MSI brings Core i5, GeForce GT 425M to 15.6-inch GE603 laptop

It looks about like every other MSI 15.6-incher out there, but for those who prefer classy over vivacious, he GE603 might just be right down your alley. Designed primary as a multimedia laptop with the ability to handle a modest amount of demanding games, this here rig will be available with a Core i5-460M, i5-450M or i5-430M processor, NVIDIA’s GeForce GT 425M (1GB), HDMI and VGA outputs, a 320/500/640GB hard drive, a DVD burner, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and a foursome of USB 2.0 sockets. You’ll also find 802.11b/g/n WiFi, an ExpressCard reader, 5-in-1 card reader, gigabit Ethernet and up to 8GB of DDR3 memory. As you’d expect, Windows 7 is running the show, and the nine-cell Li-ion should keep it humming for at least a couple of hours. Per usual, MSI’s not serving up details regarding a price or release date, but we both know it’s aiming to have it on store shelves pre-Christmas.

MSI brings Core i5, GeForce GT 425M to 15.6-inch GE603 laptop originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 23 Oct 2010 13:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell XPS resurrected with NVIDIA graphics, HD webcams and JBL audio

It’s baaack. Okay, to be fair Dell’s XPS brand never really went away — there’s been the Studio XPS and Adamo XPS — but as of today, the company’s refocusing its efforts and bringing back the tried and true multimedia laptop brand. Just like we’d heard, the new 14-,15.6-, and 17-inch machines will be available across the board with NVIDIA GeForce 400M GPUs (with Optimus / 3D Play support) and Core i5 / i7 processor options, but there’s more to these than just internal oomph — it’ll be one of the first laptops to ship with a Skype-certified HD webcam and they’re also equipped with high-fidelity JBL speakers. In terms of aesthetics, the machines pull in some styling from the new Inspirons with the wider battery base, however, instead of plastic, the lids are coated in anodized aluminum. (Of course, Dell wouldn’t be Dell without making the models available with Design Studio customization options — aka with crazy pattern options.) So, what’s the deal with pricing? The entry level systems — the $899 XPS 14, $849 XPS 15, and $949 XPS 17 — are all configured with Intel Core i5 460M processors, 1GB NVIDIA 420M graphics, 500GB 7,200rpm hard drives, 4GB of RAM and pack Intel WiDi. That’s not too shabby, but, of course, you’ll be able to configure ’em all with Blu-ray drives, more storage, memory, etc. Our review unit just arrived so expect a full work-up of the 14-inch system soon, but until then we leave you with the images and press release below.

Continue reading Dell XPS resurrected with NVIDIA graphics, HD webcams and JBL audio

Dell XPS resurrected with NVIDIA graphics, HD webcams and JBL audio originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 01:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MSI gets official with 17.3-inch FX700 and FR700 multimedia laptops

June was a lifetime ago, we’ll give you that, but surely you can’t forget those 16 Optimus-based laptops that NVIDIA teased us with at Computex, right? Right. At any rate, MSI has just come clean with a delightful pair of them, the FX700 and FR700. Both of these beasts boast 17.3-inch widescreen displays, the company’s own anti-scratch, anti-smudge coating and a design that actually looks fairly attractive given the hugeness. The former also includes up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, a Core i5 processor, NVIDIA’s GeForce GT 425M (1GB), HDMI / VGA outputs, 320/500/640GB hard drives, a DVD SuperMulti drive, four USB ports (two of the SuperSpeed variety), a 5-in-1 card reader, inbuilt webcam, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, gigabit Ethernet and a 6-cell Li-ion that’ll probably exhaust itself long before you’d like it to. The FR700 includes most of the same specifications, but opts for integrated Intel graphics for those who aren’t planning to dabble too long in Crysis. Per usual, MSI’s keeping quiet when it comes to pricing and release details, but we’d be shocked if they didn’t find their way onto retail shelves pre-Christmas.

