MSI Z68 motherboards to feature Virtu support :: Posted by THRASHER2
Intel confirmed it, Asus let it slip and now MSI has confessed its love for LucidLogix's Virtu software which enables automatic graphics switching on Intel LGA1155 motherboards. As a result of this, MSI will include Virtu support on all its Z68 motherboards.
With Virtu up and running users of the Z68A-GD80(B3), Z68A-GD65(B3) or Z68MA-ED55(B3) will be able to take advantage of both the GPU integrated into Sandy Bridge processors and of one or more Nvidia or AMD discrete graphics cards. Virtu makes it so that, depending on the task running, either the integrated solution or the discrete cards will power the monitor (which has to be connected to the motherboard).
Using Virtu, a system can save power while doing light work (or video decoding), and fire up the more power-hungry add-in graphics card only when needed (running a game for example). MSI's Z68 boards should become available within a few weeks.
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Asus' U31E and U31SD Sandy Bridge laptops get detailed :: Posted by THRASHER2
More Sandy Bridge for on-the-go is coming from Asus in the form of the new U31E and U31SD, two light but not ultra-thin (2.85 cm) laptops which boast a 13.3-inch (1366 x 768) display and promise to deliver all-day computing - which actually means up to 10 hours of operation per battery charge.
These mobile machines feature a Core i3-2310M or i5-2410M processor, up to 8GB of RAM and a maximum of 750GB of storage space (via one HDD), a 5-in-1 card reader, a 0.3 megapixel webcam, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, optional Bluetooth 2.1, Altec Lansing speakers, a HDMI output, and a 6- or 8-cell battery.
The U31E comes with Intel HD 3000 integrated graphics while the U31SD will be available with a GeForce GT 520M 1GB card. Both models run Windows 7 and are supposed to debut late next month
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MSI launches the Wind Top AE2410 all-in-one PC :: Posted by THRASHER2
First announced way back in early January (at CES 2011), MSI's Wind Top AE2410 all-in-one desktop, which packs Sandy Bridge power and a multi-touch 24-inch (1920 x 1080) display, has now received a proper launch and should hit stores very soon.
Seen below bearing a sleek transparent bezel, the AE2410 is equipped with a 2.1 GHz Core i3-2310M or a 2.3 GHz i5-2410M processor, 4GB of RAM, Intel HD 3000 (integrated) or GeForce GT 540M 1GB (discrete) graphics, a 1TB hard drive, a DVD writer, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi (Bluetooth is optional), two 5W speakers enhanced with THX's TruStudio Pro technology, a 6-in-1 card reader, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, two USB 3.0 ports, a HDMI outputs and even a TV tuner (optional).
The Wind Top AE2410 runs Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit and is currently available for pre-order in Europe at €899.
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PowerColor debuts its Radeon HD 6670, HD 6570 & HD 6450 :: Posted by THRASHER2
TUL Corporation has just announced the three expected additions to its PowerColor-branded graphics card offer, the Turks-powered Radeon HD 6670 and HD 6570 (for casual gaming) and the Caicos-based Radeon HD 6450 (for simple, easy home entertainment).
Equipped with a pretty large dual-slot cooler, the Radeon HD 6670 features 480 Stream Processors, a GPU clock of 800 MHz, a 128-bit memory interface, 1GB of GDDR5 memory set to 4000 MHz, and a TDP of 66W.
The Radeon HD 6570 utilizes a single-slot cooler and has 400 SPs, a 650 MHz GPU, a 128-bit interface, 1GB of GDDR5 VRAM @ 4000 MHz, and a TDP of 60W. As for the Radeon HD 6450, it comes with a low-profile PCB, a single-slot cooler, 160 SPs, a 625 MHz GPU clock, a 64-bit memory interface, and 1GB of DDR3 memory @ 1334 MHz.
All three cards includes D-Sub, DVI and HDMI outputs.
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WiFi-only Dell Streak 7 goes on sale in the US :: Posted by THRASHER2
While not yet available on Dell.com, the 3G-free (aka WiFi-only) Streak 7 tablet can be purchased in the US via Kindle-supplier Amazon.com. Dell's device, which runs Android 2.2 (Froyo) and bears a price tag of $379.99.
