| CES 2015: Acer Shows Off Aspire V 17 Nitro Notebook and First 15.6-inch Chromebook [Video] Posted: 06 Jan 2015 07:18 PM PST  Integrated 3D camera might turn heads or a 15.6-inch Chromebook will
With all of the new laptops and notebooks being shown at CES 2015, it becomes difficult for a company's product to stand. But we think Acer might have achieved this with its two new offerings. Maximum PC's Online Managing Editor Jimmy Thang had the opportunity to visit the company's booth where he saw Acer's new Aspire V 17 Nitro gaming notebook and 15-inch Chromebook. The Acer Aspire V 17 Nitro laptop has a couple of features that will make people notice. The first is that the 17-inch notebook comes with an Intel RealSense 3D camera that includes a conventional camera, infrared camera, and an infrared laser projector. The 3D camera, combined with Intel's RealSense motion-tracking software, creates a touch-free interface capable of responding to hand and head motions. The 3D camera will also be able to do 3D scanning and generate 3D models. But if the 3D camera isn't interesting enough, the notebook comes with four speakers. The reason for this, according to Acer, is that the four built-in speakers are there to provide surround sound for gaming, movies, and music. Aside from the speakers, the V 17 Nitro notebook will be powered by a 4th Generation Intel Core i7, Nvidia GeForce GTX 860M graphics, and up to 16GB of memory with the option for 128GB or 256GB SSDs and up to 1TB of hard drive space. Unfortunately Acer didn't provide a price for the Aspire V 17 Nitro notebook, only that the price will vary by region and will be available for purchase in January. Jimmy was also able to see the industry's first 15.6-inch Chromebook, which we reported on yesterday, up close and personal. Acer decided to add the large laptop to its line of Chrombooks which consists of an 11-inch and 13-inch model. The Acer Chromebook 15 features a 5th Generation Intel Core i3 and next-generation Intel Celeron processors that is based on Intel's 5th Generation Core micro-architecture. Consumers will have the choice of either 3GB or 4GB of RAM and 16GB or 32GB of SSD storage while it also comes with one each of a USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 port, Bluetooth 4.0, HDMI output, SD card reader, and an HD webcam. The Acer Chromebook 15 will be available in January with a starting price of $249. Follow Sean on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| CES 2015: HyperX Reveals new Savage SSD, Predator PCIe SSD, and Cloud 2 Headset [Video] Posted: 06 Jan 2015 06:01 PM PST  A $99 headset with 7.1 surround sound seems promising
Kingston is looking to make a bit of a splash with its HyperX branded products. Online Managing Editor Jimmy Thang visited the booth at CES 2015 where he was able to see the HyperX Savage SSD, the Predator PCIe SSD, and a new Cloud 2 headset. The new HyperX Savage SSD will be replacing the HyperX 3K SSD line. The Savage SSD is currently the fastest SATA SSD for the company at 560MB/s read and 540MB/s write, which is faster than the 3K that clocks around 540MB/s read and 510MB/s write. It is expected to be released in Q2 2015 but no price was provided. But that wasn't it for SSDs. Kingston is also launching the HyperX Predator PCIe SSD. This is an M.2 PCIe 2.0 x4 SSD that will offer large capacities starting at 240GB and 480GB with a 960GB version shipping later. The Predator SSD, of which there will be also be a bare M.2 2280 form factor, boasts a 1.4GB/s read and 1GB/s write. The HyperX Predator PCIe SSD will available Q1/Q2 2015 but, once again, no price was forthcoming. Finally, Jimmy got a look at the new HyperX Cloud 2 headset which will retail for $99. The new headset follows in the footsteps of its predecessor by featuring a similar headset design with memory foam on the headband and leatherette cushions. However, unlike the original Cloud headset, the Cloud 2 comes with a USB audio control box with a built-in DPS sound card that adds 7.1 surround sound. The HyperX Cloud 2 headset is expected to available in January or February. Follow Sean on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| CES 2015: SteelSeries Demos Sentry Eye Tracker, Shows Apex M800 Gaming Keyboard [Video] Posted: 06 Jan 2015 05:04 PM PST  See what the pro gamers are looking at
