Radeon
Latest
Fujitsu's LifeBook N6460 launches in US
It was but a few weeks ago that we caught Fujitsu's LifeBook N6460 showing off in Singapore, and now it looks like the beastly machine has made its way stateside for all of us Americans to enjoy. This 17-incher touts an XGA+ panel, Intel's 2GHz Core 2 Duo T7300 CPU, ATI's Mobility Radeon HD 2600 graphics set, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, up to 400GB of hard drive space, an optional Blu-ray drive, integrated fingerprint scanner, a remote control, 56k modem, gigabit Ethernet, WiFi, and a plethora of ports including five USB 2.0 connectors, FireWire, a multicard reader, and an ExpressCard opening to boot. Granted, you can certainly opt to customize the aforementioned specifications to fit your budget, but pre-established configurations range from $1,499 to $2,599 and look to be shipping right away.[Via PCLaunches]%Gallery-5318%
Asus' A8Sr laptop packs ATI's Mobility Radeon HD2400
Those scouting a fresh laptop to get their game on with now have yet another option to consider, as Asus has just announced the A8Sr, which packs ATI's Mobility Radeon HD2400 among other niceties. Also inside will be an Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 / T7300 / T7100 processor, 14.1-inch widescreen panel, 802.11a/g/n support, optional Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, a total of five USB 2.0 ports, FireWire, VGA / DVI / S-Video out, a 56k modem, Ethernet, and a six-cell battery to boot. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any definitive pricing details to go along with Asus' latest DirectX 10-capable machine, but those lusting after the almighty frame-per-second aren't likely to mind anyway.[Via FarEastGizmos]
ATI Radeon HD 2400, HD 2600 get reviewed and benchmarked
ATI's new Radeon HD 2400 and HD 2600 series graphics cards might not boast quite the horsepower of the company's top-end HD 2900 XT, but the folks at HotHardware still found quite a bit to like about them, especially considering their budget-friendly prices. They the Radeon HD 2600 XT, 2600 Pro, and 2400 XT, specifically, which all fell pretty much in line with their expectations, providing adequate power for casual gamers, while keeping power consumption and noise to a minimum. Those interested in cranking their games' settings, however, will likely want to look elsewhere. They also found the cards to be particularly well-suited for home theater PCs, with the AVIVO HD video engine giving them a leg up in image quality (although they're still planning to give it some more extensive testing). You'll have to wait a few more weeks to get your hands on them yourself, however, with them set to roll out in mid-July.
ATI ships out Radeon HD 2400 and HD 2600 graphics cards
While some of you may be holding out for a 1GB Radeon HD 2900 XT, those looking to spend a little less can get a bit of instant gratification. ATI has just announced that the Radeon 2400 HD and 2600 HD are now shipping to board customers, meaning that a few more DirectX 10 graphics cards will be hitting store shelves in the not too distant future. Both cards will also include the company's Unified Video Decoder (UVD), are based around a 65-nanometer chip, and will support HDMI and HDCP. Time to start scouring the neighborhood couches for spare change, eh?[Via TGDaily]
Diamond stuffs 1GB onto ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT
With leading-edge graphics cards getting more and more dedicated RAM shoved onto their PCBs, it's only surprising that it has taken this long for a 1GB single GPU card to hit the market. Diamond Multimedia has just announced the launch of its Radeon HD 2900 XT 1GB, which packs a full gigabyte of GDDR4 memory, second-generation unified shader architecture, 512-bit memory interface, integrated CrossFire scalability, and built-in HDMI support. Moreover, it also includes ATI's Avivo display technology, dual-link DVI output, HDCP compliance, and DirectX 10 support. No word just yet on what kind of premium you'll be expected to pay for this momentary claim of superiority, but we'd wait for the benchmarks to see if it's even worth the extra coin.
HiPe intros K-Tana 2.0 gaming rig, two-in-one Daisho 2.0 Dual PC
HiPe PC is no stranger to the land of excessive power and unorthodox construction, and the firm's latest two gaming rigs are no exception to either. The K-Tana 2.0 can come stocked with your choice of an overclocked 3.2GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Extreme or dual liquid-cooled AMD Athlon FX-72 / FX-74 processors, an overclocked NVIDIA 8800 SLI graphics setup, 1,200-watt power supply, up to 8GB of DDR2 RAM, up to 4TB of HDD storage, acoustical dampening, colored neon lighting systems, and the ability to order up a customized paint scheme if the early 90s vibe isn't really workin' for you. The real head-scratcher is the Daish? 2.0 Dual PC (shown after the jump), which as the name implies, sports a duo of networked PCs within a single vertical chassis. The primary PC is a GeForce 8800-equipped gaming rig with up to 4GB of RAM and 4TB of HDD space, while the secondary computer is a "personal media center or server" powered by either VIA's Epia C7 or Intel's Merom processor. Additionally, the secondary unit is connected to a motorized touchscreen LCD and responds to your voice thanks to the included speech recognition software. Notably, both machines can be configured to include a Blu-ray writer, and while both systems manage to start around $2,600, the sky really is the limit when adding in luxurious extras.