The Streak 7 has a 7-inch (800 x 480) capacitive touchscreen backed by Gorilla Glass, an Nvidia Tegra 2 SoC, 16GB of built-in eMMC storage, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, GPS, an SDHC card slot, a rear-facing 5 megapixel camera with flash, a front 1.3 megapixel camera, and a 2780 mAh battery.
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AMD launches the Radeon HD 6670 and HD 6570 :: Posted by THRASHER2
As expected, AMD today introduced two new Radeon HD 6000 series graphics cards, the lower-mainstream Radeon HD 6670 and HD 6570 which are powered by the Turks 40nm GPU. Both cards have DirectX 11 support and, in their reference form, are low-profile products suited for HTPCs.
Spec wise, the Radeon HD 6670 features 480 Stream Processors, 24 Texture Units, a GPU clock of 800 MHz, a 128-bit memory interface, 1GB of GDDR5 memory set to 4000 MHz, and a TDP of 66W. The Radeon HD 6570 packs 400 SPs, 24 Texture Units, a 650 MHz GPU, a 128-bit interface, 512MB of GDDR5 (4000 MHz) or 1GB of DDR3 (1800 MHz) memory and a TDP of 60W (GDDR5) or 44W (DDR3).
The Radeon HD 6670 and HD 6570 are equipped with active coolers and have a recommended price tag of $99 and $79, respectively.
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Apple sues Samsung, claims Galaxy products copy the iPhone :: Posted by THRASHER2
Cupertino-based tablet master Apple Inc has last week filed a complaint with the US District Court in Northern California in which it claims that Samsung's Galaxy-branded products (smartphones and tablets) infringe on its patents and copy iPhone/iPad design ideas.
According to Apple, the Galaxy devices have 'borrowed' various technologies, icons and physical design elements, as well as the general style from its iOS products. Because of this Apple wants an injunction on Samsung's offerings as well as damages in the form of cash money.
As expected, Samsung has rejected Apple's claims and plans to fight hard in court. I'll get the popcorn.
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Gigabyte Z68X-UD3P-B3 gets pictured, looks ready for shippin :: Posted by THRASHER2
For everyone interested in the hybrid between Intel's H67 and P67, the Z68 Express chipset, the interweb has come through again today by supplying a nice, unofficial photo shoot of Gigabyte's obviously Z68-powered Z68X-UD3P-B3 motherboard.
Seen below bearing a black/grey color scheme, the incoming board actually doesn't take advantage of the Z68's 'best of both worlds' features as it lacks the display outputs which would have allowed (with proper support) the use of the Virtu software from LucidLogix for automatic graphics switching. As a result, Gigabyte's product is more of a P67-like solution that requires discrete graphics at all times. Still, there is a (sure) plus over P67-based boards and that's RST SSD Caching (enables SSD+HDD hybrid setups for higher performance/better loading times).
Leaving aside the output-free design choice, the Z68X-UD3P-B3 presents itself with LGA1155 processor support, an Ultra Durable design (a 2oz copper PCB, all-solid caps), a 14-phase VRM, four DDR3 memory slots, four SATA 6.0 Gbps and four SATA 3.0 Gbps ports, two PCI-Express x16 slots (SLI and CrossFireX are supported), Dual BIOS, Gigabit Ethernet, two USB 3.0 connectors, a FireWire port, and 7.1 channel audio.
Since Gigabyte already started shipping some Z68 motherboards the Z68X-UD3P-B3 should become available very soon, likely before the reported May 8th launch of the Z68.
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Nvidia delivers the GeForce 270.61 WHQL-certified driver :: Posted by THRASHER2
Nvidia has now made available a new driver for its GeForce line of consumer graphics card, the GeForce 270.61 which features a changelog similar to the 270.51 beta (apparently there's nothing new) but includes WHQL (Windows Hardware Quality Labs) certification.
