The delayed Lenovo ThinkPad X130e notebook is now available for pre-order on the company's website. Due to ship on February 9, the notebooks will start at $429. That price includes an 11.6-inch, 1366x768 display and AMD's dual-core, 1.3GHz E-300 Fusion processor.
Panasonic today unveiled two 12.1-inch notebooks in its home country. The Let's Note SX1 and SX2 offer Intel Core i5 processors in a compact, ruggedized magnesium form factor with batteries that provide up to 16 hours of run-time. Panasonic is also offering the J10, a 10.1-inch laptop targeting business customers.
ASUS has quietly slipped out a new pro-oriented notebook in admist the more home-focused designs of CES. The 12.5-inch B23E has a relatively sleek magnesium alloy chassis. Although 1.1 inches thick and 3.4 pounds, it's intended as a true complete replacement with a DVD burner, up to 750GB of storage, and as much as 8GB of RAM.
Dell's Alienware badge ventured into small form factor desktops for the first time late Tuesday. The X51 is billed as the smallest gaming PC desktop ever at no more than 13.5 inches at its largest dimension. Even with a 3.7-inch thick width, it can not only fit up to a GeForce GTX 555 desktop graphics card but replace this, the hard drive, and the RAM as new technology comes through.
Lenovo will bring six desktop computers to CES this week, including four IdeaCentre all-in-ones from the B-series, the easily upgreadable H520s and the slim IdeaCentre K430. The IdeaCentre B540 uses a 23-inch frameless touchscreen with 1080p resolution and an integrated VESA mount that can be equipped with 3D capabilities. It can be equipped with NVIDIA's GeForce GT 650M graphics card with 2GB of RAM and DirectX 11 support.
Lenovo trotted out the first wave of its CES introductions Wednesday with a renewed push on the ultrabook space currently defined by Apple. The ThinkPad X1 Hybrid has dual-booting into an instant-on mode like some notebooks but adds a full-fledged, dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon chip to power its Instant Media Mode. The combination of the ARM chip and the lightweight Linux-based OS lets users not only double battery life to 10 hours for basic use but switch to the OS post-boot and lets users keep the Snapdragon side always on, like a smartphone.
Lenovo's lead-in to CES has included three new ThinkPad Edge models. Fronting the pack, the S430 has an 0.8-inch thickness bordering on ultrabooks but still keeps to regular notebooks: it uses Ivy Bridge-era Intel Core processors and is one of the first Windows PCs with Thunderbotl, giving it very high speed storage and displays on one cable.
Following a desktop slip, details of Intel's notebook versions of its Ivy Bridge processor lineup have leaked as well. The lineup seen by VR-Zone will simplify into just U-series ultra-low voltage chips that use 17W and full-power M-series chips that use 35W, 45W, or 55W depending on the model. All 25W chips have disappeared now that PC builders can dial down the peak power themselves.
Lenovo early Tuesday upgraded its most inexpensive ThinkPad X-series with a mind to help students and the public at large. The 11.6-inch X130e has a stronger bezel, hinge system and even 33 percent stronger edges, all meant to let them survive casual bumps. Performance is now much better as well, with the option of a 1.65GHz AMD E-450 chip versus the earlier E-350 as well as a new Intel Core i3 2367U.
Toshiba has begun selling its Portege Z830 and Z835 13.3-inch ultrabooks through its online store. The computer builder is offering four pre-configured models as well as a build-your-own option at prices starting at $930. All models run low-voltage Intel Core processors.
HP formally launched itself into the ultrabook space early Wednesday with the Folio 13. The 13.3-inch system is "less than" 0.7 inches thick and, while heavier than the MacBook Air at 3.3 pounds, also has what HP claims is the longest-lasting battery in the class. At nine hours, it can last for up to two hours longer than the Air, although Apple's tests are usually real-world where HP's are theoretical.
The Toshiba Portege Z830 series of ultrabooks is coming to Best Buy. An Intel Core i3-based version will be sold as an exclusive, available only though the national retailer. It will be priced at $899, $400 less than the category benchmark, the MacBook Air.
CinemaNow is now offering 1080p HD movies for rental and purchase with the help of Intel. CinemaNow has added several hundred HD titles to their catalog. Previously, the division of Best Buy had only offered standard-definition media.
