notebook

HGST Expands Notebook Drive Capacity to 1.5TB

Paul Lilly — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:52:58 +0000

Big storage, little drive.

HGST, a wholly owned subsidiary of Western Digital, announced on Tuesday what it claims is the highest storage density of any hard drive and highest capacity HDD for the mainstream mobile market, the Travelstar 5K1500. The new Travelstar 5K1500 is purportedly the industry's first 9.5mm to offer 1.5TB of storage capacity, though that's not all it brings to the table. High shock protection and low power performance are also traits of HGST's newest HDD.

That's all fine and dandy, but isn't the market shifting towards solid state drives?

"Contrary to popular belief, the mobile hard drive market is not being replaced by SSDs. We continue to invest in and serve both the traditional 9.5mm and 7mm thin and light HDD mobile markets as they offer the best cost-per-GB, performance and proven product reliability for high-capacity, mainstream, Ultrabook and A/V content creation notebook markets," said Brendan Collins, vice president of product marketing at HGST. "HGST continues to have a strong share in the 2.5-inch market and the new Travelstar 5K1500 hard drive is the latest addition to our broad line of 5,400 and 7,200 RPM 2.5-inch drives, giving OEMs, ODMs and integrators an opportunity to grow and differentiate their product lines."

The Travelstar 5K1500 serves up its storage capacity on three platters. It has 32MB of cache, a 5400 RPM spindle speed, and a SATA 6Gbps interface. According to HGST, it benches better in PCMark Vantage and PCMark 7 than its currently shipping two-platter 5400 RPM models.

HGST sees a broad market for its new drive, including notebooks, external HDD applications, gaming consoles, and all-in-one (AIO) desktop PCs. Initial drives will be available in June, followed by an optional self-encrypting version in the third quarter of this year. Pricing has not yet been announced.

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Retina Smetina, Samsung Showcases 13.3-inch Notebook with 3200x1800 Resolution

Paul Lilly — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:03:46 +0000

More pixels than you can shake a MacBook Pro at.

Samsung is taking high resolution displays seriously these days. How serious? Enough to launch a 13.3-inch WQXGA+ laptop at the Society for Information Display's (SID) Display Week 2013 convention in Vancouver. That works out to a 3200x1800 display resolution, packing more pixels per inch (276 PPI) than Google's Chromebook Pixel (239 PPI) or Apple's MacBook Pro 13 (227 PPI).

According to Samsung, the high-resolution notebook can deliver 30 percent greater power savings than that of existing LCD tablet displays, a feat it accomplishes by decreasing the number of driver circuits, thereby increasing the efficiency of the LED BLU.

Beyond that tidbit, Samsung refrained from revealing any other details about its upcoming laptop model. The company did say, however, that it also plans to show off a 10.1-inch WQXGA (2560x1600) LCD for tablets, a Full HD 1080p (1920x1080) mobile AMOLED display with the world's broadest color gamut, and an 85-inch Ultra HD (2840x2160) LCD TV panel with "extremely vivid color and low power consumption."

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Lenovo, Best Buy Now Accepting Pre-orders for IdeaPad Yoga 11s Convertible

Paul Lilly — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:56:57 +0000

Is Yoga in your summer plans?

Lenovo first began showing off its IdeaPad Yoga 11S at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this past January, and now four months later, you can place your pre-order on Lenovo's website or through Best Buy, the latter of which will carry the hybrid laptop in stores starting June 23. Why is it called Yoga? Simply put, Lenovo's convertible bends in ways that makes our back ache just looking at it.

The Yoga 11S is an 11.6-inch Ultrabook convertible that flips and folds all the way around to function as a tablet when desired. It has a touchscreen IPS display and is of course wielding Windows 8.

"Consumers around the world loved our first Yoga for its unique flip and fold and multi-mode design," said Jay Parker, president, Lenovo, North America. "We’re continuing to develop the Yoga franchise with the new Yoga 11S, and due to Yoga’s popularity already, we’ve created a pre-sale program so customers can get their hands on one before it even hits the shelves."

It's available in "Clementine Orange" and "Silver Gray," both of which start out at $800. For that, you get an Intel Core i3 3229Y processor (1.4GHz), 4GB of DDR3-1600 RAM, 128GB solid state drive, 4-cell battery, and Windows 8. Upgrades are available, including faster processor options, up to 8GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of solid state storage.

