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Dell, Gigabyte and MSI pull products in wake of Sandy Bridge chipset flaw, HP faces delays (updated)
Every time we write about Intel's flawed Sandy Bridge chipset and the need for it to be physically replaced, the financial costs go up. Intel initially projected a $300 million hit to revenues, but then it set aside $700 million to cover repairs and replacements, which together brings us to the current estimate of $1 billion lost in "missed sales and higher costs." Those missed sales will be coming directly from guys like MSI and Gigabyte, two of the major motherboard makers, who have stopped selling their Sandy Bridge-compatible models until Intel delivers untainted stock, and also Dell, who has nixed availability of its Alienware M17x R3 gaming laptop. CNET did spot that HP and Dell were still selling laptops with the offending chipset in them yesterday, but we imagine both will get their online stores straightened out in due course. For its part, HP says it's pushing back a business notebook announcement due to this news, much like NEC has had to do. Moral of the story? Don't let faulty chips out of the oven. Update: Dell says the M17x R3 is just the tip of the iceberg here: "This affects four currently available Dell products, the XPS 8300, the Vostro 460, the Alienware M17x R.3 and the Alienware Aurora R.3, as well as several other planned products including XPS 17 with 3D. We're committed to addressing this with customers who have already purchased one of the four products and will provide further details on this as it becomes available." [Thanks, geller]
Samsung offering refunds for PCs affected by Sandy Bridge glitch, NEC looking at delays
We finally received full details on the issue affecting Intel's Sandy Bridge chipsets this morning, and now we're hearing of what looks to be the first confirmed recall. Samsung is indicating it will offer refunds for affected computers and, while it isn't saying exactly which models will be affected, it did give a number: six models sold in South Korea and one available in the US will be eligible for return or refund, about 3,000 total machines. NEC, meanwhile, who just went all-in with Lenovo, is indicating that it may push back the release of four separate models. Naturally we'll keep the updates coming as we get more details. [Thanks, Peter]
Intel Sandy Bridge chipset flaw identified as a rogue transistor affecting SATA ports
Intel raised quite a few eyebrows yesterday by disclosing that its Cougar Point chipsets suffer from an incurable design issue that would potentially degrade Serial ATA transfers over time. AnandTech has gone to the trouble of getting in touch with Intel to seek more information and the problem, as it turns out, is a single transistor that's prone to a higher current leakage than tolerable. This can not only diminish performance over the 3Gbps SATA ports, it can actually make them fail altogether. There is more comforting news, however, in that the pair of 6Gbps SATA ports on the chipset are untroubled by this ailment, so devices and users that never plug into the 3Gbps connections can just carry on as if nothing's ever happened. For everyone else, a repair and replacement service is taking place now, with Intel's budget for dealing with this problem said to be a generous $700 million.
Intel finds Sandy Bridge chipset design flaw, shipments stopped and recalls beginning
A problem requiring a "silicon fix" is bad news in the chipset business, and sadly that's what Intel is announcing. Its new Intel 6 Series chipset, Cougar Point, has been found to have a flaw, something to do with the SATA controller. Intel is indicating that the ports can "degrade over time," leading to poor i/o performance down the road. All shipments have been stopped and a fix has been implemented for new deliveries, but it sounds like recalls will be starting soon for those with this ticking time bomb silicon within. It isn't a critical problem right now, though, so if you own a Sandy Bridge Core i5 or Core i7 system keep computing with confidence while looking for a recall notice, but it is bad news for Intel's bottom line: the company is advising a $300 million hit to revenue. Update: Jimmy sent us a chat log with an Intel customer service representative indicating that this recall only affects "some desktop boards based on Intel P67 chipset," that the H67 chipset boards appear to not be affected, but that the company doesn't have a comprehensive list yet. We've certainly seen cases where CSRs don't have all the info in this sort of situation, but still we'd advise waiting a bit before tearing your new mobo out and bringing it back to the store. [Thanks, Matt]
MSI's GT680 gaming laptop reviewed: potent at 720p, some battery life too
MSI is calling this GT680R the world's fastest gaming laptop. Spoiler alert -- it's not -- but if you drop $1,650 to nab one starting this week, you'll certainly be getting some bang for those bucks. Trusted Reviews and Hot Hardware recently got their hands on the first Sandy Bridge-equipped portable monster of a gaming rig, and found the experience quite satisfying on the whole. Though Hot Hardware discovered that the 2.0GHz Core i7-2630QM chip and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M graphics weren't quite capable of playable framerates in the most demanding DX11 titles at native 1080p, lowering the resolution to 720 lines usually did the trick, and when it came to raw CPU benchmarks that Core i7 held its own against even last-gen desktop processors with little trouble to speak of. What's more, equipped with a nine-cell battery Trusted Reviews managed to eke out three hours of life in a basic productivity test, practically unheard of for a laptop of this class, though we suppose you're not likely to be carrying around this 7.7 pound beast for the sake of portable spreadsheets, eh? Hit up our source links for more details.