Sony chose an unusual Sunday timeframe to tune the VAIO notebook line. As promised earlier, the 15.5-inch VAIO S is now on sale as the definition of Sony's new mid-range. Known as the VAIO SE, its focus is on HD content with a 1080p display and dedicated Radeon HD 6630M video.
A newly-discovered web page for an HTPC from ASRock reveals the computer has quietly taken an update to Sandy Bridge-based Intel processors. The Vision 3D 2nd-gen Series computer can be had with Core i3, i5 or i7 CPUs and also sports switchable 1GB GeForce GT 540M graphics, 4GB of RAM and a HDMI 1.4a port, in addition to four USB 3.0 jacks.
Toshiba threw its hat into competition in the ultrabook space with the Portege Z830. By using a mix of aluminum and magnesium alloy, the system manages to be both thinner and much lighter than the MacBook Air at just 2.45 pounds and 0.63 inches at its most. The design has also been carefully shaped to keep more traditional ports alive. It carries a USB 3.0 port, two USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet, and separate HDMI and VGA video outputs along with a card reader and headphone jack.
Sony on Wednesday introduced a new addition to the Vaio S lineup with a 15.5-inch model. It sports a 1080p display and measures under one-inch thick while weighing in at 4.4lbs. Its magnesium and aluminum alloy case can be had in black or silver.
Samsung is showing off a new tablet PC over at the IFA show in Berlin, the Slate PC Series 7. Borrowing the name from the company's recently introduced Series 7 notebooks, the tablets sport Windows 7 rather than Android. The 11.6-inch devices also get a choice of Core i3, Core i5 or Pentium processors, as well as 4GB of RAM.
The Dell Vostro 360 all-in-one PC leaked earlier this month has now showed up on the company's Chinese site. Now called the Vostro Success 360, the PC gets a 23-inch display with a 1080p resolution and touch sensitivity as an option. Windows 7 Professional is onboard, hinting this computer is meant for business use.
The MS1 X460 line of Slim Series notebooks previously announced in July are out now. There are three models available, all of which center on 14-inch displays and incorporate Intel's second-generation Core chipsets. The X460DX-008 is a dual-core i3 model, while the X460DX-0006 is powered by a Core i5 quad-core chip, and the X460-004 is powered by a Core i7 quad-core chip. MSI claim that the quad-core editions are the lightest quad-core notebooks currently available on the market.
Chipmaker Intel has again began offering a CPU upgrade service. This time, however, users can upgrade one of three CPUs, including the Core i3-2312M, Core i3-2102, and Pentium G622. Performance boosts range from 10 to 23 percent.
Dell has launched a new Vostro notebook, the Vostro V131. The V131 uses second generation Core i3 and i5 CPUs with integrated graphics, and a 13.3-inch anti-glare 1366 x 768 HD LED display. It has a chiclet keyboard with with three programmable quick launch keys and optional backlight. The V131 also has a full HD camera, digital array mics and built-in Skype for teleconferencing. The chassis is 13 inches wide by 9.4 inches deep and inclines slightly, from 0.63in. at the front to 0.83in. at the rear.
Dell chose Thursday to remake its most important small notebooks. The 14-inch Inspiron 14z and 13.3-inch Inspiron 13z together slim down compared to Dell's usual and measure just slightly under an inch thick. Some of the size reduction comes from a move to higher-quality parts: they now use aluminum lids and palm rests instead of the plastic common to many notebooks in their class.
(Update: real) Apple has updated its iMac for certain educational and institutional customers at the Apple Store. A 21.5-inch model is available with a dual 3.1GHz Core i3 and a modern AMD Radeon HD 6750M for graphics, instead relying on reduced storage and memory, along with the slight processor drop, to bring the price to $999. The design trims memory to just 2GB of RAM and storage to a 250GB hard drive.
Lenovo has just introduced three new products aimed at small and medium businesses. This includes the ThinkCentre Edge 71 desktop PC and two desktop displayss in the new LS series. The PC is available in either a tower or small form factor and gets a choice of Intel's second-generation Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 processors.