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HP Taps Android for SlateBook x2 and Windows 8 for Split x2 Hybrids

Paul Lilly — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:45:34 +0000

Why play favorites?

Microsoft is trying to make a play in mobile with its touch-tastic Windows 8 platform, while Android remains the popular choice among those who don't want an iPad. Rather than choose which one to roll with, Hewlett-Packard (HP) went and launched a pair of detachable PCs built around both platforms, essentially passing the buck onto you, Joe and Jane Consumer, as to which platform to invest in.

Starting with Android, HP's new SlateBook x2 is a surprise entry with plenty of promise. It boasts a 10.1-inch Full HD 1080p (1920x1200) touchscreen IPS display and is powered by Nvidia's quad-core Tegra 4 SoC (System-on-Chip) clocked at 1.8GHz, making it the the first Android detachable device with Tegra 4 inside, HP claims. It also has 2GB of RAM, 64GB of built-in storage, DTS sound, 720p front-facing camera, 1080p rear-facing camera, a USB 2.0 port, SD card slot, HDMI output, combo audio jack, built-in 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean.

Over on the Windows side of the fence, HP introduced the Split x2 with a 13.3-inch HD (1366x768) IPS display. It's powered by 3rd Generation Intel Core i3 and i5 processor options and 2GB of RAM. Other specs include a 128GB mSATA SSD + 500GB HDD storage setup, Beats Audio, 1080p front-facing camera, 8MP rear-facing camera, microSD card reader, combo audio jack, one each USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports, HDMI output, SD card slot, 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, and Windows 8.

"Customers want to access and share content anywhere, anytime, on any internet connected device—and they expect those connections to be seamless," said Ron Coughlin, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer PCs, HP. "The HP SlateBook x2 and the HP Split x2 are next-generation devices and the latest examples of our continued commitment to evolving the computing experience by providing the flexibility necessary for customers to be productive at home, at the office or on the go."

The HP SlateBook x2 and Split x2 are expected to be available in August starting at $480 and $800, respectively. Both also come with a full-size keyboard with clickpad.

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Haswell Notebooks to Hit Retail by End of the Month

Paul Lilly — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:57:50 +0000

A new generation of notebooks is right around the corner.

Generally speaking, there's always something newer, faster, and shinier in the pipeline, and if you keep waiting for the next best thing, you'll never upgrade. That said, when the stars align just right, every once in awhile it's worth waiting for something that's just around the corner, and this happens to be one of those times. Haswell is about to launch, and you may even see laptops based on Intel's next generation architecture by the end of May, which is when you'll want to start shopping if you can hold off until then.

If you're in the market for a new laptop and can survive with what you've got for few more weeks, you might as well hang tight and see what Haswell brings to the table. According to Digitimes, Haswell-based products have mostly shipped and should show up in retail in the coming weeks, though new models are likely to carry higher price tags that what's currently available. Whether or not the pricing premium will be worth the additional performance is something that will become clearer once Haswell actually ships, but even if you decide Haswell isn't for you, Haswell's launch could lead to price drops on current hardware and notebook models as vendors look to clear out inventory.

Despite Haswell making a debut, notebook ODMs aren't expecting a huge increase in shipments, at least not right away. Vendors are also looking at the situation conservatively and are refraining from ordering scores of units until they see how the market reacts.

One of the things we're looking forward to is seeing how well Haswell's integrated graphics perform. Intel says select SKUs of its Haswell line will sport Iris graphics, which promises up to twice the performance of today's fastest mobile Intel HD Graphics solutions.

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Origin PC Starts Shipping Beastly EON17-SLX SLI Laptops, Bundles Gaming Peripherals

Paul Lilly — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:20:30 +0000

Desktop power in a laptop form factor.

When you fire up Origin PC's EON17-SLX SLI laptop, it should play George Thorogood's "Bad to the Bone," lest anyone can think of a more appropriate song to describe the hardware inside. As the name suggests, this badass notebook has been fed not one, but TWO Nvidia GeForce GTX 680M graphics cards, both of which Origin PC takes the time to overclock before shipping out.

