To create the 7970 DirectCU II TOP, Asus used AMD’s reference design and built outwards, pairing a huge system of copper blades and pipes with two powered fans. Despite appearances, this card isn’t an all-in-one Crossfire solution: it’s running a single GPU under all that metal and plastic. The emphasis is on keeping the card running fast while also quiet, and Asus claims that its collection of active cooling creates and impressive 14 decibels less noise than the reference card.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that Asus left out the power. The GPU is overclocked to 900Mhz and the 3GB of GDDR5 RAM operates at a frequency of 1,000Mhz – not the absolute fastest we’ve ever seen, but no slouch, either. In order to safely hold all those components together, the design uses a backplate not unlike the more ostentatious kind of CPU cooler. Two standard DVI connections and four DisplayPort connection hang out on the outward-facing portion of the card. Asus hasn’t announced a price or availability yet, but expect this one to be in the $580 range when it hits retail channels.

[via Hot Hardware]

There’s also liquid cooling, and if you’re feeling particularly flush you can pair up the Radeon HD 7970 with up to three of its friends, since quad CrossFireX setups are supported. A multitude of SSD and HDD options are on offer, including a capacious (and painfully expensive) 600GB Intel 320 Series SSD and 512GB Crucial M4 SATA 6G.

Blu-ray, various case colors and finishes and factory overclocking all allow you to customize each MAINGEAR system to suit your particular taste and budget. Both the SHIFT and the F131 are available to order – with the Radeon HD 7970 – from today.

Alternatively you can just use AMD Eyefinity and string a number of displays off of a single card. GCN, to boil down AMD’s parlance, is basically a way to turn GPUs to general computing, with 32 compute units (2048 stream processors), each containing a scalar coprocessor, and being able to turn their hands to the sort of tasks a CPU might normally be expected to handle.

DirectX 11 tessellation is improved, huge background texture files can be managed with little in the way of lag, and automatic overclocking by up to 30-percent is supported; however AMD says that idle power draw has also been reduced with the new GCN system. In short, the promise is a faster, more efficient card with none of the downtime penalties in power and heat that previous performance cards might have forced on gamers.

Systems using the AMD Radeon HD 7970 are available to order from today.

As long as it beats the competition in the NVIDIA GTX 580 while not being too power hungry and heating the entire house like the dual-GPU GTX 590 I’ll be happy — and I’m sure the enthusiast gaming crowd will be too. Below are a few of our favorite reviews for the new AMD Radeon HD 7970 for everyone to enjoy. We’ll start with the all popular Anandtech.

AnandTech’s Ryan Smith says at the end of the day this graphics card is geared to be a gaming workhorse — but being their new flagship GPU I wouldn’t expect anything different from AMD. He goes on to mention in most gaming scenarios the power consumption was lower than the competing GTX 580 while offering 20% better performance and sometimes more. He does mention being priced much higher than the last-gen 6970 could be a potential drawback for some.

Tom’s Hardware explains that this is a big improvement and a step in the right direction with the new, smaller 28 nm fabrication and called it “Fast, Forward-Looking, But Not Fully Baked.” Saying that NVIDIA’s upcoming Kepler GPU is still months off so they’ll still retain the fastest single-GPU title for now, but without further testing they didn’t want to give a recommendation just yet.

HardOCP is known for breaking things down very thoroughly and have came up with some decent overall numbers. Claiming the 7970 is at least 30% or more faster than the previous generation while offering 10%+ performance increases over the current GTX 580 competition making this definitely worth the price for giving increased performance across all available games.

Bit-Tech said the HD 7970 by AMD “has certainly thrown down the gauntlet. The HD 7970 3GB is a huge improvement over the HD 6970 2GB and GTX 580 1.5GB” They also mention overclocking — something many enthusiasts and water-cooling fans do daily was a huge surprise. Squeezing around 20% more performance from the card without even tweaking the voltage.

While you are at it don’t forget to check out the review from HotHardware, and Hexus who claim it’s a great graphics card but wont win and Bang4Buck awards. Guru3D also mentions the huge overclocking potential before and after overvolting — making this a great graphics card with plenty of potential.

So the question is: Will you be buying the AMD Radeon HD 7970? And if so will you be tossing this bad boy under a DangerDen waterblock or going all out with some LN2?

There’s also WiFi b/g/n and both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 connectivity, along with a 6-in-1 memory card reader. A 0.3-megapixel webcam lives above the display, and there’s SRS stereo sound and even an audio input allowing you to pipe your MP3 player through the C325′s speakers. Other ports include HDMI for hooking up a second display or HDTV, and Lenovo offer an optional TV tuner too.

The C325′s metal stand can be tilted from -5 degrees to 25 degrees, and if you’re planning on putting the all-in-one in your childrens’ room then you might be pleased to know that Lenovo has loaded a viewing distance warning app. That uses the webcam to track how close you are to the screen and, as well as dynamically adjusting brightness, alerts you if you’re too close for comfort.

Lenovo will also offer a smaller version, the C225, with multitouch as an option. The C325 should be on sale imminently, priced from $699.

There’s also a second 21.5-inch pre-config model, with a 2.7GHz Core i5, Radeon HD 6770M and 1TB of storage, for $1,49. The entry-level 27-inch iMac is $1,699 and has a 2.7GHz Core i5 CPU, Radeon HD 6770M graphics and a 1TB drive. Options include up to 2TB of storage, a 256GB SSD and additional DDR3 memory from the 4GB standard.

A FaceTime HD camera for video calls with other Macs and the iPad 2/iPhone 4, SD card slot and IPS display are all standard. There are also two Thunderbolt ports on the 27-inch model, each of which doubles as a Mini DisplayPort connector; both sizes have a FireWire 800 port, four USB 2.0 ports, gigabit ethernet and audio in/out. Integrated WiFi a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR round out the key specs, and there’s a choice of a Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad along with the standard wireless keyboard.

The new Apple iMac goes on sale today.

Press Release:

Apple Announces New iMac With Next Generation Quad-Core Processors, Graphics & Thunderbolt I/O Technology

CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apple® today updated its signature all-in-one iMac® with next generation quad-core processors, powerful new graphics, groundbreaking high-speed Thunderbolt I/O technology and a new FaceTime® HD camera. Starting at $1,199, the new iMac is up to 70 percent faster and new graphics deliver up to three times the performance of the previous generation.*

“With next generation quad-core processors, powerful new graphics, Thunderbolt technology and a FaceTime HD camera, we’ve made the world’s best desktop even better.”
“Our customers love the iMac’s aluminum enclosure, gorgeous display and all-in-one design,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With next generation quad-core processors, powerful new graphics, Thunderbolt technology and a FaceTime HD camera, we’ve made the world’s best desktop even better.”

The new iMac features quad-core Intel Core i5 processors with an option for customers to choose Core i7 processors up to 3.4 GHz. These next generation processors feature an integrated memory controller for an amazingly responsive experience and a powerful new media engine for high-performance video encoding and decoding. With new AMD Radeon HD graphics processors, the new iMac has the most powerful graphics ever in an all-in-one desktop.

iMac is the first desktop computer on the market to include groundbreaking Thunderbolt I/O technology. The 21.5-inch iMac has a single Thunderbolt port while the 27-inch model features two ports for even greater expansion. Developed by Intel with collaboration from Apple, Thunderbolt enables expandability never before possible on an all-in-one computer. Featuring two bi-directional channels with transfer speeds up to an amazing 10Gbps each, Thunderbolt delivers PCI Express directly to external high performance peripherals such as RAID arrays, and can support FireWire® and USB consumer devices, and Gigabit Ethernet networks via adapters. Thunderbolt also supports DisplayPort for high resolution displays and works with existing adapters for HDMI, DVI and VGA displays. Freely available for implementation on systems, cables and devices, Thunderbolt technology is expected to be widely adopted as a new standard for high performance I/O.

iMac includes a built-in FaceTime HD camera and Apple’s innovative FaceTime software for crisp, widescreen video calling the whole family can enjoy. The new camera supports high definition video calls between all FaceTime HD-enabled Macs and standard resolution calls with iPad® 2, iPhone® 4, the current generation iPod touch® and other Intel-based Macs. The iMac continues to feature its signature aluminum and glass design, gorgeous IPS LED-backlit high resolution display, SD card slot and comes with Apple’s innovative Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad.

Continuing Apple’s commitment to the environment, Apple’s desktop line is a leader in green design. The iMac meets stringent Energy Star 5.2 requirements and achieves EPEAT Gold rating.** iMac features LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. iMac uses PVC-free components and cables, contains no brominated flame retardants, uses highly recyclable materials and features material-efficient system and packaging designs.

Every Mac comes with Mac OS® X Snow Leopard®, the world’s most advanced operating system, and iLife®, Apple’s innovative suite of applications for creating and sharing great photos, movies and music. Snow Leopard builds on more than a decade of innovation and includes the Mac App Store℠ for finding great new apps for your Mac. iLife ’11 features iPhoto® with stunning full screen views for browsing, editing and sharing photos; iMovie® with powerful easy-to-use tools to transform home videos into fun theatrical trailers; and GarageBand® with new ways to improve your playing and create great sounding songs.

Pricing & Availability

The new iMac is available through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. The 21.5-inch iMac is available in two configurations: one with a 2.5 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, AMD Radeon HD 6750M and 500GB hard drive for a suggested retail price of $1,199 (US); and one with a 2.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, AMD Radeon HD 6770M and 1TB hard drive for a suggested retail price of $1,499 (US). The new 27-inch iMac is available in two models: one with a 2.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, AMD Radeon HD 6770M and 1TB hard drive for a suggested retail price of $1,699 (US); and one with a 3.1 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, AMD Radeon HD 6970M and 1TB hard drive for a suggested retail price of $1,999 (US).

Configure-to-order options include faster Intel Core i7 processors up to 3.4 GHz, additional hard drive capacity up to 2TB, a 256GB solid state drive, additional DDR3 memory and AppleCare® Protection Plan. Additional technical specifications and configure-to-order options and accessories are available online at www.apple.com/imac.

*Testing conducted by Apple in April 2011 using preproduction iMac configurations. For more information visit www.apple.com/imac/features.html.

**Claim based on energy efficiency categories and products listed within the EPA ENERGY STAR 5.2 energy database as of April 2011. EPEAT is an independent organization that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the 23 required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognized as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

According to the leak, the HD 6790 will have 10 stream units for a total of 800 processors, an 850MHz GPU frequency, 30 texture units and 32 ROPs, along with a 256-bit memory interface. It will have 1GB of GDDR5 memory and support up to 1.34 TFLOPs performance with a 33.6 Gtexel/s texture fillrate.

That, as the chart below suggests, will slot the HD 6790 in at the low-end under the HD 6850 and HD 6870; it’s also possible that AMD could brand it the Radeon HD 6830. Production cards are likely to drop at around the $150 price point, with a launch expected on April 5.

[via Expreview]

Three USB ports, a DVD burner, gigabit ethernet and a 1.3-megapixel webcam are all standard across the line. The NV51B05u has 3GB of RAM and is priced at $469.99, but $449.99 gets you the NV51B02u and the range as a whole starts from $399.99 (for the AMD C-50 powered NV51B08u).

There’s also a “social network” button with quick access to Facebook, Twitter and other sites, along with a memory card reader and one year warranty. The new Gateways are available now.

Press Release:

Gateway Debuts New NV Series Notebooks with Latest AMD Processors

New models deliver enhanced mobile computing for digital media entertainment; large 15.6-inch HD LED-backlit display at an affordable price

IRVINE, Calif., March 21, 2010 – Gateway today unveils new models in its Gateway NV Series line of notebook PCs with the latest AMD processors, including new models in AMD’s Vision Technology line, which deliver enhanced performance capabilities for mobile computing.

