IvyBridge
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ASUS offers Thunderbolt upgrade card for some 7-series motherboards
Want to have your mobo cake now and eat the Thunderbolt later? ASUS is there for you with its new Thunderbolt EX Upgrade card -- as long as you buy, or have bought, certain of its 7-series motherboards. The supported models have a "unique system link connector" to cable to the upgrade card, which will gobble up one of your PCIe x4 slots and use a DisplayPort to serve up the 'bolt. So if you don't feel like laying the cash down now and don't mind giving up ports later, pass-through the break to see which models will work.
NEC reveals LaVie Z Ultrabook will ship with third-gen Intel chips, 1600 x 900 screen resolution
By all means, we were quite impressed when we first laid eyes on NEC's LaVie Z early last month, but much to our disappointment, details were a wee bit scarce at that time. Fortunately for us (and you), however, the company's finally detailed the specs we can expect to see on its 13.3-inch Ultrabook. Among these are -- you guessed it -- Intel Ivy Bridge CPUs (i5-3317U, i7-3517U) and an above-average 1600 x 900 display -- of course, let's not forget it's all bundled up in a 999g package, or about 2.2 pounds if the gram system isn't your thing. As stated earlier, the LaVie Z will be Japan-only once it launches later this summer, though NEC has said it hopes to bring the Ultrabook to other markets at some point in the future. We'll have to wait and see.
Samsung refreshes Series 9, 5 and 3 laptops, unveils two new Series 5 systems
We knew Series 9 laptops with Ivy Bridge weren't too far off when Samsung prematurely leaked the news on its own site. Well, if you've been patiently awaiting a refresh, your day has come: the company held a press event in New York City today where it showed off both the 13- and 15-inch models with Intel's third-generation Core processors in tow. Hardware-wise, there aren't many changes to what you saw on the earlier models, though Samsung added Bluetooth 4.0 support and shaved 0.1 inches off the silhouette. Along with the Series 9, Samsung's Series 5 laptops are getting new Ivy Bridge innards. The only changes besides the processor upgrade are Bluetooth 4.0 support and a USB 3.0 socket. And the low-end Series 3 isn't getting overlooked entirely either: the company is upgrading the line to dual-core Sandy Bridge CPUs (previous models ran Pentium units). But that's not all: on top of all those refreshes, the company has two new Series 5 machines. The Series 5 500 starts at $800 and offers a 14-inch 1366 x 768 display, 500GB of storage space and a third-gen Core i5 CPU. The 15.6-inch Series 5 costs $100 more and features a Core i7 Ivy Bridge processor along with a 750GB hard drive. Both models also include NVIDIA GeForce GT 630M graphics. Sammy says they will be up for order by mid-June. Dana Wollman contributed to this report.
Fujitsu brings its Lifebook Ultrabooks to the US, NH532 and Esprimos tag along for the ride
Did you eye Fujitsu's new U772/E Ultrabook and dream of bringing that 0.69-inch thick, Ivy Bridge-packing Lifebook across the Pacific? The company has clearly been reading your mind, since it's just started shipping the portable and a few of its companions to the US. In American guise, you'll find the more simply-titled U772 carrying a choice of Core i5 or i7 chips, as much as a 500GB spinning hard drive or a 256GB SSD for storage, a trio of USB ports, HDMI and an SD card slot. It's joined by a more budget-oriented brother, the UH572 Ultrabook, which is slightly more portly (0.71 inches and 3.5 pounds) but otherwise touts the same credentials. The two are shipping right away and will offer that Japanese Ultrabook flavor at prices of $1,149 for the U772 and $999 for the UH572. Those more accepting of big-boned computers aren't left out of the mix. On the still semi-portable side, the Lifebook NH532 takes Ivy Bridge to a desktop replacement size, albeit with precious few other details besides its 17.3-inch screen. Three Esprimo desktops (sadly, not pictured) are making the leap to third-generation Core chips as well, including the extra-quiet Q910 mini desktop as well as the fast-booting P710 microtower and full-size E710 desktop. While Fujitsu isn't giving us a full peek at the larger side of the roster, none of them stretch budgets: the NH532 sits in the mid-range at $749, while the E710 / P710 and Q910 are also easy on the finances at their respective $649 and $999 asking prices. %Gallery-157069%
