Asus N56VM

With the advent of Intel's third-generation Core "Ivy Bridge" processors, we can hope to see price cuts and tempting discounts on systems with second-generation "Sandy Bridge" CPUs. That's too bad. You're going to want an Ivy Bridge laptop anyway. The first laptop we've seen to show off one of the new mobile processors is the Asus N56VM ($1,199 list), a 15.6-inch desktop replacement. The chip is the Core i7-3720QM, a 2.6GHz quad-core, eight-thread processor with 6MB of cache. The laptop also comes with a full 1080p (1,920 by 1,080) display and two graphics solutions—the CPU's new Intel HD Graphics 4000 integrated graphics and the Nvidia GeForce GT 630M, a low-end discrete GPU. Neither of the graphics solutions is up to the raw speed level of the Core i7-3720QM, making the N56VM's performance a little lopsided, but overall the new processor makes a powerful debut, while the laptop proves a desirable one.

At presstime, Asus said the N56VM would initially be available in Europe and Asia. The first configuration sold in North America will be the slightly different N56VZ-DS71 ($1,299 list), which will feature a 2.3GHz Core i7-3610QM processor, Nvidia GeForce GT 650M graphics, a backlit keyboard, and Windows 7 Home Premium instead of our test unit's Win 7 Professional.

Design

 
At 1.1 by 15 by 10 inches (HWD), the N56VM is a solid, slightly ponderous (5.9 pounds) slab with a handsome dark gray, almost black brushed aluminum lid with light-up Asus logo. Open, its black keys and silver aluminum keyboard deck make it look a little like a MacBook Pro, albeit with a tray- instead of slot-loading optical drive. The bottom is black plastic.
The chiclet-style keyboard has a soft, precise feel that we found quite comfortable for high-speed typing. As with many 15.6-inch laptops, it offers a numeric keypad whose keys (like the dedicated Home, End, PgUp, and PgDn keys) are a little skinnier or smaller than the regular keys. Two function keys are supposed to govern keyboard backlight brightness, but we couldn't detect a backlight in the ambient light of the Labs. There's a large (4.5- by 2.75-inch) touchpad with clickable lower corners rather than real mouse buttons; moving, tapping, and pinch-to-zoom and three-finger-flick gestures worked smoothly in our tests.

The screen's 1,920 by 1,080 resolution makes text and icons a bit small (we alternated between viewing them at 100 and 125 percent via Control Panel), but nicely sharp. The display is bright and clear, with vivid colors and broad viewing angles (broader horizontally than vertically). Two Bang & Olufsen ICEpower speakers provide above-average audio if not booming bass.

Features

 
In addition to Bluetooth and 802.11g Wi-Fi, the N56VM supports Intel's Wireless Display (WiDi) for beaming the laptop's audio and video to an HDTV set equipped with an aftermarket Belkin or Netgear adapter. Except for the WiDi software and a couple of Intel and Nvidia utilities, the Intel-supplied test unit was not only bloatware-free but software-free, with nothing preloaded on the 750GB, 7,200-rpm Seagate hard drive except Windows 7 Professional.

Next to the Blu-ray drive on the laptop's right side are two USB 3.0 ports and headphone and microphone jacks. On the left you'll find an audio jack for a subwoofer; VGA, HDMI, and Ethernet ports; and two more USB 3.0 ports, one able to recharge handheld devices. An SD/MMC memory card slot is up front.

The N56VM's removable 56Wh battery lasted 5 hours 21 minutes in our MobileMark 2007 rundown test. That's right in the middle of desktop-replacement territory.

Performance

Though it's only third from the top of Intel's new third-generation quad-core mobile processors (behind the 2.7GHz Core i7-3820QM and 2.9GHz Core i7-3920XM), the Core i7-3720QM is one seriously fast CPU. How fast? Well, we began our testing expecting it to do better than Intel's second-generation mainstream quad-cores like the Core i7-2670QM in the HP Envy 17. Turns out it not only embarrassed those processors, but kept pace with Sandy Bridge flagships like the Core i7-2960XM in expensive gaming laptops like the Alienware M18x.

