.......................................................................... ....................................................................... ......................................................................
Showing posts with label Laptops. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Laptops. Show all posts

Wednesday, 16 October 2013

Tips for Maintaining Your Laptop!

Now a days, many people are using laptops for their school work, business or leisure. However, laptops can lose their efficiency if not well-maintained. The following are some tips which will help enhance your laptop usage.

1. Watch out for dust

To ensure your laptop remains effective for a long time, you need to protect it from dust. An accumulation of dust in your laptop could block the ventilation areas and result in overheating. It is therefore very important to keep your laptop from being exposed to dust.

2. Keep it cool

Besides dust, it is also very important to protect your laptop from excessive heat. A laptop used in a cool, dry area will work more effectively and faster than if it was exposed to heat. To protect your laptop from overheating, avoid using it on your lap, bed or cushion since this will block the vents underneath which help in cooling. The best solution for this is to use a lap tray as a base for your laptop. Alternatively, you can invest in any of the laptop coolers which are sold in most computer stores.

3. Install a firewall and antivirus software

If you don’t use any antivirus, your laptop remains vulnerable to being infected by a virus. Make sure you use proper antivirus software to protect your laptop and keep it effective for longer. You should also install a firewall so as to restrict access to your laptop. A firewall will alert you anytime an external entity tries to access your laptop. You will then have the option of either blocking or allowing access. In addition, you need to be cautious about using external hard disks and flash disks with your laptop.

4. Eliminate unused programs

At times, you might have some programs in your laptop that you don’t really need. It is advisable to uninstall them so as to create more space in your hard drive. This will enable you to install other important applications and programs. Eliminating unused programs will also improve your laptop’s performance and make it easier to locate important files.

5. Defragment hard drives

When you have many programs in your laptop, it will take time to locate your important files. It is therefore very vital to defragment your drives frequently. Defragmenting will arrange your files in a way which makes them much easier to access.

6. Clean your registry

Once in a while, registry files might get corrupted thus resulting in a drastic and sudden change in your laptop’s performance. Make sure you run your registry cleaners frequently to find out if there are any corrupt files or errors.

7. Minimize programs to run during startup

Whenever you start your laptop, it will load all the system files, as well as the programs which have been selected to run during startup. The more programs you run, the longer it takes to startup. You should therefore minimize the number of programs that will run during the booting process.

8. Delete temporary internet files

Slow browsing speeds are often as a result of poor internet connection. However, in some cases, it might be due to too many temporary internet files saved in your laptop. You should therefore take time to delete such files from your laptop.

9. Empty the recycle bin

When files are deleted from your laptop, they end up in the recycle bin. This means that they are not actually deleted from the laptop; they have just been transferred to a different location. Thus, they still take up space in your hard drive. It is therefore important to empty your recycle bin as often as possible.

10. Power surge protection

Power surge protection is as important for laptops as it is for desktop computers. Replacing a laptop power supply is very costly compared to investing in a power surge protection device. Make sure you get one so as to protect the laptop itself, as well as your laptop power supply.

Tuesday, 20 August 2013

லேப்டாப் வாங்கும் பொழுது கவனிக்க வேண்டியவை...


தனியாக தைரியமாக சென்று ஒரு தரமான லேப்டாப்பை உங்கள் பட்ஜெட்டுக்கு தகுந்த மாதிரி வாங்கி வர  முதலில் உங்கள் பட்ஜெட்டுக்கு தகுந்த மாதிரியான லேப்டாப் பிராண்ட் எதனை வாங்குவதென்று தீர்மானித்துக்கொள்ளுங்கள். சிறந்த பிராண்ட் லேப்டாப் வாங்கவேண்டுமென்றால் முதலில் இங்கு கொடுப்பட்டுள்ள சிறந்த பிராண்டில் எந்த பிராண்டை வாங்கவேண்டுமென்று முடிவுசெய்துகொள்ளுங்கள்.

SONY
HP
DELL
SAMSUNG
THOSHIBA
LENOVA
ACER

சரி இனி நீங்கள் வாங்கப்போகும் இந்த பிராண்ட் லேப்டாப்புகளில் எந்தெந்த விசயத்தை கவனமாக பார்க்கவேண்டும் என்று தெரிந்துகொள்ளுங்கள்.  Laptop Configuration &
Processor

Processor என்பது அனைத்து லேப்டாப் Mother Board களிலும் மிக முக்கியமாக பொருத்தக்கூடிய சதுரமான ஒரு சிப். இந்த Processor இன்றைய மார்கெட்டில் அதிக தரம் உள்ளதாக விற்பனையில் உள்ளது Intel Core i7. அடுத்ததாக Intel Core i5 அடுத்ததாக Intel Core i3 என்பதாகும். எனவே நீங்கள் விலை கூடுதலான ஒரு லேப்டாப்பை வாங்க வேண்டுமென்றால் முதலில் நல்ல ஒரு பிராண்டை தேர்ந்தெடுத்துக்கொண்டு இந்த Processor ஐ


Intel Core i7

Intel Core i5
Intel Core i3

என்ற வரிசையில் உங்கள் பட்ஜெட்டுக்கு தகுந்த மாதிரி ஒன்றை தேர்ந்தெடுத்துக்கொள்ளுங்கள். இந்த மூன்று வகையான Core வரிசையில் உள்ள Processor களில் ஒன்று உங்கள் பட்ஜெட்டுக்கு விலை கூடுதல் என்று நீங்கள் நினைத்தால் இவைகளை விட தரம் குறைந்த Intel Core 2 Duo அல்லது Intel Dual Core என்ற Processor ஐ நீங்கள் தேர்ந்தெடுக்கலாம். இதை விட தரம் குறைவான Processor ஐ நீங்கள் தேர்ந்தெடுத்தால் அது இன்றைய நவீன டெக்னாலஜிக்கு பொருத்தமானதாக இருக்காது.

