Yup, they’re now official. We’ve been teased with product images prior and now, we have the real deal. The X220 has a 12.5 inch IPS display capable of up to 1366×768 and can have an i3, i5 or i7 Sandy Core processors upgradable up to 8GB DDR3 RAM. Other options include SSDs from 80 to 160 GB worth and USB 3.0 inclusion. There’s also a webcam that captures 720p with digital microphones and a new feature, they now feature a buttonless trackpad named the “ClickPad”. At this point, we haven’t forgotten the deal with the 24-hour battery life. The story here is that the included batteries can last up to 15 hours of use, but include a ThinkPad battery pack (costing at $179) and you’ve got the magic 1 day battery life.
Then there’s the X220T convertible tablet. Although it doesn’t have the 24-hour battery the laptop variation has, it still runs a good 16 hours with the battery pack. The touch screen is also made of Gorilla Glass for those tough tablet action. Both units are slated for an April release with the X220 priced at $899 while the X220T starts at $1,199.
Official Press Images
Sony has taken its time in releasing the VAIO S
ultraportable in the US but doesn’t give the laptop any demerits in terms of what its got. For a 13.3 incher, this is supposedly to fill-in the spot previously occupied by the Z series, so you know what to expect from these. Similarly to its European counterparts, you have the option to put either an i5 or i7 Sandy Bridge Core inside, it has an AMD Radeon HD 6630 graphics processor with 1GB VRAM, a Blu-ray drive and SSD options as well. At 3.8 lbs, the thing is made up of aluminum and magnesium with backlit keyboard.
Let’s talk about battery life once more, as Lenovo’s X220 boasts 24-hours of battery life. Give an extra $150 and you can extend your VAIO’s performance to provide a full 15 hours of power. It may not be a whole day’s worth but with the processing power it has, it’s still great. And for being a Sony product, it’s priced just right. For $979, you get a Core-i5 unit with 320 GB HDD and pre-orders are on right now.
Official Press Images
Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch
The MacBook Pro range gets a welcome power boost
Apple updates its MacBook Pro range every year, but 2011 brings more than a minor refresh. The entire range moves over to Intel’s Sandy Bridge Core i7 processors and its new Thunderbolt high-speed connection makes its debut. The 15-inch and 17-inch models also get shiny new AMD graphics processors to boot.
This 15-incher includes a quadcore, 2.2GHz Core i7, with the processor and graphics on a single chip. Hyper Threading enables the Pro to move quickly between tasks, and multi-core applications will run quicker too.
Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch Gaming
The MacBook Pro’s graphics have also enjoyed an overhaul. The integrated Intel HD 3000 is much more powerful than its predecessor, with Turbo Boost 2 giving a burst of extra power when you’re running processor-intensive application such as HD video editing or gaming.
Things really kick off, however, when you’re running graphically-demanding apps and games. That’s when an AMD Radeon HD 6750M takes over, giving much faster performance. Doom 3 runs 42 per cent faster than on the last equivalent Pro model; Call of Duty 4 at a very respectable 84.3 frames a second.
Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch Thunderbolt
The theme of speed and almost excessive power continues with the addition of a Thunderbolt port. This allows data transfer at up to 10Gbps in both directions so a full-length HD movie can be transferred in about 30 seconds, and an album’s worth of 320kbps MP3s in about the time it takes to say “Paul Weller”. Compatible peripherals are thin on the ground at the moment but the potential is mouth-watering. It also doubles as a Mini DisplayPort video output.
Apple’s screen remains as good as ever, though it does suffer in bright sunlight. The anti-glare version adds an extra £120 to the price. Battery is impressive, running the BBC iPlayer’s live feed of the News Channel at full-screen over Wi-Fi for four hours, 45 minutes – excellent for a constant wireless connection.
Less significant but still good to know: the notebook’s built-in webcam has been upgraded to 720p, allowing FaceTime video chat in hi-def, over Wi-Fi. The SD card reader can now handle high-capacity SCXC cards.
Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch Verdict
With better processors, more powerful graphics and Thunderbolt now nestled in Apple’s unibody design, there’s never been a better time to buy a MacBook Pro, though of course it’s by no means a must-have.
In short, many will find the Pro over-powered and over-priced for their needs. But those who demand truly high-end portable performance – designers, video editors, photographers, musicians, hardcore gamers, inveterate show-offs – and want it all in a compact and stylish casing, will love the Pro.
Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch launch date: Out now from Apple
Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch price: £1549, this model £1,849