Mouse Computer's LuvBook PL series offers Merom on the cheap
Not even a week after unveiling the HDMI-equipped m-Book PR200S and PR200X laptops, Mouse Computer is at it again with the budget LuvBook PL lineup. The low-end 500BH and 500S machines are throttled by a 1.46GHz Intel Celeron M 410 processor, but the 500XH and 500X step things up with a 1.66GHz Core 2 Duo T5500, up to 1GB of DDR2 RAM, 80GB of hard drive space, a dual-layer DVD burner, 15.4-inch WXGA glossy display, ATI's Radeon Xpress 200M graphics set, and Windows Vista running the show. Moreover, you'll find audio in / out, a trio of USB 2.0 ports, VGA output, Ethernet, and a Li-ion cell that purportedly lasts about 1.75-hours before calling it quits. All four models should be available in Japan real soon, and will run between ¥79,800 ($656) and ¥99,750 ($820) depending on configuration.[Via Impress]
Vigor Gaming's Quadfather rig with HD 2900 XT graphics
If you don't want to upset the "Quadfather" then listen up, Vigor Gaming just unveiled their newest rigs based on AMD / ATI's R600 architecture. Right, as in the Radeon HD 2900 XT which, competes fiercely with (but doesn't quite take out) NVIDIA's 640MB GeForce 8800 GTS and GeForce 8800 GTX in head to head frag matches. Still, the top-o-the-line Force Recon QX4 starts at just $3,189, but increases quickly when bumping up to an 3.0GHz Athlon 64 X2 FX-74 dual processor option and that limited edition "Quadfather" paint (not to mention disk, memory, and fancy pants cooling options). Well, at least the guests to your next LAN party will be honored and grateful for the invitation.
Sony's business savvy VAIO BX40 officially hits Europe
Granted, Sony's BX-series of VAIOs has been around for quite some time, but the long-standing business lappie is getting a makeover in Europe that includes a hop over to Santa Rosa. This 15.4-inch widescreen machine packs a 1,280 x 800 resolution X-black LCD, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, WiFi, a multi-function drive bay that houses your choice of a dual-layer DVD writer or a secondary hard drive, Intel's T7300 Core 2 Duo processor, ATI's Mobility Radeon HD 2300 handling the graphics, and up to 2GB of RAM. Additionally, users will notice a fingerprint scanner, Sony's G-Sensor HDD shock protector, Ethernet, a 56k modem, VGA out, stereo speakers, SD and MS flash card slots, a number of USB 2.0 ports, and a 4-pin FireWire connector to boot. Unfortunately, the VGN-BX41VN currently lacks an official price or release date, but there's plenty of similar alternatives already out if you need something on the double. Click on through for a couple more glimpses.[Via PCLaunches]
ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT review roundup
We've already seen it benchmarked, but those of you considering ATI's new top-end Radeon HD 2900 XT graphics card now have a number of full-on reviews to sink your teeth into, all of which seem to be roughly in line with each other. On the all important point of performance, ExtremeTech, HotHardware, and [H] Enthusiast each found that the card held its own against NVIDIA's GeForce 8800 GTS in the usual array of tests, although it fell well short of NVIDIA's pricier GeForce 8800 GTX, which ATI still has no answer to. All three also found many of the same things to complain about, most notably the card's noise and excessive power consumption, although ATI is promising a driver update to cut down on some of the racket. HotHardware also points out that the ATI card likely has more room to grow through driver updates than the NVIDIA, and speculates that a 65nm version of the card could arrive "sooner rather than later." Until then, however, all three look to be sticking with NVIDIA hardware, with the 8800 GTS offering a better value for the money, and the 8800GTX providing the necessary all-out performance to those who demand such things.Read - Extreme Tech ([8/10)Read - HotHardwareRead - [H] Enthusiast[Thanks, Mathieu]
AMD Phenom CPU and ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT finally official
Looks like AMD and its graphics division ATI have a couple of new bits to announce today. First up: the Phenom X2 and X4 CPUs, AMD's latest dual and quad-core chips destined for their new FASN8 (get it?) enthusiast platform, which also features DDR2 SDRAM, HyperTransport, 128-bit FPUs, shared L3 cache, and the Socket AM2 and AM2+ interface with Dual Socket Direct Connect. We're not done yet, though, since the other half of the FASN8 platform is ATI's Radeon HD 2000 series graphics adapters, including the new R600, erm, Radeon HD 2900 XT ($400), 65nm DirectX 10 devices with Avivo Blu-ray and HD DVD acceleration. Also, be sure to keep an eye out for other versions, like the HD 2600, HD 2400, Mobility Radeon HD 2300, and the like. Watch out, we're sure to be flooded with new machines and accompanying benchmarks in short order.