Intel® Core™ i7-640M Processor 2.80 GHz

அடுத்ததாக இங்கு மேலே காண்பதுபோல் இந்த Processor உடன் 2.80 GHz என்று குறிப்பிடு இருப்பதை போல நீங்கள் வாங்கும் லேப்டாப்பிலும் ஒரு நம்பருடன் GHz என்று குறிப்பிட்டு இருக்கும். இந்த நம்பரையும் நீங்கள் கவணமாக பார்க்கவேண்டியது மிக அவசியம். ஏனென்றால் இந்த 2.80 GHz என்பதை விட 2.00 GHz அல்லது 1.60 GHz என்பதன் Processor வேகம் மிக குறைவானது. 2.00 GHz லேப்டாப் மாடலை விட 2.80 GHz லேப்டாப் மாடலின் விலை குறைவானதாக இருக்குமேயானால் வேறு எந்த டெக்னாலஜி இதில் இல்லை என பார்க்கவேண்டியது அவசியம்.

RAM

அடுத்ததாக மிக முக்கியமான விசயம் RAM. நீங்கள் கம்ப்யூட்டரை திறந்த பிறகு ஒன்றுக்கு மேற்பட்ட புரோகிராம்களை பயன்படுத்தும்பொழுது கம்ப்யூட்டரின் வேகம் குறைந்துவிடாமல் பாதுகாப்பதில் இந்த RAM மிக முக்கிய பங்கு வகுக்கிறது. அதனால் இன்றைய அட்வாண்ஸ் புரோகிராம்களை பயன்படுத்த நினைக்கும் நீங்கள் குறைந்தது 2 GB RAM இருக்கிறதா என பார்த்துக்கொள்ளுங்கள். (4 GB RAM இருந்தால் சிறந்தது) இதில் இன்னொரு முக்கியமான விசயம் DDR3 என்ற அட்வாண்ஸ் டெக்னாலஜி கொண்ட RAM நீங்கள் வாங்கும் லேப்டாப்பில் பொருத்தப்பட்டுள்ளதா என கேளுங்கள். ( பொதுவாக விலை குறைந்த லேப்டாப் வாங்கும்பொழுது அதில் DDR2 RAM மட்டுமே பயன்படுத்தப்படுகிறது).

HARD DISK

அடுத்தாக நீங்கள் கவனிக்கவேண்டியது இந்த ஹார்ட் டிஸ்க். பொதுவாக கம்ப்யூட்டரை பற்றிய விபரங்கள் அதிகம் அறியாதவர்கள் கம்ப்யூட்டரின் இயங்கும் வேகம் அதில் பொருத்தப்படும் ஹார்ட் டிஸ்கின் அளவை பொருத்துதான் உள்ளது என தவறாக என்னுகிறார்கள். கம்ப்யூட்டர் இயங்கும் வேகத்திற்கும் இந்த ஹார்ட் டிஸ்கின் அளவுக்கும் எந்த வித சம்பந்தமும் இல்லை. ஆனால் இன்றைய மென்பொருள்களின் அதி வேக வளர்ச்சியின் காரணமாக நாம் ஹார்ட் டிஸ்க் அளவிலும் கொஞ்சம் கவணம் செலுத்த வேண்டி உள்ளது.


நீங்கள் கோரல்ட்ரா, போட்டோசாப் போன்ற போட்டோ டிசைனிங் மென்பொருள் மற்றும் வீடியோ டிசைன் செய்யும் மென்பொருள்களை இன்ஸ்டால் செய்து பயன்படுத்துபவராக இருந்தால் மற்றும் உங்களுக்கு விருப்பமான ஆடியோ வீடியோ பைல்களை உங்கள் லேப்டாப்பில் காப்பி செய்து வைத்து பயன்படுத்தும் பழக்கம் உள்ளவராக இருந்தால் உங்கள் ஹார்ட் டிஸ்கின் அளவு குறைந்தது 320 GB இருக்கவெண்டும்.


ஆடியோ வீடியோ கம்ப்யூட்டரில் காப்பி செய்ய தேவை இல்லை என்றால் 160 GB போதுமானது. எனக்கு எந்த தேவையும் இல்லை மைக்ரோசாப் ஆபீஸ் மட்டும் தான் பயன்படுத்துவேன் அடுத்ததாக நான் இண்டெர்நெட் பயன்படுத்துவேன் அதோடு யூடுப் பயன்படுத்துவேன் என்று நீங்கள் சொல்பவராக இருந்தால் உங்களுக்கு 80 GB ஹார்ட் டிஸ்க் என்பதே மிக அதிகம்.
பொதுவாக இந்த ஹார்ட் டிஸ்குகளில் நீங்கள் பார்க்கவேண்டிய இன்னொரு விசயம் அதன் வேகம். SPEED 7200 RPM அல்லது SPEED 5400 RPM போன்றவை மிக சிறந்தது. இதனை விட நீங்கள் வாங்கும் லேப்டாப்பில் ஹார்ட் டிஸ்க் ஸ்பீடு குறைந்ததாக இருந்தால் அங்கு இருப்பதில் எது கூடுதலாக RPM என்பதை தேர்ந்தெடுங்கள்.
DVD DRIVE

