How would you change Lenovo’s ThinkPad X120e?

It’s one of the first Fusion-based laptops out of the gate — certainly one of the first with a semi-business-oriented shell — and we found it to be one of the best modern ThinkPads we’d seen when reviewing it a few months back. Naturally, the quantity of machines shipping with the E-350 APU is swelling, but the X120e still touts one of the most unique feature sets available. For those who picked one up (for business or pleasure… we’re hardly picky), we’d love to know how you’d tweak things. Are you satisfied with the build quality? The value? Would you encourage Lenovo to tweak a design that has remained largely constant for the better part of the last millennium? Would you have swapped out the APU for something a bit less integrated? Toss your thoughts in comments below; you never know if you’ll be the dude / dudette that pushes the ThinkPad into its next evolution.

How would you change Lenovo’s ThinkPad X120e? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 23 Apr 2011 23:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware M18x, M14x and M11x R3 finally official, world can now move on

Last week, we received a top-secret communique from Dell’s Alienware division, bidding us attend a San Francisco event — where, we were told, we’d be privy to some highly classified announcements. Of course, this being Dell and not the CIA, we already knew more or less what we’d see: Alienware’s latest batch of powerhouse gaming machine. Today, the aliens have landed with two new notebook computers — the Alienware M18x and M14x — and a hefty spec bump for the littlest alien in the form of the M11x R3. Each brings Intel’s new Sandy Bridge processors and NVIDIA Optimus switchable graphics to the fore, as well as some oh-so-slightly tweaked frames, and the M14x and M18x bring WirelessHD tech to sling images to your screen.

The M11x and M14x are available now on Dell’s site starting at $999 and $1,199, respectively. For your cash, you’ll get 8 hours of battery life in the M11x and 6 hours in its chunkier sibling. Scheduled to land in May, the M18x weighs a scale-tipping 16 pounds, and adds an HDMI input (because PC gamers own consoles, too), and the factory overclocked 4Ghz processor and five programmable keys with up to fifteen different macros for your customizing delight. We’re off to get some hands-on time with Dell’s new little green (and blue and red) extra terrestrials, so stay tuned… PR after the break.

Continue reading Alienware M18x, M14x and M11x R3 finally official, world can now move on

Alienware M18x, M14x and M11x R3 finally official, world can now move on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 11:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panasonic chains Toughbook to a snowmobile, shows signs of life post-torture (video)

We’ve never questioned the rigidity of Panasonic’s Toughbook line — after all, we’ve been shown just how rugged these things are time and time again — but a new video from the company is just too clever to pass over. Sure, it hardly makes any clearer what’s already clear, but just in case you were still having doubts, Panny’s Toughbook line is mighty tough. As in, tough enough to survive being towed behind a snowmobile in bitterly cold conditions. Unfortunately, the company only shows the screen lighting up after the ride’s done, so there’s still the possibility that the keyboard is totally shot — but hey, props for being alive at all, right? Have a look yourself in the video above.

[Thanks, Tsuyoshi]

Panasonic chains Toughbook to a snowmobile, shows signs of life post-torture (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 04:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS works Sandy Bridge magic on thin-and-light U31E, U31SD, and U36SD

ASUS U31SD

It appears that ASUS is finally ready to show its line of thin-and-light machines some Sandy Bridge love. Swedish site Technytt claims to have the exclusive scoop on a trio of laptops — the U31SD, U31E, and U36SD — that will find their way to retail channels in late May. The U31SD is already showing up on the ASUS site, with the option of either a Core i5 2410M or Core i3 2310M , and a choice of Intel integrated graphics or a 1GB GeForce GT 520M card. All three 13.3-inch machines will reportedly have similar specs, though the U31E will supposedly lack a discrete graphics option. The U31SD tips the scales at a perfectly portable 3.9 pounds and it’s safe to assume the U36SD will match up size-wise with the svelte U36JG, which is just 0.75-inches thick and weighs 3.5 pounds. There’s no official word from ASUS regarding price or availability but, while you wait to get your paws on one, feast your eyes on the U31SD in the gallery below.

