Reviews Of Laptops And 2-In-1 PCs
Laptop PCs and 2-in-1 convertible tablet/laptop devices are the cornerstone personal computing systems for getting both work and play done on the road. From the big gun firepower of gaming laptops and desktop replacement machines, to ultra-lights and hybrids, we've got you covered here for what's hot in mobile computing.
Our previous coverage of the Inspiron XPS Gen 2 was mainly intended for prospective gaming and performance sensitive buyers. However, this perspective doesn't completely explore the multimedia possibilities of the XPS Gen 2, which can be configured with Microsoft's MCE 2005. So of course, we had an Inspiron XPS Gen 2 from Dell configured with that OS and all the necessary multimedia add-ons for those curious about its full audio/video possibities. Dell Inspiron XPS Gen 2 Specifications Processor •_Designed for Intel 90nm Dothan Pentium-M with 2MB On-Die L2 Cache •_Supports 533MHz FSB Chipset •_Intel 915PM/ICH6-M •_Supports maximum memory capacity up to 2GB Memory •_Two...
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Over the past year, it has been interesting to see the emphasis that the big names are willing to put on the "enthusiast" crowd, in regards to notebooks. In the past, notebooks have been targeted towards businessmen and the like. These days, however, the variety is so wide that there is a notebook targeted to just about every niche and need. Consider this: a few years ago there were a handful of names making true blue notebook gaming rigs, i.e. Alienware, albeit in small quantities. But as the gaming generation grows, so does the interest in these powerful systems. So, it really comes as no surprised to us to see Dell and HP joining the fray. The difference is that Dell has really...
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The Notebook Lab here at Hothardware.com is currently full of business and professional class notebooks, but don't fret, we will get to some interesting consumer class designs soon. In the meantime though, there is still plenty to keep us busy, including our latest arrival, Dell's new business powerhouse - the Latitude D810. The Dell Latitude D810 sports an Intel Pentium-M processor with 2MB of L2 cache (Dothan core), riding on the i915PM chipset, with ATI Radeon X300 or X600 powered graphics. Dell Latitude D810 Specifications Processor •_Designed for Intel Pentium-M/Intel 90nm Dothan Pentium-M with 2MB On-Die L2 Cache •_Supports 533MHz FSB Chipset •_Intel 915PM/ICH6-M Chipset...
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A few short years back, the T series notebook from IBM was exactly what most of us thought of whenever someone uttered the word "notebook". Through the years, it has been the friend of many students, business men, and serious travelers, with broad market brand-name recognition. Lately, it has undergone its latest refresh, now equipped under Intel's Sonoma platform. This is precisely the weapon of choice for many looking for a powerful thin and light notebook. And so we decided to put one of these new ThinkPads T series machines through its paces. Here's a look at the new T43. IBM ThinkPad T43 Specifications Processor •_Designed for Intel 90nm Dothan Pentium-M with...
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IBM's products are the time tested gold standard when it comes to the computing needs of business professionals or corporations as a whole. "Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM," many say. There is a reason for this reputation; most of it relating specifically to quality and technological features that have been incorporated cleverly into the personal computers offered by IBM. You've probably already heard of the buyout plan of this part of IBM's business to a China based system vendor called Lenovo, and the gripes and forecasting made by some "industry insiders." For us, that is all just sideline chit-chat. Because, regardless of the sale, as consumers we are a bit more...
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Lightweight notebooks have always been the weapon of choice for the professional with a need for speed and an eye for style. As new entries are brought into the market during the spring refresh, numerous companies have been scrambling to bring something that fuses aesthetics and power together in a conveniently portable package. Asus's track record has been pretty solid thus far. The motherboard maker turned notebook manufacturer has steadily brought quality new machines along. Recently, Asus began to push forward with innovations based around the simple concepts of style and mobility by announcing their W5 and V6 lines. Both sport a high standard of elegance along with wide array of features...
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With the next notebook refresh cycle right around the corner, we are taking the time to look at some of the more recently refreshed notebooks. In the meantime, there is a lot of buzz surrounding the AMD Turion platform, which we have been eagerly anticipating. The news so far (directly from a few system vendors) is that it does surprisingly well in power consumption. We are hearing that quasi-thin and light/lightweight desktop replacements using an 8-cell battery should get just under 200 minutes of use This is just preliminary news we are hearing with what seems to be the first official batch of drivers and hardware. When compared to comparable Centrino systems, we are hearing that...
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Centrino based notebooks are the mobile computing industry's current bread and butter. There is really no denying the huge market share that Intel has claimed in the notebook arena. Centrino is synonymous with mobility and power efficiency, and it is generally regarded as the present gold standard when it comes to mainstream mobile computing. So where does this leave AMD? While both companies hold their own in the desktop market, the North American notebook market is dominated by Intel. Until the Turion 64 is widely available, there just aren't any strong AMD products that compete directly against Intel's low power Centrino platform. Of course, there are still a few DTRs (Desktop Replacement...
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We are going to go start down the proverbial "rabbit hole' for notebooks in the coming weeks. And because of this, we need to lay a few things out before we go on. First and foremost, certain notebooks are designed with certain people in mind. Five or six years ago, not everyone was cut out to own a notebook, for a variety of reasons; which of course included pricing versus desktop systems. However, the drive down in notebook prices and the variety in notebooks have made it possible for most of us to own or plan to own a notebook. After all, notebooks have come a long way since they were only in the reach of the most professional of businessmen and running in the $4,000+ price range....
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Mobile Gaming At Desktop Speeds Tests & Benchmarks With The Pentium 4M & NVIDIA's GeForce4 440 Go By Dave Altavilla 6/3/02 There was once a time when the average Laptop Computer, even the top of the line models, were designed and built strictly for business. There were little if any true multimedia capabilities, without the need for DVD Drives, elaborate sound systems, CD-RW drives or 3D Graphics. You got your basic CPU, Drive, RAM and LCD screen with floppy, keyboard and mouse. The bells and whistles just weren't available and gaming on these machines was not even considered. However, as the average end user became more PC savvy and technology made it possible...
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