Dell unveils Inspiron 14z Ultrabook, multimedia-friendly Inspiron 15R and 17R
It's the season of the student-friendly Ultrabook, and Dell is no exception to the rule. The company may have released an Inspiron 14z last year, but it's now repurposing that name for its first Inspiron Ultrabook. The new Inspiron 14z starts at $700 and comes standard with a second-gen Core i3 processor, though Core i5 and Core i7 Ivy Bridge options are available. It weighs a sturdy 4.1 pounds, which is far from light for an Ultrabook, but optical media fans will be happy to know that the design includes a disc drive. Storage options range from a 320GB drive up to 500GB with a 32GB SSD. In addition to the new 14z, Dell is offering 13-inch version. The 3.8-pound Inspiron 13z will go for $600, and like the 14z it includes both Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge CPU options, along with the same storage configurations. Dell also has four new Inspiron R models to introduce. The R, to jog your memory, stands for performance, and these are clearly multimedia-centric machines. Starting at $550, the Inspiron 15R comes standard with an Intel second-gen processor (Ivy Bridge configurations are available), Waves MaxxAudio 3 technology and up to 1TB of storage. The $600 Inspiron 17R offers the same CPU options, plus a gigantic 17.3-inch display with a 1600 x 900 resolution. Dell is complementing those two systems with higher-end Special Edition versions. The Inspiron 15R Special Edition features an anodized aluminum lid, a Core i5 or Core i7 Ivy Bridge processor and an optical drive for the higher price of $900. And then there's the whopping Inspiron 17R Special Edition ($1,100), which features discrete graphics, boasts a backlit keyboard and is available with a 3D display. All the new Inspiron notebooks will be available starting June 19th. For now, you can check out our hands-on shots below the break.
Toshiba updates Portege Z835 Ultrabook with Ivy Bridge, renames it the Z935
Toshiba's getting the most attention today for announcing two new laptops (including one with a bonkers 21:9 aspect ratio), but it's also getting some extra mileage out of its first Ultrabook, the Portege Z835. The company just announced it's refreshing the system with a Core i5 Ivy Bridge processor, and that it shall henceforth be known as the Portege Z935. Other than that, the chassis and other key specs are expected to remain the same. Look for it on shelves starting June 24th, and don't be surprised by a bump in price: it now starts at $900, up from $800 when it had Sandy Bridge. %Gallery-156596%
Toshiba refreshes its Portege and Tecra lines, prices start at $1,179
We've been hearing a ton about budget- and student-friendly Ivy Bridge laptops, but business notebooks are most definitely getting a refresh too. Today Toshiba unveiled its latest systems from the Portege and Tecra lines, all of which feature Intel's third-gen processors along with security features like a fingerprint reader and Toshiba Smart Client Manager for remotely keeping track of laptops on a network. On the Portege side of things, we have the Z930 Ultrabook and the R930 (read more about the Ultrabook here). The R930 sports a 13.3-inch screen and weighs 3 pounds, which is substantial enough to allow for an optical drive. Toshiba will offer the notebook with Core i5 and Core i7 Ivy Bridge CPUs, and the extended battery is rated for up to 14 hours. The base configuration of this Portege will go for $1,399, and it's available as of today. Toshiba's new Tecra systems are slightly larger, which the company says is preferred in the corporate world. The $1,199 Tecra R940 has a 14-inch display and a 2MP webcam, and it also offers discrete graphics. The notebook ships with either a Core i5 or Core i7 Ivy Bridge processor. The $1,179 Tecra R50 is quite similar in specs, the main difference being a larger 15-inch screen and a full 10-key keypad. Along with the Portege R930, these two laptops are on the market starting today.
