SLI
Latest
NVIDIA reveals GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB
Not even two months after NVIDIA tempted gamers on a budget with the GeForce 8800 GT, the outfit has loosed a new beast just in time for those eleventh hour holiday shoppers. Based on 65-nanometer fabrication, the 8800 GTS 512MB boasts 128 stream processors, twin dual-link DVI ports, PureVideo HD technology, DirectX 10 support, a 650MHz core clock / 970MHz memory clock and hardware decode acceleration for smooth playback of "H.264, VC-1, WMV and MPEG-2 HD and SD movies." According to the company, this card provides some 25-percent more processing power than NVIDIA products previously offered at the same price point, which, if you're wondering, is around $299 to $349.[Via HotHardware]
Cinemassively: Second Life Cable Network
It's been half of a year since Second Life Insider first covered the Second Life Cable Network. Since that time, they've expanded rapidly, growing into a full blown TV station. Their determination has set them apart from other video programs inside SL. I'll personally never forget them, because Starr Sonic poured glitter in my hair at the Second Life Community Convention. It took two people 20 minutes to pick it all out!SLCN offers a variety of programming for the audience. For the sports fanatics, they have sailing, hockey, SLASCAR racing, and snail racing. They also have weekly talk shows, streaming of live concerts, fashion shows, and on location reporting. In addition, they recently announced a shopping channel that will run 24 hours a day! These channels can be watched on their website or streamed into Second Life.Read on after the jump to find out more about SLCN ...
Toshiba rolls out SLI-equipped Satellite X205 laptops
Toshiba looks to be doing its best to make it's high-end X200 series laptops even more attractive to gamers, with its latest X205 models sporting SLI graphics courtesy of NVIDIA, among other upgrades. That desirable option is available in both the X205-SLI1 and X205-SLI3 models, each of which pack dual NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT GPUs, with a combined 512MB of dedicated video RAM. Otherwise, you can expect standard HD DVD drives on both models, with a 2.0GHz T7250 Core 2 Duo processor on the SLI1 and a speedier 2.2GHz T7500 on the SLI3. Both models also pack 17-inch widescreen displays, although the SLI3 ups the resolution to 1680 x 1050, as opposed to the standard 1440 x 900 on the SLI1; the former model also comes bundled with a USB HDTV tuner. From the looks of it, you can get your hands on either one now, with the SLI1 setting you back an even $2,000, and the SLI3 running $2,400.
Eurocom's quad-core D900C Phantom-X laptop gets official
Good news for those waiting in tense anticipation for a confirmation on Eurocom's quad-core lappie: it's for real. Dubbed the D900C Phantom-X, this powerhouse will reportedly pack Intel's "newest line of quad-core processors," up to 750GB of internal HDD space, your choice of NVIDIA GPUs running in single or dual SLI, a Blu-ray optical drive, up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM, and a slew of ports including USB 2.0, FireWire, DVI, S-Video, a multicard reader, optical and analog audio in / out, and a gigabit Ethernet jack for good measure. 'Course, you'll also find integrated Bluetooth 2.0, 802.11a/b/g, stereo speakers, a built-in microphone, and an optional TV tuner that could certainly make you question the necessity of your desktop. So, you big spender you, go on and get your order in now and let the bragging commence -- if you've got the $2,999 it'll take for the base configuration, that is.[Thanks, Mark B.]
Alienware m9750: now with dual 512MB NVIDIA GPUs
We can just imagine the smiles creeping over the faces of FPS freaks everywhere as they dream about owning a laptop with twin 512MB NVIDIA GPUs, and thanks to Alienware's refreshed m9750, you can now replace those visions with an actual order. The newly revamped 17-inch machine still offers up a WXGA+ or WUXGA display, up to 400GB of internal HDD space in a RAID 0 array, Blu-ray support, and a plethora of connectivity options, but it now includes Intel's 2.33GHz Core 2 Duo and a delightful pair of 512MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7950 GTX graphics cards for all the battery-drainin', high-rez gaming you can handle. The freshened up system is due to ship late next month, and while you can get your own for $2,099, the upgraded graphics rig alone will set you back another $600.