MSI gets official with 17.3-inch FX700 and FR700 multimedia laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 18:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic announces 10-inch Let’s Note J9 laptop in Japan

Panasonic Japan has announced a new compact laptop, the Let’s Note J9 series. Specwise, this one’s got a 1366 × 768 resolution, 10.1-inch LCD, a 2.53 GHz Core i5 CPU, up to 6GB of DDR3 RAM (with 2GB coming standard), and a 128GB or 160 GB SSD. Other than that, the J9 boasts three USB ports, and HDMI out. A 3G model with an Intel Core i7 CPU, and a 256GB SSD will also be available for purchase online in Japan. There’s no information on pricing yet, but hit the source link to see some hands-on shots of the laptops.

Panasonic announces 10-inch Let’s Note J9 laptop in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 09:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic Toughbook S9 claims to be the world’s lightest 12.1-inch laptop with a DVD drive, we believe it

Panasonic’s Toughbook line hasn’t only been impressing in extreme durability lately, but also in extreme weight-loss. Joining the 3.2-pound Tougbook C1, is the newest 12.1-inch Toughbook S9, which weighs just three pounds. And yes, Panny’s claiming it’s the lightest 12-incher with an optical drive, and our quick research seems to prove that claim right. Even more impressive is the power that’s packed into the featherweight chassis — it’s got a Core i5-520M processor, 2GB of RAM, and a shock-mounted 320GB hard drive. Thought that Panasonic gave up the durability for that weightage? You’d be wrong — the magnesium alloy case can still withstand a 2.5-foot operating drop, meets all the Mil Spec 810-G drop procedures, has a spill-resistant keyboard, and can take more than 220 pounds of pressure on its lid and base. It does sound great for when someone drops it off the airport security belt, but that’s until you hear about the physical beating it’ll take on your bank account — it’ll retail for $2,499. Yeah, we wish we had better news to end on, but perhaps the press release and pictures below will turn that frown upside down.

Continue reading Panasonic Toughbook S9 claims to be the world’s lightest 12.1-inch laptop with a DVD drive, we believe it

Panasonic Toughbook S9 claims to be the world’s lightest 12.1-inch laptop with a DVD drive, we believe it originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 11 announced with Intel and AMD options, denied US citizenship

Well, isn’t this a pleasant surprise! Lenovo’s expanding its ThinkPad Edge family once again, and this time it’s adding the 11.6-inch Edge 11. Just like the X100e, the “notbook” — our word for an ultraportable that looks like a netbook but isn’t as slow and weak — is available with AMD’s single and dual-core Nile platform, and also Intel Core i3 / i5 processor options. Certainly you’re thinking it sounds and looks like a nice laptop, but Lenovo’s not planning to release it stateside anytime soon. Apparently, the X100e will continue to be the 11-inch option in the US, while the Edge 11 will be spreading its wings overseas — the AMD version will start at $450 and the Intel version at around $550. Of course, we could keep telling you about what the machine is available with and without, or we could just point you in the direction of our piping hot review. Although, before you jump over to a new tab you may also want to check out the full press release after the break or peruse some of the glossy press shots below. How’s that for options?

Continue reading Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 11 announced with Intel and AMD options, denied US citizenship

Lenovo ThinkPad Edge 11 announced with Intel and AMD options, denied US citizenship originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel prices fresh Core i5 and i7 mobile parts

We’d say Intel is delivering its new chips like clockwork, but then our favorite timepieces don’t usually leak anywhere near as often as Chipzilla’s roadmaps. The now well known 2.66GHz Core i5-580M has finally been made official, costing $266, alongside an identically clocked family mate in the Core i5-560M, which will set bulk buyers back $225 a piece. From what we know of those two, the major difference is that the 580M can Turbo Boost its way to 3.33GHz whereas the 560M maxes out at a humbler 3.2GHz. Both are overshadowed, however, by the new i7-640M colossus, which runs at 2.8GHz by default and will reach 3.4GHz when called upon — yours for only $346. Of course, should the 35W TDPs of those chips seem too gaudy for you, Intel’s wisely dropping a pair of 18W parts as well: the Core i5-560UM slinks along at 1.33GHz and asks for $250, while the Core i7-680UM raises those numbers to 1.46GHz and $317, respectively. Finally, for the perfect balance of power and efficiency, the i7-660LM couples 2.26GHz (or 3.06GHz in Turbo mode) to a 25W thermal envelope. It matches the 640M with a $346 unit price. All these CPUs sport a pair of 32nm cores alongside a 45nm integrated graphics unit and there are absolutely no Performance Upgrade Card anywhere in sight!