Current MacBook Pro hardware growing more scarce
If you are thinking about buying a MacBook Pro, the tea leaves suggest that you might want to wait before you pull out your wallet. MacRumors points out that Amazon is currently showing long wait times before some of the MacBook Pro models ship. They add that they've heard from others that supplies are running low. Given the revision history of the MacBook Pro line, it would not be surprising to see a new version in the near future -- in fact, it would be surprising not to see an update soon. The real questions are: 1) when? and 2) what new features will they include? One potential new feature might be the Sandy Bridge processors and possibly some solid-state drives like we've seen in the MacBook Air, although I would still expect that most of them would come with regular hard drives for the time being. Another lingering question is how long Apple will continue to include optical drives in its computers. Although it seems like it would be "too soon" to drop them entirely, I still remember when Apple dropped the floppy drive long before most people thought they were dead. I'm not a huge fan of trying to guess when Apple will or won't release new hardware. It's been fairly predictable with new iPhones in the summer and new iPods in September, but release cycles for other products aren't nearly as reliable. Given that Apple's own online stores show plenty of immediate inventory, we could be looking at another month or two before the new versions ship, or we could wake up next Tuesday and find the store has gone down overnight and come back up with new versions. That said, unless your current MacBook Pro was lost, stolen or caught on fire, I'd recommend being as patient as possible.
Maingear throws Sandy Bridge, GTX 485M into eX-L 15 laptop
Here's hoping you don't mind having your existing laptop made antiquated by this one. Just months after Maingear introduced its Clutch-15 and Alt-15 machines, along comes yet another 15.6-incher... and this one's claiming to be the world's fastest in its category. The eX-L 15 packs a 1920 x 1080 screen resolution (with glossy or matte options!), a variety of new Sandy Bridge chips (with the Core i7 2920XM capping things off), NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 460M (1.5GB) / GTX 485M (2GB), up to 16GB of DDR3-1333 memory, a 2x Blu-ray reader, HDMI / DVI outputs, gigabit Ethernet, two USB 3.0 ports and a pair of USB 2.0 sockets to round things off. The starting tag of $1,579 certainly isn't easy to swallow, but where else are you getting a powerhouse like this with a Full HD matte display? Exactly.
Sony VAIO SA and SB show up at European e-tailers with 13-inch screens, Core i5 / i7 CPUs, SSD options
Looks like Sony is preparing to freshen up the top end of its laptop range with a pair of new VAIO series, the SA and SB. An Intel Core i7-2620M is found populating a listing for an SA1X9E/XI model, alongside 4GB of DDR3 RAM, 128GB of SSD storage, AMD Radeon HD 6630M graphics, and a 1600 x 900 resolution squeezed into a 13.3-inch screen. All that for a measly £1,571 (nearly $2,500). What's intriguing about that 2.7GHz dual-core CPU is that Intel lists a February 20th launch date for it, potentially giving us a hint as to when Sony will put the trigger with its refresh. The VAIO SB laptops are set to be the tamer offering, being built around the latest Core i5 chips, though we've yet to know for certain what any of these new machines will actually look like. So, for your speculative pleasure, we've embedded a video after the break with some prototypes spotted at CES that could end up slapped with the SA / SB labels.
System 76 brings Sandy Bridge to Ubuntu with Gazelle and Serval laptops
System 76 has been doing open source right for quite some time now, and it's just unleashed what it claims is the "most powerfull Ubuntu laptop in the world" -- so powerful it needs that extra L. It's the Serval Professional, offering your choice of Intel Core i7 processors ranging from the 2GHz 2630QM to the 2.5GHz 2920XM. Graphics are handled by a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 485M GPU that pumps 1080p worth of pixel dust to a 15.6-inch, LED-backlit display. Prices for that machine start at $1,379 but you're only a few mouse clicks away from three times that. On the slightly lower-end scale is the Gazelle Professional, with a more limited range of processors and graphics options, but the same 15.6-inch display and a price that starts at $1,239. Both come with any operating system you like -- so long as it's Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat. %Gallery-115027%
Digital Storm's slim Enix desktop takes Sandy Bridge to 4.7GHz
Overclocked, custom-built PCs are nothing new, and neither is 4.7GHz from the factory. But Digital Storm has managed to take one of Intel's newest Sandy Bridge chips to that height, and it's doing so in a case that's far sleeker than most of the towers out there. The all-new Enix relies on a Micro-ATX system board, vertical heat dissipation and a mobo that's rotating 90 degrees -- a move that's being made in order to "take advantage of heat's natural tendency to rise." Consumers can order one starting today, with the $1,132 base unit boasting a Core i3-2100, 4GB of DDR3-1600 memory, NVIDIA's 1GB GeForce GT 220, a 1TB hard drive and a copy of Windows 7 Home Premium. The high-end model tops out at just north of two large, with each model offering a hot-swap bay and a pair of USB 3.0 ports. Eye candy is below, and the source link shouldn't be ventured to unless you're fairly immune to impulse buys. %Gallery-114981%
Acer building Sandy Bridge tablets for Android, will use them to 'phase out' netbooks
You'd be forgiven for expecting that the dual-core Tegra 2 that swept all before it at CES would be the king of tablet processors for a good while, but Acer is already plotting ways to overthrow it. Admittedly, Acer is kind of cheating by jumping into x86 land and snatching some unspecified Intel Sandy Bridge silicon, but are you really going to complain about getting multi-core grunt under the hood of your well-lubricated Android machine? An official from the company has promised two to three new tablets, sized at either 7 or 10 inches diagonally, for the first half of this year -- a tasty morsel of information, which he garnishes with the forecast that netbooks will eventually be phased out in favor of such touchy-feely slate devices. If you can fit a full second-gen Core CPU inside a tablet, why the heck not? Updated: Acer's US team has clarified for us that the Android tablets it announced in November are still set to hit in April. Obviously, these Sandy Bridge versions would be farther off, but we've also heard from another source that Acer would likely wait for Intel's ULV-based Sandy Bridge processors, which aren't due until the spring / summer timeframe. We'll let you know if we hear more.