The Asus N56VM pulverized our Photoshop CS5 test with a time of 3 minutes 2 seconds and hotfooted it through Handbrake in just 1:11. Its PCMark 7 score of 3,644 is the kind we'd expect from a top-of-the-line laptop with a speedy SSD, not a conventional hard drive.

With such a fire-breathing CPU, the Intel HD Graphics 4000 integrated graphics come across as underwhelming by comparison, though in fact they're a big part of the Ivy Bridge story, designed to elevate popular games to the playable 30-frames-per-second threshold (at least with modest resolution and detail settings) that Sandy Bridge's HD Graphics 3000 couldn't reach. Sure enough, when we used Nvidia's control panel to default to the integrated graphics rather than the N56VM's Nvidia GeForce GT 630M, the laptop managed 32.3 fps in Crysis and 32.7 fps in Lost Planet 2 at 1,024 by 768 resolution. The GeForce GPU, however, proved substantially faster—63.9 and 47.1 fps, respectively.

Similarly, the integrated graphics approached the respectable-showing 10,000-point mark with 8,511 points in 3DMark 06, but the Nvidia graphics outstripped them with 11,741. Neither graphics solution proved up to the challenge of gaming at full 1,920 by 1,080 resolution with antialiasing and other eye candy activated—in Unigine's demanding Heaven 3.0 benchmark test, the Intel graphics managed 11.6 fps to the Nvidia graphics' 14.5 fps.

Given the screaming speed of the Core i7-3720QM processor, the best match would be a higher-end GPU such as one of Nvidia's GeForce GTX rather than GT series. But this first look at Intel's HD Graphics 4000 makes us look forward to trying them out in other Ivy Bridge portables (ultrabooks, anyone?).

Actually, we're eager to try out more Ivy Bridge portables, period. There's a flood coming from Asus and other vendors, but with its blazing performance and first-rate screen and keyboard, the Asus N56VM has set the bar high.

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ASUS Transformer Pad TF300 Specs, Price & Release Date Revealed

Asus Transformer Pad TF300 specs, price and release date have recently been revealed by ASUS UK. While this tablet rightfully belongs to the popularly elegant Transformer Pad family, it will be offered for budget-friendly prices starting early May. Reports indicate that it will be offered in three colors: Royal Blue, Iceberg White and Torch Red, although each color will be released on separate dates. But so far, the recent information from ASUS UK has slowed down the hype buildup over the device. At least, we can now set our own expectations of Asus Transformer Pad TF300 until we can have one unit in our hands.

Specs

For a budget-friendly price, you will be enjoying the power of Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor clocked at 1.2 GHz frequency. The thought that it will be sporting this powerful chip made us think that it will come close to the price of the new iPad but it was reduced to just $399 which could be a treat to someone who has been waiting for it. A 1 GB random access memory (RAM) has also been used to complement a powerful CPU and we can assure that these two major components could handle everything you throw at them. There are reports suggesting there could be two models of this device but the confirmed one is the 32 GB model which supports microSD card of up to 32 GB. So, if you are going to spend a few dollars and buy 32 GB microSD card, you will have a generous space of up to 64 GB which is more than enough.

With a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels stretched into 10.1 IPS display, this tablet will can surely entertain you with high quality videos, photos and other multimedia entertainment. And the fact that it will be operating on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) is evident that this device could offer you the best and the latest technologies available today. Also, it has an 8-megapixel primary camera capable of recording full HD 1080@30FPS videos. The secondary camera has 1.2 megapixels, just enough for video conferencing. Just by looking at these specs you will know that you will be lucky to buy this device at $399 when other devices with these same specs are offered above $450.

Price & Release Date

Again, reports said there will be a 16GB model but there is no information as to what the price would be. The only confirmed model is 32GB and that’s apparent when you try to look at the initial specs of this device. Its keyboard dock, however, will be marketed for $149. Having to purchase this dock would make Transformer Pad TF300 more like a notebook in appearance as well as function. There is no specific date mentioned by ASUS but it said the Royal Blue will be made available first in early May and we are hoping it would be in the first week of the month. The Iceberg White will be released more than a month after and the Torch Red in late July.

