Archive for December, 2009

Laptop reviews: MSI GT740, MSI Wind 135, Toshiba Satellite P500, Asus Eee PC 1005PE and others

Sunday, December 27th, 2009

I hope you have had a merry Christmas and you have a  Happy New Year!

Laptop reviews of the week:

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Asus Eee PC 1005PE (Pineview) review roundup

Monday, December 21st, 2009

Today officially launches the next generation of Intel Atom processors (codenamed Pineview), with new chipset, graphics and so on, and there are many reviews of the Asus Eee PC 1005PE, that uses these processors. Here you have some of them:

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Laptop reviews: Asus Eee PC 1201N, Toshiba Satellite T115, Asus G51J, HP Probook 6545b and others

Monday, December 21st, 2009
Laptop reviews of the week:
  • Acer Aspire 5738DG (3D screen, 15″, Intel Core 2 Duo P7350, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570): CNET UK (76%), Notebookcheck (83%)
  • Acer Ferrari One (12″, AMD Athlon Neo X2 L310, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3200): Laptop Magazine (60%)
  • Alienware M15x (15″, Intel Core i7-720QM, Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M): Portables4Gamers (French)
  • Alienware M17x (17″, Intel Core 2 Duo T9600, Nvidia GeForce GTX 280M SLI + 9400M G): Notebook Critic
  • Asus Eee PC 1201N (12″, Intel Atom Dual Core N330, Nvidia ION): Blogee (French), Hot Hardware (Editor’s Choice), Notebook Review, Engadget, Laptop Magazine (80%)
  • Asus G51J (15″, Intel Core i7-720QM, Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M): AnandTech, CNET (3D screen: 70%)
  • Asus N61V (16″, Intel Core 2 Quad Q9000, Nvidia GeForce GT 240M): Notebook Review
  • Asus UL50VT (15″, Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300, Nvidia GeForce G 210M): Notebook Review (84%)
  • Asus UL80VT (14″, Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300, Nvidia GeForce G 210M): Legit Reviews, AnandTech
  • Dell Latitude XT2 (tablet PC, 12″, Intel Core 2 Duo SU9400, Intel GMA 4500MHD): Notebookcheck (87%)
  • Gateway EC5409u (15″, Intel Pentium Dual Core SU4100, Intel GMA 4500MHD): Computer Shopper (76%)
  • HP Mini 311 (12″, Intel Atom N270, Nvidia ION LE): Hot Hardware (Recommended), Liliputing
  • HP Probook 6545b (15″, AMD Turion II M520, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4200): Computer Shopper (84%)
  • Lenovo S12 ION (12″, Intel Atom N270, Nvidia ION): Netbook Reviews
  • Samsung N130 (10″, Intel Atom N270, GMA 950): Notebooks.com
  • Samsung N310 (10″, Intel Atom N270, Intel GMA 950): Laptop Magazine (40%)
  • Sony Vaio FW (16″, Intel Core 2 Duo P8700, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650): Notebookcheck (83%)
  • Sony Vaio X (11″, Intel Atom Z540, Intel GMA 500): Register Hardware (70%)
  • Toshiba Satellite T110 (T115; 12″, Intel Celeron 743, Intel GMA 4500MHD): Register Hardware (75%); SU2700: CNET (70%), Geek.com

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AMD Phenom II processors for laptops: quad-cores with a 25 W TDP. Now I’m listening!

Friday, December 18th, 2009

OK, we all know AMD is late, late, late in quad-core mobile processors, but according to X-bit labs, AMD plans to offer a wide array of Phenom II mobile processors in May and, if you look at the models, you will notice that the AMD Phenom II P920 has 4 cores running at 1.6 GHz with a TDP of only 25 W, while the Phenom II N930 has 4 cores running at 2 GHz and a TDP of 35 W. This is very low for quad-cores, because the slowest quad-cores from Intel, the Core 2 Quad Q9000 at 2 GHz and Core i7-720QM at 1.6 GHz, have both a TDP of 45 W, and low-end Core 2 Duos such as the T6600 have a TDP of 35 W (mainstream Duos are more power efficient and have a TDP of 25 W). TDP measures the heat produced when the processor runs at full speed, so a low TDP indicates that the processor uses less power and produces less heat.

Maybe clockspeeds are a bit low, but quad-core processors that draw so little power are great news for laptop users. I hope performance is good enough and that the low TDP translates in longer battery life.

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ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 benchmarks

Friday, December 18th, 2009

I was not aware that any laptop sporting an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5000 series was available, but I have found some benchmarks of the Mobility HD 5650 at Notebookjournal.de. It performs faster than the Mobility 4670, but not by a lot. So it seems a good successor for the Mobility 4650, but nothing revolutionary.

Update: Notebookcheck has added their review of the 5650.

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HP coupon code for laptops (from December 16th 2009)

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

HP has just launched a NEW Notebook Coupon, see below for details. Quantities are limited, so hurry!

Expired:

$500 off web coupon for the purchase of customized HP Pavilion Notebook PC configured at $1,399 or greater at the HP Home & Home Office Store using coupon code NBK34124. Offer limited to the first 1,000 coupons redeemed. Offer excludes HP Envy, Compaq, HP Mini, HP Pavilion models tx2z, dv6t Quad, and dv8t Quad. 1 redemption per person or address. Not valid with other promotions, HP Academy, or HP Friends & Family. Restrictions apply. Not combinable with instant rebates. For complete conditions, see “Coupon Information” in the “Customer Service” section at www.hpshopping.com.