The ready-to-ship configuration includes an Intel Core i7 3840QM processor, a quad-core chip clocked at 2.8GHz (3.8GHz via Turbo) with 8MB of cache. You're not going to want for power with this thing, which also wields 16GB of Corsair Vengeance 1600MHZ RAM, 240GB solid state drive, 1TB hard drive for storage duties, a DVD burner, and Windows 7 Home Premium.

This particular model isn't customizable, hence the ready-to-ship status, though you can opt to increase the standard 45-day zero dead pixel guarantee to 90 days and/or increase the 1-year warranty up to 3 years, both for a fee. You can also add software and accessories to the package.

In addition to the above parts, Origin PC is bundling a few gaming peripherals, including a Razer Lachesis mouse, Corsair HS1A headset, and an Origin brand messenger bag.

Ready for the price? Take a deep breath -- it checks in at $3,399, a hefty sum for a laptop these days, albeit representative of a $500 savings, Origin PC says. Should you take the plunge, your system will ship out the next business day after payment is processed.

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Crysis Not Averted: MSI's GX70 Gaming Laptop Can Handle Crysis 3

Paul Lilly — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:09:17 +0000

Yes, it can run Crysis 3.

Ultrabooks and tablets are fine for what they're intended to do, but if you want to play a game like Crysis 3 at a high resolution, good luck trying to so on Integrated graphics. Gaming notebooks, while bulky, flex significantly more pixel pushing power, and that's especially true of MSI's new GX70 laptop, a system the company claims is "officially recommended for Crysis 3." MSI's marketing spin aside, this thing wields a pretty powerful Radeon HD 8970M GPU.

MSI also tapped AMD for central processing chores, which is handled by an A10-5750M quad-core APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) clocked at 2.5GHz to 3.5GHz. It's not Ivy Bridge, but respectable nonetheless, especially when paired with the high-end discrete graphics.

Other hardware features and options include up to 32GB of DDR3L-1600 memory (two DIMM slots), 128GB solid state drive (RAID 0) paired with either a 500GB or 750GB hard drive (7200 RPM), up to a Blu-ray writer for optical duties, two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, SD card reader, HD webcam, 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, Killer Gaming LAN, HDMI 1.4 output, DisplayPort, D-Sub, 9-cell battery, and Windows 8. It also has a full color backlit LED keyboard built by SteelSeries.

No word on price or availability.

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Lenovo IdeaPad Y500 Review

Jimmy Thang — Mon, 06 May 2013 21:56:58 +0000

A good idea and a great value

What’s not to like about the Lenovo IdeaPad Y500? Imagine a 2.4GHz Core i7-3630QM CPU notebook armed with two GeForce GT 650Ms, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB hard drive with a 16GB caching SSD, all for $1,250!

If the impressive specs weren’t enough, the Y500 is also quite handsome with its sharp angles, rounded corners, and brushed aluminum finish. It eschews the “extreme” gaming laptop design in favor of a simple and clean aesthetic, but a flaming-red, LED-backlit keyboard adds just enough flare to keep things interesting. Its 15.2x10.2x1.4-inch chassis also makes it much smaller and more portable than our 15.6-inch MSI GT60 zero-point laptop, and the Y500 weighs in at just six pounds, 6.8 ounces. Although it may not be Ultrabook-light, it’s lighter than the very-slim Razer Blade gaming laptop (reviewed Holiday 2012), but it’s much heftier power brick does increase its carry weight by more than a pound.

One unique design feature is the Y500’s modular ultrabay underneath the notebook, which allows you to swap in different components. Our unit came with a second 650M GPU, but you can easily unlock this and swap it out with Lenovo’s expanded 750GB HDD tray ($190), a DVD burner ($70), or cooling fan ($30). The extra flexibility is appreciated, as it allows you to transform the gaming laptop into a workstation or entertainment system.

You’ll be able to enjoy each configuration with the Y500’s excellent JBL speakers and sharp 15.6-inch display. Even though the 1920x1080-resolution screen is a TN panel, it offers very good viewing angles all around, and the audio is loud and crisp, partially thanks to Dolby’s Home Theatre V4 software. While it can’t quite compare to a dedicated 2.1 setup, laptop speakers don’t get much better than this.

We also really liked the chiclet keyboard and found the keys to be quiet and responsive. Unfortunately, the trackpad was a big letdown. It supports all of Windows 8 multitouch gestures, like swiping in the Charms bar and pinch-to-zoom, but we often found ourselves triggering these gestures on accident. Though we were able to disable these features, which largely fixed the annoyances, but there were still occasions where the trackpad proved unresponsive. In addition, because both click buttons are clunkily integrated beneath the trackpad rather than being separate buttons, we often found ourselves unintentionally sliding the cursor when clicking.

