ASUS has finally confirmed the availability of the Eee PC 1005PR. The netbook is powered by the Broadcom Crystal HD graphics accelerator, which means that this Eee PC can smoothly play high definition quality videos. The ASUS Eee PC 1005PR also adopts a 10.1-inch LED Backlight WXGA Screen (1366 x 768), an Intel Atom Pineview N450 CPU, a 1GB of RAM, a 250GB of HDD with a500GB Asus Web Storage, the Broadcom BCM 70015 chipset, WLAN 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz, Bluetooth2.1 + EDR, a 6-cell battery with a 11.5-hour of battery life, and Microsoft Windows 7 Starer. [ASUS]
HP has begun selling their latest business notebook ‘ProBook 4320S’ via HP’s online store. At a starting price of $949, you’ll get yourself a 13.3-inch 1366 x 768 LED-backlit display, an Intel Core i3-330M 2.13GHz processor, an integrated Intel HD graphics card, a 2GB RAM, a 250GB hard drive, a 2MP webcam (optional), a DVD burner, a media card reader, WiFi, Bluetooth, a 6-cell battery and Windows 7 Home Premium OS. [HP]
Though many notebooks remain cool to the touch, others can feel like the steering wheel of a car that’s been parked in the sun for a few hours. We’ve recently tested some pretty warm machines, such as the HP Envy 15, which had a palm rest that reached a toasty 103 degrees during testing. The exhaust vent of our Toshiba Satellite T135D ($578.00) review unit measured a sweltering 125 degrees, and the 101-degree touchpad was too hot for comfort. So what exactly causes a notebook to get so warm? And what can manufacturers—and you—do to beat the heat?
Consequences of a Hot Notebook
A poorly cooled notebook is extremely uncomfortable to use. In fact, though heat-related injuries are rare, some systems actually carry warning labels. For example, many current Toshiba Satellites have stickers affixed to their bottoms which state: “Caution: PC base can become hot! Avoid prolonged contact to prevent heat injury to skin.”
Aside from burns, laptop heat is suspected as a risk factor for male infertility. A 2005 study conducted by a group of doctors at SUNY Stony Brook showed that male scrotal temperatures rose significantly—potentially killing or damaging sperm—after subjects used notebook computers for 60 minutes. Though the group concluded that just sitting with with one’s legs close together also can raise scrotal temperature, the damage potential was much greater with a computer on one’s lap actively emitting heat. Suzanne Kavic, MD, Loyola University’s director of reproductive endocrinology and infertility, noted that there’s not enough evidence to say how much, if any, notebook use would render a man infertile, but that the less heat a notebook emits, the better. “If you have a cooler running laptop, that can only help,” she said.
A notebook that gets too hot on the inside can also suffer component damage or reduced performance. “There’s a certain point in a system where they’ll get so hot that rather than melt down, the processor itself is designed to throttle,” said Matt Kohut, worldwide competitive analyst for Lenovo. “So rather than 2.2 GHz, it will run at 1.8 or 1.6 [GHz]. It will slow itself down, generating less heat. The problem is that you don’t get what you paid for.”
Causes of Heat
While the CPU is responsible for much of a given system’s heat, other factors come into play. “Hotter than the average processor are Graphics chips are responsible for processing all images sent to your computer?s display. Learn Morediscrete graphics chips,” said Kohut. “That’s going to be the hottest part of your system.” Other warm components include memory, voltage regulators, and wireless cards.
The amount of heat given off by a component will be the same no matter what notebook it’s used in. The differences from notebook to notebook, however, are based on air and heat flow within the system, the amount of power consumed, and notebook chassis material. While notebooks made from sleek-looking aluminum and other metals are increasingly popular, such systems tend to feel hotter. That’s because of differences in thermo-mechanical properties of the materials, according to Rajiv Mongia, principal engineer for Intel’s Thermal Technologies team. For example, an aluminum chassis will feel hotter to the touch than a plastic chassis of the same temperature.