Fujitsu launches 11.6-inch Lifebook PH50/C, complete with AMD Fusion APU
Now that AMD's Fusion is finally real, we're all sorts of excited to see what kind of numbers the E-350 Zacate APU puts up in honest-to-goodness machines like Fujitsu's latest. The minty fresh Lifebook PH50/C is just one of the many new lappies unveiled this week by the company, but this particular 11.6-incher has managed to grab our heartstrings and not let go. Boasting a cute, albeit familiar design, the PH50/C is equipped with a 1.6GHz E-350 APU, Radeon HD 6310 graphics, 2GB of memory, a 500GB hard drive, Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) and a 5,800mAh battery good for up to seven hours of life in ideal conditions. For those more interested in Intel's Sandy Bridge, the like-minded PH74/C gets powered by a Core i3-2310M, and given that it's a Japanese machine designed for Japanese owners, an in-built WiMAX module is thrown in for good measure. We're also getting the impression that both of these can be ordered up with Intel's Wireless Display technology, and considering that Buffalo just introduced a new WiDi adapter for this very market, we'd say things have lined up quite nicely. Pricing remains up in the air, but they should be out in Q1 for under $800 or so.
Dell implants Sandy Bridge CPUs within biz-minded Vostro 460 mini tower
Tried booting your corporate PC lately? Dollars to donuts it takes longer than three minutes to complete. The point? You need Sandy Bridge, and you need it now. Dell's hoping your IT department will agree, with the introduction of the Vostro 460 mini tower bringing along Intel's second generation Core processors (Core i5 and Core i7 options are available), Turbo Boost 2.0 and an understated design. Customers can also load it up with as much as 3TB of storage, a Blu-ray drive, 1GB NVIDIA or AMD discrete graphics card and a USB 3.0 expansion card. You'll also get a tool-less chassis, eight USB 2.0 ports, inbuilt security services from Trend Micro and a starting price of $599. Surely that fits into the Q1 budget somewhere, right?
Intel's Sandy Bridge hits the desktop realm: Dell, CyberPower, Digital Storm and more
For the most part, Intel's Sandy Bridge introduction at CES made a giant impact in the outlook of future laptops, but not as much was said over in the desktop world. Quietly, a slew of custom PC makers have slid out revised towers with the second generation Core lineup, with Dell's XPS 8300, Digital Storm's entire family, Cyber Power's Gamer Xtreme 1000 / 2000 and iBuyPower's Chimera XLC seeing the new Core i5 and Core i7 chips. Care to dig in deeper? Hit the source links below, and be sure to bust out your credit card -- Intel's fastest doesn't come cheap, you know.
NextComputing's Radius 'portable' workstation infused with Sandy Bridge
Not news: NextComputing's Radius portable workstation is still stretching destroying the bounds of what's actually considered mobile. News: But now, the Radius is a lot more powerful than the prior iterations. The newfangled Radius is now available with Intel's Sandy Bridge processors, with the latest model of the all-in-one workstation offering multiple full-length / full-height PCI Express slots, multiple terabytes of storage and an integrated display. As for applications? It's still aimed at those who need serious oomph in the field, and frankly, editing political commercials or crunching SETI data in the Amazon sounds far more enjoyable than doing so in [insert your city here]. No offense of anything.
