Thin and Light
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Dell teases new ultrathin Adamo XPS
We've seen some thin laptops in our day, but 9.99mm is pretty dang thin (thinner than an iPhone, in fact). There's no other info on this new Adamo, and Dell is calling it the "9.99mm Design Concept," which doesn't really help us know how far along it is. Let's just hope Dell didn't have to succumb to Atom to get the size down this far.
MSI X600 hands-on: 15.6-inches on a slim plastic platter
There's not really much to say about MSI's X600 that can't be said about the X340: both laptops slightly improve upon the (rather shoddy) build quality of the X320, but the X600 is just bigger, and packs a numeric keypad. The keyboard is really the definition of mushy, though it's at least got a bit of a backbone underneath now, and the machine overall feels like it could snap in half at the slightest bit of misapplied pressure. We're sure that's an overstatement, and it's hard to find this much computer in this thin of a form factor at this low of price, but you might want to save a few dollars for a new pair of kid gloves if you're thinking of making the plunge.
Samsung X Series withstands human weight test, other hands-on impressions
We suppose we asked for it when we called the new X Series plastic "cheap" to Samsung's face, but we got some wild build quality trust in return when the Samsung guy stood on his laptop for us. So, the plastic feels cheap, but at least it'll hold up under (considerable) pressure, and the matte palm rest is certainly an improvement over the glossy overload of the competition. Upon closer inspection we're still not really feeling the design of these laptops, and the port layout feels a little haphazard, but at least everything's there and there's no garishness to complain about. The X120's side-button trackpad is a bit of a disappointment, though all three laptops do support multitouch for the all important two-finger scrolling. But enough blabber, check out the laptop standing stunt on video after the break!
Samsung X Series thin-and-lights sport dual-core CULV procs, 9 hour battery life
Samsung just debuted its new X Series line, a trio of fairly thin big brothers to the new netbooks Samsung is also launching today. The X420 (14-inch), X520 (14.6-inch) and X120 (11.6-inch, pictured) all hover around 0.95-inches thick, and range from 3 ounces to 4.4 pounds in weight. Samsung is touting its new design language for the laptops, though at a glance it doesn't seem too special -- the scratch-resistant UV coating for the glossy finish is a nice touch, though. Under the hood we're a little short on details, but an unannounced dual-core Intel CULV processor makes an appearance somewhere in there. Otherwise there's the fairly standard WiFi, Bluetooth, card reader, and HDMI plug. Samsung claims some special mojo to squeeze 9 hours of battery out of its 6 cell batteries (in the X420 and X520, the X120 does 4 cell), with 6 hours of movie playback also claimed -- we'll believe it when we see it, but we want to believe. Prices range from 699 to 899 Euro (about $1,000 to $1,286 US), and the line should ship this month in Europe and Asia.
BenQ endows S35 and S43 Joybooks with CULV, kicks 'em out the door
It's not quite on the scale of the netbook revolution, but the CULV ultraportable uprising does seem to be gathering steam. Latest on the scene is BenQ, with its 13.3-inch S35 and 14-inch S43 Joybooks, sporting a choice between a single core SU3500, dual core SU7300, or some old and busted Celeron 723 / 743 chips. From what Acer's Timeline series has shown, the 1.4GHz SU3500 is a major step up from Atom machines, while making for ridiculous battery longevity. BenQ claim you'll be able to squeeze more than five hours of juice from the default batteries and there's an eight cell option on the S35 that is rated for 11+ hours. Hard drives clock in at 500GB, Bluetooth, WiFi and the like are all present, and the S43 also gets an ATI Mobility Radeon HD4330 GPU option to make it stand out. The announcement is for Asia only so far, but we see no reason why these laptops shouldn't make it to more familiar shores as well. [Via Engadget Chinese]
MSI's AMD-powered U210 up for pre-order, still not 'official'
Who needs press releases? You can snap up an MSI U210 pre-order right this second on Amazon, so why bother waiting MSI to actually confirm the thing for a Stateside release? Morality. That's why. Kids these days think they can just drop $430 on any old Athlon Neo MV-40-powered (the same chips at the heart of HP's dv2) 12-inch XGA ultraportable with 2GB of RAM and a 250GB HDD and 802.11n and not have to pay the consequences. Well, we're not standing for it. That read link right below? Not an implied approval of these illicit activities. [Via Mark's Technology News]
Gateway's 11.6-inch EC1803h CULV ultraportable surfaces in Canada
All the cool kids are building CULV-powered 11.6-inch miniature wonders, and Acer-owned Gateway is no exception. This new EC1803h unit (a rebadge of sorts of Acer's Timeline 1810T) just popped up in Canada, and has a lot in common with Gateway's LT2000 netbooks -- though somehow knowing there's a "real" processor underneath makes it seem just a bit more sexy. Unfortunately, the $600 Canadian (about $550 US) pricetag isn't quite as grand as the $400ish CULV laptops that Acer and Dell have been showing, but it's hard to fault the 3GB of RAM, 6 cell standard battery and 250GB hard drive. No word on when this will head to the States.
