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Clevo 901C gaming laptop packs some serious firepower
We shouldn't all act surprised that Clevo of all companies is cranking out yet another desktop replacement that would likely burn through even the thickest jeans (and potent batteries) in no time flat, but the firm's 901C ups the ante over the previous rendition with a few notable hardware bumps. Coming just months after the already wicked 900C, this sucka includes your choice of Intel's Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Duo Extreme X6800 processors, a 17.1-inch WXGA / WSXGA+ display, up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM, NVIDIA's 512MB GeForce Go 7950GTX or the 8700M GT, room for a trio of SATA II drives hooked up in RAID, a full size keyboard with numeric pad, 12-cell battery, digital audio out, built-in microphone, four integrated speakers, and a seven-in-one card reader. Furthermore, you'll find ports for FireWire, USB 2.0, S-Video / VGA / DVI, gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth, 802.11n WiFi, an integrated webcam, 56k modem, and a TV tuner to boot. Apparently, there's no word just yet surrounding price or availability, but we wouldn't count on this powerful 11.9-pounder to run you cheap.[Thanks, Bazald]
Soldam's Altium FC500 studio for the audio pros
Unless you're an Engadget intern or working in the media arts, chances are that your rig doesn't offer 3x displays. Well check the build-to-order Altium FC500 studio setup from Soldam's WINDy DAW series of digital audio workstations. The kit starts with a 2.93GHz X6800 Core 2 Extreme processor, up to 4GB (1GB x 4) PCS-5300 DD2 SDRAM, up to 4x 7200rpm SATA disks (RAID 0+1) with eSATA expansion, a ±R DL DVD super multi-drive, gigabit Ethernet, 6x USB 2.0, 4x Firewire, and of course a couple of NVIDIA Quadro NVS440 graphics cards with 256MB of GDDR3 memory from which to hang your trio of 19-inch displays... with room for a fourth. And because this is targeted at audio pros, it comes flauntin' a high-end DSP from Universal Audio: the UAD-1 PCI card. It all comes packed in an Altium case said to efficiently keep the rig cool while keeping the noise down. Sound good? Now the price -- at ¥1,375,500 (about $11,373) maybe you'd like to take your chances and roll your own?[Via Impress]
Velocity Micro's latest HTPCs add Vista and ATI Digital Cable tuner
Looks like Okoro Media Systems isn't the only HTPC builder on the block cramming Microsoft's latest OS into its systems and upping the specs, as Velocity Micro has taken a break from its NoteMagix series to amp up a few media PCs. Both boxes come with Windows Vista Premium pre-installed, ATI's TV Wonder Digital Cable tuner, and options for HD DVD and Blu-ray playback. The CineMagix Pro Cinema rocks a fairly average black chassis, 500-watt power supply, AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ processor, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, HDCP-compliant ATI Radeon X1950 Pro, onboard 7.1 audio, 8-in-1 flash card reader, up to 1.5TB of hard drive space, dual gigabit Ethernet adapter, 802.11b/g, a pair of FireWire connectors, six USB 2.0 ports, and a wireless keyboard / mouse combo. The Intel-powered CineMagix Grand Theater swaps in your choice of CPU, including options for both the Core 2 Extreme X6800 or QX6700, up to 4GB of RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS, up to 2.25TB of HDD space, but otherwise mimics its AMD-packin' sibling. Both units are fully customizable if you've got the cash to burn, and while the CineMagix Pro Cinema starts at $1,695, the Grand Theater rings up between $2,195 and near-five digits.[Via 64-Bit-Computers]
Okoro Media Systems now shipping Core 2 Duo based systems
Trailing only slightly behind the onslaught of Core 2 Duo machines we've seen recently, Okoro Media Systems is following suit by offering Intel's latest processors in their home theater computers. Okoro has shown it likes to keep pace in the HTPC race, and by tossing the Core 2 Duo in three of their PCs, it hopes to take advantage of the extra speed and efficiency the chips offer. The OMS-TH540 will sport the Intel 1.8GHz E6300, while the OMS-TH550 gets the 2.13GHz E6400, and still holding tight to its "fastest HTPC available" claim, the OMS-GX300 rocks the Intel Core 2 Extreme 2.93GHz X6800. While it doesn't look like they've removed any fans, the company states that the Core 2 Duo was chosen because of its efficient nature, allowing the creation of "high performance, ultra-quiet, and low power" entertainment systems. This new trio runs "up to 40 percent faster and quieter" than the previous generation of Okoros, and these fresh releases also rock "DTS Connect" technology, which provides 7.1 "HD audio," HDCP compliant video playback, and ATSC recording capabilities. The revamped lineup -- Core 2 Duo and all -- is available immediately, but with prices starting at $2,095 and reaching way past our credit limit, the bleeding-edge technology comes at a painful premium.
Voodoo goes Core 2 with Omen i:121 Extreme
With Alienware having just added Core 2 Duo options to its Area-51 7500 desktop, you didn't really think that rival Voodoo would be far behind, did you? The boutique gaming rig manufacturer has just announced its OMEN i:121 Extreme tower, which crams a 2.93GHz Core 2 Extreme X6800 processor into either a liquid- or air-cooled case designed to "operate at peak efficiency without draining excess power." Since video processing is even more important than CPU horsepower in a system like this, Voodoo is offering the new Omen with a number of graphics configurations, ranging from a single ATI Radeon X1900 or nVidia GeForce 7900GT setup all the way up to SLI or Crossfire dual-card powerhouses. You're also getting 2GB of RAM in the base configuration, along with a 7,200RPM 80GB hard drive and 16x dual-layer Pioneer DVD burner. As usual, pricing on these machines borders on the ridiculous, with SLI and Crossfire rigs starting at $4,400 and $6,000, respectively -- hey, no one said that being on the cutting edge of performance would come cheap.[Via TrustedReviews]