Epson intros 15.4-inch Endeavor NJ2050 laptop
While we've no doubt that you can easily track down a more provocative laptop than the business-minded Endeavor, Epson is apparently updating the NJ2000 to elicit a few more corporate purchases. The Endeavor NJ2050 still sports a 15.4-inch screen in both WXGA and WXGA+ varieties, but gives users the choice of a (nearly archaic) Intel Celeron M or the much preferred Core 2 Duo on the processor front. Additionally, the graphics set found itself updated with ATI's Radeon Xpress 1100, and interested customers have the BTO flexibility to add up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, a hard drive from 40GB to 160GB in size, and any of Microsoft's latest operating systems (yes, that includes XP). You'll also notice a PCMCIA slot, SD / MMC / MSPro memory card reader, gigabit Ethernet, stereo speakers, FireWire, and a dual-layer DVD burner. Prices will start around ¥69,930 ($589) for the basic configuration, but more thoroughly equipped machines will run you a few hundred more.[Via Impress]
ATI's Radeon HD 2900 XT benchmarked, trumps NVIDIA's GeForce 8800 GTS
Although preliminary testing proved that ATI's R600 architecture wasn't messing around, DailyTech added another layer of proof to the pudding as it benchmarked a bonafide Radeon HD 2900 XT against NVIDIA's 640MB GeForce 8800 GTS. The DirectX 10-capable card is a notch above the HD 2600 XT that was snapped in the wild, and the tested unit featured 320 stream processors, 512MB of GDDR3 RAM, a dual-slot "blower-type heat sink," dual dual-link DVI ports, and a serious desire to crank out impressive FPS numbers. While the marks weren't the end-all answer to the ATI vs. NVIDIA question, the Radeon managed to best its opponent in every single trial, including Call of Duty 2, Company of Heroes, F.E.A.R., Oblivion, 3DMark06, Maya 02, Cadalyst C2006, and a few more for good measure. Of course, we're sure NVIDIA will be hitting back with something of its own, but feel free to hit the read link if you take pleasure in graphical beat downs with ATI escaping victorious.[Thanks, Mathieu]
ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT snapped in the wild
Shortly after going from codenames to a more retail-friendly tiltling scheme, ATI's midrange RV630, er, HD 2600 XT has already been acquired, photographed, and slapped into one lucky PC overseas. According to the author, the card sports 256MB of GDDR4 RAM, and even more impressive, doesn't require any sort of external power connector to suck down the respectable 80-watts of power required for usage. It also appears to have a single-slot cooler and a hefty heatsink, not to mention a snazzy flame job that any true geek should adore. Let's face it, you're after the pics, so feel free to click on through for a few more shots and screengrabs from the installation. [Warning: Read link requires registration][Via Inquirer]
Fujitsu's LifeBook S2210 and P7230 laptops reviewed
It'd probably be tough to find anyone eying an ultralight laptop that hasn't given either the S2210 or P7230 (pictured after the jump) at least a glance, but just in case you're only moments away from pulling the trigger on either, you might want to reconsider. Unfortunately, it sounds like both of Fujitsu's latest LifeBooks underperformed in the areas that mattered most, and as PCMag put it, shoving a full-fledged PC (with an integrated optical drive, no less) into a three- to four-pound frame requires quite a few tradeoffs. Reviewers found the choice of processors somewhat necessary considering the tight spaces, but the sluggish performance within Vista was irritating to say the least. Additionally, upgraded machines tended not to be good values, as boosting the RAM, hard drive capacity, and optical drive drove the price "beyond the reach" of most business laptop customers. Still, the highly portable nature of both machines is impossible to knock, so if you're willing to be a tad more patient whilst working, and don't mind unusually small keyboards, both machines should handle whatever you throw at it -- albeit at its own lethargic pace.Read - Fujitsu's LifeBook S2210 ReviewRead - Fujitsu's LifeBook P7230 Review
AMD names names: R600 now the ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT
AMD is losing the "X" prefix of its ATI graphics lineup, and slapping on "HD" to denote the changes and advancements in its R600-based DirectX 10 cards. Up top is the Radeon HD 2900 XT (the rumors were close), with 320 stream processors, double that of the GeForce 8800 GTX from NVIDIA. The lower-end RV630- and RV610-based cards will go as the HD 2600 Pro / XT and the HD 2400 Pro / XT. HD on all these cards denotes the Avivo HD technology on board for decoding H.264 and VC-1 video off of Blu-ray and HD DVD discs. The 2900 series also has full HDMI outs, with integrated 5.1 surround sound. No exact launch date or pricing yet, but we shouldn't have too much longer to wait.
