Eight-core Intel Sandy Bridge E chips listed on, pulled from eBay

What’s this? A listing for an unreleased Intel chip on eBay? This purported eight-core, hyper-threaded Sandy Bridge E-series processor is apparently a third party tester unit, hence the cloak and dagger “Intel Confidential” stamped in the middle of the thing. The “E” as previously stated, stands for “Enthusiast,” especially fitting in the case of a $1,360 dollar piece of near-future tech with a strict no refund / return policy. Not surprisingly, the sale has been shutdown prematurely. Whether it was pulled by the seller or at the strong urging of Intel will have to remain a mystery for now, as will those blazingly fast speeds we’ve read so much about — at least until it pops up again on Craigslist.

[Thanks, Lars]

Continue reading Eight-core Intel Sandy Bridge E chips listed on, pulled from eBay

Eight-core Intel Sandy Bridge E chips listed on, pulled from eBay originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 May 2011 21:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geek deals: $559 off Dell Precision M6500 Mobile Workstation

Mobile workstations are a bit of a misnomer. A 17-inch laptop is only by definition portable, but when you add in the features and resources required for it to be a workstation class machine you get something that merely relocates from power outlet to power outlet. But when you’ve got a 2.13-3.33GHz Core i7 quad-core […]

Alienware M18x shipping now, hernia threat level set to high for American delivery men

Alienware M18x

Here it is tinfoil hat gaming enthusiasts, the Alienware M18x laptop. Sure, you’ve been told it existed and even seen some photos of a purported prototype, but a savvy person such as yourself wants to see the proof with his or her own eyes. Now Dell is willing to deliver one of these 16-pound beasts to your doorstep for the starting price of $1,999. Let’s be serious though, you’re not interested in that pedestrian 2GHz Core i7 that ships with the base model. You want the intergalactic speed delivered by that Core i7 Extreme overclocked to 4GHz and dual 2GB Radeon 6970m graphics cards. Top it off with a pair of 256GB SSDs and 32GB of RAM and you’re looking at a $6,000 laptop. Nobody said this thing was gonna be cheap — besides, it’s gonna cost some serious dough to cover up the disappearance of the M15x.

[Thanks, Nicklas]

Update: It looks like you can purchase your Alienware M18x today, but it won’t actually ship until later this month. Put in an order with Dell and the company quotes a preliminary ship day of May 24th. On the plus side — your UPS man will have time to strengthen his core.

Alienware M18x shipping now, hernia threat level set to high for American delivery men originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 May 2011 13:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple iMac hands-on, with dual 30-inch displays! (video)

One Thunderbolt port on your new MacBook Pro? Pah. The new 27-inch iMac has twice that many — two. When we got ours out of the box we just had to do the natural thing: fire up as many pixels as possible. Two 30-inch Dell displays and a couple of dual-link DVI display adapters later and we have what you see above: a wide swath of LCD covering 11,878,400 pixels. Sure, any average desktop can do this, but how many all-in-ones can push that many dots? The iMac’s 27-inch, 2,560 x 1,440, LED-backlit IPS panel is definitely a highlight, but flanked by another two monsters the combination is, honestly, a little overwhelming. We tried working this way but only made it about 30 minutes before retreating to smaller fields of view.

Other tid-bits we’ve learned about the updated iMac: those who’d rather swipe than drag can now choose to order theirs with a Magic Trackpad instead of a Magic Mouse, though we’re sure Apple would surely be happy to sell you both. Additionally, the 21.5-inch model can now be configured with a 256GB SSD, just like its big bro. The bigger news, of course, is what’s on the inside, with updated Radeon HD graphics featuring GDDR5 memory and Sandy Bridge processors all-round. We’ll be back with a full review later to get a feel for just how powerful this thing is, but until then dig all those pixels in the video below.

Continue reading Apple iMac hands-on, with dual 30-inch displays! (video)

Apple iMac hands-on, with dual 30-inch displays! (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 May 2011 11:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple iMac refresh official: Thunderbolt and next gen quad-core processors

The last time Apple updated its iMac line we were treated to Intel Core 2010 processors. So it’s no surprise — really, no surprise at all — to see Apple refreshing the lineup today. Prices start at $1,199 (as usual) for the 21.5-inch (1,920 x 1,080 pixel IPS panel) model with new 2.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor and 512MB of AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics. Prices soon jump to $1,999 for a 27-inch (2,560 x 1,440 IPS) model with 3.1GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 CPU and 1GB of AMD Radeon HD 6970M graphics, or optional 3.4GHz quad-core Core i7 proc and 2GB of HD 6970M graphics if you so desire. We’re talking Intel Sandy Bridge, of course, but Apple never goes into specifics. New owners will also be treated to a Thunderbolt jack (one on the 21.5-inch model and two on the 27-incher) and FaceTime HD camera with 24 hours shipping. Yeah, it looks the same, but it’s the insides that count.

