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Maingear Titan 17 Notebook Review
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 Custom boutique PC builder Maingear has sent us a couple of high-end desktop systems in the last year. The Maingear F131 was pitted against the Puget Deluge Mini and the Acer Predator in our sub-$2,000 gaming desktop roundup of 2010. Then late last year we had a look at their Shift Gaming PC, a beautiful no holds barred $7,000+ triple SLI overclocked monster that any hardware enthusiast would love to own.
Today we will be looking at the notebook equivalent of the above mentioned Shift desktop system, known as the Titan 17. Our evaluation system consists of an Intel Core i7-990X Extreme Edition processor, a hexa-core desktop CPU operating at 3.46 GHz. Other notable hardware includes a 17.3” LED-backlit display running at 1920 x 1080, two Nvidia GeForce GTX 485M graphics cards, 6GB of Kingston DDR3-1333 memory, a 120GB Intel 510 solid state drive, a 750GB Western Digital 7200 RPM hard drive, a Blu-ray optical drive, Bigfoot Killer Wireless-N Ultimate network adapter and integrated Bluetooth technology, all running under Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.
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Dell's XPS 15z Ultra Slim Notebook Review
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For some, Dell may historically have an undeserved reputation for producing run-of-the-mill products, but when you look at their recent smartphone offering like the Venue Pro, slates like the 5-inch Streak and computers like the Adamo XPS, it's hard to not give 'em credit where credit is due. Enter the XPS 15z. For all intents and purposes, this is yet another standout product from Dell, one that simply cannot be lumped into standard mainstream categories. There's something fundamentally different about the 15z that commands a second look, and in our case, an in-depth review of its features and capabilities...
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HP ProBook 6360b Notebook Review
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The ProBook 6360b is the latest addition to HP’s “b” series notebooks and their first in a 13.3” form factor. It's tailored for business professionals with a robust software suite including HP ProtectTools, Power Assistant and QuickWeb. Users will also appreciate the secure display latch, extended life battery options and docking station capabilities.
Our ProBook evaluation unit shipped with Intel’s Core i5-2410M, a 2.30 GHz Sandy Bridge processor that is capable of Turbo Boosting up to 2.90 GHz when needed. Much like the i5-2520M in the ThinkPad X1 we tested recently, this CPU features four processing threads and Intel HD 3000 Graphics with a max TDP of 35W.
Compared to Lenovo's X1, the ProBook 6360b has very similar display specifications, a slightly slower processor, identical graphics and the same amount of memory and hard drive space. But that's where the similarities end. The ProBook is admittedly plain and hefty while the X1 is a slim system which more of a consumer-designed look and feel.
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Dell Inspiron 17R
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“The Dell Inspiron 17R is a large 17-inch desktop replacement laptop that has a sturdy design that as some updated internals and ports, including USB 3.0 and Intel's Wireless Display interface. However it has only average graphics performance and doesn't have a Blu-ray optical drive.”
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Several vendors plan to offer ARM-architecture notebooks
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Several vendors, including Samsung Electronics, Toshiba, Acer and Asustek Computer, plan to develop ARM architecture notebooks, with products possibly to be launched as early as the end of 2011, according to industry sources.
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Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Ultralight Laptop Review
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The new Thindpad X1 is a formidable system; it's generally being billed as Lenovo's champion of choice vs. the Macbook Air. That comparison makes sense based on the Air's visibility, but the X1 is set to compete across the entire spectrum, including new thin and light machines from Dell and HP. The specs for the machine we tested don't represent Lenovo's highest-end X1 configuration; the company sells two SSD-powered versions of the diminutive system as well...
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ASUS U36SD-XA1 Notebook Review: The Battery That Never Dies
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All of these laptops are competitive with the U36 in performance and features (though you can?t always grab an SSD), but they do lose out in one area - battery life. If you don?t need a laptop that can last eight hours on a charge, you may be better off with the competition. But if you do need that kind of endurance, the U36 is so far superior that it becomes the clear winner with low voltage processors and NVIDIA Optimus. The enhanced gaming performance on this model may also be of some appeal, though it`s still far from sufficient for serious gaming."
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HP Elitebook 2560p Review @ TechReviewSource.com
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?The HP Elitebook 2560p is incredibly fast and full-featured for a pint-sized business laptop. It boasts a speedy Core i5 processor and multiple battery options that can yield up to 9 hours on the road. Add to that a modern look, thanks to a new aluminum design, and you can safely say that this business ultraportable is worth looking into.?"
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Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Review
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A couple of months ago we were checking out Lenovo’s then latest ThinkPad offering, the X220. Based on Intel’s second generation Core processors, this system was classic business-oriented ThinkPad throughout. A few months before the X220, I had the IdeaPad U260 in-house which was classified by Lenovo as a “thin, light, stylish travel companion”.
I mention those two units as a transition to what we have for review today, the new ThinkPad X1. As the thinnest ThinkPad ever, the X1 seemingly takes the best features from the X220 and the U260 and merges them into one. The result is an extremely thin and sleek 13.4” notebook that is a real follow-up model to the X300 series that many came to own and love a couple of years ago.