MSI Wind U210 with AMD Athlon Neo announced for Europe
We see what MSI is doing. First, they released a followup to the Intel-packin' X-Slim X600 with an otherwise-identical AMD-based machine called the X610. And now they're making the MSI Wind U200 available with an AMD processor as well. And what do you think they're calling it? the U210, of course. Starting at €399, the Wind U210-002 sports an Athlon Neo MV-40 1.6GHz processor with 1GB memory, 160GB HDD, and XP Home. The Wind U210-010 ups the ante a bit with 2GB memory, 250GB HDD, and Vista Home Premium, going for €449. We don't have the exact release date, but we're sure by then the company will have more laptops to shove an AMD processor into. [Thanks, Tom]
MSI X-Slim X610 leaked, reviewed by Russians
If the gang at 3D News are to be believed (and why not?), this familiar looking notebook isn't MSI's X-Slim X600 at all, but the not-yet-announced X-Slim X610. And if a leaked ultraportable isn't enough excitement for you, wait'll we tell you that they actually got their hands on one of these beauts and gave it the full-on review treatment. As you'd expect from a machine that shares chassis, specs, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 graphics, a 250GB hard drive, 4GB RAM, and all but one digit of its name with the original, there is not too much to report. The major difference is that the X610 foregoes Intel's 1.4GHz SU3500 CPU in place of an AMD Athlon MV-40 (1.6GHz), which results in some slower benchmarks, but not enough that you'd readily notice in everyday use. And then there is battery life -- the new guy clocks in at slightly less than two hours, or around 20 percent less than the X600. Same machine, same specs, poorer performance -- not really a step in the right direction, MSI. Perhaps you can at least give consumers a break on the price? [Via SlashGear]
Dell's 11.6-inch Inspiron 11z thin-and-light now on sale for $399
Dell may have ditched the 12-inch Mini netbook, but for those still looking for something a touch larger than 10-inches, there's the all-new Inspiron 11z. Strictly classified as a "thin-and-light," this three-pound machine measures in at just one-inch thick and ships with a 1.2GHz Celeron 723 processor, a 1,366 x 768 LED-backlit panel, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, a 250GB (5400RPM) SATA hard drive, GS45 integrated graphics, WiFi, a 3-cell battery and nary an optical drive to speak of. There's also a 1.3 megapixel camera, twin stereo speakers, an Ethernet port, three USB sockets, a 3-in-1 multicard reader and an HDMI output, though we get the feeling Windows Vista won't be too happy with the hardware. Thankfully, you can drop your $399 now and snag Windows 7 on the cheap here in just a few months.[Thanks, Joe]
Dell's slim new Inspiron Z family is totally carb free
Dell's got a new lineup heading your way this fall, this time taking its low-cost Inspiron laptop brand to thin land. The Inspiron Z "family" isn't anything stunningly slim, and the 11.6-inch, disc drive free Z in the low end looks positively netbook-ish, but all the laptops are CULV-powered and should probably be arriving at pretty trim price points to fend off the likes of Acer's Timeline series. Hopefully we'll have more details soon (Dell sure does love to tease when it comes to CULV), but for now there are some ultra-exciting laptop stacking pics below to keep you entertained.