நீங்கள் மேலே குறிப்பிட்டது போன்று பிராண்டட் லேப்டாப் வாங்கும்பொழுது DVD டிரைவை பற்றி அதிக கவணம் எடுக்க தேவை இல்லை. ஏனென்றால் பிராண்டட் லேப்டாப்புகளில் அதற்கு பொருத்தமான தரமிக்க DVD டிரைவ் பொருத்தி இருப்பார்கள். இந்த டிரைவில் SuperDrive 8x(DVDR DL/DVDRW/CD-RW) என்பது போன்ற குறிப்பு இருக்கிறதா என பார்த்துக்கொள்ளுங்கள்.

GRAPHIC CARD

பொதுவாக விலை குறைந்த லேப்டாப் அல்லது டிஸ்கவுண்ட் விலைகளில் கிடைக்கும் லேப்டாப்புகளில் இந்த கிரபிக் கார்டு இணைந்திருப்பது இல்லை. கீராபிக் கார்டு இணைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது என்று அந்த லேப்டாப் குறிப்பில் எழுதப்பட்டிருந்தால் அது மற்ற லேப்டாப்பை விட விலை கூடுதலாகவே இருக்கும். நீங்கள் வீடியோ அனிமேசன் மற்றும் போட்டோசாப், கோரல்ட்ரா டிசைனிங் செய்பவராக இருந்தால் மற்றும் வீடியோ கேம் அதிகம் பயன்படுத்துபவராக இருந்தால் உங்களுடைய லேப்டாப்பில் கிராபிக் கார்டு இணைந்திருப்பது மிக அவசியமான ஒன்று. அல்லது உங்கள் லேப்டாப்பில் அதிக தெளிவுமிக்க வீடியோ (HD High Definition Video) படங்களை பார்க்கவேண்டும் மற்றும் ஸ்டீரியோ இசையுடன் தெளிவான ஆடியோ பாடல்களை கேட்கவேண்டும் என்ற ஆர்வம் கொண்டவராக நீங்கள் இருந்தால் இந்த கிராபிக் கார்டு இணைந்துள்ள லேப்டாப் நீங்கள் வாங்குவது சிறந்தது.


இந்த கிராபிக் கார்டு இணைந்த லேப்டாப்பை நீங்கள் வாங்கும்பொழுது இன்னொரு முக்கியமான விசயத்தையும் பார்க்கவேண்டியது அவசியம். அதாவது இந்த கிராபிக் கார்டு Dedicated Graphic அல்லது Integrated graphics (shared memory) என இரண்டு வகைகளில் லேப்டாப்பில் பொருத்தப்படுகிறது.
இதில் Dedicated Graphic என நீங்கள் வாங்கும் லேப்டாப்பில் எழுதப்பட்டிருந்தால் இதுவே சிறந்தது.

இந்த Dedicated Graphic Card உங்கள் லேப்டாப்பில் இணைக்கப்பட்டிருந்தால் நீங்கள் அதிக கெபாசிடி உள்ள ஒரு வீடியோ கேம் விளையாடும் நேரத்தில் அந்த வீடியோ கேமுக்கு தேவையான மெமரியை இந்த Dedicated Graphic Card கொடுப்பதால் கம்ப்யூட்டர் எந்த விதத்திலும் வேகம் குறைவது இல்லை. கம்ப்யூட்டர் மெமரி அப்படியே இருக்கும். இதனால் வீடியோ கேம் இயங்குவதில் தடை எதுவும் ஏற்படாது.


ஆனால் Integrated graphics (shared memory) என்று குறிப்பிட்டுள்ள லேப்டாப் நீங்கள் வாங்கினால் இந்த வீடியோ மெமரி உங்கள் கம்ப்யூட்டரின் வேகத்தில் அதிக இடத்தை எடுத்துக்கொள்வதால் அதிக கெபாசிடி உள்ள வீடியோ கேம் விளையாடும்பொழுது கம்ப்யூட்டர் மெமரி குறைந்து கம்ப்யூட்டர் எரர் ஆக வாய்ப்பு இருக்கிறது. அதனால் நீங்கள் 3D வீடியோ கேம் போன்ற அதிக கெபாசிடி உள்ள கிராபிக் பயன்படுத்துபவராக இருந்தால் உங்கள் லேப்டாப்பில் Dedicated Graphic Card இணைந்துள்ளதா என பார்த்துக்கொள்ளுங்கள். போட்டோசாப், கோரல்ட்ரா மற்றும் சின்ன சின்ன கிராபில் சாப்ட்வேர்கள் பயன்படுத்துபவராக இருந்தால் Integrated graphics (shared memory) உள்ள லேப்டாப் வாங்கினால் போதும்.

