(Credit:
Asus)
Mobile gamers, take note: Asus today released the G50V, a 15-inch gaming laptop that appears to be a high-powered, low-priced affair.
The majority of gaming laptops use a 17-inch chassis and weigh 8 pounds or more. The Asus G50V packs many of the same features inside a 15-inch chassis that weighs a relatively svelte 6.2 pounds. Inside, the laptop supplies a high-end 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 processor, 4GB of fast 800MHz DDR2 memory, and an Nvidia GeForce 9700M GT graphics card with 512MB of DDR3 memory. Two hard drives are on board for a combined 500GB of storage. Throw in a DVD burner and your total is a very reasonable $1,699. A Blu-ray-equipped model with smaller hard-drive space (two 200GB units) goes for $1,899.
The 15-inch screen features a 1680x1050 native resolution. While the GeForce 9700M GT is a DX10 graphics card and member of Nvidia's current generation, it's still a notch down from the three 9800 series members and a half-step down from the 9700 GTS card.
Gaming-friendly features include an overclocking button that pushes the CPU into Turbo mode or--hold onto your headset--Turbo Extreme mode, as well as a 2.0-megapixel Webcam, and LED lights along the sides of the display. A small OLED secondary display sits above the keyboard and displays system status, IM, and e-mail alerts. Asus also adds a backpack and Logitech MX518 mouse to sweeten the deal.
Non-gaming features include an Express Gate button, which lets you bypass Windows and quickly boot to a Linux shell where you can access your Web browser and other apps. The Webcam features facial-recognition technology, which you can use to log in to the laptop in lieu of a password. An HDMI-out lets you output audio and video to an HDTV, and an eSATA port provides fast data transfers to external drives.
In all, both G50V models appear to be great values. A similarly configured Dell XPS 1530 with weaker graphics costs more. And 15-inch models from Dell's Alienware brand and HP's Voodoo brand are much pricier.
Thankfully, it looks as though the Asus G50V will simply smell like a laptop and is not a member of the company's scented models.
Full specs can be found on the Asus Web site here.
(Credit:
Toshiba)
Toshiba revamped its Qosmio line today, which had been whittled down to one model, the G45. The company's high-end laptops now comprise three series, the 18.4-inch Qosmio G50, the 17.1-inch X305, and the 15.4-inch F50. All models will begin shipping in mid-July; pricing details are unknown.
Most notable of the new introductions is the Qosmio G50 series. Not only is it Toshiba's first 18-inch laptop, but it will also feature the SpursEngine processor, which is based on the Cell processor found inside the PlayStation 3. Toshiba is branding it the Quad Core HD Processor here and trumpets its ability to "control and create personal movie projects with unmatched speed and efficiency." Toshiba boasts that you'll be able to transcode video up to 10 times faster than a nondescript Toshiba laptop using a CPU other than the Quad Core HD chip. You can bet CNET Labs is anxious to get a G50 unit in for testing. Other specs include Nvidia GeForce 9600M GR graphics (with 512MB of DDR3 memory), up to 500GB of hard-drive space, and 2.1 Harman Kardon speakers. The 18.4-inch screen supplies a movie-friendly 16:9 aspect ratio, and the laptop features the Fusion finish introduced with the latest round of Satellites.
The previously leaked Qosmio X305 takes aim at gamers with a 1GB Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTX graphics card, a dual-core Intel Core 2 Extreme CPU, and a red flaming lid. This 17.1-inch laptop finds room for 5.1 Harman Kardon speakers and a pair of 200GB hard drives.
The Qosmio F50 series is the most portable of the bunch, with a 15.4-inch display and a built-in GPS receiver and Garmin software. It will feature Nvidia GeForce 9700 GTS graphics and Harman Kardon speakers with a subwoofer.
All three models feature an HDMI port with Toshiba's Regza Link technology (control codes designed to better integrate TV and AV sources using a single remote control), an eSATA port, and feathertouch multimedia buttons. Conspicuously absent are details regarding the type of optical drive these new Qosmios will offer. Is it still too soon for Toshiba, which helped lead the HD DVD charge, to begin outfitting its laptops with Blu-ray drives?
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