Possibly fake MacBook Pro spec sheet: USB 3.0, Ivy Bridge and no Retina Display
It's hard not to drown in Apple rumors right now, but here comes another one to help things along. As a counterweight to recent reports of MacBook Airs getting Retina Displays, the label above hints that the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro could be stuck with plain-Jane 1280 x 800. There's nothing to say that this bit of paper didn't derive from an inkjet hooked up to someone's imagination, but some of the other new specs have been rumored already from separate sources: notably the HD 4000 graphics reflecting the presence of Ivy Bridge, plus Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 co-starring on the I/O front. Those hypothetical additions would be great for productivity, but if there's nothing resolutionary about the new Pros then Apple had better find something else to console us with at WWDC. [Thanks, Josh]
ASUS Zenbook Prime bares all in teardown treatment
Lately, ASUS has been all show and no tell, giving consumers a preview of its leaked Zenbook Prime lineup, but no solid U.S. release. So, consumers stateside eager to mark up those sleek ultraportables with fingerprint grease will just have to make do with a peak at what lies beneath, courtesy of the folks over at AnandTech. If you count yourself amongst the impatient hordes and think gawking at pre-release hardware might help get you through the interminable wait, then be sure to click on the source below for a healthy dose of splayed component rubbernecking.
HP updates Envy 15, 17 and 17 3D to Ivy Bridge, game and media fans rejoice
HP has been very eager to take the Envy line in an Ultrabook direction, leaving performance hounds a bit wanting. Much to their (and our) relief, the full-fat Envy 15, Envy 17, and Envy 17 3D have all made the leap to Intel's latest round of Ivy Bridge processors. Along with the 2.3GHz to 2.7GHz quad Core i7 chips we all know and love, the Envy 15 and regular 17 can get a dual 2.5GHz Core i5 to keep the price slightly closer to Earth. All of them ship with equally upgraded AMD Radeon HD 7750M or 7850M graphics to give games that extra jolt of energy, and you won't find one with less than 6GB of RAM and a 750GB hard drive. Should you like the Envy's current formula and just wish it had that much more oomph, you can pay a post-discount $1,100, $1,250 or $1,530 to bring one to your door. [Thanks, James]
Fujitsu outs Lifebook U772/E Ultrabook with Ivy Bridge in Japan, aimed at the business crowd
In case you didn't have enough Ivy Bridge-loaded machines to choose from, now you'll have one more to add to the pile of options -- at least if you live in the Land of the Rising Sun. Keeping the momentum going, Fujitsu has unveiled a fresh business-oriented Lifebook, the U772/E. The company's flaunting this Ultrabook's security features as a main selling point, adding bits such as a fingerprint sensor and a security chip to help if you're feeling paranoid. Aside from that, you'll get a 14-inch LCD display (no word on resolution), a third-gen Core i5-3427U CPU, the promise of up to nine hours of runtime and an SSD / HDD mixture. So, just how much will you have to shell out? Fujitsu's slapping a 250,000 yen (about $3,200) price tag on the 9mm Lifebook (at its thinnest point) once it goes up for sale in Japan later this month.
Sony VAIO T Series Ultrabook hands-on (video)
Sony just announced US availability for its T Series Ultrabook, and though we'll only get the T13 and not the T11 stateside, this version will ship with third-gen Intel CPUs rather than the European model's Sandy Bridge processors. Here's the Cliff Notes version if you missed the earlier announcement: the 13-incher weighs 3.5 pounds (admittedly a little hefty for an Ultrabook), but its chassis is just 0.71 inches thin. Moreover, the T13 starts at $800, which is pretty dang low in the larger scheme of Ultrabook pricing. We went hands-on with the T13 at the Sony Center this morning -- head past the break for a closer look at Sony's first Ultrabook.
