Laptops

Hybrids vs. convertibles: CNET's field guide to Windows 8 hardware

Coming soon, a veritable evolutionary explosion of Windows 8 devices will be bearing down on you. Big small, tablety, not tablety, full of touch, and ready to fold into strange shapes for your general amusement.

Welcome to the Windows 8 Field Guide, an Audubon's Birds-style attempt to help you identify the classifications and subphyla of this odd new computing world. It's not as hard as you think, once you break down the various common types. Be forewarned: these classifications are works in progress, and there could very well be more evolutionary variants coming soon. But, hopefully, this should help classify some of the multipurpose strangeness you're already starting to see on preorder pages.

Of course, you still have laptops, desktops, and tablets. Some of these tablets will have one of two operating systems: Windows 8 or Windows RT.

After that, the classifications get a little more diffused.… Read more

How important is PC processor speed, really?

In the old days, choosing a computer was easy: you bought the one with the fastest processor you could afford. And you knew which processor was fastest (more or less) by its numerical clock-speed rating.

These days it's a lot trickier. Only hard-core techies (and those with the patience to search in Google) know the difference between, say, an AMD A4-3305M and an Intel Core i3-2350M.

And even then, does it really matter? There's a strong argument to be made that processor performance, even in low-cost, entry-level PCs, has reached a level that's good enough for most … Read more

What's next for Windows 8?

We've seen a flurry of Windows 8 PC announcements over the last week or two, most recently with Microsoft opening the gates to Windows 8 preorders this morning. The calendar still has a few big Windows 8-related events on it, though, so here's what you can look forward to over the next few weeks.

October 12: Microsoft begins taking preorders for the standalone retail version of its new operating system, Windows 8 Pro. Preorders for full Windows 8 PCs also begin from Acer, Dell, HP, Sony, and other major system vendors.

October 21: Windows Phone 8 devices available for preorder. … Read more

Windows 8: The complete new PC launch list

Dozen of new PCs are launching alongside Windows 8. Some are inventive new designs with sliding keyboards and removable screens, others are simple retreads of existing products, occasionally augmented by a new touch screen.

Here you'll find links to all the major new Windows 8 hardware being released this holiday season, sorted by brand. Many of these systems are available to preorder now, and most will ship when Windows 8 launches on October 26 (a handful have yet to even be announced, so we'll add those to this list when they are).

Full coverage: Windows 8

We've … Read more

Get an HP Envy 15.6-inch ultra-thin laptop for $399.99

I know a lot of deals sold out quickly this week, but there were plenty of "evergreen" goodies that are still available, including the name-your-own-price e-book bundle, free 15GB cloud-storage account, and $20 Skype credit with one-month Netflix trial.

Oh, and don't forget the awesome freebie for trick-or-treaters.

I mention all that as a preface to today's deal, which has an equally high sellout risk as yesterday's gone-in-a-flash laptop: Today only, and while supplies last, 1SaleADay has the HP ENVY 6-1014NR 15.6-inch ultra-slim laptop for $399.99, plus $4.99 for shipping. It's … Read more

Tap 20 desktop tablet, Vaio Duo 11 lead parade of Sony Windows 8 PCs

The time has come for each Windows PC manufacturer to announce its unusual and frequently convertible offerings for the launch of Windows 8 at the end of October. Sony's announcement of new Vaio laptops and desktops puts a square focus on touch and multipurpose use, with two brand-new desktop and laptop products, the Vaio Tap 20 and the Vaio Duo 11, as the centerpieces.

There are other, less exciting revisions as well: the E Series now offers a touch-screen aluminum E Series 14P, and the Vaio S Series now comes in burgundy red. We had a chance to test … Read more

Vizio updates its PCs for Windows 8, touch

TV manufacturer Vizio made a splash earlier this year with the launch of a line of laptop and desktop PCs, showcasing designs that felt high-end and unique compared with the competition. Its latest updated lineup of PCs timed for the Windows 8 launch doesn't change the equation much, but the desktop systems finally get touch-screen displays that they lacked before.

Vizio's new 24- and 27-inch All-In-One Touch PCs add 10-finger capacitive multitouch to their 1080p displays, whereas previously these desktop PCs relied on wireless touch pads and remotes. These new desktop systems start at $998, although deeper specs … Read more

Get a 15.6-inch Asus laptop for $249.99 shipped

You'll forgive a little nepotism, right? I think so, once you get a load of this deal.

While supplies last, CNET Marketplace has the Asus X54L-BBK2 15.6-inch laptop for $249.99 shipped (plus sales tax where applicable) when you use coupon code CNETSALE. Amazingly, it's new, not refurbished.

Note: The code is not working at the moment. I'm looking into it. Stay tuned.

Update No. 2: Code is fixed! Deal should be back up momentarily.

It's also more than up to the task of handling everyday computing. The X54L-BBK2 features an AMD A4-3305M processor, which … Read more

Lenovo gets flexible with new Windows 8 laptops

NEW YORK -- Lenovo today unveiled several new laptops it hopes will appeal to customers looking for a more tabletlike experience.

During a New York event, the Chinese computer giant, which passed Dell a year ago to become the world's second-biggest PC maker by shipments, introduced four "convertibles" that use Microsoft's new Windows operating system. Such devices -- with names like the IdeaTab Lynx and the IdeaPad Yoga 13 -- twist and transform from notebooks into tablets.

"What people want is flexibility," David Schmoock, Lenovo's president of North America, said in an interview … Read more