Fortunately, the internal components performed quite well—beyond what we’d expect given the Y500’s affordability. This is the first time we’ve reviewed a laptop with two 650M GPUs in SLI and we’re happy to say it had no problems blowing away our zero-point’s single GeForce 670M. In both our STALKER and 3DMark 11 graphics benchmarks, it smoked the zero-point by more than 20 percent. The only issue we experienced was that we had to enable SLI in the Nvidia control panel, as it was disabled by default. The Y500’s Core i7-3630QM’s100MHz advantage over the GT60’s Core i7-3610QM gave the former a marginal advantage—Lenovo’s biggest lead here was 2.5 percent in the multithread-hungry x264 benchmark.

In our experiential gameplay tests, the Y500 handled Portal 2 like a piece of cake, as it were, and achieved average frame rates in the 130 range. On the much more graphically formidable Far Cry 3, it achieved a 40fps average at 1080p on the default medium settings, which we consider to be in the realm of playable. But the laptop does falter when it comes to battery life, as it only lasted 163 minutes in our test—24 minutes less than the GT60.

While we’re withholding a Kick Ass rating on account of the lackluster battery and frustrating trackpad, those issues can be mitigated if you carry a mouse and charger with you. In general, this is a handsome, portable notebook that can compete in performance with laptops that cost hundreds more. True to its name, the IdeaPad sounds like a great idea to us.

$1,250, www.lenovo.com

Lenovo Unveils ThinkPad S431 Touchscreen Laptop for Businesses Starting at $699

Paul Lilly — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:06:28 +0000

A laptop you can touch for well under a grand.

Go ahead Joan Jett fans, touch Lenovo's new ThinkPad S431. Lenovo's latest business friendly laptop sports a 14-inch touchscreen display wedged into a 13-inch frame and encourages finger tapping and swiping with Windows 8. According to Lenovo, it's also dressed to impress customers with an "elegant floating design," offering users a combination of style and substance.

"The progressive design of our ThinkPad S431 will help small businesses impress their customers. We pack a punch behind that style, however, as we are committed to delivering genuine substance," said Jerry Paradise, executive director, Think Business Group. "The ThinkPad S431 offers an intuitive Windows 8 experience with the power needed to accelerate productivity."

Lenovo says the S431 is one of the first ThinkPads to feature the company's OneLink technology, which allows users to connect to the ThinkPad OneLink dock using a single cable for dedicated video, additional USB 3.0 ports, and a GbE while powering the system.

The system comes with 3rd Generation Intel Core processor options, up to 8GB of memory, and 500GB of storage space.

Look for the ThinkPad S431 to ship in June of this year. The OneLink Dock will be available May 21.

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Acer May Launch a $399 Touchscreen Notebook Next Month

Paul Lilly — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:58:23 +0000

Talk is cheap, and soon so will be touch.

If Windows 8 is here to stay -- and Microsoft hasn't given us any reason to believe it plans on backpeddaling at this point -- then you might be best served by investing in a touchscreen laptop the next time you're in the market for a notebook. Touchscreens aren't always cheap, but it looks like Acer is planning to aggressively pursue the entry-level market with an 11.6-inch touchscreen laptop that costs just $399.

According to Digitimes and its sources in the upstream supply chain, Acer will launch such a system in the middle of May. Both the notebook and the touch panel are being produced by Wistron, which will use soda lime in the construction. It's a cheaper alternative to Corning Gorilla Glass -- about a 10 percent savings -- though it's also lower quality, not the least bit surprising at that price point.

Acer figures touchscreen laptops currently account for 15 percent of its notebook shipments. That's a bit lower than the OEM anticipated, having previously figured that $599 would be the sweet spot for a touchscreen laptop, it just hasn't played out that way in the market place.

Not to be outdone, Digitimes says Asus will launch touchscreen laptops in the same price range.

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Getac's Gnarly X500 Mobile Rugged Server Looks Badass

Paul Lilly — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:34:31 +0000

If there's such thing as an anti-Ultrabook, this is it.