SteelSeries has been a supporter of eSports for a long time by sponsoring various teams and producing various gaming products. But now the gaming peripheral manufacturer is looking to be more involved with eSports in a different way. At CES 2015, SteelSeries has been demoing its Sentry Eye Tracker and showing the Apex M800 mechanical gaming keyboard which Online Managing Editor Jimmy Thang was able to see in person. The Sentry Eye Tracker is a piece of hardware that will track a player's eye movements in real time which can be shown to viewers on Twitch who will see what the streamer is looking at the entire time. Both gamers and pro gamers can utilize the device to help improve their skills and their gaming strategy from the information that is gleaned. Software included with the device will track and record eye movements, such as how many times a player will look at a game's minimap, that can then be reviewed by the player to show what he or she was focusing on and how that might affect their gameplay. According to the rep, the installation and setup is easy and quick. The device comes with a mounting bracket that will attach to a user's monitor and calibration will take around three to five minutes. The SteelSeries Sentry Eye Tracker will retail for $199.99 at the end of January and support Dota 2 and Starcraft II at launch. SteelSeries is also showing its new Apex M800 mechanical gaming keyboard. It utilizes the company's own QS1 linear switch that is allegedly comparable to the MX Red switches. The company claims that the keys will have a 60 million click lifecycle. It also features centered, surface-mounted LEDs on every key which has a range of 16.8 million colors to choose from. The SteelSeries Apex M800 will cost $199 and be available at the end of January. Follow Sean on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| CES 2015: Lenovo Unveils “World’s Lightest” Laptop, New ThinkPad Yoga, and More [Video] Posted: 06 Jan 2015 03:39 PM PST  The LaVie Z laptop is unbelievably light
If companies at CES 2015 were to have a mantra, Lenovo's would have to be "thin and light." These were words repeated on a consistent basis to Onling Managing Editor Jimmy Thang who taken by surprise when he picked up Lenovo's ultra light LaVie Z and was then shown the new ThinkPad Yoga, Flex laptops, thinkvision X24 Monitor, and T550 Ultrabook. Lenovo's self-proclaimed "world's lightest" laptop is the result of the company's partnership with NEC that comes in two models. There is the 13-inch LaVie Z HZ750 Yoga-style hybrid which weighs 2.04 lbs and the 13-inch LaVie Z HZ550 laptop which weighs in at an astonishing 1.72 lbs that, according to Jimmy, "feels almost like a Fisher Price laptop." Both models feature a magnesium-lithium chassis that is credited for both models being so light and which are 16.9 mm thin. For the HZ550, it is powered by an Intel Core i5 processor while the HZ750 has an Intel Core i7 processor with 4GB of RAM being offered for both models which also has 128GB SSD for storage. The LaVie Z HZ550's starting cost will be $1,299 while the HZ750 will start at $1,499. Both are expected to be available in the US in May. Lenovo also showed off a new 14-inch and 15-inch ThinkPad Yoga which features a 360-degree hinge with a lift-and-lock keyboard that locks all the keys in place when the screen is flipped completely around. Consumers will have the option of up to 1TB of storage and up to a 5th Generation Intel Core i7 while the 15-inch model offers an optional 3D camera. Both versions of the ThinkPad Yoga will have a starting price of $1,199. However, the 14-inch model will be out in May while the 15-inch version will be available in February. Jimmy was also shown the new T550 15-inch ultrabook which comes with up to 16GB of RAM, up to 1TB of HDD or a 512GB SSD, and up to 5th Generation Intel Core i7. The T550 is .22 mm thick and weighs around five pounds with a starting price of $999 and will be out in February. Then following in the footsteps of everything being thin, a new monitor was shown called the ThinkVision X24 that does just that. The 24-inch monitor has a 23.8-inch borderless screen that is only 7.5mm thick, though it gets thicker at the bottom due to the tilting stand and ports. It will be available in April or May for $249. Lastly, Jimmy was shown some new additions to the Yoga series of convertible notebooks such as the Yoga 14 which features a new form factor for the series with a 14-inch screen crammed into a 13-inch form factor. It is also based on the new Intel Broadwell i-series with discreet graphics in the device, though what Nvidia GPU is being used is currently being kept a secret until Nvidia makes an announcement. A new 11-inch Lenovo Flex convertible series was also shown which can be bent into tent mode or tablet mode. In the convertible series, Lenovo revealed that the platform will support both Intel and AMD CPUs. The range of new additions to the Flex and Yoga lineups are expected to be released over the period of Q1 and Q2 2015. But be sure to watch the video for more information. What do you think of the LaVie Z and the ThinkVision X24? Are they thin enough for your tastes? Sound off in the comments below! Follow Sean on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| CES 2015: Velocity Micro Unveils Custom Laptops, Promises Three-Day Lead Times Posted: 06 Jan 2015 01:00 PM PST  Custom configured laptops for impatient customers
