HP shows off Atom-powered mini-Q nettop in Taiwan

It's no slate PC / digiframe hybrid, but it is a touch unorthodox. HP Compaq is reportedly preparing to launch a mini-Q nettop, though it could ship under a totally less exciting Presario 2030 / 2020 moniker. Packed within the diminutive box will be an Atom 330 / 230 CPU (respectively), Windows Vista / XP (also respectively), 2GB of DDR2 RAM, a 160GB 7,200RPM hard drive, dual-layer DVD writer and a 6-in-1 card reader. No mention of a release date just yet, but pricing is expected at around NT$9,900 ($296) / NT$12,900 ($386).

[ Via: Electronista ]

• Hello Kitty C1 netbook packs a lotta 'tude into a small package

ASUS 15.6-inch touchscreen Eee Tops launching tomorrow -- $499?

Can you feel it? That dull sense of ennui isn't the result of the diminished hours of daylight, oh no, it's the sensation of the Eee Top's imminent launch in Taipei. ASUS has a news conference scheduled for Thursday to out the ET1602 and ET1603 XP PCs into the wonderfully erect world of all-in-ones. Something we've been expecting since January of this year when we first heard about ASUS' Eee branding promiscuity. We're still looking at 15.6-inches of touchscreen LCD, a 160GB hard disk, 802.11n WiFi, a pair of 4-watt speakers, and 1.3 megapixel webcam all propped up by a tepid 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor -- a CPU that ASUS knows a thing or two about. The ET1603 packs a better ATI HD3450 graphics card and battery for 4.4-kilograms (9.7-pounds) of luggable PC. We'll have to wait for the pricing and country details but we can speculate that it'll arrive in the US pronto after seeing its wireless (EK-C2) keyboard slip through the FCC yesterday. Could be a holiday winner if it hits for the $499 price rumored way back when.


[ Via: Engadget ]

• Intel's convertible Classmate PC barely makes it to FCC class

Dell's Core i7-packin' Studio XPS hits the review bench

Dell's Studio XPS had "winner" written all over it from the get-go. With practically every other Core i7 rig on the market catering specifically to gamers who were willing to pay a premium for an equally cutting edge GPU, this machine directed itself to everyone who just wanted to do everything but game (and do so quickly). The kids over at DesktopReview were able to take the sub-$1,000 box for a spin, and while they weren't too fond of the relatively plain chassis, it was pretty much thumbs-up everywhere else. Performance in everyday applications was stellar, gaming was better than average and the value was unbeatable. Overall, the Studio XPS is darn close to the perfect machine for folks who want to compute quickly and play a game or two on the side, but rather than taking our word for it, we'd suggest hitting the read link and having a look for yourself.


[ Via: Engadget ]

• Dell's Inspiron Mini 9 and 12 get artist makeovers

HP's Shanghai-packing xw9400 workstation available now

We caught a glimpse of the HP xw9400 quite a while back when it was first announced, but it's now available on HP's site and we've got the full details on the mammoth's innards. There are quite a few customizable options, including AMD's Dual-Core Shanghai Opteron CPUs (from 2.0GHz to 2.5GHz), up to 32GB MHz DDR SDRAM, NIVIDIA nForce Professional 3600 or 3050 chipsets, and available NVIDIA Quadro FX cards with up to 1GB of memory. There are also five internal and two external drive bays and eight USB 2.0 ports. The behemoth starts at $2,399 and runs as high as $6,299. Hit the read link for the widest array of specifications you can possibly ever imagine.


[ Via: Information Week ]

• How would you change Apple's unibody MacBook / MacBook Pro?

