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Dell updates Alienware M14x, m17x, m18x with new GPUs, but no Ivy Bridge yet

Dell is rolling out a series of updates to the Alienware M14x, m17x, m18x laptops, including the latest GPUs from Nvidia and AMD. This timing is odd, to say the least, as Intel's third-generation Core i-series CPUs (also known as Ivy Bridge) aren't included.

Instead, these new Alienware models have the current second-gen chips (aka Sandy Bridge). As the high-end quad-core versions of Ivy Bridge are expected to be available from PC makers starting around April 29, the message is clear -- anyone who orders one of these new Alienware laptops before that is a sucker. … Read more

AMD releases its 'fastest notebook GPU' too: AMD Radeon HD 6990M

The high-end notebook graphics war is on for 2011. Nvidia was first to fire a shot a few weeks ago, unveiling the GeForce GTX 580M.

AMD has since counterpunched with the AMD Radeon HD 6990M, its new, most high-end laptop graphics card, which the company now claims, as Nvidia did weeks ago, is the "fastest notebook GPU." This time, the edge indeed seems to belong to AMD. The company boasts a 25 percent improvement over the next-fastest notebook GPU. According to slides from AMD showing head-to-head performance benchmarks versus the GeForce GTX 580M, that statement seems to hold … Read more

Nvidia GTX 580M top-end laptop graphics unveiled; already showing up in Origin and Alienware systems

Today Nvidia unveiled its latest high-end laptop GPUs, the GTX 570M and 580M. That's not a huge surprise: the new GTX cards round out the "500 series" of GT and GTX graphics that have been available throughout the year. One feature Nvidia's particularly touting is the GTX 580's Optimus automatic switching, which should offer up "5 hours of battery life in Facebook," in case you measure your juice through social networking.

Nvidia promises that the GTX 580M is the fastest laptop graphics card anywhere, ever--the benchmark comparisons were leveled against the AMD Radeon … Read more

New Dell Alienware M11x, M14x, M18x laptops: Small-, medium-, and large-scale gaming

Despite leaked product announcements dampening the impact of the streamed Webcast today, Alienware added to its product lineup with additional Alienwares at the extreme small and large ends of the laptop spectrum. The M11x, M14x, and M18x cover the size gamut. We've already reviewed the M14x: check out the hands-on video below for a look at the M14 close-up.

Last year, we loved the Alienware M11x, particularly for its combination of size and power. During today's Alienware Webcast, the successor was announced--and it's got the updated Sandy Bridge specs we expected.

The new Alienware M11x R3 starts … Read more

Nikon goes superzoom with P80

Nikon had been eschewing the superzoom category in recent years, with the notable exception of the S10, which had a 10X optical zoom lens and wouldn't qualify as a superzoom in the current market. Now, Nikon has introduced the 10MP Coolpix P80, which includes an optically stabilized 18X optical, 27-486mm equivalent zoom lens, a 2.7-inch LCD screen, as well as an electronic viewfinder (EVF) for a more SLR-like experience. The camera also includes manual, aperture-priority, shutter-priority, and program-exposure modes, along with 15 preset scene modes.

In case your picture doesn't turn out to your liking, Nikon includes … Read more