One of the advantages of rolling your own rig is that once the parts arrive, you can get busy assembling the system and be finished on the same day. But when you order from a bulk OEM or boutique builder, you're at the mercy of their lead times. You don't have much choice when it comes to laptops -- there aren't a ton of whitebox options -- though Velocity Micro today announced three custom-configured laptop lines, each of which requires just a three-day lead time. "Our goal with these new laptops was to create a product with the same level of customization and attention to detail that we've become known for with our desktops, but to do it with a lead time of three days and back it up with our 100 percent US-based tech support," said Randy Copeland, President and CEO of Velocity Micro. "We're extremely excited by this opportunity to bring the Velocity Micro Experience to a whole new level of customer via this thrilling line of products." Velocity Micro didn't reveal a whole lot about the specific hardware, so don't shoot the messenger. Here's what we know. As mentioned, there are three new systems, starting with the NoteMagix M17. It starts at $1,199 and includes a 17.3-inch Full HD display, Nvidia GTX 850M options, Haswell-based Core i7 processor options, and integrated camera, fingerprint scanner, and optical drive accessories. Next up is the Raptor MX50 starting at $1,899. It has a 15.6-inch Full HD display, also with Haswell-based Core i7 processor options. Graphics chores are handled by Nvidia GeForce GTX 970M and 980M options, and it will also have an integrated camera and fingerprint scanner, along with a backlit keyboard. Finally there's the Raptor MX17 starting at $1,999. It's spec'd the same as the MX50 but with a bigger 17.3-inch display. Look for these new systems to be available later this month. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| CES 2015: Xotic PC and MSI Join Forces to Deliver Funktastic 'Elysium' PC Posted: 06 Jan 2015 12:31 PM PST  We can't stop staring at this thing
Boutique system builder Xotic PC has teamed up with MSI to build a custom gaming PC called the Elysium. However, we can't talk about this build without also mentioning In Win, which has been coming up with some downright funky case designs lately, such as the open air D-Frame and, as is the case here, the S-Frame. It's also an open air chassis, though unique in style for different reasons than the D-Frame. It already has a style all of its own, though Xotic PC gave it an MSI themed makeover with custom painted black and white elements along with MSI's iconic dragon logo. It's definitely different (from the pictures we've seen), though as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so you tell us if you think the design is a win or not. As to the hardware, Elysium comes well equipped with an Intel Core i7 59670X Extreme Edition processor, MSI X99S motherboard, 32GB of DDR4-2400 memory, two MSI brand Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 Twin Frozr V Edition graphics cards, 240GB Intel 730 Series SSD, 2TB 7200 RPM HDD, Corsair 1500W Titanium PSU, and Windows 8.1. That's a downright beastly setup, especially for a stock configuration, and we imagine it will come with an equally monstrous price tag. For now, there's no word on price or availability. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| CES 2015: Turtle Beach Shows off Mechanical Keyboards Posted: 06 Jan 2015 12:19 PM PST Another big name enters the fray Turtle Beach, known largely for its gaming headsets, showed off several PC gaming peripherals at CES today -- the most interesting of which is arguably their line of keyboards. This is the first time that the company has branched into this particular market. We first heard about the Impact 100, 500 and 700 back at Gamescom in August, but Turtle Beach was light on details and North American availability at the time. The Impact 700 is their flagship keyboard, with a full-sized chassis, Cherry MX Brown keys, backlighting, headphone and microphone jacks, and a spare USB 2.0 port. Coming in with an MSRP of $195.95, it has a flagship price to match. 