The flagship model of the new line is the Gateway NV51B05u, which features an AMD E-Series processor E-350 with Vision Technology and ATI Radeon HD 6310 graphics to deliver heightened performance in a value-based notebook. Customers can experience true cinematic digital media playback, improved video processing for vivid web and video content, as well as accelerated handling of mainstream applications. As a result, customers can enjoy incredibly smooth and clear 1080p HD video, enhanced performance for playing casual games, improved HD browsing, clear DVD viewing, and the ability to handle multiple tasks at once.

The Gateway NV51B05u is available now at technology retailers at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $469.99.

The new Gateway NV Series notebooks are an affordable option for a range of PC customers such as small businesses, families and students. The new line delivers a true notebook computing experience with a full-sized keyboard, large 15.6-inch HD widescreen Ultrabright™ LED-backlit display, ample memory and a large hard drive, three USB ports, an HDMI port and more great features. The new line starts at a value-priced MSRP of $399.99.

“Mobile computing is something that everyone has embraced – and even those on a tight budget are now able to have a full-featured notebook for computing and staying in touch on-the-go,” said Eric Ackerson, senior product marketing manager for Gateway notebooks. “The new computing capabilities are paired with a full suite of features and extras that give our customers what they need to work, study, connect and have fun. Plus, we’ve reached a new level of affordability with budget-minded price tags, so our customers get an incredible bang for their buck.”

Gateway NV51B05u Delivers Immersive HD Entertainment
Powered by the AMD E-Series Processor E-350 with Vision Technology utilizing the AMD Fusion chipset, the Gateway NV51B05u provides a powerful environment for multi-tasking and entertainment. Running casual games, online video and enjoying movies is a snap thanks to the highly-capable processing powers as well as the ATI Radeon HD 6310 graphics and 3GB of memory. In addition, the notebooks can even handle smooth playback of HD video and audio including 1080p HD video.

The Gateway NV Series builds on its performance capabilities with a 15.6-inch HD Widescreen Ultrabright LED-backlit display to deliver a first-rate viewing experience. Vibrant color and detailed images are crisp and clear thanks to the display’s 1366×768 resolution. Plus, the 16:9 aspect ratio allows consumers or end-users to view multiple windows and applications. Customers who want to share video on the go can use the HDMI port to connect the Gateway NV Series to a home theater or external LCD to deliver crisp high-quality visuals and high-fidelity audio with a single cable.

Additional models in the new line-up also provide enhanced processing power from AMD. The Gateway NV51B02u also has the new AMD E-Series Processor E-350 with Vision Technology and has an MSRP of $449.99. The NV51B08u has an AMD C-Series processor C-50 with HD Internet Technology at the low MSRP of $399.99.

Connectivity on-the-go for Staying-in-Touch
The Gateway NV51B05u and other NV Series models let consumers stay in touch through web conferencing, still photos and video emails via the integrated 1.3MP High Definition webcam. The video is crisp and clear thanks to its 1366×768 resolution, while the supporting voice microphone delivers superb audio quality. All units in the NV Series come with integrated 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi Certified connectivity to provide a convenient connection to hot spots and wireless networks. In addition, Gigabit Ethernet LAN connectivity ensures a fast wired online connection.

Extras and Features Increase Notebook Enjoyment
The Gateway NV51B05u and additional NV Series notebook PCs include a range of features that make them more enjoyable to use. They each come with an integrated DVD super-multi double-layer drive for reading and writing CDs and DVDs. Also, digital media can be downloaded to the notebooks through the media card reader and three USB ports. Gateway’s popular “social networking” button is integrated into these new NV Series notebooks, providing customers with one-touch access to their social networks, including Facebook, YouTube and Flickr. Plus, customers can navigate through websites, move between documents and input characters more efficiently thanks to the notebooks’ multi-gesture touchpad, touchpad lock, and dedicated numeric keypad.

In addition to hardware features, the new Gateway notebooks come with a suite of productivity applications that let customers get the most from their PC the minute they start using it. The systems come with Windows 7 Premium, Microsoft Office Starter 2010, a 60-day trial of Norton Internet Security, as well as Adobe Flash Player 10 and Adobe Reader 9.1. Gateway Power Management preserves battery life while MyBackup functionality gives customers a way to quickly and easily back-up all important files to another location such as a USB drive or another hard drive.

Gateway Limited Warranty, Service and Support
The Gateway NV Series notebook PCs are backed by a one year limited warranty.(2) 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. 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.(3)

About Gateway
Since its founding in 1985, Irvine, Calif.-based Gateway has been a technology pioneer, offering stylish, user-friendly products and world-class customer service. Gateway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Acer Inc., the world’s second-largest PC company.(4) Through collaboration with suppliers, the company strives to design environmentally friendly products and establish a green supply chain. See www.gateway.com for more information.

# # #

All offers subject to change without notice or obligation and may not be available through all sales channels. Prices listed are manufacturer suggested retail prices and may vary by retail location. Applicable taxes extra. ©2008 Gateway, Inc. Gateway Terms & Conditions of Sale apply. Trademarks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Gateway, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Intel and Core are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Other product or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

1) Accessible capacity varies; MB = 1 million bytes; GB = 1 billion bytes.
2) Limited warranties and service agreements apply; visit gateway.com or call 1-800-846-2000 for a free copy. Service agreements are issued and performed by third parties. May not be available in all locations. Availability varies. Other conditions apply.
3) Service methods subject to change without notice or obligation.
4) Source: Gartner FY2009 data

Thames is described as a mainstream GPU, with a 15-25W TDP, 128-bit memory interface, and twice the performance of AMD’s current 40nm Radeon HD 6000M mainstream chip. Chelsea hits the 20-30W performance category, again with a 128-bit memory interface.

Heathrow and Wimbledon are the gamer/enthusiast chips, with 35W+ TDPs. Heathrow will offer either 128-bit or 192-bit memory interfaces, while Wimbledon will bump that to 256-bit. No sign of any performance estimates from AMD. Thames, Chelsea and Heathrow will all hit production in Q4 2011 and are expected to show up in products in early 2012, while Wimbledon will follow on later with production in Q1 2012 and a release further through the year.

[via Expreview]

Storage on both models is up to 500GB of regular HDD, and there’s WiFi b/g/n and a choice of Bluetooth 2.1+EDR or 3.0+HS. RAM is up to 2GB on the ASUS Eee PC 1015B and up to 4GB on the 1215B. Connectivity, meanwhile, includes three USB 2.0 ports, a USB 3.0, 10/100 ethernet, VGA, HDMI, audio in/out and a multiformat memory card reader.

The 1015B display runs at 1024 x 600, while the 1215B steps that up to 1366 x 768. ASUS reckons the 10-incher will run for up to 8.5hrs (C30)/7.5hrs (C50) on the 6-cell battery, or 3.5hrs (C30)/3hrs (C50) on the 3-cell battery, while the 12-incher will run 8hrs on its standard 6-cell. No word on pricing or availability at this stage.

[via NotebookItalia]

Up to five simultaneous displays are supported – boosted to six with DisplayPort 1.2 components available for purchase later this year – while a dual-BIOS toggle switch allows the 830MHz clock speed to be pushed up to 880MHz. There’s AMD HD3D support, for stereoscopic 3D gaming and movies over HDMI 1.4a, and of course DirectX11 and CrossFireX support.

Cards from AMD’s hardware partners will go on sale today, priced at around $699, which almost seems like a bargain when you consider what you’re getting.

Press Release:

AMD Extends Graphics Performance Lead, Launches World’s Fastest Graphics Card… AGAIN!

AMD Radeon™ HD 6990 utilizes sophisticated AMD PowerTune intelligent power management technology, delivers native support for wraparound 5×1 gaming with AMD Eyefinity technology

AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced the launch of the fastest graphics card in the world, the AMD Radeon™ HD 6990, packing so much raw performance it delivered a new single graphics card world record score of P11865 in the industry standard 3DMark11 benchmark1. AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics cards are available immediately from retailers worldwide, with select models starting at US $699 MSRP.

Designed for the power gamer, AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics cards include AMD’s second-generation, Microsoft DirectX® 11-capable architecture, advanced image quality features for the best looking games, and AMD PowerTune intelligent technology to enable higher clock speeds and faster gaming. The AMD Radeon HD 6990 offers the ultimate in immersive HD gaming and computing with native support for up to five displays using AMD Eyefinity multi-display technology, with six display support possible via DisplayPort 1.2 components available for purchase later this year.3 The AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics cards also feature a dual-BIOS toggle switch, allowing enthusiast gamers to unlock the card and rev up the clocks and voltages for even more performance.4 Finally, AMD HD3D technology provides a cutting-edge stereoscopic 3D gaming and movie experience, thanks to HDMI 1.4a support.5

“Packing more raw performance than any consumer graphics card ever created, the AMD Radeon HD 6990 provides the latest for the ultimate gaming advantage,” said Matt Skynner, corporate vice president and general manager, GPU division, AMD. “Coupled with AMD Eyefinity multi-display technology, AMD PowerTune power management and AMD HD3D, this card is so powerful it can take on even the most demanding ultra-enthusiast tasks.”

Leading Graphics with second-generation DirectX 11-capable Technology
New AMD PowerTune technology: Designed to perform real-time intelligent power management, AMD PowerTune technology on the AMD Radeon HD 6990 automatically enables higher clock speeds and faster performance in the hottest games.1
Increased memory for higher image quality: With 4GB of ultra-fast GDDR5 memory, gamers can enjoy superior detail in their favorite games, even on up to five simultaneous displays.
The Ultimate Visual Experience™: As AMD’s most advanced DirectX® 11-capable GPU, AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics processors also enable an exceptional game play experience in DirectX® 9, DirectX® 10, DirectX® 10.1 and OpenGL titles in single card or multi-card AMD CrossFireX™ configurations.6
Improved image quality: Advanced anti-aliasing features enable dramatically enhanced image quality for intensely realistic gaming. Enhanced-Quality Anti-Aliasing (EQAA) uses a new sampling technique to help improve visual quality, while Morphological Anti-Aliasing (MLAA) uses DirectCompute acceleration to provide anti-aliasing on any DirectX® 9, DirectX® 10, or DirectX® 11 application.
An Immersive Gaming Experience with AMD Eyefinity Technology and Advanced Display Options
Simple, flexible, affordable multi-display computing with AMD Eyefinity technology: Providing an expanded and more immersive field of view, AMD Eyefinity technology continues to be the most affordable multi-display solution available, offering dozens of possible configurations of up to five simultaneous displays.2 New to the AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics processor is the ability to configure up to five monitors in portrait mode. Making innovative technologies more affordable and accessible than ever before, the AMD Eyefinity Validated & Ready Testing Program helps ensure a seamless customer multi-display experience, with more than 70 tested and validated AMD Eyefinity-compatible titles for the greatest assurance of quality and interoperability. Continued industry leadership in multi-display computing: AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics cards offer support for both DisplayPort 1.2 features and HDMI 1.4a, offering enthusiasts incredible multi-monitor configuration options, flexibility in display selection, and new DisplayPort audio features.
Faster Applications and Brilliant Video with AMD EyeSpeed Technology
AMD EyeSpeed visual acceleration technology lets you do more, faster: Tapping the tremendous power of the AMD Radeon HD 6990, enthusiasts will enjoy clearer and more vibrant videos, as well as improved performance and new features in top media, entertainment and productivity applications with AMD EyeSpeed technology.7
Incredible compute capabilities: Featuring leading support for IEEE 754 double precision floating point ops, the AMD Radeon HD 6990 is equipped to dominate computationally intense workloads.
Enhanced video quality features: AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics cards feature Unified Video Decoder 3 (UVD3), a dedicated video playback accelerator that helps users get the most out of HD video, online video and Blu-ray™ 3D, while enjoying a range of video quality improvements such as advanced post-processing and scaling, dynamic contrast enhancement, color correction and more.
3D entertainment choices with AMD HD3D technology: AMD continues to deliver a broad and affordable selection of 3D solutions with AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics cards, featuring AMD HD3D technology, backed by AMD’s open 3D initiative for stereo 3D gaming and movies.3

The GPU inside the machines is the Radeon HD6310 unit. Data storage inside the nice looking Plus version of the nettop is to a 250GB HDD. The difference between the standard AD02 and the AD02 plus is that the standard version gets no storage or RAM. The buyer has to add their own hardware to that machine.