MSI unwraps Slider S20 hybrid tablet with Windows 8 (hands-on)
MSI is well-known for showing tablets at Computex -- it even showed what amounts to the same tablets at two different shows. It's certainly shaking things up this year, however, with the Slider S20. We've seen hybrid tablet PCs before, but the Windows 8-toting S20 has a fairly slick tilting mechanism that locks the 11.6-inch touchscreen at an angle, turning the slate into a pseudo-laptop right on the spot. MSI is only willing at this early stage to mention a few key details, but it's promising at least one Slider S20 variant with a properly speedy low-voltage Ivy Bridge chip as well as 4GB of RAM, Bluetooth 4.0, HDMI and USB 3.0. Our friends at Engadget Spanish got an early look and found the tablet a bit chunky with a so-so display, but also thought that it looked like a "robust" design. Check our overseas companions' first impressions for more, and know that the Slider S20 is expected to reach Europe in September at €899 ($1,121) in its full Ivy Bridge glory along with a lower-powered model at €799 ($996).%Gallery-156804%
Lenovo U310 and U410 Ultrabooks now available worldwide starting at $749
We're no strangers to Lenovo's new IdeaPads, having seen them at CES, but now the relatively cheap (and chunky) Ultrabooks are available to purchase. The starting price seems to have inflated slightly since January, with the 13.3-inch U310 base model going for $749 and the 14-inch U410 starting at $799. If size and weight are your prime concerns, be advised that even the smaller U310 comes in at 1.7kg (3.74 pounds) and 18mm (0.7 inches) thick. The 14-incher takes the Ultrabook definition to its limit at 1.9kg (4.18 pounds) and 21mm (0.83 inches) thick. Both are available with Ivy Bridge processors up to Core i7, as much as 1TB of storage, plus optional 32GB SSD cache drives and NVIDIA discrete graphics. Look to buy them starting today at retailers in the US and UK as well as direct from Lenovo's website at the source link.
Sony's multimedia-centric VAIO F gets folded into new 15-inch VAIO S 15
Sony is using its latest product announcement to trim the fat off of its line-up, and one of the casualties will be its multimedia-centric VAIO F Series. Of course, the company won't be ditching entertainment laptops altogether -- it's just consolidating the VAIO F line into the VAIO S Series, specifically the VAIO S 15. To further confuse the switch-up, the VAIO SE (that's E for entertainment) is also being folded into the new S 15. Identity confusion aside, what you get here is a 15.5-inch, 1080p IPS display, NVIDIA graphics with up to 2GB of VRAM and various Ivy Bridge processor options (up to a quad-core Core i7 CPU). The 15-inch S Series will start at $1,000 and will be available in black and silver. Sony says it's good for light gaming, and especially media streaming and programs like AutoCAD. Like the other new VAIO systems, the S 15 will be available this month. Check out the gallery and press info below.
Sony's VAIO T13 Ultrabook coming to the US this month with Ivy Bridge in tow, prices start at $800
After Sony teased its first Ultrabook at CES, what happened next was a bit anti-climactic: it was announced for the European market... with last-gen, Sandy Bridge processors. Now, though, the company is back with two pieces of good news: the 13-inch VAIO T13 is headed to the US as well, and will pack Intel's latest Ivy Bridge CPUs after all. (If you were expecting the 11-inch T11, it looks like it's not being sold in the states.) As a refresher, the T13 is fashioned out of brushed silver aluminum, has a 13-inch (1366 x 768) display and weighs approximately 3.5 pounds -- a tad heavy for a 13-inch Ultrabook. On the bright side, that .71-inch-thick chassis makes room for a healthy selection of ports, including USB 3.0 and 2.0, HDMI, Ethernet, VGA and an SD slot. The one amenity you won't find? A backlit keyboard. Even more interesting is the cost: if you think Sony products rest too heavily on brand cache, the T series starts at $800, about as low as Ultrabook prices have fallen so far. At the entry level, it comes with a Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive combined with a 32GB solid-state drive for faster boot-ups -- pretty typical specs for the money. Willing to spend more? You can max out with a Core i7 CPU and 256GB SSD. Expect it to hit shelves sometime this month, and for now feel free to peruse those glossy press shots below. %Gallery-156164%