The Impact 500 (pictured above) is a tenkeyless unit, meaning that it doesn't have a number pad on the right-hand side. You lose some functionality, but it's more compact and portable. This one uses Cherry MX Blue keys and does not feature backlighting. Its MSRP is $125.95. The last one is an interesting beast. The Impact 100 is not mechanical, but it uses "smart-guided keycap sleeves," which we have a shot of below. It also has a proprietary 30-key rollover, meaning that pretty much all of your keypresses should register, regardless of how many keys are pressed at once. Turtle Beach also says that the keyboard is "metal reinforced" like the other two. It will arrive with an MSRP of $59.95, putting it in the same category as Microsoft's Sidewinder X4. The trio is currently scheduled for release this spring. 
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| CES 2015: Patriot Lights Up SSD Space with High-Capacity Ignite Series Posted: 06 Jan 2015 12:02 PM PST  Go big (capacity) or go home
Now that it no longer requires taking out a second mortgage to fund a solid-state drive upgrade, maybe we'll start seeing an influx of high capacity SSDs. Is that too much to ask? Not of Patriot Memory, which arrived at the Consumer Electronics Show with its new and capacious Ignite line of a SATA 6Gbps SSD products. And for good measure, the company also brought along a couple of new USB flash drives, which we'll get to in a moment. Patriot's Ignite line comes in just two capacities: 480GB and 960GB. Either one is big enough to run an operating system and several programs and games, though we'd still advise sweeping all those RAW vacation photos and high definition videos over to a storage drive (long live the mechanical hard drive, right?). Armed with a new Phison S10 controller and SATA 6Gbps interface, Patriot's Ignite line boasts sequential read and write speeds of up to 560MB/s and 545MB/s, respectively. We've seen higher speed ratings in the SATA 6Gbps category, though not by much. "These are some of the fastest drives that we have had in our lab," Said Les Henry, VP of Engineering at Patriot. "As you can see we are able to advertise some of the fastest sequential speeds in the market for these capacities. We were able to hit scores above 1,000 using the AS SSD benchmark test with these drives." Patriot says you'll be able to purchase its Ignite SSDs this month with attractive MSRPs set at $215 (480GB) and $405 (960GB). 