Other features include a gigabit Ethernet card and WiFi in both machines. Both of the nettops have a single USB 3.0 port and a pair of USB 2.0 ports. Other features include DVI, D-sub and HDMI ports along with eSATA and a Blu-ray player in each. Pricing on the units is not announced. The video below has a nettop with the Brazos platform in use.

[via Notebookitalia.it]

It’s obviously double-width, and there’s a sizeable fan for keeping the twin GPUs cool inside. Outputs include four Mini DisplayPort and a single Dual-DVI socket, which could potentially mean up to six displays hooked up to the one card. According to previous rumors, there’ll be in the region of 3,840 stream processors from the combined GPUs, and we’re expecting to see two 4-pin power sockets.

Apparently Hexus had been given a fourth shot, with the Radeon HD 6990′s cover removed, but AMD later insisted it would have to remain offline until the official launch. That fits in with previous leaks suggesting AMD was holding off until NVIDIA had launched the GeForce GTX 590 so that the arch-rival couldn’t tweak their high-end card to better compete with the HD 6990.

Paranoid perhaps, but the stakes in the graphics card market are apparently higher than ever. According to the sources, dramatically falling sales of entry-level video cards – the market for which has been consumed by new processors which bundle integrated graphics – has left only the mid- and high-tier markets to play for. While sales of high-performance video cards may not be comparatively high, they do grant a halo affect to a brand.

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 is expected to use dual GF110 GPU chips, paired with 3GB of GDDR memory. As for the AMD Radeon HD 6990, that’s believed to pair two APUs for a total of 3,840 stream processors.

There’s also talk of 4GB of GDDR5 memory, while connectivity includes dual-DVI and three Mini DisplayPort outputs. The double-width card is expected to suck down 30W during idle and 300W under full load.

AMD is expected to officially announce the Radeon HD 6990 in the latter half of February 2011. No word on pricing at this stage, but we’d expect it to be at the top end of the market.

[via Expreview]

In the middle there’s the HP Pavilion Slimline S5700, starting with a dual-core Athlon II 260. The Elite models have discrete graphics across the board, from a Radeon HD 6450 GPU on the entry-level to AMD’s Radeon HD 6770 GPU on the top-end model.

There’s also HP’s Beats Audio, transitioning over from the notebook line, and if you’ve got the money you can slot in up to Intel’s new Core i7 chips for extra performance. WiFi b/g/n, up to 2TB of hard-drive space and up to 8GB of RAM round out the main specs.

The Pavilion dv6 and dv7 keep their general specs from before, but slot in the new CPUs and GPUs. The dv7 also has optional Beats Audio and an HP Triple Bass subwoofer. They’ll drop on January 9 2011, priced from $899.99 for the dv6 and from $999.99 for the dv7. No pricing has been announced for the updated HP ENVY 17, however, which is only coming “soon” HP tells us.

Finally, the HP Mini 210 netbook has seen a refresh with updated lids, now coming in a choice of insipid ice-cream pinks. One will go on general sale come January 9, priced at $349.99, while the other will be a Best Buy exclusive from January 23, priced at $329.99.

The HD 6300M kicks off the ultraportable line, while the HD 6400M steps into the mainstream. The HD 6500M/6600M/6700M slot into the performance series, and the gaming enthusiast gets the HD 6800M and HD 6900M.

At the top end, that means things like a 580-680Mhz clock, 960 Stream processing units, 48 texture units, 128 Z/Stencil ROP units and 32 Color ROP units on the HD 6900M.

Press Release:

AMD Extends Leadership in Notebook PC Graphics with its Second-Generation of DirectX® 11-capable Mobile Graphics Technology; Delivering the Ultimate in Efficiency and Performance

—The AMD Radeon™ HD 6000M series are a top-to-bottom family of DirectX® 11-capable mobile graphics processors designed to deliver exceptional performance in every segment—

LAS VEGAS, Nev. —1/4/2011
AMD (NYSE: AMD) today introduced its next generation mobile graphics technology, the AMD Radeon™ HD 6000M series, delivering AMD’s highest performing notebook graphics for those who want to experience games, entertainment, and productivity on the go. Harnessing AMD’s second-generation of Microsoft DirectX® 11-capable mobile graphics architecture, the AMD Radeon™ HD 6000M series provides users with:

Models offering up to 1.3 teraFLOPS of compute power for an unrivaled gaming experience on up to six displays using AMD Eyefinity technology.1
AMD HD3D technology for the ultimate in stereo 3D entertainment.2
AMD EyeSpeed technology for improved video and application performance.3
Notebooks featuring the new graphics technology are previewed at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in the Wired: Make a Scene booth, located in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

“One year ago AMD claimed the title of undisputed technology leader in mobile graphics performance and since then we continue to pave the way for mobile computing innovation,” said Matt Skynner, corporate vice president and general manager, GPU Division, AMD. “With the introduction of the AMD Radeon™ HD 6000M series, AMD’s best just got better by cementing its leadership in notebook graphics. Through our feature-rich line of top-to-bottom next-generation notebook graphics, including AMD’s fastest performing notebook graphics processor, we’re enabling a superior visual computing experience in virtually every segment.”

AMD Radeon™ HD 6000M series graphics represent powerful support for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) with existing and upcoming 2011 AMD Mainstream notebook platforms planned to feature true “Eye-Definition” Gaming with DirectX 11 support and AMD Eyefinity technology, plus amazing AMD HD3D Technology—all designed to accelerate mobile performance.

According to the geeks at TechPowerUp you can take that cheaper HD 6950 and turn the thing into the HD 6970 with a bit of modding. The reason a mod can turn the slower device into the faster one is that the GPUs are exactly the same with the 6950 simply having features locked.

The reason the locked shaders on the 6950 can be unlocked so easily is that they are turned off in BIOS rather than having fuses on the board that lock the shaders. The full instructions are on the source site link above. You can also download the files you need for the unlock process directly from the source as well.

There’s also a bevy of new features designed to squeeze the best out of your visuals, including Enhanced Quality Anti-Aliasing (EQAA), with a new sampling technique to help improve visual quality, Morphological Anti-Aliasing (MLAA), compatible with any DirectX 9, 10 or 11 application, and improved anisotropic filtering. Meanwhile AMD’s HD3D technology is supported, along with Unified Video Decoder 3 (UVD3).

The HD 6970 packs an 880MHz clock, 1,536 stream processors and 176 GBps of memory bandwidth, while the HD 6950 makes do with an 800MHz clock and 1,408 stream processors. They’re expected to go on sale immediately, with RRPs of $369 and $299 respectively.

Press Release:

AMD Launches Its Most Advanced Enthusiast GPU Ever, AMD Radeon™ HD 6900 Series Graphics

— Enhanced second-generation architecture supporting DirectX® 11, new image quality features, AMD Eyefinity multi-display technology and up to 2GB of graphics memory for high-resolution gaming —

SUNNYVALE, Calif. — Dec. 15, 2010 — AMD (NYSE: AMD) today introduced AMD Radeon™ HD 6900 series graphics, its most advanced enthusiast GPU representing the intelligent choice for enthusiast gamers. The AMD Radeon™ HD 6900 series of graphics cards provides gamers with an enhanced second-generation, Microsoft DirectX® 11-capable architecture for breakthrough performance, advanced image quality features for the best looking games, and innovative AMD PowerTune power management technology that dynamically adjusts power draw on the fly. With flexible and cost-effective AMD Eyefinity multi-display technology and AMD HD3D technology for 3D entertainment, the new AMD Radeon™ HD 6970 and AMD Radeon™ HD 6950 graphics cards offer The Ultimate Visual Experience™. Graphics cards in the AMD Radeon™ HD 6900 series are available immediately from retailers worldwide, with select models starting at $299 US SEP.

“AMD Radeon™ HD 6900 series graphics feature AMD’s second-generation, DirectX® 11-capable architecture, new image quality improvements and up to 2GB of graphics frame buffer, making it an intelligent choice for gamers and enthusiasts,” said Matt Skynner, corporate vice president and general manager, GPU Division, AMD. “Delivering DirectX® 11 performance with intelligent tessellation, image quality improvements with new anti-aliasing modes and even intelligent power consumption with AMD PowerTune technology, the AMD Radeon™ HD 6900 series graphics cards make an excellent gift this holiday season.”

Efficient Architecture for Leading DirectX® 11 Performance
· Improved architecture for greater performance: With AMD Radeon™ HD 6900 series graphics, AMD has further improved its GPU design efficiency, realizing a 10 percent improvement in performance/mm2.[1] AMD Radeon™ HD 6900 series graphics provide an extremely smooth and efficient computing experience, enabling gamers to realize unparalleled image quality.

· New AMD PowerTune technology: Designed with intelligent power tuning features, including the introduction of enhanced power containment, the AMD Radeon™ HD 6900 series automatically adjusts GPU power draw by dynamically controlling clocks speeds, allowing gamers advanced performance inside of the power envelope they specify.[2]

· The time to upgrade is now: Gamers looking to move to a DirectX® 11-capable GPU will find there has never been a better time to upgrade, with the AMD Radeon™ HD 6970 offering up to 2.5 times the gaming performance of 2008’s similarly priced high-end graphics solution.[3]

· Intelligent tessellation: The AMD Radeon™ HD 6900 series of graphics cards features dual 8th generation tessellation units, delivering up to 2.9x tessellation performance compared to ATI Radeon™ HD 5870 graphics.[4]

· Increased memory for higher image quality: With 2GB of video memory serving as the new standard for graphics card frame buffers, gamers can enjoy superior quality graphics without needing to increase the memory footprint, even at extreme resolutions.

The Ultimate Visual Experience™: As AMD’s most advanced DirectX® 11-capable GPU, AMD Radeon™ HD 6900 series graphics offer a single high-performance solution for a realistic visual experience. DirectX®11 has quickly become the new standard for PC games and the majority of game developers chose to develop their DirectX® 11 games on AMD Radeon™ graphics cards. Beyond DirectX® 11 games, the AMD Radeon™ HD 6900 series also enables an exceptional gameplay experience in DirectX® 9, DirectX® 10, DirectX® 10.1 and OpenGL titles in single card or multi-card AMD CrossFireX™ configurations.[5]

An Advanced Gaming Experience with AMD Eyefinity Technology and Advanced Display Options
· Improved image quality: Enhanced anti-aliasing features enables dramatically improved image quality and enhanced visual quality features for intensely realistic looking games. New features include Enhanced Quality Anti-Aliasing (EQAA), which uses a new sampling technique to help improve visual quality, Morphological Anti-Aliasing (MLAA), compatible with any DirectX® 9, DirectX® 10, or DirectX® 11 application, and improved anisotropic filtering.