ASUS summons Core i7 power in ROG CG6190 gaming desktop

If you thought your ARES CG6155 was hot stuff during the sweltering summer, well, you were right. Sadly, your bragging days have come to an end, as a new era of cutting-edge buyers are fixing to one-up you with the purchase of ASUS' ROG CG6190. Timed to be released alongside Intel's potent Core i7 processor, this beast is built around the X58 chipset and includes an eye-catching chassis, 52% faster processing speed in 3D gaming applications (thanks, overclocked Core i7!), up to 12GB of DDR3 RAM and support for an NVIDIA triple-SLI GPU setup or an ATI CrossFireX rig. You'll also notice a biometric fingerprint scanner, a unique 2-kilowatt dual power system, customized liquid cooling modules and a SupremeFX X-Fi audio card. As ASUS loves to do, we're left in the dark on pricing, but we'd guess it'll launch somewhere between expensive and ludicrously pricey here soon.

[ Via: ComputerMonger ]

Upcoming dual-processor Nehalem EP machine benchmarked -- yeah, it's fast

Intel's new Core i7 chip has been showing up in tons of silly-spec'd high-end gaming rigs for about three days now, so it's obviously time to get bored and move on -- and right on cue, TechRadar's got the first benchmarks we've seen of the upcoming dual-processor Nehalem EP platform. The secret test machine featured two 2.8GHz Nehalem EP chips (likely to hit retail in 2009 as the Xeon X5560) and 24GB of 1,066MHz DDR3 RAM controlled by the new Quick Path Interconnect and on-die memory controllers, which together cranked out a SPECfp base rate of 160 -- way above the 90 posted by current 3.4GHz Xeon setups, and higher than the 105 scored by a 2.7GHz dual-processor rig with AMD's new Shanghai chips. Yeah, that's silly fast, and it's bound to get even faster when these bad boys launch with a 3.2GHz part along for the ride. Now if Intel could just siphon some of that speed into these pokey Atoms we can actually afford, we'd be grins-a-plenty.

[ Via: Engadget ]

ASUS Eee PC 1002HA hands-on and video: looks a lot like the S101

The folks over at Laptop have gotten some quality face time with a pre-production model of ASUS' 10-inch Eee PC 1002 HA, and they seem to like a lot of what they're seeing. It boasts stylings reminiscent of both the Eee PC S101 (trackpad) and the 1000H (keyboard), and as such is basically a hybridized version of the two, though the test model "wouldn't power on" so we can't got much further than that. We do however, know that it'll house a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom CPU with 1GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive, and that it'll have a two-cell battery which ASUS claims will give users five hours of juice (though that sounds pretty suspect to us). The Eee PC 1002 HA is expected to ready to roar on the first of December for $499, but if you simply can't wait until then to have a look at it, hit the read like for more photos and a really, really interesting video.

[ Via: Engadget ]

• HP's TouchSmart tx2z multitouch convertible tablet starts at $1,149
• MSI Wind U120 gets spotted, examined in the wild

NVIDIA announces cost, energy-saving Tesla Personal Supercomputer

AMD has already outlined its plans to harness the power of its GPUs for some added computing muscle, and it looks like NVIDIA is now taking things one step further by announcing its new GPU-based Tesla Personal Supercomputer, which promises to deliver the power of a traditional supercomputer cluster at 1/100th of the price. That "personal supercomputer" is actually a platform based on NVIDIA's new Tesla C1060 GPU Computing Processor, which itself is based on NVIDIA's CUDA parallel computing architecture. The supercomputers themselves will come from a whole host of manufacturers that have already partnered with NVIDIA, including ASUS, Dell, Lenovo, and a number of more specialized computer makers. While complete details on those systems are still a bit light at the moment, they'll apparently be "priced like a conventional PC workstation," and the first few out of the gate should be available starting today.