AMD's laptop-ready M690 chipset unveiled
While AMD's 690 chipset has already been put through its respective paces, it looks like the marketing team took the easy route when labeling its apparent mobile counterpart, but the M690 is here regardless. The firm's latest laptop chipset touts the same snazzy integrated graphics technology as its desktop-based sibling, as an ATI Radeon X1200 series graphics processor is built right in for your convenience. Additionally, it'll support the dual-core AMD Turion 64 X2 processors, and you'll also find an "innovative memory technology known as Display Cache," which reportedly allows the CPU to function in low-power mode without accessing system memory. Of course, the built-in ATI Avivo compatibility ensures both HDMI and DVI support for the media-centric set, and while it will supposedly end up in Asus and Fujitsu offerings in the future, you can test it out right away in HP Compaq's 6515b and 6715b.[Via Laptoping]
More yummy details surface on ATI's R600 offerings
Sure, most roadmaps don't present anything to get immediately excited about, but considering the journey the R600 has taken to get to this point, the newest details concerning its future are indeed enthralling. While we've seen ATI's beast, witnessed its mighty power (and kilowatt sucking abilities), and even heard about a recent snag, it looks like things could be worked out fairly soon. According to TweakTown, the flagship edition -- dubbed the X2900XTX and codenamed Dragons Head 2 -- will sport a 9.5-inch configuration, 1GB of GDDR4 memory, dual DVI, video in / out, and require a baffling 240-watts of energy delivered through dual onboard power connectors. The X2900XT (Cats Eye) will share most of the same design characteristics as the aforementioned card, but will tout GDDR3 RAM and a lower clock speed to boot. As seen in the read link, ATI is apparently looking at releasing several more iterations with varying clock speeds and other luxuries, and while we can't confirm the claims just yet, the cards could be hitting shelves anytime within the next several weeks depending on model.[Thanks, Juan D.]
Asus rolls out HDMI-enabled EAX1600PRO / EN7600GT graphics cards
Asus is no stranger to kicking out curious motherboards and other peripherals that we geeks just can't help but love, and following up on its undertaking of auxiliary displays and the AquaTank PCI card is a couple of swank new video cards that tout an HDCP-friendly HDMI port. The half-height ATI Radeon X1600 EAX1600PRO was apparently crafted with the common HTPC builder in mind, as its diminutive size lends itself to becoming a perfect fit for those tight spaces within AV-like media center PC cases. But before you gamers get too excited, you should probably know that in-game performance is likely to be less than stellar, but HotHardware did note that its model wasn't shy when overclocked. Interestingly, this HTPC-centric card comes bundled sans a true HDMI-to-HDMI cable, which leaves us all a bit miffed considering the niche it's trying to appease. The EN7600GT ups the ante by delivering the frame rate luxuries as only an NVIDIA GeForce 7600 can, but its full-height design will definitely cause problems in slimmer enclosures. Other extras found on this device are its SLI-capabilities, DVI / S-video outputs, and optical audio jack, but considering it packs just 256MB of GDDR3 RAM, the hardcore gamers in the crowd are still not likely to find themselves impressed. Still, with the EAX1600PRO ringing up at just around a cool hundred, and the more powerful EN7600GT asking just about twice that, these here cards look to be solid options if you're just getting around to creating your own HTPC.[Via Slashdot]
Reader WoWspace of the Week: February 21 to 27
Short and sweet this week. Okay, maybe the space is more grotty than sweet, but I'll let submitter Charlie explain: You guys seem to be featuring really neat and nice set-ups, so I thought I'd show you what most WoW player's desks look like! In order from left to right: Latest Newsweek, bottle of water, Bourne Supremacy, LOTR The Two Towers (Extended), a Hotpocket, an old Canon AE-1 (for when I do shoot film), Klipsch speakers (eh, they're ok, field is a little narrow), Apple 20" Cinema Display, iPod Mini (it's there, trust me), 90+ year old negatives from my grandmother that I need to take into work to restore (brown envelope), BC mouse pad, USB multi-card reader I ninja'd from work, RAZR, Dual 2GHz Power Mac G5 with 2GB of RAM, ATi Radeon 9600 with 128MB of DDR (eh, need to upgrade), old Joystick from when I used to play flight sims all night long, and my Ventrilo headset.Remember to send your submissions in to our Reader WoWspace address, along with a couple of good photos of your space.
