) with WePC. The promise is that designers will lurk on the site and implement some ideas -- probably (and thankfully) not including the ones that are completely whacked.