[ Via: Engadget ]

• Dell's 32GB Inspiron Mini 9 netbook blushes pink and red in Japan
• MacBook innards crammed into makeshift mini Mac Pro tower
• Four-finger gestures hacked into older MacBooks
• Asus R50A finally arrives, jacks your wallet in the process
• Fujitsu's LifeBook U820 mini tablet now on sale, starts at $999
• Epson's Endeavor Na01 mini is a netbook

Gateway throws Core i7 CPUs into two new FX6800 gaming desktops

Although we actually got to see just how potent the Core i7 was way back in September (at least, that's what was hinted at "off the record"), the chip had yet to go on sale until this week. Now that it's had its formal launch party, Gateway's joining the masses in offering up two new FX Series PCs with Intel's freshest silicon. For the gamer on a budget, the FX6800-01 gets going at just $1,249.99 and packs a Core i7-920 processor, 3GB of DDR3 RAM and an ATI Radeon HD4850 video card. For those with cheddar to burn, the $2,999.99 FX6800-05 steps it up with a Core i7-940, ATI Radeon HD4870 X2 graphics card and 6GB of DDR3 memory. The high-end beast also includes a 1TB hard drive plus an 80GB SSD, and both models can be outfitted with a Blu-ray drive should you choose. For the complete specs list, have a glance at the full release just after the break.
New processing technology breaks barriers with extreme performance for intense gaming and high impact entertainment
IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 17, 2008 -- Gateway today announced two new
models in its FX Series of desktop PCs featuring Intel's fastest
desktop platform technology to date, the Intel(R) Core(TM) i7
processors and the Intel(R) X58 Express chipset. The new Core i7
processors feature faster, intelligent multi-core technology that
automatically applies processing power where it's needed most,
delivering an incredible breakthrough in PC performance.
An unrivaled value at just $1,249.99, the Gateway(R) FX6800-01e means
the world of extreme gaming and turbo-charged fun isn't limited to
high-priced systems costing thousands of dollars. At its heart lies
an Intel Core i7-920 processor, providing gamers with the critical
horsepower to pwn even the most worthy opponents. Partnered with an
ATI Radeon HD4850 video card, 3GB of DDR3 triple channel memory and
high definition audio, it delivers the performance, graphics and audio
necessary for those who want to experience their digital entertainment
full throttle.
"The new Gateway FX6800-01 featuring the Intel Core i7-920 Processor
is another example of our commitment to bringing high-performance into
the mainstream price range," said Glenn Jystad, senior manager,
desktop products for Gateway. "The screaming performance this desktop
delivers is more than enough for most gamers, and leaves them with a
lot more money for games, as well as the ability to play them better
than ever before."
Hard-core gamers who crave white-knuckle rushes and heart-palpitating
action will find the Gateway(R) FX6800-05 delivers all that and more.
Aggressively priced at $2.999.99, it is fueled by the even more
powerful Intel Core i7-940 processor, making it the ultimate holiday
gift and game crusher. Realistic heart-stopping, jaw-dropping visuals
are provided by ATI Radeon HD4870 X2 graphics card and 6GB of DDR3
memory for spine-tingling fun.
And the excitement doesn't stop there. In addition to its massive 1TB
hard drive, Gateway takes it to the next level, adding a revolutionary
new high-speed drive -- an 80GB Intel High Performance Solid State
Drive. This industry-leading drive can't be beat for drive-intensive
applications with extreme performance needs. Devoid of moving parts,
it provides faster and more reliable data storage than traditional
hard drives, with less heat and noise.
"Solid state hard drive technology on a gaming PC will make a huge
difference in the fun factor," continued Jystad. "Currently used in
mission critical environments, users are seeing boot up times that are
two to three times as fast and they are running cooler and quieter,
and without data fragmentation, all of which are hugely valued by
gamers as well."
"Fueled by the best desktop processors on the planet -- with Intel