NVIDIA prepping power-saving Hybrid SLI technology
X-bit Labs reports that NVIDIA is working on some new SLI technology that'll not only cut power consumption, but boost performance (sort of) as well. Key to this so-called Hybrid SLI technology are two different operating modes that kick in depending on the application: a Power Saving mode that switches off the discrete graphics core when it's not needed, and a Max Performance mode that turns on the juice for games or other demanding applications. In addition to desktops, NVIDIA also sees this solution as a boon to laptops, which could take advantage of the low power mode when on battery power, and kick into high gear when plugged in. Unfortunately, NVIDIA isn't sayin' too much else at the moment, but it is promising that the first Hybrid SLI-based systems will be available "late this year."[Thanks, Mack S]
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.
Vigor Gaming's Force Recon QXN packs a quad core QX6800
We're always impressed with how fast manufacturers are able to incorporate newly-announced components into their products -- we think there's some black magic at play -- and sure enough, boutique gaming house Vigor is already offering a gaming desktop powered by Intel's new high end Core 2 Extreme QX6800. Besides the 2.93GHz, quad core processor -- which comes standard -- you can also stuff this box with as much as 4GB of blazing fast 1111MHz DDR2 RAM, 750GB of storage, dual NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX cards in SLI, as well as the usual array of optical drives, wireless radios, and connectivity ports. Available immediately, the ominously-titled Force Recon QXN starts at $3,500 and just keeps reaching for the stars from there.
MALIBAL announces 20-inch Veda Series notebooks
After having bemusedly watched the jokesters at LAPTOP magazine struggle to operate a Dell M2010 laptop in public, we're pretty sure it's only the most hardcore of LAN partygoers who are snatching up these 20-inch models -- so it must be this small but dedicated demographic that Las Vegas-based MALIBAL is targeting with the new Veda series of desktop replacements. Almost certainly rebadges, the first round of Vedas do indeed offer some pretty impressive components, including dual core AMD Turion 64 X2 processors, up to two NVIDIA GeForce Go 7950 GTX cards in SLI pushing 1,680 x 1,050 pixels, as much as 4GB of RAM and 400GB of storage, along with integrated TV tuners, dual-layer DVD burners, and the seemingly de rigueur 1.3 megapixel webcam. Available only through MALIBAL directly, this model starts out at $2,799 and keeps moving skyward until it's too expensive to take out of the house.
CompAmerica's new 'most powerful laptop on Earth,' the Orca Extreme
With the way CompAmerica goes around bragging about the superiority of its laptops, you'd think that the company was some high end, boutique gaming manufacturer -- instead of one of the many companies simply offering rebadge after rebadge. Just like other 'bigger than life' players such as Eurocom and Rock, ol' CA makes most of its loot selling machines originally available from Clevo, so it should be no surprise that its latest 'most powerful laptop on Earth' -- the 17-inch Orca Extreme -- is really just that D900C we saw last month. You know, Core 2 Extreme CPU, dual GeForce 7950 GTX cards in SLI, up to 4GB of RAM, and of course those three hard drives that can offer up to 600GB of storage in RAID 0. This whale of a laptop can be yours immediately -- that is, if you don't already own one of its doppelgangers -- starting right around $2,600.[Via laptoping]
Commodore unveils boutique gaming rigs at CeBIT
While it's certainly tempting to wax philosophically about how Commodore has finally made the transition from 64KB of memory to 64-bit operating systems, the truth is that the company which just announced a line of boutique gaming PC's at CeBIT is far removed from the one that ruled the 80's and enhanced our droll elementary school days with some therapeutic Rampage. Still, the four BTO gaming rigs unveiled by the latest iteration of Commodore -- the XX, GX, GS, and G -- seem to stand on their own as solid machines, offering anywhere from a 1.86GHz Core 2 Duo E6320 to a 2.66GHz QX6700 Core 2 Extreme CPU, a single NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GS all they way up to dual 8800 GTX cards, between 2GB and 4GB of RAM, and hard drive capacities up to 750GB in an array of RAID configurations. Besides the top-of-the-line specs, these new workhorses give gamers the chance to personalize their paint jobs through a "revolutionary painting process" that may help you forget that your tower isn't shaped like the head of an alien. The revived company's online store will begin taking orders in April, and though pricing structures have yet to be revealed, expect to pay a significant premium for the privilege of bringing Commodore back into your home. [Photo courtesy of Pocket Lint]
Clevo D900C laptop touts Core 2 Duo Extreme, SLI NVIDIA 8800s
Sure, we've all heard those short-lived (or outright absurd) claims of a world's most powerful laptop, and the term "desktop replacement" has been around the block a few too many times, but a Taiwanese manufacturer is doing the not-so-unthinkable yet again. The Clevo D900c (which could likely be rebadged as a Sager 9260 and / or Pro-Star 9191D) is a 17-inch monster that packs quite a wallop under the presumably toasty hood, including an option for Intel's Core 2 Duo processors, dual 1GB NVIDIA GeForce Go 8800 graphics cards, up to 4GB of RAM, up to three hard drives in a RAID 0/1/5 array, 7.1-channel audio, built-in stereo speakers, the ability to house dual optical drives, integrated TV tuner, 1.3-megapixel webcam, and a flash card reader to boot. You'll also find a smorgasbord of ports and connectivity options, including WiFi, Bluetooth, FireWire, 56k modem, USB 2.0, and DVI / S-video outputs. Of course, with horsepower like this, we highly doubt the 12-cell Li-ion will last much over an hour (if that) under full strain, but we're fairly certain you won't be using this 11.9-pound beast solely on your lap much at all. We know you're wondering, so if you've been eying a mobile gaming rig and have around $2,700 (or much more for the juiced version) laying around, you can snag one sometime in the April / May timeframe.[Via NotebookReview, thanks Andrew]
NVIDIA readying three-way SLI for CeBIT?