“The aluminum chassis stores more heat by virtue of its thermal connectivity, its specific heat, and its density,” Mongia said. “So when you touch this aluminum, your hand reaches a temperature closer to that of the aluminum because of this thermal connectivity and the thermal density of the material.”
Manufacturers can cool aluminum skins with good air flow designs and by covering the exterior with less conductive materials. Unfortunately, some poorly cooled systems may rely on the metal surface to help dissipate heat that would otherwise harm internal components.
“A lot of vendors are essentially using their cases as giant heat sinks, which then go to your lap,” Lenovo’s Kohut said. “But when that metal gets hot to the touch, that’s unacceptable.”
When we reviewed the Toshiba E205 a few weeks ago, we were really impressed with Intel’s Wireless Display (WiDi) technology and its ability to transmit 720p video and quality audio to a home theater across the room. And last week, when we reviewed the Sony VAIO S Series, we liked the way it combined a slim, attractive design with WiDi support. But now that we’ve reviewed the Dell Studio 15z, our third notebook with WiDi, we’ve realized that not all of these systems are created equal.
Sure, the Dell Studio 15z has a powerful Core i5 CPU and it outputs 720p video flawlessly to your TV using WiDi, but is that enough to recommend it? At $949, it’s not cheap and, at 5.4-pounds with 15.6-inch screen, it’s not exactly portable either. With its Graphics chips are responsible for processing all images sent to your computer?s display. Learn Moreintegrated graphics chip, it’s no gaming phenom either.
The notebook does have a strong keyboard and loud, clear speakers, but is it worth the money? Read our full review of the Dell Studio 15z and decide for yourself.
On the heels of HP redesigning its small business-friendly line of laptops, Dell, too, announced new SMB notebooks. The Vostro 3000 series, announced today, includes 13-, 14-, 15-, and 17-inch models, and– surprise, surprise– will be available with Intel’s new Core i3, i5 ,and i7 processors.
The 13-inch 3300 starts at $788; the 14-inch 3400, $768; the 15-inch 3500, $768; and the 17-inch 3700, $798. If you opt for Graphics chips are responsible for processing all images sent to your computer?s display. Learn Morediscrete graphics (512MB video memory for the 13-15-inchers; 1GB of video memory for the 17-inch model), those starting prices skyrocket to $1,1127, $1,027, $977, and $1,007, respectively.
For the money (assuming you go with Graphics chips are responsible for processing all images sent to your computer?s display. Learn Moreintegrated graphics, that is), the notebooks attempt to combine fast performance with durability and the kind of tech support that businesses without dedicated IT departments need. Unlike with the Vostro V13, an ultra-low voltage small business notebook by Dell, the processor options here include standard-voltage Core i3, i5, and i7 processors, with quad-core CPUs available for the 17-inch Vostro 3700. All of them have a The storage device that holds your OS, programs, and data. Learn Morehard drive accelerometer, which parks the hard drive head in the event of a fall. All but the 13-inch 3300 have HDMI output.
Other niceties include backlit keyboards, along with optional hard drive encryption and fingerprint readers. The 15-inch 3500 will be offered with a touchscreen by April. The aluminum lid comes in three attactive colors: silver, bronze, and red, although to upgrade from silver to red or bronze, you’ll have to pay an extra $40, a distinction we wish Dell would stop making. While the hinges are made of zinc, another nice touch, the bottom is made of plastic, making this less rugged than a higher-end business notebook, such as the HP EliteBook 2540p, announced last week.
On the service side, companies can have access to a dedicated small business support line, at the cost of $79 per year per laptop. Users can also back up their data online using Dell DataSafe.
The notebooks are available in the U.S. and parts of Asia today, and will go on sale in Europe and Latin America on March 16. Not every size laptop will be available in every market, but U.S. customers, at least, will have their choice of all four sizes.
If you’re thinking of upgrading your small business’s laptops, check out our editor in chief Mark Spoonauer’s hands-on video below.
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