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BlackBerry PlayBook Tablet Review
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The BlackBerry PlayBook is RIM's entry into the burgeoning tablet market that is currently dominated by Apple. It faces a stiff competition from the iPad and the various Android tablets that are just now coming to market. Does RIM have what it takes to compete at this level of consumer tablet? Is the BlackBerry PlayBook something that the average customer should be parting with their hard-earned money for?
In a nutshell, no. The PlayBook has a lot of things going for it, solid hardware, speedy processor, and dual-cameras. But hardware is only half the story. And the story of the PlayBook is as much about what RIM left out as what it put in. The PlayBook is not quite ready for prime time, and could definitely benefit from going back in the oven for a little bit longer, especially on the software side. Considering that ensuing updates to the OS and integrated apps could improve the PlayBook, bear in mind that this review is current only as of launch time: April 2011. Read on to find out what the PlayBook does right, and why we think it is sorely lacking in other areas.
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ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Launches in Taiwan
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"ASUS has come out with the Android-powered Eee Pad Transformer that snaps into a special dock to become a laptop. The Eee Pad Transformer is a pretty decent tablet to start; a half-inch-thick, 10.1-inch NVIDIA Tegra 2-powered unit that's running Android 3.0 or Honeycomb.
What makes us pay attention to this device is the fact that it transforms. The big deal here, of course, is the transformation. The Transformer is a half-inch-thick tablet with a metal back. The transformation occurs when there is a metal snap to physically attach a keyboard so that you can close it to look like a laptop. It's a seamless transformation."
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HP Pavilion dm1z Fusion Ultralight Notebook Review
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What began as a trickle -- as AMD finally introduced a shipping version of the long-awaited Fusion platform -- has turned into a steady stream, and we're definitely excited to see APUs, as AMD calls the product, finally making an impact. AMD had played up the idea of an Accelerated Processing Unit for years, and now, it's clearly a reality. Lenovo's ThinkPad X120e, which we reviewed a few months ago, instantly became one of our favorite ultraportables, and now HP has what appears to be a rival machine, of sorts.
The Pavilion dm1z is an 11.6" machine, that is a touch larger than the myriad 10" netbooks already on the market, and honestly, we're struggling with what to classify this machine as. Is is a netbook? Is it an ultraportable? In reality, it's probably a hybrid of the two. You're getting the portability and longevity of a netbook, but the power and price of a nicer ultraportable.
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Lenovo T420 notebook
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Whether it’s their ultraportable PCs, business models or workstations,
Lenovo solutions are always touted to be uncompromising solutions, with
excellent quality and flawless product support. The ThinkPad series
became well-known for the aforementioned features all the way back when
IBM still held this company segment. Split into several series, the
ThinkPad family comprises several important subcategories: the
ultraportable X-series, the workstation W-series, the accessible
SL-series, the stylised Edge series, the “green” L-series, and finally,
the most popular of all, the balanced T-series. The newest
representative of the T-series, T420, is the one that we’ve received for
testing, and its intention was to convince us that it’s worthy of
replacing one of the company’s best-selling models, T410…
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Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch Review
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The new MacBook family is available in five different models: two 13.3-inch units, two 15.4-inch versions, and a 17-inch behemoth. The base prices for these models range from $1,199 up to $2,499, but with configuration options such as faster processors, more memory, and larger-sized hard drives or SSDs, you can easily boost the cost considerably. In the past we’ve dinged Apple for putting a premium price on its notebooks when compared against models with similar specs from other manufacturers. You could easily make the argument, however, that this is simply not a fair comparison--comparing apple and oranges if you will--you’re not going to find another laptop that runs the Mac OS (at least not legally) and you’re going to be hard pressed to find another laptop that comes even close to the MacBook Pro’s design aesthetics.
In the case of the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro that Apple sent us, we need not rehash our past critiques. While its $1,499 price tag puts it firmly out of reach of those looking for budget units, this price is commensurate with similarly configured Windows laptops that are powered by Intel Core i7 mobile processors...
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Dell XPS 15z Laptop Review @ HardwareHeaven.com
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Dell XPS 15z Laptop Review @ HardwareHeaven.com Dell are back with the XPS 15z, a slimmer, higher specification model which combines an aluminium chassis with 2nd Generation Core CPU and GeForce GPU in a portable form factor which Dell states is the thinnest 15 PC available, anywhere. Today we have the XPS 15z on our test bench and will be putting it through a selection of real world and synthetic tests to find out if the great features and performance of the XPS 15 has been continued in this new model."
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Sony VAIO S
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“If environmental considerations are important to you then the fact that 85% of the plastics in the VAIO VPCS13V9E/B are made from recycled materials may well appeal. You’ll also like that the LED is mercury free. The plentiful RAM and large hard drive might make this laptop appropriate for small business users who lack networked services and carry all their data and applications with them at all times. But you’ll be stacking these factors up against a somewhat chunky, heavy build, relatively expensive price, plenty of unwanted software to remove and a battery which will need feeding in the early afternoon.”
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| The best Guides by the best writers on the internet; PCstats Beginners Guides explain computers, software, and all those other wonderful things that cause you frustration.
Learn how to use your computer better, master the internet while protecting yourself, and know what to do when your hard drive kicks the bucket.
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Beginners Guides