The GeForce 270.61 is dated April 7th and has support for the GeForce 6, 7, 8, 9, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 series desktop cards and ION GPUs. Highlights of this release include:
- Support for the GeForce GTX 590, GeForce GTX 560 Ti and GeForce GTX 550 Ti GPUs
- Increased performance for GeForce 400 Series and 500 Series cards in multiple games (Dragon Age II numbers for example can jump by up to 516% for SLI configurations / 326% for single-GPUs)
- Added support for applications using CUDA 4.0
- 3D Vision performance boosts, new features, added game profiles
- Increased 3D Vision Surround performance, extra monitor support
To download the GeForce 270.61 WHQL just check out TCMag's Download section .
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MSI releases the CX640 & CR640 laptops in the US :: Posted by THRASHER2
MSI has just announced the US launch of two new laptops based on Intel's Huron River mobile platform (which is part of the Sandy Bridge offering), the 15.6-inch CX640 and CR640. Both machines run Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit and are available for purchase via msimobile.com.
MSI's laptops weight in around 2.6kg and have a silver (CX640) or black (CR640) metal brush finish, a thermal block structural design which keeps heat away from the palm rest, a 500GB hard drive which is located in the middle of the chassis (for added protection), and the Fast Boot technology enabling... well, lower boot times - up to two times lower than those of 'standard' notebooks.
These C Series models also feature an LED-backlit (1366 x 768) display, a 2.1 GHz Core i3-2310M processor, 4GB of RAM, a DVD writer, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, a 7-in-1 card reader, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, two USB 3.0 ports, a HDMI outputs, and a 6-cell battery.
The CX640 is equipped with a GeForce GT 520M 1GB graphics card and costs $679.99 , while the CR640 includes Intel HD 3000 integrated graphics and goes for $629.99 .
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Asus U36S Sandy Bridge-based ultra-thin gets detailed :: Posted by THRASHER2
Asus will soon be letting loose a successor to its U36Jc laptop, an ultra-thin model called U36S which features a 13.3-inch display, a tough, light and fingerprint-free Magnesium-Aluminum alloy cover, and Sandy Bridge power.
The U36S is just 19mm thick and packs a 2nd generation Core processor, up to 750GB of storage (final SKUs may have more), the Super Hybrid Engine power saving technology, the Express Gate instant-on OS, USB 3.0 connectivity, a multi-card reader, a fingerprint reader, Gigabit Ethernet, WiFi, a chiclet keyboard, a multi-gesture touchpad, a HDMI output, and a 4- or 8-cell battery. As expected, Asus' laptop will run Windows 7.
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Gigabyte GA-Z68X-UD7-B3 board goes on sale in Taiwan :: Posted by THRASHER2
Gigabyte has jumped the gun (it's not the first time) and already begun shipping motherboards based on the yet-unreleased Z68 Express chipset. Proof of that is the GA-Z68X-UD7-B3 which was found on sale in Taiwan, Gigabyte's home market.
Priced at NT$ 12,000 (~ 412 USD / 287 Euro), the early bird Z68 offering features an Ultra Durable 3 design (2oz copper, Ferrite Core Choke, Lower RDS(ON) MOSFET, Japanese Solid Capacitors), 24-phase VRM, Hybrid EFI BIOS (Dual BIOS included), 3-way SLI and CrossFireX support (four PCI-Express x16 slots), ten SATA ports (at lest four are SATA 6.0 Gbps), four USB 3.0 connectors, dual Gigabit Ethernet, and 7.1 channel audio.
Wider availability of the GA-Z68X-UD7-B3 should be expected for later this month.
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Toshiba's Honeycomb-powered ANT tablet exposed by Newegg :: Posted by THRASHER2
Previously listed on Amazon, Toshiba's upcoming Tegra 2 tablet has also found its way onto Newegg pages (unfortunately they were deleted), sporting price tags, specifications and a probably official name - ANT.
Toshiba's ANT runs Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) and features a 10.1-inch (1280 x800) capacitive touchscreen, the mentioned Tegra 2 SoC, 1GB of RAM, 8/16/32GB of flash storage, a non-slip Easy Grip interchangeable backplate, a front-facing 2 megapixel camera, a rear-facing 5MP camera for 720p video recording, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, an e-compass, GPS, an ambient light sensor, an SD card slot, mini USB and full-size USB 2.0 ports, and a HDMI output.