Simple, flexible, affordable multi-display computing with AMD Eyefinity technology: Providing an expanded and more immersive field of view, AMD Eyefinity technology continues to be the most affordable multi-display solution available, offering incredible choice in display compatibility and configurations.[6] More than 60 game titles have been AMD Eyefinity-validated or are AMD Eyefinity-ready titles, and hundreds more are AMD Eyefinity-compatible.
Continued industry leadership in multi-display computing: The AMD Radeon™ HD 6900 series of graphics cards offer support for both DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 1.4a, offering enthusiasts incredible multi-monitor configuration options, flexibility in display selection, and new DisplayPort audio features.
3D entertainment choices with AMD HD3D technology: AMD continues to deliver a broad and affordable selection of 3D solutions with the AMD Radeon™ HD 6900 series graphics cards, featuring AMD HD3D Technology, and backed by our open 3D initiative for stereo 3D gaming and movies.[7]

Accelerate Your Life with AMD Accelerated Parallel Processing
AMD Accelerated Parallel Processing (APP) technology lets you do more, faster: Enthusiasts will enjoy improved performance and new features in top media, entertainment and productivity applications with AMD APP technology.[8]
Enhanced video quality features: AMD Radeon™ HD 6900 series graphics cards feature Unified Video Decoder 3 (UVD3), a dedicated video playback accelerator that helps users get the most out of HD video, online video and Blu-ray™ 3D, while enjoying a range of video quality improvements such as advanced post-processing and scaling, dynamic contrast enhancement, color correction and more.
Extensive support of industry standards: AMD Radeon™ HD 6900 series graphics cards fully support DirectCompute and OpenCL™, ensuring broad application support today and tomorrow.

According to Electronista‘s sources, Apple has been testing 2.5GHz through to 2.7GHz Core i5 and i7 mobile processors for its MacBook and MacBook Pro lines, together with dual 2.5GHz Core i3 chips all the way up to quad-core, 3.4GHz Core i7 chips for its desktop iMac and Mac Pro machines. Sandy Bridge is expected to make its official debut at CES 2011 in January, with the long period of testing leading to speculation that Apple will release updated machines sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, CNET‘s sources suggest that the Sandy Bridge GPU will be the sole graphics chip on 13-inch and smaller notebooks from Apple, while higher-end notebooks will look to AMD’s Radeon line-up. The benefits of Sandy Bridge include a smaller overall CPU/GPU package, since the graphics chip is integrated into the processor itself. It would also allow Apple to bypass ongoing legal issues between Intel and NVIDIA which have constrained its choice of GPU/CPU pairings.

That’s supposedly because initial benchmarking has shown that the GTX 580 outperforms the HD 6970, and AMD is expected to undercut its rival so as to make up for the disadvantage. Still, it’s also tipped to have a lower TDP than the NVIDIA, as well as offer more connections: two DVI ports, two Mini DisplayPorts, and an HDMI port. According to earlier leaks, the Cayman-based video cards will pack 1,536 stream processors, 32 ROPs, 96 texture units and 2GB of GDDR5 memory.

Connectivity, meanwhile, includes two DVI ports, two Mini DisplayPorts, and an HDMI port. That makes for more options than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580, while TDP is also tipped to be lower than the NVIDIA card.

However, it seems we may have to wait a little longer for the Radeon HD 6970 to arrive. According to Expreview. AMD initially planned to release the new card on November 22, but delays in developing the new BIOS and drivers means the HD 6970 will likely miss that date.

The latest overclocked card using ATI/AMD hardware inside has been unveiled from Club 3D. The card is a Radeon HD 6850 Overclocked edition (PDF). The card comes out of the box with better performance than the stock part. The notable changes for the overclocked card are a GPU clock of 820MHz and memory clock of 4400MHz.

Other than the overclocked RAM and GPU the card is the same as other 6850′s on the market. It has HDMI output, DisplayPort output, and two DVI-D outputs. The cooling solution has fans and the card is a two-slot unit. Pricing and availability are unknown.

They’ve also tweaked the cooling systems, replacing the plastic cover with an aluminum one; good for a 14-degree C drop in surface temperatures, apparently.  They’ve also installed a custom-flattened, all-copper heat pipe system that drops running temperatures by 20-percent and makes for a quieter card, too.

Up to six simultaneous displays can be supported, and there are HDMI, Mini DisplayPort, DVI and D-Sub connections to choose from.  Each has 1GB of memory.  No word of official pricing at this stage, but a quick Google pulls up numbers in the region of $215 for the EAH6850 and $240 for the EAH6870.

Press Release:

ASUS Releases New EAH6800 Series Graphics Cards

The latest generation cards from AMD are enhanced by ASUS for more engaged gaming

Featuring even more processing power than the successful EAH5000 Series of graphics cards, the new ASUS EAH6800 Series continues to serve PC enthusiasts with cutting-edge technology and a range of exclusive performance-boosting improvements to the AMD reference design.

Both the EAH6850 DirectCU/2DIS/1GD5 and EAH6870/2DI2S/1GD5 cards feature AMD Eyefinity multi-display technology, AMD HD3D technology and DirectX® 11 support. In addition, exclusive Voltage Tweak overclocking technology offers a 50%* performance boost over the reference design. The EAH6850 DirectCU and EAH6870 also ship with factory overclocked cores set to 790MHz and 913MHz..

The ASUS EAH6850 DirectCU also incorporates exclusive DirectCU cooling that uses custom-flattened, all-copper heat pipes in direct contact with the GPU core. This improves cooling by 20%* compared to the reference design and offers quiet operation when the card is idle. The ASUS EAH6870 is equipped with an aluminum fan cover that improves cooling efficiency and reduces surface temperatures by 14 degrees Celsius, compared to the reference design’s plastic cover.

Product Highlights

Exclusive ASUS Voltage Tweak technology offers real-time voltage adjustment of various GPU components, including the core and video memory, making ASUS EAH6800 Series graphics cards 50%* faster than the reference design.
The EAH6850 DirectCU is factory overclocked to perform at 790MHz. This is 15MHz higher than stock performance, resulting in higher frame rates in games.
ASUS proprietary cooling technology, DirectCU, puts copper heat pipes in direct contact with the GPU core. This results in the EAH6850 DirectCU running 20%* cooler than the reference design.
The EAH6870 features a stylish aluminum fan cover that dissipates heat more efficiently. This lowers surface temperatures by 14 degrees Celsius, compared to the reference design’s plastic cover.
Proprietary AMD Eyefinity technology supports up to six** displays for a fully immersive viewing experience.
AMD HD3D technology for stereoscopic 3D gaming and movie watching.

* Subject to system configuration and usage. Results may vary.

** DisplayPort 1.2 compatible monitors required for six-screen AMD Eyefinity output. Please visit www.amd.com/Eyefinity for more information.

Availability

ASUS EAH6800 Series graphics cards are expected to ship October 22, 2010 and will be available from authorized ASUS resellers.

That means all we have to go on are the photos of the reference cards themselves, which each have two DVI outputs, one full-size HDMI out and two Mini DisplayPort jacks for a total of five outputs.  The only other connectivity shown on the dual-width cards are the power connectors: a single six-pin port on the HD 6850 and two on the HD 6870.

The other point of note is the naming, with the 6800-series the first to lose the long-standing ATI dual-branding.  We’ll be keeping an eye out for these on October 22nd.

Acer’s Predator range has been through a few iterations now, each putting high-end hardware into an eye-catching case and promising a generally budget-friendly alternative to rival machines from Alienware and others. The AG5900-U3092 is a little less eye-searing in its color scheme – previous Predators have been all-orange, with shifting drive bay panels and odd mechanical flaps – but it’s still solidly made and has a little theater in its design. The DVD burner, for instance, opens up like a Predator’s mouth.

Inside, Acer has paired Intel’s 2.93GHz Core i7-870 processor with 8GB of DDR3 1333 memory, a 1.5TB 7,200rpm hard-drive and ATI Radeon HD 5850 video card with 1GB of its own memory. There’s also a 16x DVD burner, integrated audio and gigabit ethernet, and two spare PCI-E x1 slots and a single PCI slot. Connectivity includes four USB 2.0 ports on the front, eight on the back, two PS/2, three audio ports and a multi-format memory card reader. No integrated WiFi, but Acer do throw in a USB keyboard and optical mouse, while the OS is Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.

Considering it’s a reasonably large chassis, there’s understandably a decent amount of upgrade potential in the Predator. Two hard-drives slot in at the front on simple tray-style bays, though while it’s easy to access the trays, they’re not hot-swappable. Open the left-hand panel, meanwhile, and there are another two 3.5-inch drive bays, this time facing out toward the side. The molded plastic top section of the chassis angles the USB and audio in/out ports up, useful considering the PC will mostly likely be sat on the floor under a desk, and also has a tray which can hold your iPod or other gadget while it charges.

Power on, and one thing is clear: Acer has sold a fair chunk of its soul to the bloatware devil. As well as the usual McAfee and Office 2010 trials, Netflix, eSobi and WildTangent have got their claws into the Predator, and then there’s Adobe and Acer’s own tools. Yes, some users might find them useful, but we’ve a feeling most will, like us, consider them pointless annoyances and have to spend a not-insignificant length of time uninstalling them.

When we’d done that, we turned to benchmarking. Our first step was Geekbench, a synthetic test of process and memory performance we run on all desktop and notebook systems. The Predator AG5900 scored 9,315, with particularly strong CPU performance as you’d expect.

That puts it certainly higher than most desktops, though it falls short of some of the more spec-heavy gaming models we’ve tested in recent times. iBUYPOWER’s beastly Paladin F Series – which we reviewed all the way back in March – scores more than 50-percent more, at 15,710, with its hexacore Core i7-980 Extreme CPU; it’s also more than twice the price of the Acer, however. It’s worth noting that the Predator’s fans are reasonably quiet, even when the system is under full load.

We then looked to PCMark Vantage for some more in-depth testing. Overall, the Acer scored 8,986 PCMarks, with unsurprisingly high scores in the gaming (9,766) category. Again, that’s well under half what the iBUYPOWER system managed, but it’s also worth noting that in the test games we looked at, we had no problems running the most recent titles at maximum resolution. Yes, the Predator isn’t the fastest machine out there, but right now it doesn’t have to be in order to make it comfortably equipped for what owners might be throwing at it.

In the end, it’s the balance between price and performance that makes the Acer Predator AG5900-U3092 a strong contender. There are undoubtedly more powerful gaming PCs on the market, but they generally can’t match Acer’s pricing; at $1,349.99, it’s a few hundred dollars cheaper than a similarly specified Alienware desktop. We’d liked to have seen USB 3.0 as standard, and hot-swappable drive bays, though the Predator isn’t a server and the latter probably isn’t something most owners would miss. Acer’s Predator-series chassis designs might be pretty crazy, but the AG5900 is actually a reasonably sensible buy.

The leaked image shows the range of AMD’s series, from the 5700, to the 5800, and including the new 6700 series. In the breakdown, we see that while clocked speeds may not be that different from previous models, AMD says the new series will add almost a 60 percent increase to the raw computing power. Accordingly, the Radeon HD 6770 will produce somewhere near 2.3 teraflops, while the Radeon HD 5850 only produces 2 teraflops.

However, it should be noted that both of the new 6700 series models will consume more power, but they will be more efficient, when compared to the performance, versus the 5800 series of chips. As for a release date, that wasn’t included in the leaked document, but it has been rumored that AMD is ready to make a launch announcement some time in October.

[via VR-Zone]

It has become blatantly clear over the past few years that the “speeds and feeds” marketing by manufacturers of personal computers was becoming less relevant to the decision making process of mainstream consumers. This is why both AMD and Intel are taking very different approaches with their partners on how to position and market to consumers.

In my briefing with AMD about this brand transition they explained that they were very sensitive to the ATI brand and the loyalty to the brand that has been established through the years. For this reason they performed extensive market research before making this decision. They explained to me that their research yielded the following results:

- The AMD preferences triples with awareness of ATI + AMD merger
- The AMD brand is stronger than ATI vs. graphics competitors
- Radeon and FirePro brand awareness and consideration is very high

This move fits what AMD is trying to accomplish by simplifying the branding schemes for consumers hopefully making the purchasing decision easier. Eliminating logo overload and focusing more on what the product can do is the right approach for the mainstream consumer segment.  That is in essence what their VISION campaign is all about.