Who needs two-way SLI when you've got three-way SLI, right? Reportedly, NVIDIA is readying a new three-way SLI approach that will actually hit "the mainstream," which differs somewhat from the SLI x 4 renditions that currently reside primarily in pre-fab boxes and luxury boutiques. While we've already heard that Asus' forthcoming U1F will show up at CeBIT, NVIDIA's new SLI treatment just might steal a bit of everyone's thunder by loosing it on the public with a presumably "spiffy marketing" scheme. What this means for the future of linking GPUs together to squeeze marginal benefits out of a gaming rig remains to be seen, but if this rumor proves true, we'll be getting a lot more details come month's end.
Blu-ray, SLI-equipped Alienware Area-51 7500 reviewed
Alienware's Area-51 7500 desktop has certainly been on the chopping block before, but the inquisitive folks over at Bit-Tech were able to land a refreshed unit that not only featured dual NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX graphics card and a 2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800 processor, but a built-in (unbranded Matshita) Blu-ray drive to boot. Instantly, reviewers expected the snazzy looking machine to spin right on through every benchmark laid in front of it, and for the coin you'd be paying, we can't say that's such an unrealistic request. During 2D / 3D testing, the SLI-equipped system simply dominated in terms of FPS, image quality, and smoothness, as reviewers actually stated that current games couldn't even take full advantage of all that horsepower just yet. Also of note was the Blu-ray playback, which ended up being practically flawless after the review crew had their (understandable) doubts about how well the unit itself and HDCP films would operate within a PC environment. After trying out both analog and digital monitor connections, the player streamed out films in crisp 1,920 x 1,080 resolution without a hitch after PowerDVD 6.5 was loaded up, officially allowing for a collective sigh of relief. With a system this pricey, however, criticisms come easier, and they were quick to note that the included Patriot RAM was likely hindering performance somewhat due to "faulty memory timings," and also stated that the lackluster audio card should have been spruced up given the lofty cost. Overall, Bit-Tech was quite pleased with Alienware's latest, but while the machine itself landed an 8 out of 10 rating, the £3,434 ($6,780) pricetag resulted in a paltry 5 out of 10 in the "Value" department, which is about par for the course for these guys.
Alienware launches "most powerful" Area-51 m9750 laptop
While we'll have to wait on some benchmarks to find out if Alienware's new Area-51 m9750 laptop is actually the world's "most powerful 17-inch system," there's no denying that the specs are plenty hot. The laptop features SLI NVIDIA graphics, Core 2 Duo processors, a Blu-ray optical drive, dual HDD up to 200GB per and up to 2GB of dual-channel DDR2 667MHz RAM. That 17-inch monitor features an eyesight bustin' 1920 x 1200 resolution, and should look nice with Vista, which will come pre-installed on the laptop. Alienware even tossed in a TV tuner and a full-size numeric keypad. No word on price or availability, but January 30th (Vista's out) seems a decent guess, and "a whole wad of cash" seems quite likely as well.