Operating System ( OS)

விலை அதிகம் உள்ள லேப்டாப் வாங்க நினைக்கும் நீங்கள் இந்த ஆபரேடிங் சிஸ்டத்தில் கவனக்குறைவாக இருந்துவிடாதீர்கள்.  ஏனென்றால் எல்லாம் சரியாக இருந்து ஆபரேடிங் சிஸ்டம் சரி இல்லை என்றால் லேப்டாப் பயன்படுத்துவதே சிரமம் என்று ஆகிவிடும்.
இப்பொழுதெல்லாம் அட்வான்ஸ் லேப்டாப்களில் Widows 7 ஆபரேடிங்க் சிஸ்டம்தான் இன்ஸ்டால் செய்து விற்பனை செய்கிறார்கள். ஆனால் இந்த Winsows 7 ல் பல வித்தியாசம் இருக்கிறது.

Windows 7 Ultimate

Windows 7 Professional
Windows 7 Home Premium
Windows 7 Home Basic
Windows 7 Starter version

இப்படி விண்டோஸ் 7 வெரிசனில் பல வகை உண்டு.
இதில் Windows 7 Ultimate மற்றும் Windows 7 Professional இவை இரண்டும் மிகச்சிறந்தது என்றாலும் இந்த வெரிசன் இணைக்கப்பட்ட லேப்டாப்புகள் மற்றவற்றை விட விலை மிக அதிகமாக இருக்கலாம். இருப்பினும் இதற்கு அடுத்ததாக மிக சிறப்பாக செயல்படக்கூடிய Windows 7 Home Premium வெரிசனையாவது நாம் வாங்குவது மிக சிறந்தது. மேலும் இதில் 64 Bit என்ற வெரிசனை தேர்ந்தெடுங்கள். Windows 7 Home Premium 32 Bit ஐ விட Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit கிராபிக் மென்பொருள் பயனடுத்துவதற்கு மிக சிறந்தது. 
Widows 7 Home Basic மற்றும் Windows 7 starter Version இவை இரண்டிலும் நீங்கள் எந்த வித நவீன மென்பொருளையும் ( Software) சிறப்புடன் பயன்படுத்த முடியாது.  
 
அடுத்ததாக புதிய வகை லேப்டாப்புகளில் மைக் வெப் கேம் அனைத்தும் இணைந்தேதான் வருகிறது.இருப்பினும் இவை உள்ளனவா என பார்த்துக்கொள்ளுங்கள். நீங்கள் உங்கள் லேப்டாப்பை LCD அல்லது LED T.V யில் HDMI வீடியோ கேபிள் மூலம் இணைத்து பயன்படுத்த விரும்பினால் நீங்கள் வாங்கும் லேப்டாப்பில் HDMI Port உள்ளதா என பார்த்துக்கொள்ளுங்கள்.Memory Card Slot, Front Mic, Audio, SRS Speaker System இவை இணைந்ததா என பார்த்துக்கொள்ளுங்கள். இது தவிர நீங்கள் வாங்கும் லேப்டாபுக்கு இலவசமாக கிடைக்கும் மவுஸ் மற்றும் லேப்டாப் பேக் கிடைக்கிறதா என கேட்டுக்கொள்ளுங்கள்.

Thursday, 6 June 2013

Gigabyte P27K And P25W Gaming Notebooks - Tech Specs, Features & Price



Computex 2013 saw the launch of two new powerful gaming laptops from GIGABYTE. The company has come up with these gaming notebooks - P27K And P25W - with NVIDIA GeForce GTX cards. Designed like a sports car, both 15.6-inch P25 and 17-inch P27 sport FHD 1080p displays with full featured PC connectivity, 4th generation Intel Core i7 processors and backlit keyboards.

The P25W notebook, which is launching by late June at a price of $1299~$1799, comes with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M graphics card in a chrome yellow, silver trim chassis. Boasting two 256GB mSATA SSDs and 1TB HDD that supports superior RAID 0 Technology, this notebook comes with a Blu-ray RW and Dolby Home Theater technology couples with audio on its 4.1 speaker system. Coming to Gigabyte's P27K notebook, which is releasing earlier in late July at a same price tag, the 2GB graphics card and an upgradeable memory space up to 24GB is what you will find on its features list. With ample storage – 256GB mSATA SSD plus additional two 1TB HDD, and Sound Blaster sound quality optimization technology to boot, the P27K comes in two colors – automotive orange or moonless black.


gigabyte-p25w-p27k

P25W/P27K Key Features and Specs:
  • Nvidia® GeForce® GTX 770M DDR5 3GB/ GTX 765M DDR5 2GB
  • Extremely Powerful 4th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-Processor.
  • Massive Storage System*
  • Backlit Keyboard
  • Vivid Visual Enjoyment with 1080p Full HD Display.
  • Dolby Home Theater/ Sound Quality Optimization Technology
  • Dimensions: 392(W) x 263(D) x 32.1~38.3(H) mm / 413(W) x 277.5(D) x 17.5~48.8(H) mm
  • Weight: 3kg – 6.6lbs (w/ODD and 8-cell battery) / 3.2kg - 7lbs (w/ODD and 8-cell battery)
 

Monday, 3 June 2013

Thinner MacBook Pro using a Haswell processor expected at WWDC



macbookpro-2012
On June 10 Apple kicks off its 4-day Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, better known as WWDC. Last year’s conference saw a new MacBook Pro unveiled complete with a Retina Display and a resolution of 2560 x 1600. And this year the focus is yet again expected to be on the MacBook Pro and Apple’s thinner and lighter laptop the MacBook Air.
Of course, Apple isn’t saying anything until WWDC begins, but that doesn’t stop analysts taking educated guesses as to what we can expect to see. This year, Intel’s Haswell processors are expected to allow Apple to make a few changes to their laptop line up. More specifically, it’s expected the Pro models will get even thinner.