Gallery: ASUS U31SD

ASUS works Sandy Bridge magic on thin-and-light U31E, U31SD, and U36SD originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 20:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware’s M18x: a beautiful beast for the gamer on the go

A sneak peek from the Great White North showed us Alienware’s new mobile gaming flagship, but now we’ve got the real specs and a whole gaggle of pretty pics for you to drool over. It turns out the M18x has a massive 18.4-inch 1920 x 1080 Full HD display, an Intel Core i7 Extreme chip overclocked to a frag-tastic 4GHz, your choice of AMD CrossFireX or NVIDIA SLI graphics, up to 32GB of DDR3 RAM, a 3D-capable HDMI 1.4 port, WirelessHD for the cable-averse crowd, and five macro-programmable keys wrapped in a otherworldly anodized aluminum shell. We’re still not sure when you’ll be able to get your hands on one, but we do know it can’t get here soon enough. Would-be alien abductees can catch a glimpse of their new overlord in the gallery below — not to worry, no neuralizer’s included.

[Thanks, Thatoe]

Alienware’s M18x: a beautiful beast for the gamer on the go originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 14:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware M14x manuals leak out, confirm the gaming notebook once and for all

Just yesterday Dell’s leaky website poured out details about the upcoming Alienware M11x R3 gaming notebook, and it didn’t take long for its larger brother to follow suit — today, we’ve got the full user and factory service manuals for Alienware’s M14x, confirming a number of juicy rumors. Unfortunately, there’s no mention of a Full HD 1080p LCD screen for the 14-inch visitor from another planet, but there will apparently be both 1366 x 768 and 1600 x 900 options on tap, both driven by NVIDIA’s GeForce GT555M switchable Optimus graphics with up to 3GB of dedicated memory. Of course, you’ll also find Intel’s latest Core i5 and i7 Sandy Bridge CPUs and up to 8GB of RAM, Gigabit Ethernet, SATA 6Gbps and optional 3G / 4G connectivity, optional WirelessHD, a two megapixel webcam, and even a 8-cell, 63Whr battery to make portable gaming vaguely possible. Hit up our source link to see how Dell put this machine together — and how you can tear it apart — while we wait for the company to finally make the smokin’ hot notebook official, and let us know how just badly our wallets will feel after it rips their innards out.

Alienware M14x manuals leak out, confirm the gaming notebook once and for all originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 09 Apr 2011 15:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MSI spits out four more Sandy Bridge laptops, including tasteful-looking F Series gaming rigs

If it seems like MSI is dropping a lot of laptops this week, you’re not imagining things. The company just announced the FX620DX and FX420 gaming rigs and two mainstream notebooks, the FR720 and FX720, some of which join the 16 laptops it unveiled at CES. The FR720 and FX720 are both beastly 17-inch desktop replacements, with prices ranging from $710 to $900 depending on whether you opt for an Intel Core i3, Core i5 or Core i7 CPU, and whether you stick with integrated Intel HD 3000 graphics or spring for one with a discrete NVIDIA GeForce GT520M card.

As for the gaming machines, we have to say they’re pretty conservative-looking, with black lids made from a non-peeling, scratch- and smudge-resistant material, and a handful of chrome accents and blue LEDs thrown in for good measure. The 15.6-inch FX620DX packs either a quad-core Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GT 540M with 1GB of video memory, and a 720p webcam. The 14-inch FX420, meanwhile, comes with that same quad-core Core i5 CPU and AMD Radeon HD 6470M graphics, also with 1GB of memory. The FX620DX also comes with either a 1920 x 1080 or 1366 x 768 display, while the more diminutive FX420 just offers the latter. Other than that, though, these machines share the same DNA, including an six shortcut buttons, HDMI and VGA port, 4 USB ports (two of ’em USB 3.0), six-cell batteries, and hard drives ranging from 500GB to 750GB with speeds of either 5,400 RPM or 7,200 RPM. MSI hasn’t announced pricing or availability for the F Series, but hit the source link to peep these laptops’ very discreet designs.