'Luxury' gaming PCs: When a solid-gold PS3 isn't enough
The Associated Press writes about high-end, "luxury" gaming PCs easily overpowering the consoles. The computers cited from Alienware and Falcon Northwest cost $5,400 and $9,600 respectively. (The Falcon PC includes a 30-inch display at that price.)Our first reaction was, "So what, of course PCs are faster." Then, we moved to, "How much again!?" There seems to be a sense of pride in enthusiasts spending a lot of money on their PC. At a recent Nvidia event, audience members in the front rows were thanked for being such strong supporters of the company; they'd each spent about $1,000 for SLI setups on their current gaming machines. Yes, that's just for video cards.Is the ability to appreciate gaming rigs for their price just a gene we're missing? Are we getting old and cranky? Where's our pudding?
Alienware bumps its m9700 with colors and some mightySLI juice
Sure, SLI laptops are a dime a dozen these days, but Alienware's Aurora m9700 is one of the few 17-inch SLI lappies around, and it just got a severe performance boost in the form of dual nVIDIA GeForce Go 7900 GS graphics cards with 512MB of memory apiece. In celebration of the new juicy spec, Alienware is throwing down two new colors: Conspiracy Blue and Cyborg Green, for $100 extra. It doesn't look like many other specs have budged, the processors still top out at a 2.4GHz AMD Turion 64 processor, and there are options for MIMO networking and a TV tuner, along with the standard Bluetooth and gigabit Ethernet. Prices start at $1700, and the dual 512MB graphics will bump that price up to $2300. Everything should be shipping by the 11th.[Via laptoping]
Core 2 Duo laptops to get SLI?
All ye Intel faithful, we come bearing (potentially) sterling news. According to DigiTimes' Taiwan notebook manufacturer sources, with the addition of Intel's Core 2 Duo mobile processor lineup also comes the addition of SLI support; yes, it could be that you'll no longer be shackled to faster, cheaper, cooler-performing AMD chips to get your double-barreled graphics adapter-equipped mobile gaming rig on. Supposedly they're building in support for NVIDIA SLI and CrossFire both, but don't be surprised if ATI gets the rug pulled out from underneath them at the last moment now that they've officially joined the AMD cadre. In fact, until support is officially confirmed don't be surprised if it just never happens at all.[Via Laptoping]
Nvidia brings the graphics ruckus with $18K system
You know what we always say here at Joystiq: today's PC graphics cards just aren't expensive enough. We've got about $18K burning a hole in the Joystiq petty cash drawer, so we could either buy the entire staff brand new computers stocked with the latest and greatest graphics cards ... or just grab one of Nvidia's new Quadro Plex 1000s, designed for 12-megapixel HD video, scientific visualizations, and Crysis (we guess). Want some specs? "According to Nvidia, a node can achieve up to 64x full scene anti-aliasing (FSAA), deliver a performance of up to 148 megapixels on 16 synchronized digital-output channels and eight HD SDI channels. The firm says that the fill rate reaches 80 billion pixels/s while the geometry performance is rated at seven billion vertices/s."And wouldn't you know it, it starts around $17,500. That means we can scrape together just enough to pick one of these up when they drop in September. Then we'll need to work out an amenable custody plan between all of us.[Via Engadget]
Alienware's Area-51 7500 gaming desktop reviewed
When you pack Intel's blazing new Core 2 Extreme processor and a pair of top-of-the-line nVIDIA GeForce 7900 GTX graphics cards into a single gaming desktop, you can pretty much expect it to post impressive benchmark numbers. It's no surprise, then, that Alienware's newly-speced Area-51 7500 showed the videogame addicts over at IGN some of the best performance they've ever seen, and ran surprisingly quietly while doing so -- thanks in no small part to the liquid-cooling system. Also noteworthy was the new P2 chassis Alienware employed for this model, which improves on older cases both aesthetically -- it sports a glossier paint job and more configurable lights to play with -- as well as functionally, with the shorter-but-deeper design intended to support extra-long graphics cards. Besides the relative lack of configurability -- there's only one open PCI slot, so you can add a physics processor or dedicated sound card, but not both -- the only real knock against this machine is it's price; at just under $5,000, you're paying a lot for the snazzy case and Alienware support network. Still, busy gamers don't always have time to build their own rigs (sometimes they don't even have time to go to the bathroom), so this version of the Area-51 sounds like a good way to get "best-of-the-best" performance without spending hours hunched over your work bench; instead, you'll be spending those hours working overtime at your day job to afford it.[Thanks, David]
