Lamborghini VX2 at CES

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=36763

A picture of the new VX2. It sems to be related to the V2, but supposedly includes a Go 7700. So I guess this could well be the "gaming" replacement to the W3J while the regular V2 is the "professional" replacement.

 

The pics make it look pretty dusty but it's pretty sweet looking, I like the side speaker and it's 'grilles'.

 

I don't know if you missed my comment the other about this or not, but one thing I left out was the Vx2 design that Lambo had been working up on paper, was scrapped in early December. I had heard they were looking into the possibilities of shoving a bigger graphics card into the V2 and seperating it by putting a sideshow display one of them (most likely the Vx2, but at a later time when they manage to shrink the thickness needed), but at some point the truely innovative ideas that Lambo brought to the table apparently proved to be too different for the market and too expensive to produce alone. Basically though, the V2 isn't even complete, and the idea to move the Vx2 over to the V2 platform only came last month.

The Vx2 was ALWAYS supposed to be a 14" WXGA+, and by giving the Vx2 a new 256mb x1450 and a 3g wireless card - it left room in Asus' range for a system perhaps spec'd out with a higher end graphics card and most likely one that drops the 3g card ($500 value they could put somewhere else).

The did bring over two things I really liked about Lambo's original free flowing Vx2, which was designed around their new Miura concept from last spring.... Unfortunately that concept was canned as it was very retro, and I think that help can their original design for this notebook as well. So basically that unit is a non working V2 which was sent out for paint and leather...... it's very, very rough now, but after seeing the the quality of the paint on the Vx1 and the quality of the leather on the S6.... having the option to dock it and of course to use the 3g wireless card out of the V2, and an even nicer high end gpu...it makes me think my next long term notebook will likely be the Vx2 instead of the V2.... we'll have to see.

This WILL be the flagship model for Asus and will have a little of everything that makes Asus' models great - in a much more common (for the portable market) 14" widescreen, if anything will fully replace the W3, it will be this model.


All in all, I'm a little down that we won't see the original Vx2 design in a physically working notebook, but Asus has put a lot of money into their new V1/V2 docking station - and guess what - the Vx2 will be able to use it.........

 

The 'dustiness' is actually the leather on the palmrest, I think.

And I will assume that this will be 2500 - 2800, just like the last one....Well, it was perfect up till that point. I guess I will have to stick to buying a Ferrari of some kind. Wont someone make like a Porsche notebook that offers the same performance for half the price, like in the real world? Or at least around $1600? I love the car branding though, it is the only thing that keeps the Acer Ferrari and Asus Lambo on my dream laptop list, theres not that much special about the specs. This is different though, its like an A8Js with better build and styling.

The Miura concept was hot, one of the best concepts I saw last year. I would love to see the laptop that was based on it.

 

Totally... I almost lost it when I saw the new Miura concept and I don't mind the retro look when done right (ie: the new camaro ss over the shelby gt500).. The original Miura was THE first supercar with a mid-engine layout... As much as I'd dream them bringing it back based on that concept, I really loved the look of the sketchs for the Vx2 from last summer...... basically if you know the Miura concept, just picture that as a notebook.... a lot of fluid and curvy lines.... with all the same quality, performance and features you'd expect from an Asus notebook - just out of the mind of the Lambo desgin studios instead of Asus design. I was hoping for the Vx2 to then also be offered in that beautiful lemon/lime yellowish green color as well...

I'm sure the price point will be high, but I know it'll be much more justified on this model and I don't think anything will come near it in terms of overall value.... much like Asus' other systems. Expensive yes, but worth it. Of course you have to have money to fully understand that... if you don't and can't afford the computer you really won't care much if it's worth every penny that you don't have....

 

Yes, that was the problem with the W3J as well. They are great, and they are worth the money, but I am a poor college student and anything more expensive than an A8J or a W7J is overbudget.

The problem with Asus' take on the supercar laptops is that they look too much like the model that they are based on. Like with the VX1, it was just a V6J with a couple of Lambo badges and a Yellow paint. This, too, appears to be the same way, looking like a repainted V2, except this has a better video card. If you look at the Acer Ferrari models, they have been totally different than anything in their lineup, especially the 1000 series. The 4000 and 5000 look nearly the same, but the only thing that approaches them in the other Acer models is the 8204, but even that is quite different. The fact that they use slow AMD processors is a different matter, but they are differentiated in the lineup and look like they were designed exclusively. Asus Lambo looks like just a refinishing.

They should have made the Miura as an Enzo beater, with a 700hp version of their V12.