This move is also important as AMD rolls out their Fusion Architecture where they will be integrating the GPU onto the CPU. This new architecture combines the best of ATI and AMD into a single architecture. The consolidated branding of the ATI Radeon and FirePro brands under AMD will hopefully create a much cleaner consumer brand as it relates to their Fusion architecture.

The bottom line is consumers purchasing decisions are evolving and have become more focused on what they want their computer to do for them. Of course the components accomplish this, however consumers are more aware of what they want the computer to do than what the computer has inside.

There’s also WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1, three USB 2.0 ports, an HDMI, VGA, gigabit ethernet and a spill-proof keyboard, while battery life is rated at up to 3hrs.  It’s not entirely clear whether that’s when using the external graphics or the internal chip; in contrast, Fujitsu say the regular AH530 can manage up to 4hrs.

The end result is a 15.6-inch notebook that weighs 2.5kg and yet offers reasonably potent graphics crunching potential, as long as you have the external card with you.  That last point, though, may be the biggest stumbling block for buyers: while optional external graphics make sense for an 11.6-inch ultraportable, there’s plenty of choice when it comes to 15.6-inch mainstream notebooks with discrete GPUs.  We’ll have to see how Fujitsu price the AH530 GFX in order to figure out how competitive it will be when it drops at the end of the month.

Press Release:

Fujitsu’s LIFEBOOK AH530 GFX Model Provides High Graphic Performance

New notebook with external graphics and fast processor provides high performance at a competitive price

Munich, August 27, 2010 —
Fujitsu today introduces a new model of the LIFEBOOK AH530 featuring an external graphics card with dedicated 1GB video memory. This completes Fujitsu’s line-up for the all-round notebook segment, with a choice of models to meet every need. The LIFEBOOK AH530 GFX is designed for users working with demanding graphics, pictures and video applications, combining high performance and a slim and stylish notebook package at a competitive price.

LIFEBOOK AH530 GFX model users will experience the power of external graphics for demanding graphics applications and video, thanks to the on-board ATI Mobility Radeon HD550v graphics with a dedicated 1GB video memory. Users can choose between a Blu-ray Disc™ drive or a DVD-drive, and LIFEBOOK AH530 GFX models are equipped with the new Intel® Core™ processors that deliver smart performance adapted to user needs, for a faster and more responsive user experience.

Most notebook users will agree that the viewing experience is just as important as the speed of the processors. Just like the standard LIFEBOOK AH530, the GFX model features a 15.6-inch (39.6cm) high definition glossy LCD in widescreen format, and an HDMI output for viewing content on an external display.

The LIFEBOOK AH530 GFX model has a slim design in two stylish colors: glossy black and ink blue. Designed for function as well as style, the keyboard is resistant to spills for extra reliability and offers a full numeric keypad for high usability.

The new LIFEBOOK AH530 GFX model is available for pre-order now across the EMEA region, with the first shipments planned for end of August.

Connectivity includes HDMI, eSATA, WiFi b/g/n, gigabit ethernet and Bluetooth, together with a 1.3-megapixel webcam, fingerprint reader and a 500GB hard-drive.  Standard RAM is either 4GB or 8GB, but the AS8943G Series will support up to 16GB if you’re feeling flush.

Of course there’s Blu ray along with a five speaker and sub setup all integrated into the notebook itself.  Pricing kicks off from $1,549.99 with the Acer Aspire AS8943G Series showing up in stores today.

Press Release:

New Acer Aspire AS8943G Notebook Computer Turns Any Room into the Ultimate Personal Theatre

Sleek new industrial design personifies elegance and performance;
Unique dual mode touchpad/media console puts movies and music at your fingertips

SAN JOSE, Calif., June 22, 2010 – Acer America, part of the world’s second largest manufacturer of notebook PCs (1), today announced the immediate availability of new models in its top-of-the line multimedia notebook series, the Acer Aspire AS8943G. With a completely new modern and bold industrial design, the AS8943G notebook PCs are defined not only by their advanced capabilities, but by a dramatic, simplistic industrial design befitting a notebook so powerful.

Packed with leading technologies and world-class entertainment and usability features, the new models are sure to please the most demanding power user. Whether they are used for creating multimedia content, watching movies or dominating the latest PC games, the Aspire AS8943G notebooks deliver high-end styling and world-class performance for a wide range of productivity and entertainment applications.

On the exterior, the new Aspire notebooks sport an aluminium cover that not only looks sharp, but also protects the seamless, frameless display. Upon opening the lid, consumers will be wowed by sharp design lines that scream precision and performance. A host of well balanced contrasts, including glossy and matte finishes and silver and black accents, surround the new chiclet style keyboard (keys with straight edges vs. slanted sides) which extends to a dedicated numeric keypad.

“The Acer Aspire AS8943G Series of notebooks are first-class multimedia centers that deliver an unparalleled high-definition personal theatre experience,” said Ray Sawall, Acer product marketing. “Designed for the most discriminating and style-conscious consumer, these new notebooks combine an elegant, simplistic design with top-of-the line technologies and usability features, taking PC-based entertainment to a whole new level.”

Stunning High Definition Visuals
These multimedia powerhouses deliver the ultimate high-definition personal-theatre experience. Featuring a brilliant CineCrystal™ 18.4-inch edge-to-edge glass LED back-lit display with full high-definition (1080p) resolution, consumers have a front row seat to all their entertainment and computing needs. Delivering stunningly rich lifelike audio and visuals, the Dolby® optimized Acer CineSurround sound system with five built-in speakers and a dedicated subwoofer deliver clear tones and deep bass beats, while a Blu-ray drive delivers razor sharp visuals on the display’s 16:9 aspect ratio.

For those connecting to PC speakers, headphones or a home audio system, Dolby® Home Theatre® Audio immerses you in the action, making TV shows, movies, sports, music, and video games sound amazing. An HDMI port allows for quick and easy hook up to an even bigger high-definition TV for movie nights.

Only the Best for Power Users and Gamers
Designed for hardcore power users, the Aspire AS8943G Series notebooks are powered by the Intel® Core™ i7 Quad Core Processor with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology, delivering advanced performance and incredible system response. Already loaded with 4GB or 8GB of memory, the notebooks can support up to 16GB for extraordinary speed.

Boasting the world’s fastest and most powerful mobile GPU ever designed(2), gamers looking to lose themselves in an ultimate fantasy world will thrill to the intense video computing power delivered by the ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD5850 Graphics with 1GB of dedicated video memory. Full DirectX® 11 support enables incredible gaming and stunning

3D visual effects. Photographers, videographers and graphic designers will see their creative ideas spring to life with increased visual detail and stunning realism.

Digital packrats with massive amounts of photos, videos, music, documents and emails will find the 500GB(3) SATA hard dive provides plenty of room for their digital data. With dual hard drive support, consumers can add another drive for backups or to increase their overall storage capacity. And to make data transfer painless, both models include an eSATA port to speed up large file transfers, while a FireWire port moves videos quickly from the latest digital camcorders.

User Friendly Features for Today’s Digital Lifestyle
In addition, a new dual-mode touchpad with integrated, capacitive touch media controller icons allows you to switch between multi-gesture mode to media console mode. At the flick of a finger, consumers can go straight to their favorite movies or music. Integrated into the touchpad, the backlit media console icons glow underneath the pad, providing a clean simplistic design. In addition, a convenient scrolling volume wheel directly under the touchpad makes it easy to control volume levels.

Connecting to the Internet on the road or at home is fast and easy. The Aspire AS8943G Series includes 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ wireless for the road and ultra-quick Gigabit Ethernet for those who want an even faster connection at home. In addition, Bluetooth® makes it easy to connect cordlessly to smartphones and printers.

For those who like to stay in touch face-to-face, a 1.3 megapixel HD webcam and digital microphone provides clear high-quality online chat sessions. It also takes still pictures and videos that can easily be shared with friends.

Providing top-notch security for consumers’ digital data, the notebooks also include a bio-protection fingerprint reader, preventing unauthorized access to or use of the PC.

Configurations, Pricing and Availability
With prices starting at $1,549.99, the Acer Aspire AS8943G-6190 and the Acer Aspire AS8943G-6782 are available now at leading retailers.

All models come with a standard one-year parts and labor warranty, which can be extended to three years with the Acer Advantage service. Additionally, some models have longer warranties offered through specific channel partners. All Acer notebook PCs are backed by toll-free service and support.

While the IdeaPad Y460 range kicks off at $799, you’ll need to step up to the $999 version if you want the dedicated ATI Radeon HD 5650 1GB graphics. That GPU is paired with Intel HD integrated graphics and a Core i5-520M 2.40GHz processor, along with 4GB of memory and a 500GB 5,400rpm hard-drive.

The 14-inch LCD runs at 1,366 x 768 resolution, and its LED backlighting is even and surprisingly bright. Colors are richly saturated, and if you’re looking for Full HD there’s an HDMI port on the side which you can use to hook up your nearest HDTV. Other connectivity includes WiFi a/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, along with gigabit ethernet, and there are three USB 2.0 ports, a combo USB/eSATA port, VGA, audio in/out, a six-in-one memory card reader and a 34mm ExpressCard slot. Above the LCD lurks a 1.3-megapixel webcam, while two 2W JBL speakers are tucked above the keyboard and are louder than their amp rating would suggest.

That’s a good thing, since Lenovo’s choice of Blu-ray drive (that doubles as a DVD burner) is on the noisy side for an optical drive. Of course, since the Y460 is Dolby Home Theater certified it’s a simple matter to hook up a decent surround sound system and drown that out, but if you’re trying to enjoy a quiet film without the bells & whistles we’d recommend a set of headphones.

We had high hopes for the IdeaPad Y460′s performance, given its decent processor and healthy chunk of RAM, and the GeekBench results don’t disappoint. GeekBench is a synthetic test of processor and memory performance, and the Lenovo scored 4,930 overall. More impressively, with the discrete GPU switched on, the Y460 flew through graphically-intense games and made short order of video editing; in contrast, the integrated Intel graphics were only really sufficient for mainstream tasks like internet browsing, playing simple streaming video and the like.

As you might expect, though, that sort of graphics grunt takes its toll on the Y460′s 6-cell battery. Lenovo rate the IdeaPad at up to five hours, though we consistently found 3.5 to 4 hours was more likely in regular use; turn on the ATI GPU, however, and runtimes halve. You could certainly argue that the Lenovo switchable graphics system is less elegant than NVIDIA’s Optimus setup, which automatically ramps up its dedicated GPU whenever it sees you need the help, but with the sheer degree of difference in the Y460′s battery life in the two modes we like being able to manually make that choice.

Can you have long battery life, strong processor performance and decent graphics all in one package? Apple’s 15-inch Core i5 based MacBook Pro certainly comes close, but you’re looking at $1,799 for the same processor as in the Y460 (as well as less storage and no Blu-ray support). In contrast, $999 for the IdeaPad Y460 seems something of a bargain, and the ability to toggle between the integrated and discrete graphics does make it something of a Jekyll & Hyde machine. Solidly made, if – at 4.85lbs – a little on the heavy side, the Lenovo IdeaPad Y460 makes a sensible choice for the road warrior with the occasional need for video crunching.

That’s joined by more USB 2.0 ports than you can shake the proverbial stick at, the regular audio outputs and digital versions too.  As for storage, there are six SATA 3Gbps ports and a further two SATA 6Gbps ports , which we’re guessing would satisfy all but the most HDD-hungry user.

Throw in plenty of PCIe slots and a fair few motherboard headers and you’re adding up to an interesting motherboard indeed.  No word on whether this is something headed to production – the title is the Immensity concept, after all – but it wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen an ASUS product graduate from eye-catching prototype to mainstream model.