According to Newegg's leak, the 8GB, 16GB and 32GB ANT tablets will cost $449.99, $499.99 and $579.99, respectively. There's still no solid release date for the ANT but we'll see it available by
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Samsung claimed to be planning the sale of its hard drive :: Posted by THRASHER2
According to a Wall Street Journal report, South Korean conglomerate Samsung Electronics intends to sell its hard drive unit and focus more on other storage solutions, like Flash NAND, which are expected to grow in the coming years.
Samsung's money-losing HDD division, which still managed to grab just over 10% of the market in Q4, would be sold for about $1 billion to $1.5 billion, the only potential buyer mentioned being Seagate. Western Digital announced last month that it will acquire Hitachi's storage division so this might be Seagate's chance for some retaliation. If this deal does go through then we'll have a hard drive market with only three major players - Western Digital, Seagate and Toshiba.
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AMD said to be prepping C-60 chip with Turbo cores & GPU :: Posted by THRASHER2
AMD's entry-level APU (accelerated processing unit) offering is rumored to receive an updated in Q3 with the release of a new Ontario model called C-60 which features the same specs as the currently-available C-50 plus en extra - a Turbo mode for both the x86 cores and the integrated graphics.
The C-60 has its two x86 Bobcat cores running at a default 1.0 GHz but with Turbo they could go up to 1.33 GHz during intensive tasks. The Radeon HD 6290 works at 276 MHz and in Turbo mode it would reach 400 MHz.
Since the C-60's TDP is still 9W, same as the C-50's, Turbo may only work on one component (either the x86 cores or the GPU) at a time. The C-60 may be prepared for the back-to-school period to taken on netbooks powered by Intel's new Atom N570 dual-core so expect more info about it this summer.
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Acer's HS244HQ and HN274H 3D monitors ship in the US :: Posted by THRASHER2
Acer America has today proudly announced the US release of its latest 3D monitors, the 23.6-inch HS244HQ and 27-inch HN274H, both of which feature built-in IR receivers and are bundled with active shutter 3D glasses, enabling easy, straight out-of-the-box 3D.
"Acer's newest 3D displays are a powerful tool for providing fun and visual excitement for years to come. Their compelling benefits include an ultra high level of clarity and 50 percent more power savings than other 3D solutions," said Dan Oka, senior product marketing manager for peripherals, Acer America. "Setting the standard for premium 3D multimedia, the new Acer 3D displays give the sensation of full immersion in a virtual world, while the contemporary design sports stylish features, convenient touch-sensitive controls and earth-friendly materials."
Acer's displays have a curved base rimmed in silver, touch-sensitive controls, an adjustable stand, a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, a 120Hz refresh rate, a 2ms response time, 170/160 viewing angles, and two integrated 2W speakers.
The HS244HQ features a 12,000,000:1 contrast ratio and costs $449 while the HN274H tops 100,000,000:1 and goes for $689. Both monitors are backed by a three-year warranty.
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AMD's 28nm graphics is only a die shrink :: Posted by THRASHER2
No new architecture
If you though that after dual-chip cards the rest of 2011 will get very boring for the graphics world, you got it right. After Radeon HD 6990 and GTX 590 we can only wait for 28nm chips and hope that they will make a real difference. Turks and Caicos will barely excite anyone as the Llano APU will have graphics that will put a lot of pressure on mainstream market. Brazos will compete with entry level.
According to our sources, AMD's Southern Islands are nothing more than a die shrink of an existing 40nm Northern Islands. There won't be any major architectural difference, just a die shrink. However, you can expect to see some more shaders, as at 28nm there is simply more space and the TDP's are lower. This still means that the chips that will replace the HD 6870 and HD 6850 will get more shaders and performance.
The new graphics architecture from AMD will only come in 2012, when the 28nm process gets more mature, and most likely this will happen only in second half of the year. Whether you like it or not, you will have to start getting excited about integrated graphics as from this point there will be more and more graphics on CPUs.
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Available Tags:MSI , motherboards , Sandy Bridge , Radeon , Dell , AMD , Apple , Galaxy , iPhone , Gigabyte , Nvidia , GeForce , driver , Sandy Bridge , Asus , tablet , Samsung , GPU , 3D ,
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