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Five of the Best Computer Case Mods, and One More

Computers come in varying sizes, and can be adapted to fit in a large variety of custom case mods. Sure, the Raspberry Pi will eventually make for some notable portable computers and some seriously gnarly custom case mods and designs- but the product isn’t available for everyone at the moment.

Unfortunately, we’ll have to quench our thirsts for case design by checking out some stunning case mods that have been tailored for regular computers (and by regular we mean computers that are larger than the credit card sized Raspberry Pi). Nevertheless, there’s plenty of breathtaking computer cases in the wild so our desires can certainly be squandered in the meantime.

Five Awesome Custom Computer Case Mods

WMD- The Weapon of Mass Destruction

Bush searched far and wide for Weapons of Mass Destruction, it’s too bad he had no clue there was one right under his nose- within the country borders. Bit-Tech designed a WMD computer case, which was originally born thanks to an idea of ignoring traditional box designs. Most computer cases are designed with a tower shape, and Bit-Tech wanted something “outside the box”.

The WMD is one badass mod and makes for one hell of a machine. It’s hard to picture something as magnificent as the WMD case chillin’ on someone’s home or office desk,  but if we had one of these babies lying about there would be no complaints.

The WMD resembles a working bomb, complete with a timer LCD panel and some aesthetic style water cooling tubes (they look like wires). We have some advice for the secret task force who has been called in to disarm this thing; remember, always cut the green wire.
Companion Cube Portal Inspired Custom Case with Sweet Paint Job

 There are no words to express how impressive this case is, okay maybe there’s one- Portal. This custom case was obviously inspired by Valve’s fictional Aperture science labs featured in the Portal series.

As you can see from the image, the case is outfitted with a custom paint job meant to match the destruction of Aperture. We love the paint job,

 but we find it increasingly difficult to remove our eyes from that attractive companion cube. We’ve had too many nostalgic experiences with that lovely heart-stamped box.

Not much information has been given about this case other than an obligatory image, but an image is enough. Consider us inspired.

Remember, do not return that companion cube to Glados- no matter what she promises in return. 

“Recycle Your Computer” Custom Case by Alexey Chistov

We’ve never considered our computers to be trashy, at least in a traditional sense. This case mod by Alexey Chistov has changed our minds, because we want our computers to be trashy- so trashy.

The rightfully named, “Recycle Your Computer” case mod, crams an entire computer into an aluminum mesh trash can. Did we mention how fantastically trashy it looks? Oh, we did? Sorry.

Awesome Computer Case Mods

Battlestar Galactica Custom Case Mod

Battlestar Galactica is a fabulous show (old and new), but surprisingly the star-studded galactic drama also makes for a revered custom case theme. Okay, maybe we’re not THAT surprised that Battlestar makes for a cool custom case theme but still.

This case mod includes the entire computer, with an added LCD screen. As you can see from the image, the case is designed to look like a Battlestar ship. We’re curious if those afterburners fire, or at least light up when the computer is on. Sadly, we haven’t been able to find any other shots of this wondrous case mod, so one image will have to suffice.

If you look closely, you can spot a Cylon in the background- those damn pesky androids.

Russian Wall-E Inspired Case Mod

Apparently Disney Pixar’s Wall-E animated film inspired a few Russian designers. This custom Wall-E case was whipped up in a total of 18 days and includes a solid metal body.

All metal pieces were custom cut from metal sheets, and were used to complete the entire case. The Wall-E case is nearly identical to Pixar’s animated version, complete with a working optical drive and internal power supply.

Imagine having one of these guys sitting at your desk, we’re guessing productivity would go down for weeks.

Awesome Case Mods, Just One More

We’re reluctant to end this article because we love browsing custom case mods, so here’s one more we found.

Wii- Unlimited Edition

This next mod wasn’t exactly designed for a traditional computer, but it’s still worth mentioning. The Unlimited Edition case was designed for the Nintendo Wii entertainment console, and it is sexy!

It reminds us of a contraption one would find in an Umbrella Corp lab, thanks to the side water cooling tanks, which resemble T-Virus vials. The entire case was designed by 32 year old Martin Nielsen from Denmark. It incorporates all the Wii hardware components and adds a complete water cooling system.