The ProBook 4425s features a 14-inch screen, and it comes with plenty of options to choose from. On the processor side, you have: the AMD Phenom II Quad-Core P920 at 1.6GHz; AMD Turion II Dual-Core P520 at 2.3GHz; and the AMD Athlon II Dual-Core P320 at 2.1GHz. And through all of those options, we’re sure you should be able to find something that can fit into your daily needs.

The new ProBook also features up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, a DVD writer, a 1366×768 LED-backlit anti-glare display, ATI Radeon HD 4250, and a hard drive that can be upgraded up to 500GB. You can also choose from Windows 7, Vista, or SUSE Linux Enterprise 11 OS. And, you can start building your HP ProBook 4425s right now, with a starting price of $619.

[via Get IT Equipped; thanks Danijel!]

The IdeaCentre A700 has both HDMI input and output, up to 8GB of RAM and up to 2TB of storage, and comes as standard with a nifty 3-in-1 mouse that can be used on the desk as normal or as an air-pointer/motion game controller.  Its aluminum chassis ranges from 0.8- to 2.5-inches thick, despite fitting in WiFi a/g/n and a Blu-ray drive.  It’ll arrive at the end of June 2010 priced from $999.

As for the IdeaCentre B305, that gets ATI Radeon HD 5450 graphics and up to 4GB of RAM, while options include up to 1TB of storage and Blu-ray to replace the standard DVD burner.  It will arrive at the beginning of June, priced from $699.

Press Release:

Lenovo’s Expanded Line of Consumer PCs Beg the Question: “What’s Your Idea of Fun?” Consumers Find their Perfect PC Match with Lenovo’s Latest Laptop, Desktop and All-in-One Offerings

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – May 11, 2010: Lenovo (HKSE: 0992) (ADR: LNVGY) today expanded its lineup of consumer laptop, desktop, all-in-one (AIO) and nettop PCs with exciting new designs and technologies that make computing more enjoyable and affordable.

Lenovo’s latest IdeaPad and IdeaCentre PCs offer something for everyone, with clever features that inspire fun and creativity, and a complete range of form factors and designs that fit specific consumer needs. The new models include the IdeaPad Z series affordable multimedia notebooks – Z360, Z560 and Z565 – and the IdeaPad U series ultraportables – U160, U460 and U460s. Also announced are the IdeaCentre A700 stylish multimedia AIO, and the IdeaCentre B305 mainstream performance AIO. Alongside this expanded portfolio of all-in-ones come the IdeaCentre Q150 – an ultra-thin nettop PC, and the Lenovo H320 affordable slim tower desktop PC.

“In the less than three years since Lenovo launched its worldwide Idea brand of PCs, we have expanded our consumer footprint to more than 85 countries, firmly establishing our presence in the consumer PC market,” said Dion Weisler, vice president, Business Operations, Lenovo. “Lenovo’s consumer business recently achieved 89% year over year growth, outpacing the competition. The latest additions to the Idea portfolio demonstrate Lenovo’s commitment to leading the consumer market with stylish, feature-packed PCs that make computing more fun and enjoyable for all.”

Style and Entertainment To Go

Lenovo’s latest IdeaPad laptop PCs, the Z series and U series, are designed for consumers whose idea of fun is living life on the go and desire a laptop with features that can keep up with their exciting lifestyle.

The most recent addition to the IdeaPad family, the Z series, brings mobile multimedia to the masses through a rich, enjoyable entertainment experience at a competitive price point. Starting at just $649, the new Z series is an affordable laptop that comes across as a high-end luxury device, with its fashionable chiclet keyboard encased in a modern hairline, metallic effect cover panel. Users will enjoy watching their favorite movies on the new Z series with its high-definition (HD), 16:9 format widescreen (available in 13.3 and 15.6-inch models), optional Blu-ray Disc™ drive, and Dolby® Advanced Audio for a stunning audio experience. With OneKey™ Theater II, optimized audio-visual settings are enabled at the press of a button, making the Z series great for videos and multimedia content. The IdeaPad Z360 and Z560 are available with the all new 2010 Intel® Core™ processor family and NVIDIA® GeForce® graphics, while the IdeaPad Z565 is offered with up to AMD Phenom™ II processors and integrated ATI Mobility Radeon™ graphics.

Sleek and stylish, the IdeaPad U series caters to the fashionista in all of us. Each of the new models – the IdeaPad U160, U460 and U460s – offer ultra-portable, light designs and long battery life to allow travel-loving consumers to stay entertained and in touch no matter where life takes them. The clean and sophisticated appearance of the redesigned U series is made possible by its “U” shaped outline inspired by a closed book lying on its side, while its textured aluminum top cover adds a further touch of style and class to its elegant design. Measuring less than one inch thick and 3.8 pounds, the 14 inch U460 and U460s can be configured with up to an Intel® Core™ i7 processor with Intel Turbo Boost Technology for impressive performance in a thin and light design. The U460 features a standard voltage processor, while the U460s and U160 come with ultra-low voltage processors for even longer battery life and lower power consumption. The U160 weighs in at a mere 2.9 pounds and 0.9 inches at its thinnest point. For staying connected to friends and family while on the move, the U series comes with integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and a range of user-care features including an Ambient Light Sensor, Active Protection System and data recovery tools.

Expanded All-in-One Portfolio

Lenovo’s latest A700 and B305 all-in-one PCs are perfect for individuals or families that enjoy the powerful performance of traditional desktop PCs but desire the fun features of an AIO design such as touch screen capabilities, HD monitor and a streamlined appearance.

The IdeaCentre A700 is a stylish, ultra-slim AIO PC that packs the latest processor and graphics into a curvaceous aluminum body measuring merely 0.8 inches at its thinnest point and only 2.5 inches at its thickest. The A700 includes just about every home entertainment feature you can think of, beginning with a 23 inch Full HD widescreen, up to Intel® Core™ i7 processor with Intel® Turbo Boost Technology, HDMI in/out support for connecting to other HD devices such as a TV or gaming console, JBL designed speakers with Dolby® Home Theater™ and the latest DirectX® 11 graphics. The A700 also features a unique 3-in-1 mouse1 that functions as a standard mouse, air mouse/pointer and motion-drive games controller. For faster, more responsive application performance, the A700 can be configured with up to 8GB DDR3 memory and up to 2TB of storage so users don’t have to worry about running out of hard drive capacity when saving their favorite movies, music and games.

Those who are seeking high-performance gaming and family entertainment can turn to the IdeaCentre B305, which delivers compact performance with up to AMD Athlon™ II X4 Quad-Core Processor. Available in a 21.5 inch widescreen form factor, the B305 offers Full HD resolution video playback and optional DirectX 11 graphics. The B305 also features LED Panel Technology, providing a greater dynamic contrast ratio compared with standard LED-backlit screens, for clearer, sharper images and richer colors.

Lenovo is for the first time introducing touch screen capabilities on the IdeaCentre A series and B series all-in-one models, with select A700 and B305 configurations offering Lenovo NaturalTouch fingertip touch screen technology, and a suite of touch-enabled multimedia applications developed to enhance the touch screen experience. The A700 is the world’s first PC to utilize Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) touch screen technology, as used in certain medical applications, for the most reliable and responsive touch experience.

The IdeaCentre A700 and B305 feature the unique Lenovo Enhanced Experience certification that delivers an optimized boot and shutdown process, rich multimedia capabilities and easy system maintenance tools. Each of the new IdeaCentre A series and B series models include 5-in-1 media card readers and side and rear mounted USB ports. The new all-in-one models also include integrated high-speed 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Lenovo Rescue System software to quickly and easily recover data if a document is lost or becomes corrupt.

Ultra-Thin Nettop PC

If your idea of fun is tricking out your living room entertainment center, then the Lenovo IdeaCentre Q150 is the perfect solution. At just 0.82 inches wide and 6.7 inches high, the Q150 enhances the living room entertainment experience and can fit into just about any small space in the home. The Q150 is an affordable nettop PC that can be connected to a TV or monitor, or even mounted behind with the VESA bracket to create a virtual all-in-one. Featuring an optional NVIDIA® ION™ 512MB graphics processor, which delivers smooth Full HD (1080p) video via the onboard HDMI output, the IdeaCentre Q150 is a great way to enjoy internet video in your living room. The IdeaCentre Q150 also features an optional multimedia remote with an integrated trackball mouse and mini keyboard for convenient multi-tasking of e-mails, web browsing and video playback all on a single device.

An Essential PC for Work and Play

Lenovo today also updated its essential brand of affordable home computers with the introduction of Lenovo’s first slim tower desktop PC, the H320. Lenovo’s essential family of laptop and desktop PCs are intended for consumers who want the latest technology, including multimedia and security features, for use at the office or while relaxing at home.

The latest generation of Lenovo H series desktop PCs can meet the computing needs of just about any family member whether it is for work, play or education. The H320 presents a purposely slim and compact form factor, around half the size of standard desktop computer2. With the capabilities of a larger traditional desktop, the H320 boasts powerful performance with the all new 2010 Intel® Core™ processor family, and up to 8GB of memory on select models.

The H320 is equipped with user care features like Lenovo Eye Distance System3 which alerts you if you are too close to the screen, and Lenovo Dynamic Brightness3, which protects your eyes by automatically adjusting screen brightness based on surrounding light conditions. These features require a compatible Lenovo monitor such as the L2361p.

Pricing and Availability

All of the PCs will be available through www.lenovo.com. The IdeaPad Z360, Z560 and Z565 are available beginning in June. Manufacturer suggested retail pricing (MSRP) for the Z360, Z560 and Z565 will start at $649. The IdeaPad U160, U460 and U460s are available beginning in June and will start at $699. The IdeaCentre A700 will be available beginning at the end of June and will start at $999. The IdeaCentre B305 will be available beginning in June and start at $699. The IdeaCentre Q150 will be available beginning at the end of June and will start at $249. The Lenovo H320 will be available beginning at the end of June and start at $549.

Updated with video after the cut

The new HP Pavilions start with the HP dm4, a Core i5 based machine clad in brushed aluminum and kicking off at $749.99.  Measuring an inch-thick, it has a 14-inch HD display, integrated optical drive and up to 6.5hrs of battery life; hands-on, its premium feel belies its low price tag.  A step up in size gets you the 14.5-inch HP dv5, with Core i3, i5 and AMD Turion II CPU options and – on select machines – Intel WiDi wireless display, all from $649.99.

HP Pavilion dm4, dv5, dv6 & dv7:

Next is the HP dv6, from $699.99, with an optional multitouch-capable 15.6-inch touchscreen display which proved reasonably responsive.  HP have carried over the home-friendly UI from their TouchSmart all-in-ones, and though the absence of a convertible screen means this isn’t a tablet for mobile use, it’s still appealing for the home audience.  Power is from an AMD or Intel processor and there’s AMD VISION and VISION Pro on select machines.

The HP dv7 has a 17-inch display, a choice of quadcore Intel or AMD processors and ATI graphics.  It has optional Beats Audio and standard Altec Lansing speakers and subwoofer, and will be priced from $849.99.  It’s not a small machine, but the HD-capable display is bright and crisp and great for multimedia playback.  We wish HP had a multitouch option here too, though, since it would make for far easier content browsing.

As for the HP ProBook lines, they’re obviously a little more sober than their consumer counterparts, but still look slick with brushed aluminum casings and monochrome color schemes.  The ProBook 4325s, 4425s and 4525 all look to AMD for their CPUs and graphics, with a choice of Phenom II, Turion II, Athlon II and V-series processors paired with 13.3-, 14- and 15.6-inch displays respectively.  Pricing starts from $619 when they go on sale later this month, and there are options for discrete ATI graphics, WiFi, Bluetooth and integrated 3G/WWAN.