MSI X-Slim X600 reviewed: an 'attractive choice'
MSI's X-Slim X600 may not be the quickest, most nimble or most powerful 15.6-inch laptop on the market today, bit with a thickness of just 0.75-inches, it's definitely got the ultrathin motif down pat. The kind lads and ladies over at Laptop Mag recently secured one of the machines for review, and they seemed adequately impressed with the combination of a low-power CPU (1.4GHz Core 2 Solo SU3500) and a multimedia-friendly discrete GPU (ATI's 512MB Radeon HD 4330) -- a tandem that's hard to find anywhere, let alone for $799. All told, the machine performed satisfactorily across the board, notching decent scores in a wide array of benchmarks and looking good all the while. Still, critics noted that Sony's VAIO NW would be more suitable for those with a Blu-ray craving and that Gateway's $599 NV is probably better for those looking for raw horsepower. If style is atop your list, though, it'll be tough to dodge the "buy" button on this one.
MSI Wind U200 gets €499 price tag, up for pre-order
If you've been eagerly waiting for the MSI Wind U200 to hit the shelves, we finally have some news: According to the lovely and delightful Fudzilla, the 12.1-inch Celeron ULV 723-powered device will be hitting retailers and e-tailers 'round Europe next week, with a roughly €499 ($716) price tag. What are your hard-earned Euros getting you in this case? 2GB of memory, 250GB hard drive, a 6-cell battery, and HDMI and D-Sub outputs, for starters. If you're in the mood for a blast from the past, check out this hands-on video of the thing that popped up a while back. It's a real scream.[via SlashGear]
Dell Studio 14z hits the review bench, disc drive stays behind with few regrets
While ASUS is busy adding an optical drive to its Eee PC line, Dell is diving into the low-priced, optical-free, thin-and-light category with its new Studio 14z portable. The folks at Laptop Mag have taken the new laptop for a spin, and seem to like what they see. While its 4.4 pound weight isn't quite best in class, the 14z outperforms most of its brethren thanks to GeForce 9400M graphics and a "real" Core 2 Duo processor -- none of that weak sauce CULV stuff. The battery life isn't bad either, and for $750 it's easy on the wallet. You just have to ask yourself: can you live without instant access on-the-go to your limited edition set of Billy Joel hits on Compact Disc?
How would you change MSI's X-Slim ultraportable line?
MSI's seductive X-Slim lineup first dropped jaws back at CeBIT, and it's been tempting PC addicts ever since hitting the market a few months back. Many have argued that the X-Slim family looks just a bit too much like that other ultraslim lappie over there, but we'd say these are distinct enough to walk their own path. Catering to a wide range of potential customers, MSI has actually issued quite a few of these machines, from the X320 to the X340 to the X600. If you've been fortunate enough to pick one of these up for yourself, how has the user experience been? Is it as much a looker in person as you thought it'd be? Are you satisfied with performance? Anything missing for the price? Go on and get heard, won't you?
AMD's Neo to hit nettops, all-in-one PCs soon
AMD's Neo ultra-portable platform was seen as something that just might rival Intel's mighty Atom in the oversaturated netbook space when it debuted back in January, but up until now, the system has remained largely in the background. Indeed, it has only found its way into a select few machines, none of which have managed to gain any sort of traction beside the sea of Atom-based alternatives. Now, however, it seems as if the chips -- which were originally engineered for ultraslim, thin-and-light laptops -- may find themselves shoved into an array of nettops and all-in-one PCs. Here lately, a slew of underpowered SFF-type desktops and PC-in-a-monitor type units have found favor with bargain hunters, and Bob Grim, the outfit's director of client marketing, isn't looking to miss a golden opportunity. To quote: "We've known all along that this type of technology would really work well in multiple platforms and multiple types of form factors. These CPUs perform better than the Atom processor, and the graphics are superior. These things... can play Blu-rays, they can play games."There's still no word on who exactly plans on equipping their future machines with this here platform, but considering just how tired we are of Intel's sluggish N270 and N280, we'll take all the competition we can get.