Samsung's Series 3 notebook has quietly shipped out to the US. The core system, the 15.6-inch 300V5A-A03, has turned up at Amazon for about $591. It serves as the baseline with a 2.1GHz Core i3, 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB hard drive.
Google Chromebooks will soon get a big speed upgrade in return for a slight discount, insiders claimed Wednesday. The Chrome OS hardware will reportedly go to Core i3 and beyond processors and, to make the price balance work, will get a 10 to 20 percent discount from Intel on the chips. Existing partners Acer and Samsung were reported by Digitimes as onboard and might be joined by ASUS and others as soon as early 2012.
Samsung took on complaints about a 9 Series premium over the MacBook Air on Friday by launching newer lower-cost models for each. The 11-inch X1B variants have more recent 1.3GHz Core i3 processors and drop in price. A basic A02US variant with 2GB of RAM and a 64GB solid-state drive will drop $150 to hit $1,049, and an A01US version will have 4GB of RAM and a 128GB SSD for $1,249.
MSI swung out a relatively unique addition to its CX series notebooks on Wednesday. The 14-inch CX480 has a particularly strong focus on the battery life not often seen in mainstream portables that gives it up to 8.5 hours on a charge. The PC also brings in MSI's in-house fast charging to power up in half as much time and has an Apple-influenced external battery indicator that shows the charge without needing to boot up.
An unusual plethora of rumors Monday night provided possible details of the new Mac Pro and other near-term Apple updates. The pro tower will supposedly get a "unique CPU" along with its more rackmountable case. What that would entail wasn't said by MICGadget's purported informants, though it's more likely to involve early access to the Xeon E5 due this fall than a genuinely rare processor.
Sources told Brian Tong Sunday afternoon that new Mac minis and redesigned Mac Pros should arrive either in late July or early August. The historically accurate CNET staffer was given only a few details but was told they would use both Sandy Bridge-era Intel processors and Thunderbolt ports. August was more likely for the two, he heard, and both would appropriately come preloaded with Lion.
Sony on Wednesday morning reworked the VAIO C and E for the summer. The 14-inch EG, 15.5-inch EH, and 17.3-inch EJ are the more radical breaks with new patterns and fingerprint-resistant shells. Buyers still have the pick of more recent Sandy Bridge-era Core i3 and i5 processors but can pick an AMD Fusion-based 1.6GHz E-350 in the EH to keep the price down but still get HD-capable video.
Computer maker Acer has recently shown off two new notebooks for multimedia users in its Ethos line with the 5951G and 8951G. They offer a unique touch in a detachable touchpad that doubles as a multimedia remote control. The 5951G has a 15.6-inch screen and gets a resolution of 1366x768.
Acer early this morning brought its 2011 TimelineX redesign to the US. The newer versions keep the minimalist, lightweight designs from other countries as well as their upgrades to Sandy Bridge-era, low-power Core i3 and i5 chips, although the Core i7 is absent. Higher-end and mostly larger systems come with either GeForce GT 520M or 540M dedicated video to push gaming while keeping battery life intact using Optimus switching, at up to eight hours when the faster video is in place.
Today Apple's online store has a great selection of refurbished iMacs at discounted prices. They start at $929 for the 21.5-inch iMac with a 3.06GHz Intel Core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive. For just a little bit more upgrade to the 21.5-inch refurb. iMac with a 3.2GHz Intel Core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive, now priced at $1099 after a $200 price cut.
LG kicked off its turn at Computex with a new all-in-one specially designed with the help of Intel. The V300 is the Korean company's first all-in-one PC and borrows a design cue from the iMac but uses LG's expertise in displays. The 23-inch, 1080p panel brings passive glasses 3D that keeps the cost down but also supports multi-touch and uses a color-accurate IPS screen much like on its Apple equivalents.
Lenovo's recently released ThinkPad X220 notebook is suffering from a throttling down CPU, Lenovo admitted on its forums. This occurs even despite the max performance mode being enabled and the device plugged in. The CPU will go down to its lowest state, and the issue is likely to affect the T420/T520 notebooks as well.