Moving on, Patriot also rolled out its Supersonic Magnum 2 and Supersonic Rage 2 USB 3.0 flash drives. Starting with the Magnum 2, it will be available in "extreme capacities," otherwise known as 256GB and 512GB, with maximum read and write speeds of up to 400MB/s and 300MB/s, respectively. As for the Supersonic Rage 2, it will offer the same performance metrics but come in 128GB and 256GB capacities. It also sports a more compact design. Both will be available in February; no word yet on price. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| CES 2015: Toshiba Shows Off Encore 2 Write Tablet, Portege Z20t, and More [Video] Posted: 06 Jan 2015 11:29 AM PST 
Toshiba is all business Toshiba has been making some changes, and shifting its focus, which has resulted in the company cutting back on its consumer PC division and focusing more on the business market. So Maximum PC Online Managing Editor Jimmy Thang was able to visit the company's office to see what the company has been up to since its shift in focus and was shown Toshiba's Encore 2 Write Tablet, Portege Z20t 2-in-1, the Dynadock 4K, and Canvio Cast Wireless Adapter in action. First up is Toshiba's Encore 2 Write Tablet, which is available as an 8-inch and 10-inch model. Both devices feature a professional-grade stylus, or pen, with Wacom TruFeel tech that will work in conjunction with Toshiba apps for taking notes and graphics design among other things. Hardware specifications include an Intel Atom processor, 64GB of storage, and 2GB of RAM. The Encore 2 Write Tablets will both be on sale January 11 with the 8-inch model starting at $349.99 and the 10-inch version for $399.99 that includes one year of Office 365 for both. Toshiba also showed Jimmy its new Portege Z20T 2-in-1 device which is a Windows tablet with a detachable keyboard dock that includes a digitizer pen. The tablet doubles as a 12.5-inch display that is powered by Intel's Core M processor with options for 128GB or 256GB SSD and up to 8GB of memory. The panel can be used as a tablet or as a notebook once attached to the keyboard dock. Once attached, the full-HD IPS panel can be angled back or even attached to the keyboard in reverse for presentations. As a tablet, the 2-in-1 device will have a nine-hour battery life which is almost doubled to 17.5 hours when attacked to the keyboard and used as a notebook. The Portege Z20t's starting price is $1,399 4GB though Toshiba will also sell the tablet by itself, named the Portege WT20, for $899 but it doesn't come with the pen. For those looking to convert their laptop into a desktop environment, Toshiba is releasing the Dynadock 4K. The device will make it possible for a laptop to display on a dual HD monitor setup or a single 4K monitor. There are 6 USB 3.0 ports, two USB 3.0 sleeping charge ports in the front for charging mobile devices, and the laptop docking station can be placed horizontally or vertically. The Dynadock 4K will retail for $199 and will be released in January. Finally, Jimmy was able to see Toshiba's Canvio Cast Wireless Adapter which is currently available for $79.99. The wireless adapter will allow users to access the content of any portable USB hard drive from their mobile devices by adding wireless activity to the drive. The device, which requires an external power source, is compatible with iPad, iPhone, and Android mobile devices and will stream data such as images and video to the mobile devices or store data from a mobile device to the hard drive. Other products shown included the Transfer Jet adapters, portable hard drives, Canvio Basics drive, and an SD card with WiFi access point built in so be sure to check out the video to learn more about all of these products. Follow Sean on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| CES 2015: MSI Marries a Mechanical Keyboard to a Gaming Laptop [Video] Posted: 06 Jan 2015 11:25 AM PST  Proof that laptop keyboards don't need to suck
Over the course of the last couple of years, MSI has been taking the gaming laptop category by storm, and we've seen a lot of interesting offerings from the company. However, it's MSI's new GT80 Titan SLI-009 that has us intrigued. The company brought its latest system (along with several other goodies) to the Consumer Electronics Show, so we sent Online Managing Editor and resident gaming whiz Jimmy Thang to check things out. There's a lot going on with the GT80 -- obviously the inclusion of dual GPUs is notable, though hardly a first in the gaming laptop category. However, what is a first is the inclusion of a built-in mechanical keyboard rather than all those membrane planks that are so commonplace. SteelSeries is behind the design of the mechanical plank, which uses Cherry MX Brown switches that offer a light tactile response and are non-clicky (though not silent). You'll also notice that the trackpad is positioned to the right of the keyboard, not below it, so that it more closely resembles a desktop setup. In addition, if you tap the top left corner of the trackpad, it turns into a digital number pad with haptic feedback -- pretty snazzy! The space above the keyboard pops off to offer easy access to things like RAM and storage. That's a huge convenience compared to some systems that require almost a complete teardown to access internal parts. Also in the video below are some other gaming laptops and an interesting laptop dock that gives compatible laptops (in this case, the GS30) desktop graphics power at full speed PCI-E x16. Ah, but we're not finished touring MSI's booth! MSI has its hands in a lot of different product categories, and of course that includes motherboards. MSI showed off a new model featuring a USB 3.1 Type-C connector. Compared to USB 3.0, MSI demonstrated significantly faster transfer times via USB 3.0. Have a look: Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