Currently, both the MacBook Pro and Air use Intel’s Ivy Bridge processors. Haswell improves upon Ivy Bridge in a number of ways, but most significantly for Apple, reduces power consumption and adds an advanced power saving system. That means less heat production and the same battery life from a smaller battery.

If Apple embraces Haswell early, which it is expected to do, we could see a new MacBook Pro unveiled that’s even thinner than the current 0.95-inch 2012 version. Alternatively, we could see the thickness stay the same, but the battery life extended beyond the existing 7 hours Apple quotes.

KGI securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple will opt for a thinner MacBook Pro. The FaceTime HD camera is also expected to improve from the existing 720p part to a 1080p-capable solution. As for the MacBook Air, alongside a similar move to Haswell processors, it’s also expected that dual built-in microphones will be added for improved voice quality.

Such improvements are just speculation, but I’m sure many would argue the MacBook Pro is already thin enough and improved battery life is more desirable. Apple shipping a new Pro that looks the same as the existing model, but achieves 10 hours of battery life surely wouldn’t lose it any fans. A similar battery life improvement for the MacBook Air would also no doubt be welcomed.

Asus Brings Intel Haswell Processors To Laptops & Desktops



Intel recently announced their 4th-Generation Core Processor codenamed Haswell and PC makers are already making news about including them in their upcoming systems. Among them Asus has announced their next desktops and all-in-ones which would be housing the Haswell chips right before Computex trade show, which is to be held at Taipei. The other companies include Cyberpower and MicroCenter. At Computex, other PC makers are expected to display their new PCs including the major manufacturers like Dell, Acer and others.

The Haswell chips add about 10 to 15 percent increase in their performance compared to the previous 3rd-Generation Core Processors codenamed Ivy Bridge. These chips are said to have lesser power consumption and lower heat generation and a considerable increase in the efficiency in battery life in laptops also.

cpu_test_2013_header_contentfullwidth

Intel has announced only 4th-Generation Core i5 and i7 processors, with several others to be announced later at Computex. Among the two, the latter is the most powerful. Gaming desktops with Haswell processors, along with graphic cards would be able to handle any high demanding games out there. The Haswell has better speed and power efficiency over the previous Ivy Bridge processors which is equal to the same jump it had from the Sandy Bridge processors. With Haswell, consumers could have a mean desktop computer in their homes.

Haswell processors are expected to be rolled into the upcoming desktops and laptops soon, and will eventually make their way into ultrabooks. It didn't take long for the 4th-Generation Processors to be released after the previous Ivy Bridge Processors which came out just last year. Intel has always dominated the desktop and laptop processor market with AMD fighting with their processors and APUs. With the fabrication of these processors going down and the efficiency going sky high, a lot is expected for the future architecture of processors fron Intel. People might have always thought why Intel hasn't entered the mobile processor domain where Samsung and Qualcomm are leading the race, but who knows, Intel may have something up its sleeve, hidden from us.

ASUS Unveils G10 and M51 Desktop PCs With Built in UPS and Portable Battery



Continuing our Computex coverage, we have ASUS debuting its two Desktop PCs G10 and M51 with fourth generation (Haswell) Intel Core i7 processors, NVIDIA GeForce GTX graphics. But the feature that makes these features standout is the ASUS Power Pack. The ASUS Power Pack is a removable battery that acts like a mini UPS for the PC providing 25 seconds of power backup and after the 25 seconds it automatically deploys hibernate mode to save the user session. This Power Pack can also be removed from the desktop to act like a portable rechargeable battery pack for smartphones and tablets.

For enhancing the gaming experience the G10 has been equipped with NVIDIA GeForce GTX680 graphics with 3D Vision Surround capable of supporting up to four monitors at once. It also has indicator LEDs to show the operational state of any attached USB storage device. For audiophiles, ASUS has enhanced audio with SonicMaster technology and provided its AudioWizard interface that allows custom sound settings.

ASUS G10
ASUS G10 Desktop PC

Both these PCs come with ASUS Smart Cooling System that automatically controls the fan speed to achieve the perfect balance between cooling and noise reduction. ASUS Universal Storage Module hot-swap drive bay makes for easy and fast data sharing. Front mounted USB 3.0 ports with Ai Charger technology for rapid charging of mobile devices. The M51 also comes with an additional wireless charging tray.
ASUS M51
ASUS M51 Desktop PC

We are still waiting on the availability and pricing details but it can be safely assumed that it will be on the pricey side.

Update – According to reports from Engadget, The G10 comes with 8GB of RAM and a 1TB HDD paired with a 128GB SSD. An in terms of connectivity it has a 16-in-1 memory card reader, a DVD burner, six USB 3.0 ports, four USB 2.0 connections, HDMI-out, DVI-D and VGA. And it would make its way to shelves in the 3rd or 4th quarter of 2013.



Saturday, 1 June 2013

Hands on with the new Razer Blade, a gaming Ultrabook thinner than a Macbook Air!