Hyper-Threading and Intel Turbo Boost Technology -- the new Gateway FX
Series desktops will transport gamers to a new level of performance
and PC enjoyment," said CJ Bruno, vice president, sales and marketing
group and president, Intel Americas, Inc. "Not only can the new Intel
Core i7 processor handle today's most complex and immersive games, but
it's also powerful enough to handle tomorrow's gaming advances,
ensuring these new systems will continue to meet customers' needs for
years to come."
In addition to their powerful engines, the FX Series desktops offer
numerous user friendly features that add convenience, flexibility and
value to their overall proposition.
Hidden pop-out doors keep ports tucked away, out-of-view and free from
dust and debris. A pop-up on the top of the system provides
convenient access to media ports and the Smart Copy button, which
simplifies the storing of digital photos. A hidden pop-out on the
front hides the i/o ports most often used for temporary items such as
a microphone, headphone, and 1394 cables.
Touch-sensitive media control buttons make it easy to control DVDs,
music play lists and TV functionality. Both the models can include
Blu-ray Disc(TM) optical drives.
The FX6800 PCs come standard with two internal hard drive bays.
Customers can also quickly and easily add a third and fourth hard
drive by simply sliding out a tray located on the front lower section
of the chassis. A completely tool-less process, users simply insert
the hard drive into the tray and Vista will immediately recognize and
configure it for use.
A backup button on the front of the system is tied to the backup
feature found in Vista. Using this button, consumers can quickly and
confidently copy their files to any storage location they choose.
Specifications, Pricing and Availability
Gateway(R) FX6800-01e: Available now at leading retailers for a MSRP
of $1,249.99.
1. Intel Core i7-920 Processor (2.66Gz Quad-Core w/ Intel
Hyper-Threading & Turbo Speed Technology, new 8-thread CPU
architecture with automatic acceleration up to 2.93GHz on a single
core)
2. Intel X58 Express Chipset
3. ATI Radeon HD4850 w/ 512MB Discrete Video Memory
4. 3GB (3072MB DDR3 1066MHz Three Channel Memory [3 x 1024MB])
5. 750GB SATA II hard drive (1) (7200RPM, 16MB cache)
6. 18X DVD+/-R/RW SuperMulti Drive featuring LabelFlash(TM) Technology(2)
7. 15-in-1 High Speed Digital Media Card Reader with Smart Copy Button
8. Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit with Service Pack 1
9. (8) USB 2.0 Ports, (2) PS/2, (2) IEEE 1394a, (2) eSATA, RJ-45,
RJ-11, (8) Audio Ports, (1) Serial Port
10. HDMI Connector v1.3 (via DVI-HDMI dongle)
11. 500W Power Supply
Gateway(R) FX6800-05: Available now at leading online retailers, with
an MSRP of $2,999.99.
1. Intel Core i7-940 Processor (2.93GHz Quad-Core w/ Intel
Hyper-Threading & Turbo Speed Technology, New 8-thread CPU
architecture with automatic acceleration up to 3.20GHz on a single
core)
2. Intel X58 Express Chipset
3. ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 Graphics w/ 2048MB Discrete Video Memory
4. 6GB (6144MB DDR3 1066MHz Three Channel Memory [3 x 2GB DIMM])
5. 1000GB SATA II hard drive (1) (7200RPM, 16MB cache)
6. 80GB SSD (Solid State Drive)
7. 18X DVD+/-R/RW SuperMulti Drive featuring LabelFlash Technology(2)
8. 15-in-1 High Speed Digital Media Card Reader with Smart Copy Button
9. Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit with Service Pack 1
10. (8) USB 2.0 Ports, (2) PS/2, (2) IEEE 1394a, (2) eSATA, RJ-45, (8)
Audio Ports
11. HDMI Connector v1.3 (via DVI-HDMI dongle)
12. 1000 Watt Power Supply
Gateway Limited Warranty, Service and Support
The Gateway FX Series Desktops are backed by a one year limited
warranty(3). Gateway's commitment to quality and reliability is
evident in its award-winning line of PCs as well as in its exceptional
service and support programs(4). In addition to the company's
standard limited warranty options, its extensive online support center
helps customers maximize their PC investment; it gives them easy
access to customer support representatives and information on
important issues such as warranties, technical issues and upgrading.