We’re not entirely sure a Wii needs a water cooler, but we do think  that maybe Microsoft should toy with the idea considering the Xbox 360 has been plagued with overheating issues. It’s a shame that video game consoles don’t come with sweet cases like this one off the shelf.

There are Many More Case Mods Out There

Obviously this is anything but a comprehensive list of the best case mods, there are plenty more out there. If you happen to come across any impressive case mods, please feel free to share them below!

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Top 10 Ultrabooks Of 2012

1. Dell XPS 13

 

Even though Dell is known to make slim laptops since long, this beauty will surely catch your attention. You will be impressed to see its size zero which is covered with beautiful aluminum chassis. It’s not only about looks; powered by quad-core Intel Core i7/i5, this ultrabook is really fast and powerful. The battery life is approximately 9 hours. There are two hard disk options, i.e., 128GB and 256GB available in this book, apart from 100GB free cloud storage.

2. Samsung 9 Series Notebook 900X3A

 

It is considered as the closest rival to MacBook Air. It has got Intel Core i5processor that runs on a 4GB RAM. The killer svelte looks further adds to the appeal of this Ultrabook. It comes with Windows 7 Home Premium/Professional. There are two storage options available to you around these are 128GB and 256GB 

3. Asus Zenbook UX21E

 

 

This tempting Ultrabook is also a competitor of MacBook Air. It’s just 3mm thick on the front side and 9mm at the back side. The 11 inch screen comes with brilliant speakers to give you good sound quality. It is built around the 1.6GHz Intel Core i5-2467M dual-core CPU, which is having 4GB RAM. Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit is pre-installed in it along with a 128GB solid state drive.

4.Acer Aspire S5

It’s not just lightweight but also very powerful. It runs on dual-core Intel Core processors and has got Windows 7 Home Premium in it, making it perfect for professionals. The 13 inch screen is ideal for the users. This energy efficient machine also boasts 4GB of RAM and SSD storage. For transfers of files there are two USB 2.0 ports and an HDMI port.

5.Samsung Series 5 Ultra

 

Samsung Series 5 is available in 2 models and are among the lightest ultrabooks present in the market. The screen is 13/14 inches and stylish keyboard further adds to its appeal. There is a LED SuperBright screen with 128GB/256GB SSD or a 500GB HDD powered by Intel’s latest processor Sandy Bridge processor. The only drawback is the battery, which is around 3 hours.
6. Toshiba Satellite Z830

 

It is based on 2nd generation Intel Core i5-2467M processor which is backed with Intel’s Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 to provide excellent performance. Weighing just 1.13 kilogram, it’s just 16mm in thickness. You will find Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit along with a 128 GB solid state drive. For superb gaming and movie experience, there is Intel HD Graphics 3000 in it.

7. Lenovo IdeaPad U300s

 

 

Its funky color is something which will immediately catch your attention. The screen is good measuring 13.3 inches and the weight is just 1.35 kilogram. The Core i7 processor is ideal for running applications, browsing pictures, surfing net and doing official work. It is pre installed with genuine Windows 7 Home Premium, whereas for your storage requirements there is a 256GB solid state drive in it.

8. HP Envy Spectre 14

The 1.6GHz dual-core processor Intel’s Core i5-2467M (or i7) and 4GB RAM of HP Envy Spectre 14 assures a decent performance. Even though it is amongst the heaviest Ultrabook available in the market, it relies heavily on the brand value of HP for its popularity. The screen is 14 inches having a resolution of 1600 x 900 pixels. It is 21 mm in thickness and weighs approximately 2 kilograms.

9. LG Z430 Super Ultrabook

 

 

The killer metallic looks make it stand out in the crowd. This 14 inch slim laptop also features a 19.9 mm thin chassis along with 4GB of DDR 3 memory and HD 3000 graphics. It comes with Intel core processors and also has Super Speed Boot technology, which makes it pretty fast. The 500 GB space takes care of all your storage needs.

10. HP Folio 13 Ultrabook

 

With an Intel Core i5/i3 processors and DDR3 memory, it is surely going to impress you a lot. The fast processor offers better speed, faster graphics, and reduced power consumption. The design of this 13.3 inch Ultrabook is simple, even the interface is compact. Its 9 hour battery life is considered to be the best in class. It is available with a 128GB SSD.

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