Razer's latest Ultrabook is a wake-up call. It's a warning shot across the bow of Apple, Samsung and other manufacturers of premium thin-and-light laptops. And its message is clear: "Look at me." 




Look at how a gaming laptop that's thinner, lighter and more powerful than a Macbook Air can be built and marketed to consumers. The new Razer Blade is a piece of premium hardware with an equally premium price tag. And it's also an expensive wager that people will pay $1,800 or more for a Windows 8 Ultrabook designed explicitly for PC gaming—all while the PC market is hemorrhaging money. 




The Razer Blade is the thinnest, lightest gaming laptop we've ever seen.



That’s right, the new Razer Blade laptop, announced at a special Thursday press event in San Francisco, is no longer the 17-inch behemoth we once knew and (mostly) loved. That old model has been renamed the Razer Blade Pro to make room for the new Razer Blade, a 14-inch gaming machine with 8GB of RAM, an upgradeable 128 GB SSD, a discrete Nvidia GTX 765M GPU and a “fourth-generation” (read: Haswell) Intel CPU packed into an aluminum body that’s barely two-thirds of an inch thick. 




The whole package weighs in at just over four pounds and sports the sort of connectivity options you'd expect from a contemporary ultraportable, including three USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI out, an 802.11 wireless adapter, and a Bluetooth 4.0 radio. The Blade will be available for pre-order on June 3rd, and while the price starts at $1,800, you can expect to pay more for models with a bigger hard drive. 





The new Razer Blade is very, very thin. Our hand model wants you to know that the bottom can also get very, very hot.
 


Razer says this new and improved Blade is the world’s thinnest, most powerful gaming laptop, and while I’m going to steer clear of vouching for the unit’s performance until we get one into our lab for thorough testing, I’m happy to report the Blade demo units we tinkered with during Razer's Thursday event were incredibly thin, remarkably light, and scorchingly fast. 



The new Blade feels like a MacBook Air without the sharp edges, though its sleek, matte black aluminum case feels a little flimsier than the MacBook Air’s aluminum unibody. The power adapter looks equally sleek in promo shots, and I poked around underneath our demo station to verify that, yes, the new Blade power brick is just as tiny as the adapters that power the old Razer Blade and the Razer Edge. 




And if it seems a little strange to praise a laptop for its lightweight power adapter, well, you’ve probably never had to lug a laptop back and forth across the country. 




The screen on the Razer Blade looks good when you're facing it dead on, but it looks washed out from almost any other angle.



 
Anyone who's carried a laptop during a cross-country expedition can also appreciate the value of a bright, sharp and (most importantly) shareable screen. The Razer Blade’s 14-inch, 1600-by-900 resolution screen does most of that, delivering crisp, vibrant images under fluorescent office lighting, but only if you have the screen tilted just right. The optimal viewing angle on the Blade is pretty narrow, and colors quickly invert and wash out if you stray too far beyond it.



During our demo, I played through a tense underground fight sequence in Metro: Last Light, which ran smoothly on high settings at the Blade’s native resolution. The deepest blacks of the underground tunnels looked a bit faded on the Blade’s screen, but that may be no fault of the hardware, as PC demo units often have their brightness settings cranked up to maximum to catch your eye across a crowded conference room. The new 14-inch Blade also lacks the customizable OLED Switchblade keypad that graced the original Razer Blade, presumably due to size constraints. 



Razer put out this promo shot to remind you that yes, despite naming their new 14-inch laptop the Razer Blade (pictured left), the old Razer Blade (on the right) is still available as the Razer Blade Pro.


 

The original 17-inch Razer Blade laptop isn’t going anywhere. Razer rechristened it the Razer Blade Pro, and it's been spruced it up with the same CPU and GPU that power the Razer Blade, along with slew of new Switchblade templates for productivity apps—Photoshop, Premiere and the like. 



Razer is also slashing the price of the Razer Blade Pro down to $2300, and selling it at an even deeper discount of $1000 to independent game developers with successful Kickstarter campaigns as part of Razer’s new developer outreach program. Dubbed the Razer Education/Indie Discount program, it offers Razer products at discount prices to creative professionals—game developers, game design students and development staff—who successfully apply via the Razer website. 




Debuting a premium Ultrabook in a PC market with an uncertain future is a bold move, but this isn't the first time Razer has pushed into a new market with high-priced hardware—the company built its reputation as a source of premium PC gaming hardware with quality mice and keyboards, then expanded into headsets and controllers before plunging into the shrinking PC market with the original Razer Blade gaming laptop and the Razer Edge Windows 8 tablet. 




The overpriced hardware gambit must be paying off, too. Razer shows no signs of being eager to leave the premium PC-building business. We'll find out if that confidence is warranted when the new Blade Ultrabooks start shipping in June. We can't wait to get one in for a final review.


Panasonic Toughbook CF-19 business laptops! -10






Panasonic Toughbook CF-19


From £2,400



The Panasonic ToughBook is a bit of an anomaly on this list. It's not sleek or light, doesn't boast an HD display and still runs Windows 7, albeit the professional version. But it's tough as the proverbial coffin nail and if your work involves spending any considerable amount of time outside, it's the only logical choice.



The 10.1-inch display will rotate and fold down creating, effectively, a tablet that measures 51mm thick and weighs 2.3kg.