[ Via: Engadget ]

• Acer's Aspire One A110X "Black Edition" hits the streets of Germany
• UMID's "super mini laptop" is small, shiny, super
• Dell's Vostro A860 yours for a song (and $379)
• Dell taking Art House laptops made-to-order in 2009
• Dell's Mini 12 netbook is ready for US orders, ships in December
• Samsung's Q310-34P laptop reviewed: not bad for a first try

Dell's Intel Core i7-packing XPS Studio and XPS 730x desktops on sale now

OK, handsome -- we know you've been distracted lately. What's the matter? The economy? Post-election comedown? Do you feel that It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia just hasn't lived up to its potential? Or are you itchin' for one of those new Core i7 desktops? Well, the wait is over -- we've got the skinny here on new Dell systems, and if you feel so moved you can even go over to their website and order one up right this very minute. The XPS Studio desktop's base $949 model boasts 2GB memory, 256MB ATI Radeon HD 3450 graphics, and 500GB storage, while the top-end $1,499 configuration features a 512MB2 ATI Radeon HD 4850, 6GB memory, 750GB storage, and comes bundled with a 24-inch S2409W Flat Panel monitor. For you game-playing types, the XPS 730x updates the popular XPS 730 line with the new processor, up to 6GB DDR3 memory, updated thermal monitoring system and chassis and either ATI Radeon HD 4850 512MB or NVIDIA GeForce GTX280 1024MB graphics -- starting at . As you'd expect, all systems ship with Vista Home Premium Edition. So, how do you feel? Better? We hoped you would.

[ Via: Engadget ]

• MSI EX623 laptop "rocks" our (proverbial) "world"
• ASUS adds N80V and N50V to its ever-expanding family of laptops
• How would you change the Voodoo Envy 133?
• Dell Inspiron Mini 12 reviewed: bigger, not necessarily better
• Lenovo's IdeaPad U330 reviewed: nice for the price
• Dell's Studio 15 and 17 get art-housed for (PRODUCT) RED

IBM Roadrunner Tops Cray as the Official World's Fastest Supercomputer [Supercomputers]

It's like a geek soap opera. Just last week, Cray bragged that their updated Jaguar XT supercomputer was the world's fastest. Now this week, IBM responds to the trash talk with a number one ranking of their Roadrunner system on the newly published Top500 supercomputing list. Both the IBM and Cray systems break the petaflop processing barrier according to Top500 measurements (1.45 petaflops vs 1.38 petaflops, respectively). Heck, even IBM admitted to us that the two computers "run neck and neck." But there's a huge difference between them. The Roadrunner uses roughly half the power of the Jaguar XT. It assembles 12,960 IBM PowerXCell 8i Cell Broadband Engine processors and an additional 6,948 AMD Opteron Dual-Core processors. The AMD equipment handles "basic" functions while the IBM chips handle the intense number crunching. (Read all about the Roadrunner here.) Seeing as the Cray XT5 uses 45,000 quad-core AMD Opteron processors to get the same job done, you've gotta be at least a little impressed.
[ Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]

• Windows 7 installed on a new MacBook Pro, sparks fly
• MSI's 10-inch Wind U100 falls to $349 at Best Buy
• Apple prepping a patch for mysterious clicking issue on new MacBooks
• LG debuts 13.3-inch XNOTE P310 premium laptop
• Alienware's M17 gaming laptop reviewed: an interesting mix of good and bad
• Toshiba's three-GPU Qosmio X305-Q708 / Q706 laptops now available

Roadrunner beats Jaguar in TOP500 supercomputer rankings, cartoon antics strangely absent

While titles like "world's fastest" and "world's largest" are fleeting at best, it's rare that we see such things taken down this quickly. Last week Cray delivered a big dish of braggadocio, talking up its 1.64 petaflop XT Jaguar supercomputer as the fastest (non-classified) machine in the world. Now, like some rocket skate-wearing coyote who's run out of thrust, it's been stymied by IBM's Roadrunner, deployed at Los Alamos. TOP500 is the authority on these matters and that list's latest rankings place Roadrunner in first place with a speed of 1.105 petaflops; Cray's Jag comes in second with a paltry 1.059. What about that 1.64 figure from last week? That was the hypothetical limit, and while it did deliver real-world performance of 1.3 petaflops for the folks at Oak Ridge, TOP500 relies on the Linpack benchmark for its ratings and apparently the Jag just couldn't deliver the goods there. Perhaps, Cray, it's time to make another call to ACME -- or AMD as it were.

[ Via: Engadget ]

• 10-inch Mini 1000 appears on HP website
• Dell's new Inspiron Mini 12, an affordable MacBook Air?
• MSI on track to ship 700,000 Wind PCs in 2008
• HP's new Mini 1000 and MIE Linux make netbooks fun again
• Aspire One shipments on pace to beat Eee PC
• 12-inch not-Eee PC S101 followup expected this year

Intel Core i7 CPUs reappear on NewEgg

Remember those Core i7 processors that showed up -- ever so briefly -- on NewEgg a few days ago, only to promptly disappear, leaving us to ponder what we'd done wrong? Well, even though they're not slated to officially hit shelves until November 17th, we've heard from a slew of vigilant tipsters (hipsters?) that they're back. The prices are the same as we saw before, but you might want to check 'em out yourself right away, just in case they disappear again and you're forced to wait until tomorrow.

[ Via: Engadget ]

• Toshiba's NB100 netbook photographed in the wild
• Sony's VAIO TT gets high marks in full review, still painfully pricey
• BenQ Joybook R46 arrives in China, Thailand and Malaysia
• Apricot yanks Linux option for PicoBook Pro: it's for your own good
• Splashtop 'Quick Start' comes to the Lenovo IdeaPad S10e
• Laptop shipments exceed desktops in US for the not-exactly-first time

Smooth Creations' LAN Shark reviewed, well loved

Tweak Town has given the new LAN Shark gaming PC by Smooth Creations a thorough once-over and they really seem to like what they see. The review machine (priced at $1,343.75) arrived kitted out with a 3.0 GHz Core 2 Quad processor, 4GB RAM, Diamond HD 4870 1GB graphics and Western Digital Raptor 150GB storage. The whole shebang is housed in an elegant acrylic case with a subtle, yet understated "flame" motif (as pictured above) and gently illuminated by a full compliment of LEDs and cold cathodes. In fact, the only real complaint they lodged about the case was that the fans were too loud. When it came time to roll out the benchmarks the reviewer remained pretty upbeat, citing "very good" processor calculation scores, "fairly smooth" game play at 1900 x 1200 and the machine's making short work of World in Conflict as among the reasons to give this machine some serious consideration. But don't take our word for it -- for the intense, 14-page review hit that read link.

[ Via: Engadget ]

• Dell launches the Inspiron Mini 12
• Dell preloading music mixes, CinemaNow movies, world again asks "Why?"
• MSI Wind v1.09 BIOS update makes overclocking easy
• Dell rebrands its own Mini 9 as the Vostro A90, jacks the price to absurd levels
• ASUS Eee PC S101 reviewed: sexy, but not worth the premium
• Confirmed: Kids like Sugar better than XP

Alienware stoops lower with $1,049 Area-51 750i gaming desktop

Remember when the average Alienware was like four large? Ah, those were the days. As the used-to-be-boutique gaming PC company looks to attract a wider range of customers and fight off the effects of this economic quandary we're involved in, it has introduced the (relatively) affordable Area-51 750i. Predictably based on the NVIDIA nForce 750i SLI motherboard, this rig can be outfitted with a Core 2 Extreme QX9650, twin ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 graphics cards (or dueling GeForce GTX 280s, if you prefer), 8GB of DDR2 RAM, Windows Vista 64-bit, more hard drive space than you'll ever have use for, an optional Blu-ray burner and the usual complement of ports. We needn't remind you that the $1,049 baseline rig doesn't have a specs list nearly that impressive, but if it's all about that glowing case, you can get in the game quite cheaply right now.

[ Via: Engadget ]
[ Tag: 750i, Alienware, Area-51, Area-51 750i, Area-51750i, gaming PC, gaming rig, GamingPc, GamingRig, nForce 750i, Nforce750i, nvidia, sli ]

Atom 330 is benchmarked, fares slightly worse than expected

PC Pro's given Intel's dual-core, 1.6GHz Atom 330 (coupled with a 7200 RPM SATA hard drive and 1GB of DDR2 RAM) the benchmark run-through, and they've got some conflicting details to pass on to you. Overall, the testers found the Atom to be, as expected, faster than the N270, but only by 16 percent. In specific tests, the 330 ran Office 2003 slower than both a 2GHz VIA C7-D and the single-core Atom; PC Pro actually performed the test several times just to be sure it wasn't a glitch... and it wasn't. The 330 performed better running 2D graphics, outpacing the N270 by 41 percent, and it also outperformed its competitors in encoding and multitasking. Not enough details for you? Hit the read link for the full-on benchmarking experience.

[ Via: Engadget ]
[ Tag: 330, atom, atom 330, Atom330, benchmark, benchmarking, benchmarks, dual core, dual-core, DualCore, intel, intel atom, IntelAtom, n270 ]

Dell's XPS 430 tower makes a stealth entrance

Dell made a lot of noise about its otherwise-ordinary Art House laptops today, but we didn't hear a peep about the XPS 430 desktops that slid online as well. The update to the XPS 420 ditches the SideShow display but now starts with 6GB of DDR3 RAM and features a newer slate of Intel Core 2 Quad processors running on a 1,333MHz bus with 256MB ATI Radeon HD 3450 graphics -- the base $1,307 model has a 2.33GHz Q8200 while the higher-powered $1,767 configuration has a 2.5GHz Q9300 and comes bundled with a 22-inch SP2208WFP LCD. True to Dell form, you can go crazy on the BTO tip and order the 430 jacked with a 3.0GHz QX9650 Core 2 Extreme, 8GB of RAM, a 2TB RAID, and Blu-ray burner for $3,267, but we've got a feeling those less-insane stock configurations might sell just a hair better when orders start shipping in November.

[ Via: Electronista ]
[ Tag: dell, xps, xps 430, Xps430 ]

NEC launches PowerMate P4000 and P6000 all-in-ones

We've noticed a pattern with NEC -- compact, minimalist computer designs with low-end to run-of-the-mill specs. There's nothing wrong with having a specialty, and NEC Asia Pacific is sticking with what it knows with the PowerMate P4000 and P6000 all-in-ones. The P4000 is a light worker (to put it perhaps too kindly), with a 1.9GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 processor, 1GB of RAM, 250GB of hard disk space, an NVIDIA GeForce 9100M G integrated graphics chip, and a 16-inch display at 1366 x 768. We'd go instead for the P6000 (pictured above), which is actually competitive with similarly priced all-in-ones like the Gateway One. It's got a 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, twice the storage and memory of its lesser sibling, integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9300, and a roomier 19-inch, 1440 x 900 display. Both systems are due for release in Asia next week, the P4000 at S$1,899 ($1,270) and the P6000 at S$2,499 ($1,675). The latter is clearly the better deal, but they're both expensive compared to bulkier alternatives -- desk space is at a premium these days. Pic of the P4000 after the break.

[ Via: PCLaunches ]
[ Tag: all-in-one, desktop, nec, nec powermate, necpowermate, powermate, powermate p4000, powermate p6000, powermatep4000, powermatep6000 ]

YoYotech Fi7epower MLK1610 PC is really, really fast

YoYotech is making no bones about their Fi7epower MLK1610 PC: according to them, it's "the fastest PC in the world," and "officially," at that. Well then. The dubious value of such claims aside, the so-called "completely insane" MLK1610 houses an Intel Core i7-965 Extreme Edition CPU (overclocked to 3.73GHz) atop an X58 chipset, 9GB of DDR3 RAM, an 80GB Intel X25-M SSD, 1TB standard hard drive, a Radeon HD 4870 X2 graphics card with 2GB of GDDR5 RAM, and it's all sitting on ASUS' P6T motherboard. P7etty sweet, right? It's probably worth the ?3,995.85 (about $6,337) you're going to have to spend to make it yours, too. Oh -- did we mention what a looker it is?

[ Via: Tech Digest ]
[ Tag: asus p6t, AsusP6t, core i7 965, core i7 965 extreme edition, CoreI7965, CoreI7965ExtremeEdition, fi7epower mlk1610, Fi7epowerMlk1610, intel, intel x25 ssd, IntelX25Ssd, mlk1610, radeon hd 4870x2, RadeonHd4870x2, x58, yoyotech ]

Intel Core i7 review roundup

We've already seen a few benchmarks of Intel's new Core i7 processor, but if you're still craving some more details about Intel's latest and greatest you now have plenty more than that to chew on, with reviews, overviews, and yet more benchmarks pouring in left and right. As you might expect, most sites are describing the CPU as a very big deal for Intel, with the folks at Maximum PC even going so far as to call it the company's "most significant CPU launch in, well, ever." What's more, as those early benchmarks hinted at, it doesn't look like there's too many folks disappointed with the new processors, with even the "low end" Core i7 920 able to defeat the higher clock speed Core 2 Quad Q9650 "over and over" according to TechSpot, a feat due in large part to the CPU's on-die memory controller and Intel's new QPI technology. The first few systems shipping with the processor also look to have been fairly well received, with Slash Gear finding that Gateway's new Core i7 920-based FX6800-01e delivered a reasonable but not revolutionary upgrade over its Core 2 Quad-based predecessor, and Computer Shopper also finding plenty of things to like in new systems from Falcon Northwest and iBuypower, though the price of each of those systems is another matter. That, of course, is just skimming the surface, and if you've got a few hours to spare, you can find plenty more to keep you busy by diving into the links below.


[ Via: Engadget ]
[ Tag: core i7, core i7 920, core i7 940, core i7 965, CoreI7, CoreI7920, CoreI7940, CoreI7965, i7, intel, intel core i7, IntelCoreI7 ]

Intel Core i7 benchmarks make Core 2 Extreme look like a washed-up has-been

Presumably in an (utterly futile) attempt to bring down the power grid all around the Mediterranean, print magazine PC World Greece benchmarked three powerful Nehalem desktop processors -- the Core i7 Extreme Edition 965, and the apparently non-extreme Core i7 920 and 940. Names aside, performance from all three was extreme compared to most stuff currently on the market. The data for number nerds: in 3DMark06 the 920 finished ever-so-slightly behind the Core 2 Extreme QX9770's 4,922 marks with 4,818 while the 940 and the 965 both opened a can of you-know-what at 5,282 and 5,716 respectively. More titillating figures await enthusiasts through the read link, but for you normal folk only concerned that Nehalem wouldn't be fast enough to justify an upgrade (and you weren't), rest assured that it triumphed in this no-holds-barred CPU cage match.


[ Via: techPowerUp! Forums ]
[ Tag: 3dmark, 3dmark06, benchmarks, core 17 920, core 2 extreme qx9770, core i7, core i7 940, core i7 965, corei7, corei7920, corei7940, corei7965, cpu, intel, nehalem, processor ]

Pure*Gold PC is just what you think it is

It's been a little while since we've seen a full-size gold-plated PC, but it looks like the advent of small form factor PCs is keeping this little bit of excess alive even in these economic hard times, and the folks at Plush Department have even managed to find it in themselves to provide a matching amplifier for its new Pure*Gold PC. From the looks of it, they've also managed to cram some reasonably high-end specs into the PC, including an unspecified Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive, NVIDIA GeForce 8600GT graphics with 512MB of RAM, and a generous eight USB ports and two FireWire ports. No word on a price, naturally, but, whatever exorbitant amount it is, you can just tell yourself that it's not just a PC, it's an investment.

[ Via: musicradar.com ]
[ Tag: gold, gold-plated, plush department, PlushDepartment, pure gold, PureGold, puregold pc, PuregoldPc ]