Pardon the crude visual, but we have a hunch Getac's X500 Rugged Server carries around a spare Ultrabook in its bag just in case the restroom runs out of toilet paper. Technically it's a mobile system in that it resembles a laptop form factor, but it's a also a beastly looking rig. Of course it's not intended for mere mortals who spend the day looking over expense reports, but we'd still love to whip one of these out at a board meeting and let it crash down on the table with a thud.

The X500 is a briefcase-sized system that Getac says can be deloyed virtually anywhere and anytime, whether you're chasing tornados and need to crunch wind data on the spot or doing other in-the-field work.

A quick look at the specs reveals a 15.6-inch display that's viewable in sunlight, Intel Core i7 820QM processor, 16GB of RAM, GeForce GT 330M graphics, 500GB SATA storage, dual GbE LAN ports, three USB 2.0 ports, a single USB/eSATA combo port, 802.11n Wi-Fi, and various other odds and ends.

There's also a RAID controller board that supports up to five five shock-protected drives that can be accessed or swapped through one of two quick-access doors. Beyond the hardware, this thing is certified to military specifications for operation in extreme conditions, Getac says.

No word on price, though you can request a quote from Getac and order a system immediate.

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Intel Atom-based Android Notebooks to Cost $200

Paul Lilly — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:21:11 +0000

Android will attack the low cost notebook market.

Intel CEO Paul Otellini recently said that touchscreen PCs could start selling for as little as $200 sometime in the next few months, though it's tough to imagine a Windows 8-based machine carrying such a low price tag. That's because they probably won't. Instead of Windows 8, most of these affordable PCs will be laptop machines built around Google's open source Android platform.

That information comes straight from Dadi Perlmutter, Intel executive vice president and chief product officer, who told CNET that the $200 Android laptops will run mobile Atom hardware inside. The question is, will Microsoft try to compete with Android in the $200 space?

"We have a good technology that enables a very cost-effective price point," Perlmutter told CNET, adding that whether or not Windows 8 PCs will go that low ultimately "depends on how Microsoft prices Windows 8." Perlmutter's hunch is that they'll be slightly higher.

As to the Android notebooks, details are nearly non-existent at this point, though it's likely they'll take advantage of the convertible form factor so they can be used as either a laptop or tablet, as user needs dictate.

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HP Envy TouchSmart 4 Review

Katherine Stevenson — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 21:40:39 +0000

The most enviable part is the price

This we know: Windows 8 is more usable with a touchscreen, plain and simple. Whether that’s a practical scenario for tower-and-monitor setups is arguable, but it turns out that using touch on a laptop comes pretty naturally—even more so than we expected. So it’s good news for consumers that touchscreen laptops are now legion, and that they run the gamut in features and price.

Optional keyboard backlighting spruces up the Envy 4’s black and brushed-metal interior.

Representing the midrange is the HP Envy TouchSmart 4 Ultrabook. What you see is what you get with this 14-inch clamshell—it doesn’t assume the persona of a tablet with the twist of a hinge, like some of its higher-profile touch brethren. That keeps the price in check—the Envy TS 4 starts at $800—but there’s more to a laptop than a modest price.

Since the touchscreen is such a key feature of the Envy 4, let’s start there. It’s 14 inches on the diagonal, has a native resolution of 1366x768, and consists of a TN panel with a glossy finish. If that sounds thoroughly ho-hum, you’ve got the picture. It looks pretty down-market—not very crisp, not very bright, with an annoyingly narrow vertical viewing angle. It’s redeemed to some extent by the highly responsive capacitive-touch overlay, which registered our every tap, swipe, and poke at the screen accurately. Be warned, however: All that touching on the glossy surface makes for some spectacular fingerprintage.

Thank goodness for the touchscreen, though, because the touchpad had some issues—the usual sort of inconsistent performance found in many clickpads. Sometimes Win8 gestures registered, sometimes they didn’t; other times programs seemed to launch just because the pointer drew near—that kind of thing. You can do some tweaking of the pad in the control panel, but we found ourselves just using the touchscreen for many chores.

The chiclet keyboard is nicely sized and spaced, and the keys have a slightly rubberized surface. All-in-all, typing on the Envy 4 was fairly comfortable and error-free. Our model featured the optional keyboard backlighting, which can be switched on and off with a top-row key, but not otherwise adjusted.