Intel prices fresh Core i5 and i7 mobile parts originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Sep 2010 04:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba Qosmio X500 landing September 26 with GTX 460M graphics and a $1,300 price tag

The best things in life, it turns out, aren’t actually free. Toshiba’s decided to freshen up its X500 gaming station with NVIDIA’s new high-end GTX 460M discrete graphics and slapped a handsome $1,300 MSRP on the resulting beast. And a beast it shall be, with an 18.4-inch screen, Core i5 or i7 CPU choices, SSD storage options, up to 8GB of RAM, a backlit keyboard, and simulated 5.1 audio pumping out of Harman Kardon speakers. We had a chance to check out its X505 brother recently and came away impressed by the deep blacks the screen was able to produce. For a bit more visual detail, visit the gallery of product shots below.

[Thanks, Ralph]

Continue reading Toshiba Qosmio X500 landing September 26 with GTX 460M graphics and a $1,300 price tag

Toshiba Qosmio X500 landing September 26 with GTX 460M graphics and a $1,300 price tag originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Sep 2010 10:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AMD throws down gauntlet, pits Zacate netbook chip against Intel’s Core i5 in City of Heroes duel (video)

We knew AMD planned to upstage Intel in San Francisco this week, but we didn’t realize just how far Chipzilla’s rival would go — the company’s demonstrating the power of its new Zacate APU by having it trounce an Intel Core i5-520M in a graphical superhero showdown. Though we’ve never really thought much of Intel’s integrated graphics anyhow (though we’re giving Sandy Bridge’s technique the benefit of the doubt), watching a netbook part beat a 2.4GHz Core i5 at anything is truly something else. While AMD won’t speak to the clockspeed or price of its new dual-core chips, it says the 18W Zacate and 9W Ontario should appear in devices with over 8 and 10 hours of battery life respectively when they likely ship to consumers early next year. Video after the break.

Continue reading AMD throws down gauntlet, pits Zacate netbook chip against Intel’s Core i5 in City of Heroes duel (video)

AMD throws down gauntlet, pits Zacate netbook chip against Intel’s Core i5 in City of Heroes duel (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Sep 2010 19:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung QX and RF Series laptops roll out with Intel and NVIDIA organs

We told you it’s a busy time for laptops! Following up on its recently announced SF and NF series, Samsung’s unleashing two more families of lappies and we’re here to tell you all about ’em. First up is the QX series, which finally brings NVIDIA’s Optimus to the manufacturer’s rigs. We’re assuming overseas the QX will come in a variety of sizes, but here in the US the 14-inch QX410 (pictured above) will be a Best Buy exclusive and will pack a Core i5-460M CPU and a NVIDIA GeForce 310M GPU. Externally, we have to say it’s one of the nicest systems we’ve seen lately — the brushed metal lid adds some polish and the chiclet keys remind us a lot of those on the VAIO Z. The QX410 should be priced around $849 when it hits the double B this fall.

Packing a bit more muscle are the 15.6-inch RF510 and 17.3-inch RF710, which have both Core i5 and i7 options. The RF510 boasts a NVIDIA GeForce 330M GPU and Core i5-460M processor and is slated to hit for around $899, while the RF710 with an i7-720M CPU, the same graphics, 640GB of storage and a Blu-ray drive will be priced at $1,029. Those sound mighty tempting to us. Hit the break for the full release and the galleries below for some shots.

Continue reading Samsung QX and RF Series laptops roll out with Intel and NVIDIA organs

Samsung QX and RF Series laptops roll out with Intel and NVIDIA organs originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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