MSI infuses more gaming juice into its G Series notebooks with processor refresh

They may have barely finished component convalescence after being kitted out with NVIDIA’s GTX 570M, but MSI’s GT780DXR and GT683DXR are getting yet another technical leg-up. This time, the processors are being nudged up to an Intel Core i7-2670QM, replacing the Core i7-2630QM we found on these gaming rigs last time we met. The ultra slim X460 series will also get the same CPU refresh. We’ll admit, it’s a pretty gentle update, but it should help keep MSI’s latest offerings close to the bleeding edge of high-end laptops.

Continue reading MSI infuses more gaming juice into its G Series notebooks with processor refresh

MSI infuses more gaming juice into its G Series notebooks with processor refresh originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 18:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MSI GT683DXR review

While the jury might still be out on whether you can have a thin-and-light coupled with gaming prowess, over at MSI, it’s pretty much business as usual. It’s that kind of mantra that’s produced the GT683DXR that lays before you, a rehash of the existing GT680 but with gussied-up internals, spearheaded by NVIDIA’s GTX 570M. In our brief overview several weeks ago, we were impressed with its performance, but dismayed with its flimsy keyboard, possessed trackpad and general girthiness. So, were we completely off the mark? Or did our impressions change after spending a little more time coddled by its side? Join us in finding out, after the break.

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MSI GT683DXR review originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel Developer Forum (IDF) 2011 wrap-up

We came, we saw, we conquered — and just like that, Intel’s Developer Forum was over. Much like years past, Chipzilla was proudly beating its own drum: we saw demos of Ivy Bridge and Haswell, a healthy helping of Ultrabooks and of course its high speed interconnect du jour, Thunderbolt. But that doesn’t mean we didn’t see a lot of other random, mind-stimulating otherness. Did you catch all the treasures we found lurking deep within the halls of this year’s show? Unfortunately, we can’t tell from here, so you better hop past the break for the full listing and find out.

Continue reading Intel Developer Forum (IDF) 2011 wrap-up

Intel Developer Forum (IDF) 2011 wrap-up originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MSI demos X79 motherboards with PCI Express 3.0 and UEFI BIOS at IDF 2011 (video)

While MSI wasn’t quite ready to publicly divulge all the details of its forthcoming X79-based motherboards, it was more than happy to give us a teaser. We were shown three upcoming models from the company at IDF, all toting PCI Express 3.0 slots, overclocking buttons and that snazzy UEFI BIOS. The latter makes changing settings a snap, and is carried over from the company’s existing Sandy Bridge boards — it even comes with a button that launches a browser, but unfortunately the machines in the booth weren’t configured to support it. We’ll know more in Q4, but in the meantime a gallery awaits you below, along with a video after the break.

Myriam Joire contributed to this report.

Continue reading MSI demos X79 motherboards with PCI Express 3.0 and UEFI BIOS at IDF 2011 (video)

MSI demos X79 motherboards with PCI Express 3.0 and UEFI BIOS at IDF 2011 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 21:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AMD Fusion tablets running Windows 8 at Build 2011: hands-on with video

You’ve already seen our in-depth hands-on with Samsung’s Series 7 Slate, boasting an Intel processor and running Windows 8, and now it’s time to give the other guys a little love. We got a chance to sit down with the folks at AMD, masters of the Fusion APU, before the Expo doors opened here at Build, and it would be an understatement to say that they’re excited about getting their x86 chipsets running on Windows 8 machines. As with Samsung’s Slate, AMD was showing off a pair of slates we’ve seen before, specifically the Acer Iconia Tab W500, running on the company’s C-50 APU, and MSI’s WinPad 110W, sporting the Z-01 APU. This is the first the company’s seen of the Metro UI running on its chipsets, and like them, we’re impressed with its performance. You’ll get the same speedy boot-up here, as well as fast and fluid touch navigation. Unfortunately, they aren’t giving up details on future devices, but we should see Brazos powering Windows 8 tablets, desktops , and notebooks in due time. For a look at AMD powering Windows 8, check out our video after break.