Use this coupon

$20 off your online order of $100 or greater at the HP Home & Home Office Store. Use coupon code: SVMY478761. Offer excludes all Compaq Presario Notebooks and Desktops, all HP Minis, all HP ENVY, HP G60t, HP tx2z, all HP ink, all Beats Products, all HP Storage, all HP Software, HP LaserJet P1006 printer, and the following HP Pavilion Desktop series: p6270, p6200z, p6210t, s5200z, s5210t. Maximum 1 redemption per person or address. Not valid with other promotions, Friends & Family, or HP Academy. Combinable with instant rebates. Restrictions apply. 1 redemption per person or address. For complete conditions, see “Coupon Information” in the “Customer Service” section at www.hpshopping.com. Coupon valid through 1/31/10.

Valid Coupons:

Use this coupon

$15 off your online order of $75 or greater at the HP Home & Home Office Store. Use coupon code: SVN9846. Offer excludes all Compaq Presario Notebooks and Desktops, all HP Minis, all HP Envy, HP G60t, HP tx2z, all HP toner, all Beats Products, all HP Storage, all HP Software, HP LaserJet P1006 printer, and the following HP Pavilion Desktop series: p6270, p6200z, p6210t, s5200z, s5210t. Maximum 1 redemption per person or address. Not valid with other promotions. Combinable with instant rebates. Restrictions apply. 1 redemption per person or address. For complete conditions, see “Coupon Information” in the “Customer Service” section at www.hpshopping.com. Coupon valid through 1/31/10.

Use this coupon

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Laptop reviews: Sony Vaio CW, Dell Inspiron 11z, Samsung X420, HP Probook 5310m and others

Sunday, December 13th, 2009

Laptop reviews of the week:

Other interesting links:

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Laptop reviews: HP Mini 311 (Compaq Mini 311c), Samsung N140, Alienware M15x and others

Sunday, December 6th, 2009

Laptop reviews of the week:

  • Acer Aspire 1410 (11″, Intel Celeron Dual Core SU2300, Intel GMA 4500MHD): Computer Shopper (88%)
  • Acer Aspire 5732Z (15″, Intel Pentium Dual Core T4300, Intel GMA 4500MHD): PC Magazine (70%)
  • Acer Aspire 5738PG Touch (15″, Intel Core 2 Duo P8700, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570): Register Hardware (85%)
  • Acer Ferrari One (12″, AMD Athlon Neo X2 L310, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3200): The Inquirer (70%)
  • Alienware M15x (15″, Intel Core i7-920XM, Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M): CNET UK (80%), The Star Online (i7-720QM)
  • Asus Eee PC 1005HA (with 3G antenna; 10″, Intel Atom N270, Intel GMA 950): CNET (70%)
  • Asus Eee PC 1005HR (10″ 1366×768, Intel Atom N280, Intel GMA 950): Netbooked
  • Asus G51J (3D screen, 15″, Intel Core i7-720QM, Nvidia GeForce GTX 260M): Laptop Magazine (70%)
  • Clevo W860CU (Sager NP8690, 15?, Intel Core i7-920XM, Nvidia GeForce GTX 280M): Notebook Review
  • Dell Inspiron 11z (12″, Intel Pentium Dual Core SU4100, Intel GMA 4500MHD): Mobile Computer (50%)
  • Dell Studio 14z (14″, Intel Core 2 Duo P8600, Nvidia GeForce 9400M G): The Tech Report (Recommended)
  • Dell Studio 1557 (15″, Intel Core i7-720QM, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570): Notebookcheck (82%)
  • Dell Studio 1745 (17″, Intel Core 2 Duo T6600, Intel GMA 4500MHD): CNET (70%)
  • Dell Studio 1747 (17″, Intel Core i7-720QM, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650): Laptop Magazine (80%)
  • HP Envy 15 (15″, Intel Core i7-720QM, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4830): Gizmodo
  • HP Mini 110 Tord Boontje Edition (10″, Intel Atom N270, Intel GMA 950): CNET (60%)
  • HP Mini 311 (12″, Intel Atom N270, Nvidia ION LE): Geek.com, Notebook Review
  • HP Pavilion dv7-3085dx (17″, Intel Core i7-720QM, Nvidia GeForce GT 230M): CNET (70%)
  • Lenovo Ideapad Y550 (15″, Intel Core 2 Duo T6600, Intel GMA 4500MHD): Notebook Review
  • MSI GT640 (15″, Intel Core i7-720QM, Nvidia GeForce GTS 250M): Notebookcheck (82%)
  • Nokia Booklet 3G (10″, Intel Atom Z530, Intel GMA 500): Engadget
  • Samsung N130 (10″, Intel Atom N270, Intel GMA 950): Laptop Magazine (60%)
  • Samsung N140 (10″, Intel Atom N280, Intel GMA 950): Laptop Magazine (80%), Netbooked
  • Samsung X520 (15″, Intel Core 2 Solo SU3500, Intel GMA 4500MHD): Notebookcheck (84%)
  • Sony Vaio NW (15″, Intel Core 2 Duo T6600, Intel GMA 4500MHD): CNET (70%)
  • Toshiba Mini NB205 (NB200; 10″, Intel Atom N280, Intel GMA 950): CNET (80%)
  • Toshiba Satelllite P505 (P500; 18″, Intel Core 2 Duo T6600, Intel GMA 4500MHD): CNET (60%)

Other interesting links:

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ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5800 series to be launched at CES 2010 (starts January 7th)

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

At least Fudzilla says so, and it seems reasonable based on earlier rumors. Alienware is expected to release a Core i7 refresh of its M17x in the first half of 2010, so if you are looking for the fastest gaming laptop, save your money a bit longer.

Update: Acer has confirmed one model with the 5850.

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