Continue reading Apple iMac refresh official: Thunderbolt and next gen quad-core processors

Apple iMac refresh official: Thunderbolt and next gen quad-core processors originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 May 2011 08:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG P430 and P530 Blade laptops bedazzle with slim bezels, aluminum bodies, and Core i7

We heard of a bezel-hating LG Shuriken display sneaking its way onto Acer laptops recently, but the Korean company has wisely opted to debut that cutting-edge technology in its own portable computers first. The 14-inch P430 and 15.6-inch P530 mark the start of LG’s new Blade series of laptops, which are the result of some obsessive slimming work at the LG labs — display thickness is 4.5mm and 4.7mm, respectively, while the bezel on the 14-inch model is so narrow as to fit its screen within the dimensions of a traditional 13.3-inch laptop. Weight, at 1.94kg on the P430 and 2.2kg on P530, is also said to be on par with machines offering significantly smaller screens, but that’s not at the sacrifice of construction materials as brushed aluminum is used to strengthen LG’s new slimsters. A Core i7 CPU and GeForce GT520M GPU will provide the internal firepower, though the rest of the hardware specs are as yet unannounced. The P430 will launch in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and South America at the end of May, to be followed by the P530 in June. Full PR after the break.

Continue reading LG P430 and P530 Blade laptops bedazzle with slim bezels, aluminum bodies, and Core i7

LG P430 and P530 Blade laptops bedazzle with slim bezels, aluminum bodies, and Core i7 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 May 2011 00:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell’s 17-inch Precision M6600 workstation laptop goes on sale early in the UK

We were promised we’d get Dell’s latest Precision powerhouses on May 10th, and that may still be the case for the US, but the company’s UK outlet is ready to let you customize and buy an M6600 today. The 17.3-inch laptop offers options for a multitouch display with stylus functionality, a 2.5GHz quad-core Core i7-2920XM CPU, 16GB of DDR3 RAM, up to half a terabyte (2x 256GB) in solid state storage, and NVIDIA Quadro 4000M graphics. Prices start at £1,549 ($2,590) excluding VAT and shipping, though the spec we’ve listed above would set you back a neat £4,714 ($7,880). Still, a pretty sweet rig if you can afford it.

[Thanks, Stephen]

Dell’s 17-inch Precision M6600 workstation laptop goes on sale early in the UK originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 May 2011 09:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MSI gets a SteelSeries keyboard, builds the GX780 gaming notebook around it

The worst part about buying a fancy new gaming keyboard? It’s hard to show the thing off if it never leaves your basement apartment. MSI‘s newly announced GX780 notebook combines a colorful backlit 102-key SteelSeries-designed keyboard with the (relative) portability of an 8.6 pound gaming laptop. The keyboard features 1,000 different color combinations, five lighting modes, 10 key simultaneous input, and a layout the company calls “The Golden Triangle” — trademark pending, we’re sure. The 17.3 inch notebook has some solid non-keyboard specs as well, including GeForce GT555M graphics, a second gen Intel Core i7 processor, and an impressive maximum 16GB of DDR3. No word on pricing or availability, but hopefully the MSRP isn’t as colorful as that keyboard. Full press release after the break.

Continue reading MSI gets a SteelSeries keyboard, builds the GX780 gaming notebook around it

MSI gets a SteelSeries keyboard, builds the GX780 gaming notebook around it originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Apr 2011 11:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Walmart offers custom gaming PCs from iBuyPower, tube socks still only L or XL

iBuyPower <3 Walmart

How’s this for unexpected: you can now pop over to Walmart.com and build yourself a custom gaming rig from iBuyPower. Systems start at $599 (though they’re currently on sale for $578), come in a choice of five different cases and can be equipped with up to 8GB of RAM and a 2TB hard drive. Both Intel and AMD fans will find CPUs to make them happy, including Core i5 and i7 K-series chips, which have unlocked multipliers for all you thrift-happy overclockers out there. You can also choose from nine different AMD and NVIDIA graphics cards, all the way up to a 1.5GB GeForce GTX480. You won’t find seriously heavy-duty hardware like Extreme Edition processors or three-way SLI setups, but you can pick up a pair of $3 flipflops to wear while you lounge around playing Portal 2.

[Thanks, Mark]

Continue reading Walmart offers custom gaming PCs from iBuyPower, tube socks still only L or XL

Walmart offers custom gaming PCs from iBuyPower, tube socks still only L or XL originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 09:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell’s new powerhouse Precision M4600 and M6600 workstation laptops on sale May 10

We got a dose of details on Dell’s new Precision M4600 and M6600 workstations yesterday, and though impressed by their specs, we were left without answers to two very important questions: when can we get them, and how much will they cost? There must be some mind readers in Round Rock, because today Dell revealed that the machines will make their debut on May 10 with prices starting at $1,678 for the M4600 and $2,158 for its 17-inch big brother, though prices surely escalate quickly from there. Turns out, the laptops also have optional IPS and four-finger multi-touch displays for your viewing pleasure and RAID support for your (and your employer’s) peace of mind. That’s some stellar hardware for some serious coin, so interested parties should start brown-nosing the bossman immediately — or maybe just get a second job. PR’s after the break.

Continue reading Dell’s new powerhouse Precision M4600 and M6600 workstation laptops on sale May 10

Dell’s new powerhouse Precision M4600 and M6600 workstation laptops on sale May 10 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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