Continue reading AMD Fusion tablets running Windows 8 at Build 2011: hands-on with video

AMD Fusion tablets running Windows 8 at Build 2011: hands-on with video originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MSI’s GT683DXR and GT780DXR shred pixels with NVIDIA’s GTX 570M (hands-on)

We might still be smitten with a certain svelte ebony beaut, but we’re aware some of you require absolute maximum performance from your “portable” gaming rig. Here to heed your call for blistering frame rates is MSI, which has gone and refreshed two laptops from its gaming lineup: the 15.6-inch GT683DXR and its big brother, the 17.3-inch GT730DXR. While both retain the Core i7-2630QM from their forebears, the duo now feature NVIDIA’s beefy GTX 570M with 1.5GB GDDR5. And just like their predecessors, either can be stuffed with up to 16GB of RAM, dual 500GB or 750GB drives and a Blu-ray burner. Also on board is a premium sound system from Dynaudio, four USB ports (two of the 3.0 variety), Gigabit Ethernet, VGA and HDMI sockets and, of course, 802.11b/g/n WiFi.

They’re on sale now, starting at $1,699 for the 15-incher and $1,799 for the 17-inch variant. MSI was kind enough to send us the smaller and lighter of the two, so hop on past the break for our brief impressions.

Continue reading MSI’s GT683DXR and GT780DXR shred pixels with NVIDIA’s GTX 570M (hands-on)

MSI’s GT683DXR and GT780DXR shred pixels with NVIDIA’s GTX 570M (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MSI X370 with AMD E-450 upgrade arrives stateside

Strip out the old E-350 Zacate APU from MSI’s thin-and-light X370, replace it with a brand new 1.65GHz E-450 Llano engine with around 20 percent higher CPU and graphics benchmarks, and what do you get? The X370-205US, that’s what, or equally the 206US white variant. The 13-incher just popped up at Amazon and Newegg with exactly the same $579 price tag as its vanquished predecessor, the same 1366×768 resolution, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD, up to ten hours’ stamina and an easy-going 3.11 pound weight that will only hurt your chiropractor.

MSI X370 with AMD E-450 upgrade arrives stateside originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 06:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MSI’s reverse fan tech keeps dust out, graphic cards chilled

We’ve all been there, trying in vain to remove dust caked onto the fans of componentry inside our rigs. It’s mostly a fruitless endeavor, but here to save us from the horde of dust bunnies invading our graphics card is MSI’s dust removal technology. Available on the company’s “Lightning Xtreme” edition of the GTX580, soot is annihilated by spinning that card’s fans at full throttle in reverse for thirty seconds after boot. That’s apparently an effective method for flinging accumulated grime off the spinners and (hopefully) into a spot you can actually reach. Unconvinced it’ll work? Well then, mosey on over to the source link bub, and prepare yourself for video proof of the fan-powered filth evisceration.

MSI’s reverse fan tech keeps dust out, graphic cards chilled originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 02:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MSI X460 and X460DX make their slim and shiny debuts

MSI took the wraps off of two similarly named slim notebooks today. The X460 and X460DX both pack 14-inch displays, two USB 3.0 slots (and one 2.0), and shiny multitouch trackpads into 4.3 pound frames. The higher end X460 rocks an Intel Core i7 processor, WiDi 2.0 and 750GB of storage. The models are currently available, with a suggested starting price of $799.

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MSI X460 and X460DX make their slim and shiny debuts originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Aug 2011 00:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MSI outs its latest GE620DX gaming laptop, orcs prepare for virtual slaughter

Spilled Mountain Dew on your last laptop during that marathon session of Starcraft II? MSI’s got your back buddy, with its newly announced GE620DX. There’s a serious bit of dedicated gaming punch lying under this notebook’s brushed metal finish thanks to its 2GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, an NVIDIA GeForce GT 555M card and the audio tag team of MSI Premium Sound and THX’s True Studio Pro. In addition to its 15.6-inch 1366 x 768 HD display, this “dream machine” sports a 720p camera, an HDMI out port and USB 3.0. The company’s also thrown in a GPU Boost feature, which frees up the internal graphics chip should you be running any graphics-intensive apps. Unfortunately, your zerg Swarm-slaying hands will have to wait for an official price and retail date, but when you do get a hold of it, make sure to keep that caffeinated brew far from the keyboard.

Continue reading MSI outs its latest GE620DX gaming laptop, orcs prepare for virtual slaughter

MSI outs its latest GE620DX gaming laptop, orcs prepare for virtual slaughter originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jul 2011 17:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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