GB intros budget-priced, Atom-based X1200 thin-and-light
This one doesn't look to be heading into the hands of consumers just yet, but China's GB is now apparently shopping its new X1200 thin-and-light around on the OEM market in the hope that some company will pick it up and do their rebadging thing with it -- and from the looks of it, they likely won't have much trouble finding some takers. Like some other hard to peg down laptops, this one packs the still somewhat rare combo of a 12-inch screen and an Atom processor, along with some otherwise standard specs including 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, a built-in webcam, and a pair of USB ports. No word on a potential price just yet, but it'll no doubt be a fair bit more than the 2,200 yuan (or $322) that GB itself is currently asking for it -- in large quantities, presumably. [Via SlashGear]
Lenovo IdeaPad U350 thin-and-light hands-on
A month after Lenovo announced its new IdeaPad U350 the thing is finally ready for the prime time, and let us tell you: it wasn't hard to spot. While in theory this is "just another thin-and-light" in a rapidly growing, CULV-aided market segment, the craftsmanship and materials used on the U350 make it our favorite bit of Lenovo design since the U110, and very well might set it apart from the budget-minded pack. We're particularly digging the textured rubber back, but the ribbed metal palm rest also excellently avoids the glossy-plastic-of-death. Otherwise the laptop settles pretty nicely into a thin-and-light groove, with both of those particulars in spades and CULV under the hood. We would prefer some NVIDIA 9400M to Intel's integrated graphics, but at least there's HDMI out, and Intel's chipset tends to be a bit better on the power sipping front. Check out the gallery for some head-to-head shots with Lenovo's T400s -- which is clearly superior in most regards, but goes for double the price.
Lenovo intros well-connected 0.83-inch thick ThinkPad T400s
Thinner than some netbooks and more potent than four or five of them combined, Lenovo's ThinkPad T400s aims to hit some sort of sweet spot in between weak ultraportables and battery-draining 15-inchers. The 14.1-inch lappie measures in at a remarkable 0.83-inches thin and boasts a starting weight of under four pounds. Within, you'll find Lenovo's heralded roll cage technology, a 2.53GHz Core 2 Duo processor, your choice of a 128GB SSD or 250GB HDD, a 9.5mm slim DVD burner or Blu-ray player, a multitouch trackpad, Ethernet, WiFi, optional WiMAX / WWAN / Bluetooth / ultra-wideband, a 34mm ExpressCard slot (or 5-in-1 card reader), a battery good for six hours and VGA / DisplayPort outputs. There's also support for the company's ConstantConnect and Protect technology as well as a built-in USB / eSATA port. In a surprising move, Lenovo decided to actually tweak the keyboard that has become a staple of the ThinkPad line; it increased the size of the Delete and Escape keys and tightened up the spaces between the keys to "help avoid crumbs that would otherwise fall below the keyboard." You can check the full release just past the break, and you can call one your own starting today for $1,599 and up.
Adamo redux: Dell teases new thin-and-light laptops in Paris with no specs
See that? That's Dell's Phil Bryant and Michael Tatelman briefly displaying what they described as an "entirely new model line" of thin-and-light laptops without any further comment at an event in Paris this morning. If that sounds like a replay of the poorly-received Adamo teaser at CES with old dudes instead of models, well, you're right -- Tatelman even referenced the negative Adamo reaction but said "we're going to try this again." Good plan. At least this time we don't have to wildly guess at what we're seeing: we're almost positive that's a pair of those Intel CULV-based ultraportables rumored to be released in August, and unless Dell's foolishly keeping with the Adamo theme, we'd assume specs and prices will match up with Acer's Timeline series. Keep a sharp eye, we'll let you know.