Panasonic hasn't changed the ToughBook's chassis since it revealed the machine back in 2007 and it remains water and dust proof as well as shock resistant. Rubber flaps cover all the vital ports to keep the dust and debris of the outside world away from the internals.



Specs-wise, Panasonic has included an Intel Core i5-3320 processor and 4GB RAM and a battery capable, it says, of 10 hours of usage. Certain new features have been added, such as a USB 3.0 port and the CF-19 also has the option of 3G broadband if you don't have Wi-Fi or a hard wired internet connection.



Admittedly, this is a niche product with an exceptionally high price point and won't be suitable for the majority of scenarios. But if you're looking for a rugged work laptop to survive overseas fieldwork or life on a building site, then this is the machine.



Asus VivoBook S400C business laptops! - 9






Asus VivoBook S400C


From £454



It was a difficult choice to include the VivoBook S400Cover Asus' more powerful Zenbook U500 but ultimately the former's balance of performance and price won out. The 14.1-inch S400C features a full capacitive touchscreen, albeit with only a 1,366 x 7.68 resolution.



The dual-core Intel Core i3 processor and 4GB RAM don't offer much in performance terms and other machines on this list will easily outstrip the S400C when it comes to raw power. However, you get a generous 500GB of hard drive storage and all the requisite ports including USB, VGA, Ethernet, HDMI and an SD Card reader.



What's more, the VivoBook S400C is actually a very well made and attractive laptop. The chassis is just 20mm thick and has a black, brushed aluminium lid that compliments the silver elsewhere on the laptop. There's a chiclit keyboard that's comfortable for typing and the three and a half hour battery life is pretty reasonable as well.



At this price, you can't expect much but extra features in the form of Asus' SonicMaster audio technology and, of course, the touchscreen help to make this a good choice. If you're after an all-rounder that looks nice and won't break the bank, the VivoBook S400C could be worth a look.



Toshiba Satellite U940 business laptops!- 8






Toshiba Satellite U940


£599



The Toshiba Satellite U940 is one of the few business laptops on this list that doesn't feature a touchscreen. That helps to keep the price down to sub-£600 and means that if you don't particularly want or need a touchscreen in a new laptop, it could be worth exploring.



It's also worth pointing out that at 1,366 x 768, the 14-inch screen will only manage 720p HD playback. However, what you do get is some pretty reasonable performance considering the price. The Satellite U940 comes with an Intel Core i5 processor (which can be scaled down to an i3 if you want to keep costs down further) with 6GB RAM. There's a 750GB hard drive and a 32GB SSD which means this has the benefit of both fast boot-up and plenty of storage.



There are plenty of ports and connections on the 1.79kg frame including two USB 3.0 ports, one USB 2.0 port, HDMI and Ethernet connections and an SD card reader.



The Satellite picks up points for having a comfortable, well-sized keyboard and trackpad, making it good for prolonged typing. Unfortunately, it loses some of those points because, although the plasticky, industrial blue chassis feels solid enough, it hardly looks attractive.



Acer Aspire S7 business laptops! - 7




Acer Aspire S7


From £899



Acer's Ultrabooks have been steadily getting better and its most recent, the Aspire S7, stands as an excellent choice for a business machine away from the office. The Full HD 13.3-inch touchscreen is bright with exceptional clarity and the use of a middling Intel Core i5-3317U processor and 4GB RAM allows it to stay shy of the £1,000 mark.



The Aspire S7 is extremely portable at only 1.3kg and measures only 11.9mm thick. It's one of the best looking Ultrabooks here as well, with a white Gorilla Glass 2 chassis, soft backlit keyboard and large integrated trackpad.



Ports are pretty scarce due to the size, but you're still afforded two USB 3.0 slots, a Micro HDMI port and a card reader. The only shortcoming here is the lack of an Ethernet port.



Apart from the aesthetics, the Acer Aspire S7 can also boast of a strong battery performance, offering a quoted 12 hours of life that is more likely around eight hours in real time usage.



Admittedly the price is still a little high for an Acer machine and the processing power isn't as good as some of the other machines on the list, but the Aspire S7 more than makes up for that in looks and portability.



Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch business laptops!- 6







Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch



From £1,455



The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is Lenovo's flagship business laptop and now the Chinese company has improved the model by adding a touchscreen to run with Windows 8. This has the effect of bulking up the chassis slightly to 21mm thick and 151kg in weight, but it's as durable as ever and the carbon fibre casing can easily withstand a knock or two.



Power users won't be disappointed as Lenovo will let you choose either an i5 or i7 processor with up to 8GB RAM and a 180GB SSD. The 14-inch display is a ten finger multitouch screen with HD+ resolution and anti-glare coating that means you can work in brightly lit environments without irritating distractions.



Where the Carbon Touch really comes into its own is the array of business-friendly features that Lenovo has included. Along with a fingerprint scanner, there's RapidCharge technology to effectively charge the machine from dead in 45 minutes, and the battery itself will give you a good seven hours of usage from a full charge.



It's not perfect – the integrated graphics card isn't up to the task of heavy graphics processes like professional editing software. But Lenovo offers an excellent three-year warranty that might sway you towards this machine.