Lenovo began selling its newly unveiled ThinkPad X1 with a positive twist for newcomers. The ultraportable normally costs $1,399 minimum but is on sale for $1,199 with a 2.1GHz Core i3, 4GB of RAM, and a 320GB 7,200RPM hard drive. A higher-end 2.5GHz Core i5 model also dips below the official price if users customize it to hit $1,304.
Llano-based Fusion chips from AMD that began shipping in April to netbooks and nettops first are now being shipped to notebook makers. Details of both the shipping and prices have emerged thanks to Digitimes that show a full-blown ship schedule will begin in July. AMD is reportedly due to move 1.5 million chips and would be well on its way to meeting its goal of a 15 percent share of the notebook CPU segment.
HP has updated its 610 series of AIO (All-In-One) desktops. The latest 610-xt mid-tier and 6010 Quad premium-tier Intel versions of this PC now sport the second-generation i5 and i7 2000 series quad-core processors. The entry level 600t still uses the first-generation dual-core i3-540 Clarkdale CPU. Prices for the i5 610xt series start at $1,050. A basic i7 610 Quad PC starts at $1,500.
After numerous leaks, Lenovo tonight brought out its first halo notebook in years through the ThinkPad X1. The 13.3-inch system is the thinnest ThinkPad to date at no more than 0.83 inches but promises to trump the MacBook Air by overcoming the usual barriers in the class. A new generation of Lenovo's high-power, low-noise "owl wing" cooling fans lets it use full-power Core i3, i5, and i7 processors while still keeping up to five hours on its regular battery.
The Samsung 9 Series ultra-thin and portable notebook introduced at CES is now available for purchase in the US. The smaller version weighs just 2.31 pounds. In its current trim, it gets Intel's 1.33GHz Core i3 ultra-low voltage CPU with integrated HD 3000 graphics.
Panasonic on Tuesday introduced the replacement for its Toughbook 52 notebook that is semi-rugged. The 14-inch notebook earns this distinction thanks to its spill-proof keyboard, magnesium alloy case, and a shock-mounted hard drive. It meets MIL-spec 810G standards for drop and shock resistance.
Intel has updated its Wireless Display 2.0 (WiDi 2.0) standard this week to support wireless streaming playback of HDCP copy-protected content. This includes Intel Insider, DVD and Blu-ray movies at up to 1080p. Users with the latest Sandy Bridge-era Core processors can update their HD Graphics drivers to see the change.
New iMacs are now available but you can save big on refurbished models in Apple's online store. They start at $929 for a 21.5-inch iMac with a 3.06GHz Intel Core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive. Or for $949, after a $550 price cut, you could select a 21.5-inch iMac with a 3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive.
Dell's Alienware gaming notebook line-up just got smaller, as the company retired its M15x, Engadget learned. The 15-inch notebook sported a standard-issue 2.13GHz Core i3 chip along with 3GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive and GeForce GT 240M graphics. Options included Core i5 and i7 chips including the quad-core 2GHz Core i7 Extreme Edition.
Apple's widely anticipated Sandy Bridge-equipped iMacs should not only be unveiled on May 3 but would be ready to sell in stores the same day, tipsters maintained Saturday. The all-in-ones would not only be unveiled early Tuesday but see Apple retail staff perform a "visual night," or an overnight rearranging of the store to put in new demo models and displays. The timing as cast by AppleInsider's sources would both help smooth out the launch and let buyers get the system the very same day.
Taiwanese computer maker MSI has introduced a new all-in-one computer with a 20-inch touchscreen, the Wind Top AE2070. The base model is equipped with a 1600x900 multi-touch screen, a Pentium G620 CPU, 2GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 500GB SATA II hard drive. An onboard Intel HD Graphics 2000 processor handles graphics. The computer runs Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X220 notebooks introduced in March are now shipping. The X220 and X220t are available on the company's site with prices slightly different than originally believed. The X220 starts at $849 rather than $899, while the tablet version is $1,249 rather than $1,199.
MSI brought two of its core notebooks to the US Monday. The CR640 and CX640 both hit the mainstream with a 2.1GHz Core i3, a 15.6-inch display, 4GB of RAM, and a 500GB hard drive. Both promise a few touches for speed, such as a pair of USB 3.0 ports and a fast boot that reportedly cuts the boot time in half.
