Innovative Dual-core Notebooks Debut at CES
Interested in a Centrino Duo laptop? We've got the low-down on a slew of new models.
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Monday, January 9, 2006; 3:10 AM
LAS VEGAS -- Hard on the heels of Intel's unveiling here of its Centrino Duo mobile technology platform (previously code-named Napa), came a slew of notebook makers' announcements of hardware making use of the new technology.
Centrino Duo technology boasts a faster frontside bus (now at 667MHz, up from 533MHz), memory that matches the frontside bus speed, a new chip set (the 945 GM/PM), and Intel's new wireless 802.11 a/b/g technology. But the centerpiece of the platform is Intel's new Core Duo dual-core mobile processors, formerly dubbed Yonah.
The processors come in two main lines: the T line for mainstream notebooks, and the L line of low-voltage models intended for ultralight laptops. The T line will range from the 1.66-GHz T2300 to the 2.16-GHz T2600; the L line will initially have two variants, the 1.5-GHz L2300 and the 1.66-GHz L2400.
Like the Pentium M line, Intel's previous generation of mobile processors, all of the new chips also offer a 2MB cache. In addition, the systems feature Intel power-management technology that can shut down one of the processor cores if the application workload is light, thereby improving notebook battery life.
Before we discuss these new laptops, take a look at our exclusive tests of dual-core notebooks from HP and Dell that show the models tested to be multitasking powerhouses.
Acer introduced two new notebook products equipped with Intel's new Centrino Duo platform.
The Aspire 5670 will be available in a few different configurations starting at $1499, but the flagship model will feature 2GB of DDR2 memory, a 120GB hard disk, and an ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 graphics controller pushing a maximum resolution of 1200 by 800 to the 15.4-inch display.
An adjustable 1.3-megapixel CMOS camera is built into the lid just above the display and works with Acer's bundled face tracking and video conferencing software. Acer also includes its own easy-to-use software that can encrypt confidential files, backup, recover and optimize the hard disk, and adjust system settings in just a few clicks.
Included Aspire Arcade software brings together multimedia viewing and authoring tools which work with the unit's double layer DVD writer and media card reader.
Acer also showcased its dual-core TravelMate 8200 notebook. It offers similar specifications to the Aspire 5650, including the same new camera functionality and system tools, but ships with superior 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics delivering a resolution of 1680 by 1050 to its 15.4-inch screen.