Samsung Series 9 NP900X3D business laptops! - 5





Samsung Series 9 NP900X3D


From £850



Designed for portability over everything else, the Samsung Series 9 NP900X3D is a stunning piece of craftsmanship that will suit you well if you're constantly travelling for work. The chassis is only 13.2mm deep at its thickest point and at 1.13kg you can almost forget you're carrying it.



Samsung has fitted the latest Series 9 with a 13.3-inch 1,600 x 900 display that uses SuperBright technology to light the screen at 400nit. An integrated light sensor regulates the brightness of the display and the backlit keyboard depending on the ambient light. If you're regularly taking the red eye flight to New York and back, this is the laptop you'll want.



But it has its downside: the price is a little steep, there's no touchscreen and the processor is only Intel Core i5 level. The latter hasn't been updated from Intel's last generation and the integrated graphics are limiting for graphics heavy work.



Unfortunately, the thinness of the chassis comes at the expense of connectivity as you'll only find two USB ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack, memory card reader and a micro HDMI port. The specifications may leave something to be desired but if you avoid bulky laptops like the plague, then this will be an attractive purchase.

Dell Inspiron 15z business laptops! - 4





Dell Inspiron 15z


From £659



Dell's Inspiron series has served us well over the years, and the company has now updated its Inspiron 15z model with Windows 8 and a 720p touchscreen. It strikes a reasonable balance between affordability and performance and the option to customise your order gives you even more freedom when buying.



The price we've quoted gets you an Intel Core i3-3217U processor running at 1.8GHz and backed with a more than capable 6GB of RAM. There's also 500GB of storage space accompanied by a 32GB mSATA SSD that's responsible for booting Windows 8 as fast as possible.



The Inspiron 15z also features the DVD optical drive that's becoming something of a rarity for laptops these days. If you've still got programs and data on CDs then this will no doubt be an important choice for you.



The other reason we're recommending the Inspiron 15z as a business laptop is that the build quality is first class and very reliable. The silver aluminium chassis is understated and free from unwanted flexing or rattling. You'll also find the keyboard and trackpad are very comfortable to use for extended periods of time.





HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook business laptops! - 3






HP Pavilion 14 Chromebook



£250

 

At first glance, Chromebooks might not hold much appeal, as they essentially require an internet connection to work. However, many Google apps can now be configured to work offline, and if you're simply looking for a cheap way to get some emails done on the train or check the next day's presentation at home then this is an excellent way of doing so.



The HP Pavilion 14 uses a 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Celeron 847 processor and comes with a 14-inch screen at the standard 1,366 x 768 resolution.




It weighs 1.8kg and, like other Chromebooks, is constructed from plastic to keep the costs down. However, the 2GB RAM and 16GB SSD are more than capable of running web-based Chrome and you're given three USB ports, 10/100Mbps Ethernet and 802.11n Wi-Fi



.
For general usage, you'll get around four and a half hours from the Pavilion 14's removable battery, and HP has even seen fit to include Altec Lansing speakers for playing music. If you want a budget machine to keep up with work outside the office and can be reasonably sure of a constant internet connection then this is well worth a closer look.


MacBook Pro with Retina Display business laptops! - 2






MacBook Pro with Retina Display

 

From £1,999


If you're a creative designer or work in the graphics industry then the MacBook Pro is going to be near the top of your list for a work-based laptop; but the staggering graphical power and screen resolution is matched by the astronomical price.





The top specification arrives with a 2.7-inch quad-core Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB of DDR3 RAM and 512GB of flash storage.




Graphics are supplied by an Nvidia GeForce GT650M with 1GB of dedicated video memory that backs up the Intel HD Graphics 4000 integrated chip. Apple has included both Thunderbolt and DVI digital video output that lets you attach up to four extra monitors to the MacBook Pro for a complete professional setup.




Even without the extra monitors, the 2,880 x 1,800, 220ppi display on the 15.4-inch screen is breathtaking and ideal for filmmakers, game designers or anyone else who needs the best screen money can buy.




All that technology brings the MacBook Pro in at 2.02kg and 9.7-inches thick.




The price precludes this being a realistic purchase for all but the most demanding of professionals. But it undoubtedly deserves a spot in our list.


Sony Vaio Duo 11 business laptops! - 1






Sony Vaio Duo 11

 

£1,149


The only hybrid device on our list, the Sony Vaio Duo 11 is an exceptionally powerful sliding Ultrabook that doubles as a full featured Windows 8 tablet.




One of its highlights is an 11.6-inch full HD IPS touchscreen display, which also provides also the main navigation method as there's no touchpad, merely an optical nubbin stuck into the keyboard.




If you're looking for portability this is going to be of interest, although we have to point out that at 1.3kg, the Duo 11 is about the same weight as a standard laptop. However, the tapered edges and classic Vaio styling mean it's certainly a looker and won't fail to draw heads in the boardroom.




Performance and connectivity haven't been left out. At the entry level configuration at the price we've quoted above, you'll find an x86 Intel Core i5 processor with integrated graphics and 4GB of RAM.




The speed comes from the 256GB SSD storage space and Sony has fitted the Duo 11 with two USB ports (one of which is the faster 3.0 format), HDMI, VGA and Ethernet ports as well as an SD card slot.




The caveat to this machine is that battery life could be improved. Sony quotes up to six and a half hours, but in real life don't expect more than about five.


 
Design by New Themes | Bloggerized by KarunKuyill - KarunKuyill | All-in-One Website
back to top