Crave

We've seen laptops with dual SLI graphics, such as the Alienware Area-51 m17x. We've seen laptops with switchable discrete and integrated graphics, such as the new MacBook Pro. But on Thursday, Toshiba announced two new versions of its Qosmio X305 gaming laptop that incorporate three GPUs: two Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTS cards in a scalable link interface and one integrated GeForce 9400M.

Nvidia is calling the new triple-card solution "Hybrid SLI." Like other laptops with hybrid graphics, the Qosmio X305 can switch from discrete to integrated graphics, with the former offering better gaming performance and the latter offering better power efficiency for lower-level Windows tasks.

The lower-end version of the laptop, the Qosmio X305-Q706, costs $1,999 for a 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 processor; 4GB of DDR3 RAM; a 320GB, 7,200rpm hard drive; and of course the two 512MB Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTS cards plus GeForce 9400M integrated graphics.

For those unaffected by the economic downturn, the $4,199 Qosmio X305-Q708 offers a 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9300 quad-core processor; 4GB of DDR3 RAM; both a 128GB solid-state drive and a 320GB, 7,200rpm hard drive; and two 512MB Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTS cards plus GeForce 9400M integrated graphics.

The new Qosmio X305 models feature the same red-flame design, 17-inch display, and stereo speakers with subwoofer found on their predecessor, and both are available immediately.

Toshiba's 18.4-inch Qosmio G55 laptop uses a quad-core processor--but not the Intel or AMD variety.

Toshiba SpursEngine processor is offered with the Qosmio G55 laptop

(Credit: Toshiba)

The "Quad-Core HD Processor" used in the Qosmio G55--due mid-July--is based on the SpursEngine which is derived from the Cell Broadband Engine, a multicore chip architecture jointly developed by IBM, Sony, and Toshiba. The Cell architecture, in turn, is derived from IBM's Power Architecture. Today, IBM uses the Cell processor in a line of blade servers.

The four processing elements inside the chip have a clock frequency of 1.5GHz, while boasting a relatively low power envelope of 10 to 20 watts. Typical mobile Intel processors have a power envelope of 35 watts.

The SpursEngine can deliver up to 48 GFlops (billion Floating point operations per second) or 12GFlops per processing element. Every element has 256KB of integrated memory, according to Toshiba. And the processor excels at high-definition video encoding and decoding of MPEG-2 and H.264 (MPEG-4) streams.

Click photo for gallery on Toshiba's new notebook lineup.

(Credit: Toshiba)

(Update: the Qosmio G55's main processor is an Intel Core 2 Duo--it will be offered with a "Montevina" Centrino 2 processor --while the graphics chip is an Nvidia GeForce 9600M GT. The SpursEngine is a co-processor that accelerates certain multimedia tasks.)

As discussed in an earlier CNET Crave post, Toshiba is touting the Cell processor's special features. The Japanese company says that the processor achieves what many high-end graphics processing units (GPUs) from the likes of Nvidia and AMD now feature: transcoding acceleration. Transcoding, or converting--movies, for example--from one format to another, can be extremely time consuming, sometimes taking hours.

A typical 1GB movie can be converted--or transcoded--in less time with the help of the SpursEngine processor: what might ordinarily take an hour can be done in as little as ten minutes, the company said in a statement. This is a feature that Nvidia is also promoting aggressively on its newest GTX 280 graphics processor announced Monday. In short, offloading multimedia-intensive tasks to a specialized processor (like an Nvidia GPU or Toshiba SpursEngine) can speed up many common tasks dramatically.

Toshiba is touting other uses too. The processor allows the user to pause, fast-forward, and rewind a movie "just by moving your hands." Toshiba calls it "gesture control."

And this is what Toshiba says about a "Face Navigation" feature. "Find that face--or that unforgettable scene in home movies and Hollywood films...The new Toshiba Face Navigation feature captures facial expressions so you can quickly locate the part of the video you want to see."

(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?

(Credit: LogicTV)

We were just wondering whatever happened to Toshiba's Qosmio brand, which included a number of high-end, Editors' Choice-winning entertainment laptops. It's been a while since we reviewed the Qosmio G45, and since then the line had almost disappeared from Toshiba's Web site, with just one model listed on the product page.

Looks like we have our answer, thanks to a post on LogicTV.com that details the rumored Toshiba Qosmio X305. The flame-lidded desktop replacement will reportedly incorporate 1GB Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics, a 3GHz dual-core Intel processor (perhaps the next iteration of the Core 2 Extreme?), and dual 200GB, 7,200rpm hard drives.

Also on the features list are HDMI-out (which better be paired with a Blu-ray drive) and S/PDIF audio. And we're happy to see that the new laptop will retain the familiar Harmon Kardon stereo speakers with subwoofer, which was always one of our favorite Qosmio features.

Word on the street is that this baby will be available July 14; we'll let you know as soon as we get confirmation.

Toshiba's new Horizon pattern.