HP ProBook S-Series & B-Series:

Meanwhile the HP ProBook 6450b and 6550b get Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 CPUs, 14- or 15.6-inch displays respectively, an eSATA/USB 2.0 combo port and WWAN options, and will arrive in June from $859.  They have AMD counterparts in the shape of the HP ProBook 6455b and 6555b, kicking off at $779, with a choice of triple- or quad-core Phenom II, Turion II or Athlon II processors and optional ATI Mobility Radeon HD 530v graphics.  HP reckon you should be able to squeeze out up to 24-percent more battery life from them versus the last generation of AMD-based notebooks.

At the value end of the business scale there are the HP 425 and HP 625, kicking off from $549 with AMD 2.3GHz Turion II dual-core, 2.1GHz Athlon II dual-core or V-series processors and ATI Radeon HD 4200 integrated GPU.  With 14- or 15.6-inch screens and an HDMI cable, they’re not exactly inspiring in the same way as some of the consumer notebooks, but they do offer plenty of specs for the price.

Finally, HP’s netbook range has had a mild makeover, with the HP Mini 210 range getting pink and white color options (available June 15th for $354.99) and the HP Mini 110 getting a new 6-cell, 8hr battery (also available June 15th, for $279.99).

HP Design Ethos:

Press Release:

HP Teams with AMD to Introduce More Than a Dozen Notebook PCs

HP today unveiled its broadest selection and largest single introduction of AMD-powered notebook PCs.

The company introduced 14 notebooks utilizing VISION and VISION Pro Technology from AMD, giving consumers and businesses a wide range of mobile products and a vivid visual experience at virtually every price and performance level.

Consumers have a choice of VISION Technology across HP Pavilion notebooks, including the dm and dv lines, as well as Compaq notebooks. Business customers can tailor new HP ProBook s-series, HP ProBook b-series or HP or Compaq notebooks with the VISION Pro Technology from AMD featuring AMD™ Phenom II, AMD Turion II, AMD Athlon or AMD V-Series processors.

“Businesses and consumers can turn to HP not only for the deepest portfolio of notebook products, but also for a wide range of technology choices to meet specific mobile computing needs,” said Ted Clark, senior vice president and general manager, Notebook Global Business Unit, Personal Systems Group, HP. “HP’s commitment to providing customers a choice of technology helps us maintain our position as the worldwide leader in notebook sales.”

HP customers get improved performance on popular applications with the updated AMD multicore processors. For example, an HP notebook that employs a new AMD Phenom II Dual-Core N620 processor offers up to 69 percent faster performance than previous-generation HP AMD-powered notebooks and gets up to 24 percent longer battery life.(1)

This performance, coupled with long battery life and exceptional visual performance, gives users hassle-free, efficient computing – all at a price that makes sense.

“Our close relationship has evolved to today’s expansive consumer and commercial product lineup, providing outstanding technology innovation and performance competitiveness that ultimately benefits the customer,” said Chris Cloran, corporate vice president and general manager, Client Division, AMD. “VISION and VISION Pro Technology from AMD enables an exceptional visual experience, great system performance and is designed to simplify the PC purchasing experience.”

The new HP products span all customer segments, including consumer, small and midsize businesses (SMBs), and the enterprise. Highlights include:

Thin and light, the HP Pavilion dm3 offers ultramobility and fast performance paired with cool etched patterns and a sleek metal finish. With an internet connection, consumers can stay connected with Skype, instant messaging and HP QuickWeb.(2) At less than 1 inch thick and weighing 4.2 pounds, the dm3 boasts a battery life of up to 7 hours,(3) ensuring that consumers can take it anywhere, leaving power cords at home.
The HP ProBook 4425s features a sophisticated brushed-aluminum metal case in caviar or bordeaux. Weighing only 4.71 pounds, it offers enhanced graphics capabilities, outstanding performance and a long battery life. Designed for SMB professionals who want stylish, affordable notebooks for everyday office applications, the HP ProBook 4425s includes various productivity enhancing HP Professional Innovations, as well as Central Management for HP ProtectTools.(4)
Additional newly announced HP notebooks powered by AMD VISION and VISION Pro Technology include:

HP Pavilion notebook PCs: dm1, dv5, dv6 and dv7
HP ProBook notebook PCs: 4325s, 4525s, 6455b and 6555b
HP notebook PCs: 425 and 625
Compaq notebook PCs: CQ42/G42 and CQ62/G62
More information about the products, including product specifications and images, is available at www.hp.com/personal.

Press Release:

HP Delivers Affordable Notebook PCs Across All Business Segments

HP today introduced nine affordable business notebook PCs tailored for corporate and small to midsize business customers.

With prices starting at $549,(1) the new notebooks deliver HP’s best combination of features, functionality and value for businesses. The introduction continues a series of announcements that provide businesses the broadest mix of products to update aging desktops, workstations and notebooks.

Additions to the HP notebook portfolio include:

The HP ProBook 6455b/6555b series offers the latest VISION Pro technology from AMD to deliver cost-effective performance, while the notebook’s security features maintain a more secure, mobile environment.
The HP ProBook 6450b/6550b series features Intel® vPro technology to help businesses cut costs and increase efficiency, as well as flexible docking and battery options and a range of wireless connectivity choices.(2,3)
The HP ProBook 4325s/4425s/4525s series sports brushed-aluminum metal cases in caviar or bordeaux. The notebooks offer a range of configurable options, including new AMD Phenom™ II, AMD Turion™ II, AMD Athlon™ II or AMD V-series processors(4) that deliver different levels of performance at varying prices.
The HP 425 and HP 625 are the company’s most affordable notebook offerings. Features such as optional wireless technologies,(2,3) a 2-megapixel webcam,(5) an integrated microphone and a spill-resistant keyboard keep users connected and protected while on the go.
HP customers get improved performance on popular applications with the updated AMD multicore processors. For example, an HP notebook that employs a new AMD Phenom II Dual-Core N620 processor offers up to 69 percent faster performance than previous generation HP AMD-powered notebooks(6) and gets up to 24 percent longer battery life.(7) This performance, coupled with flexible battery options, provides hours of battery use. Exceptional visual performance via UMA graphics gives users hassle-free, efficient computing.

The new HP ProBook 6450b and HP ProBook 6550b notebooks offer the latest Intel Core™ i7, i5 and i3 processors.(8) The Core i7 and Core i5 include optional Intel vPro technology(9) to deliver intelligent performance, flexible graphics options, and unique hardware-assisted security and manageability features.

A choice of Intel HD Graphics or ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 540v graphics processor delivers amazing visual performance.

Users can choose a 14-inch (6450b/6455b) or 15.6-inch (6550b/6555b) diagonal high-definition (HD)(10) LED-backlit display and extensive wireless connectivity options, including HP Mobile Broadband(2) and optional dual-pointing devices(11) that offer greater ease of use.

Other features include multiple battery options, including the HP Long Life Battery, compatibility with the HP 12-cell ultra-capacity battery, an eSATA/USB 2.0 combo port and optional dual hard drive support.(11)

All of the new HP ProBook b-series feature a spill-resistant keyboard with drains. This helps protect sensitive electronics and key components from minor spills by combining a thin layer of Mylar film under the keyboard with a drain system that funnels the fluid through a hole in the bottom of the notebook.

All ProBook b-series notebooks are designed to work with the recently introduced HP 90W and HP 120W Advanced Docking Stations.(11) The docking stations connect to notebooks in one easy step and eliminate the need to plug and unplug peripherals or accessories into the notebooks every time they are used. The HP 120W Advanced Docking Station allows users to expand the notebook’s functionality with an integrated Upgrade Bay.

Cost-effective performance for a secure, mobile environment

Ideal for budget-conscious mobile professionals, the new HP ProBook 4325s (13.3-inch diagonal), HP ProBook 4425s (14-inch diagonal) and HP ProBook 4525s (15.6-inch diagonal) notebook PCs feature a range of configurable options and essential office and multimedia applications to assist small business professionals with everyday needs.

The new notebooks offer a choice of processor technology from AMD and a choice of UMA or discrete graphics options depending on the model. Users also can choose multiple wireless connectivity options, including HP Mobile Broadband, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth®.(2,3)

The HP ProBook s-series features new multimedia controls for video and comes loaded with the new ArcSoft TotalMedia Suite to allow users to play, edit and create video and audio files. They also feature ClickPad Gestures to allow for a more intuitive document navigation experience.

The b-series and s-series notebooks also include several HP Professional Innovations, including HP Power Assistant software to allow users to more easily monitor energy usage(12) and Central Management for HP ProtectTools,(13) which offers remote security management, deployment, monitoring and auditing from one central location. Central Management for HP ProtectTools can be used on HP or other industry-standard notebooks so IT administrators can manage all the notebooks in their environment with one easy-to-use software application.

HP DayStarter(14) allows users to get a head start on the day’s activities with access to key information such as their calendar and battery status, even before the operating system boots, while HP QuickWeb(15) allows users to access the web in seconds when the notebook is shut down. The application resides outside the notebook’s operating system, so there is no need to wait for the computer to boot up; users can simply push the dedicated button.

Full-function performance, affordability and value

With a new industrial design featuring a stone gray microfiber pattern texture for a clean professional look, the HP 425 and HP 625 notebook PCs are ideal for small business users looking for a versatile notebook at a smart value.

The notebooks feature VISION Pro Technology from AMD with AMD Phenom II, AMD Turion II, AMD Athlon II and AMD V-Series processors to deliver the right level of performance.

The HP 425 and HP 625 business notebooks are available in two display sizes – 14-inch or 15.6-inch diagonal respectively, in a choice of HD LED-backlit or LED-backlit BrightView HD displays.

An optional integrated 2-megapixel webcam(5) and integrated microphone allow for video conferencing as well as video and still-image capture. The HDMI port provides connectivity to HD(10) displays with one convenient HDMI cable.

Like all HP business notebooks, the HP 425 and HP 625 undergo more than 100,000 hours of rigorous quality testing to ensure the highest standards in design, materials and components.(16)

Financing options(17)

HP is offering businesses zero percent vendor-direct financing plans for the new HP ProBook and HP lines through HP Financial Services, the company’s leasing and life cycle asset management services subsidiary. Customers can choose from two plans – a 12-month lease with a $1 purchase option or a 36-month lease with a fair market value purchase option.

Qualifying transactions must be between $1,500 and $150,000 in the United States and between $5,000 and $150,000 in Canada. More details on these financing options are available at www.hp.com/go/totalfinancing.

Pricing and availability(1)

Product availability will vary by region and country.

The HP ProBook 6455b and 6555b notebook PCs are expected to be available in the United States in June and start at $779.

The HP ProBook 6450b and 6550b notebook PCs are expected to be available in the United States in June and start at $859.

The HP ProBook 4425s Notebook PC is expected to be available in the United States later this month and starts at $619.

The HP 425 Notebook PC is expected to be available in the United States in June and starts at $549.

More information about the products, including product specifications and images, is available at www.hp.com/personal.

The new Sapphire Radeon HD 5970 4G TOXIC Edition just sounds fast, doesn’t it? Well it should, because the clock speeds reach up to 900MHz at the core, and 4800MHz effective in the memory. That’s up from 725MHz and 4000MHz respectively, so quite a nice jump there. It also features 4GB of GDDR5 memory, which bests the standard HD 5970 by twice the speeds.

But, knowing that they couldn’t leave well enough alone, Sapphire have also made improvements to the heatsink/fan, by making it more of a customized job brought to you lovingly by Arctic Cooling. The system features three low-noise fans, the heatpipes and fins were constructed from nickel plating. There’s no word on pricing or when this will be available for mass consumption, but we’re going to go ahead and assume it’s going to be pricey.

