Intel Core 2 Duo Extreme QX6700 processor plus an EVGA e-GeForce 8800 GTX graphics card the Alienware Area 51 7500 gaming system has impressive power and a set of rich features you have come to expect of gaming systems. But then it is one of the most expensive too at $4954( as of Dec 6,2006) that we have tested so far! The review system had 2 GB RAM on it and came out with WorldBench 5 benchmark of 162. That’s actually slightly better than some of quad core systems we’ve tested.
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Most current 30 inch displays offer anything more than the resolution and big display areas. Hardly any controls are available for adjustments. Not so with this gateway unit. It not only delivers on the high resolution and large display area it has lots of adjustments and works with many display adapters too. But then it is pricier too by a few hundred dollars at $1700. Read the rest of this entry »
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We tested the 24 inch iMac , the big boy of Apple’s all in one desktop line. It is sleek and offer great image quality. Resources include a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7700 processor, ATI Radeon 2600 Pro graphics card, 1 GB of main memory, a 320 GB HDD and a slot loading DVD burner. The bundle comes in at $1799. It is a modest update though the new design and upgraded specs might make you think otherwise.
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80GB Zune with its wireless syncing, good sound quality and a nice touch control is a good choice for the money. The old 30 GB Zune attempt by MS did not get the market in a frenzy exactly. Since then MS has produced couple of 2nd generation stuff that is almost there. The $250, 80 GB hardware that I tested would be respectable competitors to the iPod classic, particularly if you’d like wireless syncing and a built in radio. It is about the size of the 160 GB iPod classic, a bit thicker though than the 80GHz model. Read the rest of this entry »
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ViewSonic takes a tilt toward practicality with its PC/TV hybrid LCD displays, packing a passel of inputs into its Diamani DUO 19-inch NX1932w and 22-inch NX2232w screens.
It makes sense: You have all this resolution floating around, why not tack an HDMI port on board, add an ATSC HD tuner and 10-watt speaker system, and then have a dual use display? Good idea in theory, but the execution falls short.
First of all, that HDTV tuner just captures over-the-air signals, and that’ll be good for only about 5% of the viewing public that watches their HDTV that way. Plus there’s no 1080p, because the highest resolution of the largest screen—the 22 inch—is only 1680×1050. That doesn’t quite cut it.
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Hewlett Packard (HP) has announced a new line of high end desktops that’s squarely addressed to the gaming segment.
These have been named Blackbird and are developed by the company using the expertise of VoodooPC, the company it acquired some time back.
Blackbird is a cool stylish machine. For easy maintainability it’s been designed such that major parts can be removed or added without using any tools. Hard drives just snap in into a pull-out tray, saving time on connecting cables and removing screws and putting them back again.
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Acer has unveiled new, revamped models in both the Aspire and the Ferrari lines. The Aspire models sport a reworked Gemstone styling. The 7720G will have Santa Rosa Core 2 Duo at 2.2 GHz, up to 4 GB of main memory, 200 GB HDD, a 17 inch screen at 1440×900 resolution, ATI Radeon HD2300 graphics card with up to 1 GB of HyperMemory, dual layer DVD burner and a TV tuner. 7720G will retail at $2,988.
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Aside from the creepy robots and good food, there are other reasons to want to be Japanese — like Sony’s SRS-ZX1 speakers. The shiny, metallically chic speakers come with a technology that Sony calls the “Mobius Duct” which supposedly creates a potent low-frequency response. The thing is, no one really knows what a Mobius Duct is, except a fancy way of saying “better bass than some other low-end speakers.”
Duct aside, the speakers measure 3.1 x 6.6 x 7.4-inches — so, they’re portable in a not-that-portable sort of way. They’ll also have a built-in amp with 2x analog inputs and 20W x 2 channel output. The speakers will be out on October 20th, only in Japan, for ¥49,350 or roughly $426.
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There may not be tiny LCD screens on each key, but Logitech’s new high-end Vista-friendly keyboard-and-mouse pairing, the $170 MX5500 Revolution Cordless Desktop, does have an integrated display for time, calculator functions, media controls and incoming messages.
The price includes the MX Revolution laser mouse, typically a $100 value. It also includes Bluetooth 2.0 integrated throughout the system, although I am a wee bit suspicious of the one-USB-port system requirement. I’d hope that is where the mouse’s rapid-charging station goes, but I’m not holding my breath.
You could get a USB Greenhouse to give some life to your computer, or you could go the cheaper, grosser route of just growing some plants in your keyboard. This thing looks like it’s still being used to him, and while it’s neat looking, the idea of having plants growing around his fingers while he type seems less than appealing. Hit the jump for another couple of shots of this neat freak’s nightmare.