(Credit: Toshiba)

With a lineup of perfectly serviceable, but not exactly standout mainstream laptops, Toshiba's Satellite line has long played second-fiddle to the company's excellent Qosmio multimedia laptops.

Aiming to correct this, Toshiba today unveiled an entirely redesigned Satellite line, with what is being called a new "Horizon" pattern in a "Fusion" finish. Toshiba describes it as, "gray pinstripes set upon a field of black." We checked these out in person a few weeks ago, and they had a distinct metallic sheen, quite different from the current black-and-red flamed look.

The new models are the Satellite U400, the Satellite M300, the Satellite A300, and the Satellite P300, with 13.3-inch, 14.1-inch, 15.4-inch and 17-inch displays, respectively. Apart from the 13-inch U400, these new models include touch-sensitive media controls, a flush-mounted touch pad, and Harman Kardon speakers (which are already available on some higher-end Toshiba laptops).

Note the flush touch pad on the Toshiba Satellite A300.

(Credit: Toshiba)

Perhaps the most interesting new development is something called Sleep-and-Charge, which means you can plug in and charge USB devices (iPods, mobile phones, and so forth) even if the laptop is in sleep or hibernate mode, or is totally powered off, as long as it's plugged into an outlet. Most laptops provide power to USB ports only while they're turned on.

All four are available today, starting from $826 to $999. Also new, but lacking most of these high-end upgrades, is the Satellite L350, positioned as a budget 17-inch AMD-powered desktop replacement, starting at $749.

The Dell XPS M1730 we just reviewed took home an Editors' Choice award. This massive, 11-pound laptop is about as good as it gets for mobile gaming. It serves up a most powerful mix of components, from a Core 2 Extreme CPU to Nvidia SLI graphics. The M1730 even finds room for Ageia's PhysX processor. While we liked what we saw from the M1730 in our labs, what helped it score so highly was a number of new features absent from previous XPS models. There's a gamer-friendly, 10-key number pad, a useful status LCD above the keyboard, and Dell's Wi-Fi Catcher that lets you search for wireless networks without having to boot the system. Sure, we'd like it if Dell included a Blu-ray drive (it's a $550 option) in a laptop that tops the $4,000 mark, but the M1730's leading performance and big feature set help to justify the cost. Dell's flagship XPS laptop isn't the only game in town, however. We've seen two other 17-inch models and a plucky 15-incher that deliver the goods gamers require.

If you pass on the XPS M1730, Dell would hope you'd fall into the arms of Alienware, its wholly owned subsidiary. We wouldn't blame you. The Area-51 m9750 we reviewed at the end of the July is still tops with a DirectX 9 game like F.E.A.R.. (The XPS M1730 uses the newer GeForce 8700M GT, which is slightly slower than the GeForce 7950GTX but supports DirectX 10.) It's a little lighter than Dell's 17-inch XPS, slipping in below 10 pounds, but it doesn't have an HDMI if you're looking for a one-cable solution for outputting video and audio to an HDTV. It's obvious this luxury machine is crafted with care, though opinions may vary on the Alien-head motif. Lastly, we like the fact that Alienware gives you a choice of Vista or XP. (That performance-minded Alienware chose to outfit our review unit with XP should tell you something about the hit you take with Vista.)

The Toshiba Qosmio G45 is more of portable home theater than mobile gaming rig, but its lone GeForce 8600M GT card still serves up solid frame rates. While it holds its own as a gaming laptop, its real charms lie with its multimedia goodness. True, its 1920x1200 resolution is the same as found on Dell's and Alienware's 17-inch laptops, but it costs about $1,000 less than those models, trading raw performance for features that include an HDMI out, Harman Kardon speakers with subwoofer, and multimedia controls that make it easy to manage your media.

If a 17-inch laptop is just too big for your purposes, Velocity Micro has an interesting configuration. Its 15-inch NoteMagix x25 uses a desktop CPU, which helped the system excel on CNET Labs' benchmarks. The downside? It's big and bulky and generates a lot of heat. And its battery life is abysmal. In the end, it's probably no more portable than a larger 17-inch laptop because of its heft and poor battery life. But you do get all of that raw muscle for less than $2,000.

(Credit: Toshiba)

The oddly named Qosmio series of laptops from Toshiba has always been a favorite of high-end home theater types, combining big, bright screens with HD DVD drives and Harman Kardon speakers.

The latest update, the Qosmio G45-AV680, adds a recordable HD DVD drive (not as common as recordable Blu-ray drives) and keeps the line's built-in Dolby surround-sound technology and high-resolution 1,920x1,200 display. The G45 returns to Toshiba's glossy white "piano finish," unlike the recent G35's matte gray look, and has both a large, circular volume wheel and an AV control wheel.

Other highlights include an HDMI port, draft 802.11n Wi Fi, built-in subwoofer, an external USB TV tuner, and a DirectX 10 video card, the Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT.

Of course, all this multimedia power doesn't come cheap. The Qosmio G45-AV680 (with an Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 CPU, 2GB of RAM and dual 160GB hard drives) is a whopping $3,199, and is available starting today.