Sony announces new VAIO L all-in-one with Ivy Bridge, thinner design
Along with refreshing its various VAIO laptop lines, Sony is updating its L Series all-in-one. The new L24 has -- surprise! -- a 24-inch display with the same X-Reality chip used in Sony's Bravia televisions. This time around, the company went with an edge-to-edge design for the multitouch display, and picture-in-picture for juggling TV watching and actual work. As you can imagine, that multitouch screen will come in handy once Windows 8 gets the green light from Microsoft. Other changes include a slot DVD rather than a tray-loading one, and thinner dimensions for the PC, mouse and keyboard. The base $1,299 configuration comes with a Core i5 Ivy Bridge processor, and a glasses-free 3D version will be available for $1,999 later this summer. For storage, you get a 1, 2 or 3TB drive, and Sony says there will also be NVIDIA graphics options. Intrigued? We've got photos and the full PR below. %Gallery-156866% %Gallery-156159%
Sony refreshes VAIO Z series with Ivy Bridge, price now starts at $1,600 without the docking station
In case you didn't notice, Sony completely revamped its laptop lineup this morning. Unlike some of the other models on offer, the high-end Z series didn't get a redesign, but Sony at least took the opportunity to refresh it with new Ivy Bridge processors. Oh, and lower the starting price. The Z will no longer be bundled with the Power Media Dock, that external hub housing both a discrete GPU and optical drive. As such, the laptop will now start at $1,600, down from $2,000, while the dock will retail for an additional $400. Spec-wise, the Z still weighs a scant 2.6 pounds, but it's now constructed from carbon fiber and will be offered with a glossy finish. It will also be available with quad-core Ivy Bridge CPUs, though the starting model's processor is dual-core. Otherwise, it offers nearly the same specs as the model we reviewed last year, including a 1080p display and solid-state RAID drives. Look for the refresh sometime this month, and in the meantime we've included pics below to jog your memory on what this guy looks like.%Gallery-156870% %Gallery-156166%
Sony updates VAIO E Series, intros E 14P bundle with LL Cool J branding and music editing software
We already got a taste of Sony's new E series laptops when they were announced for the European market last month, but today brings confirmation that these models are arriving stateside as well The VAIO E 11, 14 and 15 all feature a new "wrap" design and a 1366 x 768 screen resolution, and the two larger models include backlit keyboards. Starting from the bottom, the 11-inch VAIO E goes for $449 and is the only laptop of the three with an AMD processor. The 14-incher runs a second-gen Intel Core CPU (read: Sandy Bridge) and is available in white, black and pink, while the 15-inch model can be configured with second- or third-generation Intel processors and sports a brushed-aluminum finish. Sony is also offering a so-called VAIO E 14P Future Sounds MyConnect Studio package (that's quite a mouthful, we know). The 14-inch E 14P sports a black and red wrap design, runs an Ivy Bridge CPU and comes with LL's Boomdizzle MyConnect Studio app for recording and editing music. For the money -- $899, to be precise -- you also get Sony headphones and Dolby Home Theatre v4 Audio Technology. %Gallery-156874% %Gallery-156860% %Gallery-156152% %Gallery-156154% %Gallery-156156% %Gallery-156155%
Intel claims chassis design breakthrough could mean cheaper Ultrabooks, eventually
If your heart says Ultrabook, but your bank says ultra broke, this may be welcome news. Intel claims to have had a breakthrough in chassis design that might point prices of the slim line laptops in a southerly direction. Using existing plastics, and some internal rearrangement aka "structural reduction analysis," the chip maker says it's found a way to make housings that are of equal strength and quality as existing ones. As the materials are widely available already, there isn't the extra cost associated with new materials, or expensive machined aluminum. Reuters reports that this could equate to savings between $25 and $75 per PC. The processor giant will share the new design with current partners so that it can find its way onto real-world devices, some time next year. Plenty of time to fill up the piggy bank while you wait then.