MSI spits out four more Sandy Bridge laptops, including tasteful-looking F Series gaming rigs originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 20:04:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba’s Satellite L Series continues its world tour, adds 2D-to-3D conversion

Back at CES, Toshiba unveiled a batch of low-cost Satellite L Series laptops in the US, and now it’s taking its show on the road, with new models on tap for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. These include the 13.3-inch L730 and L735, the 15.6-inch L750 and L755, and, if you’re hankering for a desktop replacement, the hulking 17.3-inch L770 and L775. This latest spin on the L Series boasts 3D support, connecting to 3DTVs over HDMI and, in some cases, converting 2D content to 3D. As in the States, shoppers abroad can add up to 8GB of RAM, and will get their choice of Intel Core i3 and Core i5 processors and various AMD CPUs, including triple- and quad-core options. Also look for multitouch trackpads, 5,400RPM hard drives as large as 750GB, 1.3 megapixel webcams, a mix of USB 3.0 and sleep-and-charge USB 2.0 ports, and a choice of integrated Intel HD graphics or a discrete NVIDIA GeForce 315M card with up to 1GB of video memory. No word yet on when they’ll go on sale or how much they’ll cost, but those curious for more can hit the source link for the full spill.

Toshiba’s Satellite L Series continues its world tour, adds 2D-to-3D conversion originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 16:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Acer releases third-gen Aspire Timeline X laptops with Sandy Bridge, but only in Taiwan for now

If you’ve been waiting for Sandy Bridge to land on Acer’s Timeline X laptops, then today’s your day. Well, it depends, as these new machines are only available in Taiwan for the time being. Just a few hours ago, the lucky folks over at Engadget Chinese managed to get up close and personal with these bad boys: we have a couple of 13.3-inch 3830TGs (pictured after the break), a 14-inch 4830TG, and a 15.6-inch 5830TG (pictured above). With the exception of Core i3-2310M on one of the 3830TGs, these laptops all come with Core i5-2410M, NVIDIA GT540M (with 2GB DDR3 RAM), 640GB hard drive, 2GB DDR3 RAM, and USB 3.0 ports. As for multimedia, sitting below the 1,366 x 768 LED-backlit LCDs are Dolby Home Theater speakers by Kenwood, and additionally, the two larger models also pack a DVD Super Multi DL drive.

Compared to the previous-gen Timeline X range, the most notable difference here is the new chiclet keyboard brought over from the Ethos range, which should trap a lot less dirt thanks to the tighter gaps. You’ll see that the new Timeline X ID has gone for a more tranquil look — the touchpad no longer has a silver trim around it, and likewise, the edges around the body are no longer tapered. Also gone is the removable battery underneath, but given the impressive portability (4.12 pounds, 4.67 pounds, and 5.49 pounds, respectively), we won’t miss this feature too much. On the contrary, there’s now an extra mouse button, presumably for offering better left and right-clicking. So far so good, and if you’re digging these laptops as well, then they can be yours for between NT$32,900 (US$1,133) and NT39,900 (US$1,374). Head over to Engadget Chinese for the whole stash of hands-on photos.

Continue reading Acer releases third-gen Aspire Timeline X laptops with Sandy Bridge, but only in Taiwan for now

Acer releases third-gen Aspire Timeline X laptops with Sandy Bridge, but only in Taiwan for now originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 12:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alienware’s M14x revealed: classic middle-child overachiever, none of the simmering sibling resentment

First, Alienware’s M17x got a bit of spit and polish with a new Sandy Bridge CPU and a 3D display, then the M11x got Intel’s speedy new silicon too. Now, the middle alien child appears to have gotten a similar makeover. Christened the M14x, rumor has it that Alienware’s newest portable rig packs an Intel Core i7-2820QM 2.3 GHz CPU, up to a 750GB 7200RPM HDD, 256GB SATA2 or SATA3 SDD, a robust NVIDIA GT555M GPU, LTE or WiMAX connectivity, and your choice of 14-inch screens: either a 1366 x 768 display or a Full HD 1920 x 1080 LCD. Following its big brother’s lead, the M14x also rolls with a pair of Klipsch speakers for hi-fi fragging. No word on when this mothership lands, but with those specs, we wouldn’t mind making first contact — would you?

Alienware’s M14x revealed: classic middle-child overachiever, none of the simmering sibling resentment originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Apr 2011 04:21:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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