Samsung's ultrathin 9 Series laptop coming in February
We didn't have a date for Samsung's 9 Series when it became official a couple of days ago, but now we do: it's coming next month. Sammy's press release makes sure to run us through all the bodacious specs of this 13.3-inch machine, including the LED-backlit display with 400 nits of brightness, 128GB SSD, 1.4GHz Core i5-2537M CPU, and MacBook Air-like proportions, before disclosing its arrival month as February 2011. The starting price is still a high and mighty $1,599, but then you do get a pretty stellar laptop for your cash money. Check out the full announcement after the break. [Thanks, Mario]
Sony VAIO Y picks up AMD Fusion, S Series gets some Intel cores
Oh yes, it's a laptop processor war here at CES with AMD's new Fusion APUs and Intel's fresh Sandybridge CPUs gunning for core territory, but Sony's not pickin' sides when it comes to its new seriously mobile VAIOs. Kicking it off on the lower end is the 11.6-inch, 3.2-pound VAIO YB Series, which is being refreshed with AMD's Brazos E350 APU. Sony doesn't consider the YB to be a netbook -- in fact, it doesn't plan to continue with its netbook line after this quarter -- but like most of these other Fusion systems (see: HP dm1 and Acer AO 522) the Y promises long battery life along with really solid graphics. Actually, according to the product manager, the platform has been out performing Intel's Pentium processors. The system will be available with Windows 7 Home Premium, 320GB or 500GB hard drives, and 4GB of RAM -- as you would expect, the $549 base configuration only gets 2GB of RAM and 320GB of storage. The Intel-powered YA Series will still be available with a Core i5 processor option for close to $750. (Note: We got some hands-on time with the YB Series before it was released, check out the hands-on here.) So, what does Sony have in store on the more powerful ultraportable end? The 13.3-inch VAIO S series is a four-pound Core i3-powered ultraportable clad in a durable magnesium casing. It doesn't seem to be configurable with discrete graphics, but it will have WiDi. That enough for ya? Hit the break for the press releases if you're looking for more. %Gallery-112287%
Samsung RC512 snatches up Intel's latest Core i7 CPU, RV511 sticks to older cores
Sure, Samsung's Series 9 is all beautiful and thin, but Sammy's rounding out its laptop family with two slightly heftier and more affordable systems. First up is the RC512 (pictured above), and the 15-inch machine is all about power -- it packs Intel's newest Core i7-2630M processor, 6GB of DDR3 memory, discrete NVIDIA GeForce 430 graphics, a Blu-ray drive, and a 750GB hard drive. For $1,150 it sounds mighty nice and even better it should be available in the coming weeks. Looking for something for half the price? The $600 15.6-inch RV511 (picture after the break) may do the trick -- well, if a Core i3-380M CPU, 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB hard drive works for you. That's all we've got for now on the duo, but if they're anything like the QX410 we recently reviewed, Samsung's going to be finding itself near the top of our favorite laptop manufacturer list.
Toshiba refreshes Satellite L Series with Intel's latest processors
Toshiba's CES laptop flood continues with a refresh of its L Series Satellites, including the 13.3-inch L635, the 14-inch L645, the 15.6-inch L655 and the 17.3-inch L675. All models will be available in a variety of colors in the Helios pattern you've come to know and love from Toshiba. Spec-wise, you'll have a choice of Intel or AMD dual-core CPUs, including Intel's Core i3-380M, Core i5-480M, and the 2nd generation Core i3-2310M and Core i5-2410M on the L650 models. AMD options include the dual-core Athlon II and Turion II, and both dual and quad-core Phenom II CPUs. All models can pack up to 4GB of DDR3 SDRAM, and up to 640GB hard drives, plus they all have built-in webcams. Select models will also boast Bluetooth and HDMI out. The refreshed Satellite L Series laptops will be available some time in the first half of this year, for prices ranging from $469.99 to $849.99. %Gallery-112721%
Toshiba launches Satellite M645, A665, A665 3D Edition laptops
Toshiba's just launched a bunch of new laptops featuring Intel's brand new processors. First up, the 15.6-inch Satellite A665 has a host of processor options including the Core i7-2630QM and AMD Phenom II Dual and Quad Cores, while the 14-inch Satellite M645 boasts the Intel Core i5-2410M as standard. Both models have multiple graphics options up to NVIDIA GeForce or GT 525M with Optimus, up to 8GB of DDR3 SDRAM, and up to 640GB hard drives. There's also a Satellite A665 3D Edition which features a full HD, 3D-ready display and comes with NVIDIA's active shutter 3D glasses and #D Vision IR emitter. We don't have availability information for these new laptops yet beyond the fact that they'll arrive in the first half of this year, but the Satellite A665 will run you between $684.99 and $1,049.99 for the fully specced out model, while the Satellite M645 will cost between $749.99 and $1099.99. The Satellite A665 3D Edition will cost between $1,249.99 and $1,599.99. %Gallery-112719%