Our model also featured another upgrade option: the 1.7GHz Core i5-377U (versus a Core-i3). This makes its configuration very similar to the Lenovo Yoga Ultrabook. As with that device, the Envy 4 fell behind our 1.8GHz zero-point in every benchmark test—not surprising, given the ZP’s slightly higher base and Turbo clocks. More interestingly, the Envy 4 performed about 10-15 percent faster than the Yoga in our computing tests. That’s the result of thermal management. While the Yoga’s CPU had a tendency to throttle down at regular intervals of testing, the Envy 4 held its high clock speed consistently. Of course, the Yoga is also a bit smaller at 13 inches, and a bit thinner (not to mention more than a pound lighter), so it makes sense the thermals would be adjusted accordingly.

Despite the Envy 4’s slight speed advantage and its lower price, we’d be inclined to plunk down the additional $100 for the Yoga. That laptop has a far superior screen, a better keyboard and touchpad, a sturdier build quality, and the ability to fold into a tablet for times when that makes sense. And did we mention that it weighs more than a pound less? But, if you really need to count your sheckles, the Envy 4 is a serviceable touchscreen option at an affordable price.

$905, www.hp.com

Toshiba Trots Out "Luxurious" Kirabook Ultrabook Starting at $1,600

Paul Lilly — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:50:01 +0000

Toshiba's Kirabook will test the limit of how much Ultrabook shoppers are willing to spend.

Intel and its hardware partners have made a concerted effort to bring Ultrabook pricing down, but just because we're seeing lower sticker prices across the board, does that mean the market for premium Ultrabooks is dead? Toshiba's committed to finding out, as evidenced by its new 13-inch Kirabook with PixelPure display. The Kirabook boasts a Retina-like resolution of 2560x1440, though the cost of ownership begins at $1,600.

If there's a single Ultrabook model that compares in style to Apple's MacBook Air, this is it, based on the press photos we've seen. It features clean lines, rounded edges, brushed aluminum, and a tapered design that gets as thin as 0.7 inches while weighing a mere 2.6 pounds.

Toshiba put considerable effort into building what it feels is a luxury Ultrabook. Constructed with a pressed magnesium alloy and a honeycomb-base, Toshiba says it's 100 percent stronger than aluminum alloy. It has a multi-fan phase cooling system, a stabilizing hinge that won't bounce around when you swipe and tap the 10-point multi-touch display, Harmon Kardon stereo speakers, and more.

"At the core of the Kira brand are products derived from inspired engineering," said Carl Pinto, vice president of marketing, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division. "Products that will carry the Kira name will be more than a collection of the latest hardware technologies, but a statement of craftsmanship, fit and finish, and features built for the consumer's benefit, not technology's sake."

One of the main selling points is the display, which delivers 221 pixels per inch. Touchscreen models utilize Corning Concore Glass to protect against damage, especially since you'll be tapping away.

Other hardware consists of third generation Intel Core i5/i7 processor options (Ivy Bridge), 8GB of DDR3-1600 memory, and a 256GB solid state drive. Depending on the exact setup, pricing will range from $1,600 to $2,000, Toshiba says.

Interested? If so, you can place your pre-order beginning May 3 at places like Amazon, BestBuy, Microsoft Store, B&H, Adorama, and direct from Toshiba. Availability is scheduled for May 12.

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GammaTech's Durabook SA14 Certified to Survive Drops From at Least 3 Feet

Paul Lilly — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 17:47:10 +0000

This isn't your grandmother's notebook.

Ultrabooks are sleek and sexy, but good luck finding one that meets MIL-STD-810G certification for shock and drop resistance. If you work in a tough and tumble environment, you'll be better served with a rugged laptop, and GammaTech hopes you'll give its new Durabook SA14 a long and hard look. The SA14 is a 14-inch laptop that lasts up to 11 hours on a single charge and can take a beating when needed.

Let's start with what we know about the hardware. The SA14 comes with either an Intel Core i5 3360M or Core i7 3520M processor. It also has USB 3.0 ports, integrated 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS (optional), and AMD Radeon MXM graphics (optional).

On the safety and security side, the SA14 features TPM 1.2 data security technology, a Kensington lock connector, Computrace asset management and data protection, a fingerprint scanner, and level IP43 dust and waterproof resistance.

The SA14 will be available in Q2 starting at $1,499.

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