[via Hot Hardware]

Two versions of the Vybe – listed as limited edition – have been introduced, with prices starting at $999 for the Phenom II X6 1055T based model (paired with an ATI Radeon HD 5670 GPU, 4GB of DDR3 memory and 640GB HDD) and rising to $1,299 for the Phenom II X6 1090T version.  The latter gets an ATI Radeon HD 5830 GPU and 6GB of DDR3 memory.

Buy now, incidentally, and they’ll throw in a copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, giving you something to actually do with your new PC.  For more on the AMD hexacores, check out our review roundup from earlier today.

Press Release:

MAINGEAR Debuts Limited Edition VYBE Gaming PC with Phenom II X6

Maingear integrates AMD’s latest 6 core CPU to deliver elite performance to gamers and content creators starting at $999

Kenilworth, New Jersey – April 27, 2010 – MAINGEAR Computers, award-winning builders of custom computers for PC gamers, enthusiasts, and content creators, debuts the VYBE Limited Edition. VYBE leverages AMD’s latest Phenom II X6 CPU to provide intelligent, powerful computing performance at an affordable price. VYBE users can now embrace AMD’s Turbo Core technology that dynamically transfers performance to three dedicated cores operating at a higher frequency. These three turbocharged cores automatically give you the extra speed you need for intense gaming sessions or advanced content creation tasks.

Another nice feature of the 6-core Phenom II is AMD’s OverDrive software, an all-in-one performance tuning utility that includes hardware monitoring and fan control capabilities. The latest VYBE also incorporates ATI Radeon 5000 series graphcs with DirectX11, and the AMD 890GX chipset featuring SATA 6Gb/s and USB 3.0. Customers who purchase the VYBE featuring the AMD Phenom II X6 and select ATI Radeon graphics will also receive a complimentary copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

“AMD’s latest technology enables us to provide gamers and content creators with extremely capable 6 core performance at a price point that wasn’t feasible up until now,” said Wallace Santos, CEO and Founder of MAINGEAR. “We’re now able to reach a new segment of the market with a value priced rig that delivers highly advanced computing power.”

“The Phenom II X6 empowers gamers and creative professionals with elite performance and visually immersive computing,” said Leslie Sobon, Vice President of Worldwide Product Marketing at AMD. “The MAINGEAR Vybe integrates a complete platform of AMD technologies for a fantastic computing experience.”

Consumers can purchase the VYBE at MAINGEAR’s Web site www.maingear.com/custom/desktops/vybe/ or order by phone at (888-MAINGEAR). The base price for the Vybe Limited Edition is $999 and comes with MAINGEAR’s premium Lifetime Labor and Phone Support with a 1 year hardware warranty and is backed by the best in-house support team in the country.

In fact the standard display is now the a 1,600 x 900 16:9 15.6-inch panel, and there’s a new 1920 x 1080 option.  Otherwise there’s eSATA, FireWire, four USB 2.0 ports, VGA, HDMI and DVI, as well as S/PDIF, a webcam and a separate numeric keypad.

The new version is cheaper – at least at the entry level – than the machine it replaces, too, and where the basic eX-L 15 previously kicked off at $1,899, the new version starts at $1,599.  The Full HD display is an extra $95, you’ll pay at least $144 for a Core i7-620M upgrade, and switching the standard 250GB 7,200rpm HDD for an SSD is at least $323.75.

Press Release:

MAINGEAR Unleashes Revamped eX-L 15 Gaming Notebook

15” notebook gives gamers the world’s fastest mobile graphics performance to date

Kenilworth, New Jersey – April 20, 2010 – MAINGEAR Computers, award-winning builders of custom computers for PC gamers and enthusiasts, unveils the eX-L 15, the fastest 15″ HD gaming notebook on the market. Featuring DirectX 11 graphics courtesy of the ATI Radeon HD 5870 graphics adapter, and resolutions up to 1920×1080 and an LED back-lit screen, the eX-L delivers killer graphics and performance.

Processing Power – eX-L15 can be configured with 45nm quad-core processors for blazing fast performance or the all new 2010 Intel Core i5 and i7 32nm processors for enhanced battery life.

Visual Feast – eX-L 15 packs the world’s fastest mobile GPU in the ATI Radeon 5870 with a crystal clear 1080p LED backlit screen providing the most brilliant resolution for today’s hottest games. And enjoy a complimentary 30-day, ZERO dead pixel warranty free of charge.

Connectivity, Security, and Expandability– Featuring DVI, HDMI, and S/PDIF audio out, the eX-L 15 gives users enhanced connectivity capabilities to bring movies, games, and music onto a larger monitor and sound system. Additional connection features include eSata, Firewire, 4 USB ports, and a webcam.

Cooling Capabilities – To combat an overheating lap, MAINGEAR implemented a dual heatpipe cooling design for both the CPU and GPU with Artic Cooling thermal paste.

Additional Advanced Features – eX-L 15 offers gamers a dedicated number pad easing the transition between gaming on a desktop and notebook.

“The eX-L was designed for maximum performance in a portable package,” said Wallace Santos, CEO and Founder of MAINGEAR. “With the DirectX 11 performance of the Radeon HD 5870, we’re not only able to provide that performance, but do it with exceptional visual quality for today’s and tomorrow’s hottest titles.”

Consumers can purchase the eX-L 15 at MAINGEAR’s Web site http://www.maingear.com/custom/laptops/exl-15/ or order by phone at (888-MAINGEAR). The base price for the eX-L 15 is $1,599 and comes with MAINGEAR’s premium Lifetime Labor and Phone Support with a 1 year hardware warranty and is backed by the best in-house support team in the country.

Graphics are either courtesy of Intel’s integrated chipset or an ATI Mobility Radeon chip, while there’s also optional 3G/4G wireless thanks to a universal Gobi 2000 module (supporting Sprint, AT&T and Verizon).  Four USB 2.0 ports, a combo eSATA/USB, DisplayPort and VGA are standard, as is a multitouch-capable trackpad, and OS is Windows 7 with Lenovo’s own tweaks for speedier booting and shut-down.

As for those earth-friendly claims, Lenovo say the new machines use up to 30-percent recycled content, such as old office water bottles, to make LCD covers, palm rests and other casing components.  They’re also 40-percent more energy efficient than the generation of machines they replace.  On sale from mid-May 2010, $649 gets you a Celeron P4500 with 160GB HDD and 1GB of RAM.

Press Release:

New Lenovo ThinkPad L Series Laptops Help Businesses “Do More, Save More”

Highest Amounts of Recycled Content and Enhanced VoIP Web Conferencing

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – April 20, 2010: Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) today is introducing a new Series of ThinkPad – the L Series. Designed for business, government and education customers, the ThinkPad L412 and L512 laptops feature high performance with the latest Intel processing technologies, military tough durability and strong web conferencing features in an affordable laptop starting under $700. Additionally, the laptops are the greenest on the market by integrating the highest amounts of post consumer recycled content.

Business-Focused Performance
The laptops come with technologies students and employees need to be productive in their daily work, like:

• Choices of the latest Intel Core i3 and i5 processors with Turbo Boost and Hyperthreading technology
• 16:9 HD antiglare displays on the 14-inch L412 and 15-inch L512
• Choices of Intel integrated or ATI Mobility Radeon graphics
• 3G/4G wireless connectivity options with Gobi 2000 module support for AT&T, Sprint and Verizon
• Multitouch touchpads
• Up to 8 hours of battery life1
• Expansion with 4 USB ports/1 powered, combo eSATA/USB port, support for DisplayPort and VGA
• Windows 7 with Lenovo Enhanced Experience featuring up to 57% faster bootup and shutdown2

The laptops also have the enterprise features businesses and IT administrators require such as global availability, image stability, a three year battery warranty and docking. They also include ThinkVantage Technologies tools like Access Connections to make the computing experience more productive for users. The L Series laptops pass the tough test for withstanding the wear and tear of the office or the rigor of the field to give users long term value. They meet eight different military specification tests for high and low temperatures, vibration, altitude, dust and more.

“Today more than ever before, customers are looking to get more out of their PC technology,” said Dilip Bhatia, executive director, ThinkPad Product Marketing, Lenovo. “We designed the new L Series to give users the most important features for being productive like cutting-edge processing performance, long battery life and a VoIP-optimized design without sacrificing the reliability and durability ThinkPad is known for.”

Expanded Green Footprint
Lenovo continues to expand its emphasis on green design with the L Series. The laptops use up to 30 percent post consumer content from office water jugs and used IT equipment in parts like the LCD cover, palm rests and top/bottom case. The L512 laptop contains 18 percent post consumer content (PCC) total, making it the industry’s highest amount of PCC in a laptop.3 Each L Series laptop saves the equivalent of 10 plastic water bottles. Overall, Lenovo has used 42 million gross pounds of PCC since 2005 in Think-branded products.

Also, as part of the lifecycle design process, the laptops meet Energy Star 5.0 for high energy efficiency and are rated EPEAT Gold in the U.S. for their environmental attributes. The laptops are 40 percent more energy efficient than previous ThinkPad laptops, and users can deploy Lenovo’s Power Manager software tool to monitor and adjust their power settings. Additionally, the laptops are shipped in nearly 100 percent recycled packaging that can simply be thrown into a customer’s recycling bin. Lenovo has committed to packaging reduction, recently reducing packaging material by 20 percent of yearly volume, saving an additional 10 paper coffee cups per box shipped.

Tailored for Web Conferencing
The L Series laptops are tailored for an excellent voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) experience. First, they offer the full range of connectivity options, from Ethernet and Bluetooth to WiFi, 3G and 4G. The laptops are equipped with a high resolution camera that works well in low lighting conditions, like for conferences in hotel rooms. The camera even white balances automatically so conferences are more life-like.

A digital-array microphone with echo cancellation let users conduct conferences even in noisy rooms. The speakers are placed directly underneath the screen and above the keyboard for rich sound quality. Hardware audio control keys – speaker mute and audio mute – are conveniently located to the left of the keyboard for easy access. And by pressing the shortcut Function + F6 hotkey combination, users can navigate a simple software interface to modify VoIP settings.

A Powerful Learning Platform
Built to withstand the heavy daily use in K12 and higher education, the ThinkPad L Series laptops are equipped with the technologies to get students through the school day.

Beyond providing education-focused PC technology, Lenovo is committed to improving learning and increasing operational efficiency at all levels of academia through the Education Research Initiative (ERI). ERI joins hundreds of thousands of students, teachers and researchers from schools across the world to evaluate and quantify how technology can systemically improve education. As part of this research, the ThinkPad L Series will be deployed at institutions for student learning while promoting instructional innovation and data-driven decision making for faculty and administrators.

Pricing and Availability4
The ThinkPad L412 and L512 laptops are available starting in mid-May through www.lenovo.com and business partners. Pricing for models starts at approximately $649.

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About Lenovo
Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is dedicated to building exceptionally engineered personal computers. Lenovo’s business model is built on innovation, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction as well as a focus on investment in emerging markets. Formed by Lenovo Group’s acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company develops, manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure and easy-to-use technology products and services worldwide. Lenovo has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information see www.lenovo.com.

1With 9 cell battery.
2Improvement claim is based on testing Windows® 7 L412 and L512 against non-configured system. The L Series laptops have been optimized. Actual times and their relative improvements vary by model, with an average boot and shutdown improvement of up to 57%. Improvements may vary according to the exact configuration of the system and may degrade over time depending on other software installed or changes made to system settings. Lenovo optimization does not impact any essential services or software features.
3According to the EPEAT registry as of 4/20/2010.
4Prices do not include tax or shipping and are subject to change without notice and is tied to specific terms and conditions. Reseller prices may vary. Price does not include all advertised features. All offers subject to availability. Lenovo reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice.