You are currently browsing the towards the optimal laptop blog archives for June, 2008.
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We still have to see any laptops sporting the graphics cards Mobility Radeon HD 3800, but it seems that ATI plans to launch the next generation of laptop graphics cards by the end of Q3 or in Q4 (so September-December). The GPU will be based on the RV770, core of the Radeon HD 4850, and will be named M98; the name of the card is unknown, but Mobility Radeon HD 4850 is a reasonable name.
Source: Fudzilla; via: Notebook Review.
Nvidia has just launched the first cards based in its new GPU, the GTX 200: the GeForce GTX 280 and GTX 260. They are huge and expensive, specially the GTX 280 (1.4 billion transistors and 649 $), but performance is the key, right?. Do you want to see benchmarks? Here you have:
PC Perspective – AnandTech – ExtremeTech - Ars Technica – Tom’s Hardware
Most opinions are similar: the GeForce GTX 280 is powerful, it really is, but not enough to cost 649 $, taking into account that the GeForce 9800 GX2 gives more performance in a lot of tests and costs a bit over 500 $. But the GTX 260, costing 399 $ and delivering a 82% of the performance of the 280, looks much better.
ATI is going to present its new Radeons very soon, but they don’t play in the same league: ATI Radeon 4850 and 4870 are aimed to gamers looking for a good price/performance ratio, not top performance. But hey, most of us are that way, aren’t we?
Here you have the laptop review I have found during the week:
OK, the name “Mini Inspiron” did not com from Dell, but now we have a lot more information about the Dell E series of ultraportables, and we have real names. There are 5 models in the series:
All the models use Intel Atom processors and probably will be available both with Linux and Windows. The 8.9″ models seem to be competitors for other low-cost ultraportables (such as Asus Eee PC 901, MSI Wind…), while 12.1″ models seem a cheaper alternative to Macbook Air and Thinkpad X200.
The expected release date for the US is between August and September, costing from 300 $.
More information: Engadget.
HP has unveiled its new line of Pavilion laptops: dv5 (15.4″), dv4 (14.1″), dv7 (17″) and tx2500z (12.1″ tablet-PC), but it’s difficult to tell whether this naming is going to be kept in all countries.
Picture: Notebook Review
This laptops are based on Intel Centrino 2 platform and show a spectacular chromed finish. Laptop Magazine publishes a HP Pavilion dv5t review and the folks seem very impressed.
These laptops will be available since July-August, but it’s not clear in what countries.
Source and additional info: Notebook Review. Complete information in HP’s press release.
Here you have the laptop reviews I found last week:
ATI and Nvidia have just announced new graphics cards for laptops:
ATI already has a few cards in the market belonging to the Mobility Radeon HD 3400 and 3600 in the market, and has now announced the HD 3800 series (more info: ATI, Laptoping), in addition to the integrated graphics in the Puma platform. It has also been announced the ATI XGP, an external graphics solution that could offer a good way of upgrading laptop graphics (more information: ATI, Laptoping). Update: X-bit Labs publishes technical details of the ATI XGP.
Nvidia also has a few cards in the GeForce 9300M and 9500M series, that are now complemented by the 9100M, 9200M and 9600M series (more information: Nvidia, Laptoping). A 40% performance improvement over equivalent models in the 8M series has been announced.
I hope some benchmarks to be published soon.
Computex is here with a lot of news. Most of them are about official releases of already known products, such as the MSI Wind or the Asus Eee PC with Intel Atom processors or 10″ screen. Now being officially released, some confidential data about this products can finally be published: like the Intel Atom benchmarks. There is a pretty good review at AnandTech, as part of a review of the Asus Eee Box.
Performance is not impressive, but it’s enough for basic tasks under Linux, Windows XP and other lightweight (for current standards) operating systems (the article warns about the slow user interface under Windows Vista). But its low power usage IS impressive: the Eee Box takes 19 W under full load. This processor holds a great potential, and Intel has announced its first motherboard (a mini-ITX) for Atom processors.
AMD is having hard times to compete with Intel in terms of energy efficiency, but ultraporables sporting AMD Turion64 x2 processors have been announced: battery life is 2,5 h but performance is much better than Atom’s. Having alternatives is important.
Update: Tom’s Hardware publishes a review of the Intel Atom, too.
More and more brands are announcing new ultraportables. Now it’s the turn of Gigabyte, a well-known maker of PC motherboards, presenting the ultraportable M912. This device has something special: it’s a tablet PC.
At the moment some details are unknown, but it’s going to use Intel Atom processors, 120-250 GB hard disk drives and 1 GB RAM, and features a 8.9″ touchscreen at 1280×768. Both Linux and Windows XP are going to be available.
More information: UMPC Portal. Found in Xataka.
Update: Engadget shows more pictures and info. It seems that battery life is only 1.5 h…
Here you have the laptop reviews I’ve found during the week:
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