 

Well, that was supposed to be the difference.. the Vx1 was supposed to build the brand name for lambo on laptops..... something like 85-90% of the people who bought the Vx1, actually bought 2..... and most of those people were Lambo owners that bought them through their dealership... They're not meant to go head to head... Asus fans know the Vx1 was based on the V6, but those looking at the Vx1 typically don't know or care - it's marketed to a higher level of consumer. That aside, the Vx2 was ideally supposed to be this completely new chassis that was mostly designed by Lambo to bring something "fresh" into the notebook design world.... apparently the actual cost of production is what changed that... for a model that is going to be rather limited in it's production anyway, this is probably the way to go as simply the production costs on a run of maybe 3,000 world wide would make the price tag go through the roof..... Basing it on the V2 allows them to spread the cost of production over a much wide base and over at least the next three years...... whereas the Vx2 may only last a year or so as a model.

Basically, there is still hope down the road for Lambo to jump in with their own model much like this was supposed to be, but perhaps they're doing one thing at a time. At least with this model we start to introduce leather and hopefully (fingers crossed), one of, if not the highest end graphics cards in a 14" notebook in the world....... Since the A8js and W3jp are basically two of the best there are out there right now, to be on that level but with the next generation of gpus would be great.

But one thing you also have to keep in mind is that Asus designs and builds better chassis than Acer any day of the week..... I'd rather a V6 than a Vx1, but truth be told, I already knew the V2 would be my next long term notebook (that's a big deal since I have just about 55-60 Asus models in my personal collection and have only used about 6-7 "long term" over the last six years)....

I totally agree with you about the Miura and that's exactly what it would have done.... a $600k car which would have handled the dated Enzo in a second... Lambo's boss said their not about looking to the past... but rather the future.... I love the look of the current lambo's, but as "retro" as the new Muria concept was, that was totally fresh and personally I think sexier than fordGT, which in terms of retro anything... art.. that design simply makes the older version look ahead of it's time... which in my eyes is totally different than simply making something look like an older model to bring back their hay days.... Come on.. the original Muria is known as simply one of the best pieces of design as an object over the last century... If you can improve it and bring it into 2007, why the heck not?!

 

Interesting discussion/conversation.

When I first set my eyes on the V1, I knew it was going to be my first notebook. Now I am already thinking ahead for my next notebook.

V2 or Vx2, leaning more to the V2 because I am hoping for 4+ hours of battery life with the Santa Rosa Platform + X1450 or something like that.

Here's a link I found, I think it is rather interesting, since it shows the specs of the V2 already! http://www.funponsel.com/blog/archives/2006/12/11/asus-v2-laptop-with-hsdpa/

I wouldn't mind getting the VX2 if the price was right, and if battery life was good, but I have my reserves about it. Plus the weight of the V2 is 5lbs, once again probably a little underweight, but most likely 5.2lbs. Curious to what the Vx2 would weigh.

And I am obviously looking for something smaller, cooler, quieter and more battery life, without the sacrifice of too much.

PS: I use my V1JP as my back up gaming device, just in case all 3 of my computers are in use, so my next notebook, the V2 doesn't have to be a total gaming laptop, but I wouldn't mind running Vista.

Thanks,

MysticGolem

 

... you know what's more interesting? We had the specs up a month ago, with more of an accrurate idea of the configuration we'll end up seeing.... but regardless, the V2 as is, is meant to be the logical combination between the W3 and V6 (which were basically fraternal twins to begin with)... Yes, the graphics card isn't as high end as the current x1600 in the W3, but that was a little overboard for the purpose of that model.... the 1450 is however better than t he 7400 in the V6. It's a business machine, but highend business at that... We should see W3 like battery life at the very worst, which shouldn't be much of a problem..... but then again, yes the Vx2 would be a little "worse" when it comes to heat, noise, and battery life, but it shouldn't be "bad" by any stretch, just worse.... but performance would then also be through the roof as well..... a trade off a lot of people wouldn't mind making if that's what they're looking for.

In the end though, regardless of V1 / V2 / Vx2..... Asus' power station dock is simply amazing... it's Asus' first shot at their own full docking station and they score an easy A+ not only in features and design (which you can all see of course online), but it's a solid unit which seems like it can take a beating... and that's what I'd consider one of the best features of all of these models.

 

Yes, I was in no way implying that the Acers were better overall, but the Acers seemed markedly improved over the basic model, in both styling and performance, whereas the VX1 did not. The VX2 seems great with its Go7700, if they can do a bit better on the styling than they did on the VX1. At the very least, the interior will be different, and the specs will be much improved.

 

I b waiting for the V2

 

Right... well the Acer Ferrari model is the only acer I'd ever even consider suggesting to anyone...... I still wouldn't sell it because I know I can't trust Acer's motherboards...... With Asus, you've got top of the line already... It's one reason why I thought the idea of letting Lambo do 80% of the design would have been nice, because not only would it be different, but it would compliment the other lines..... but bring a little more european thinking and design to the table. The V2 and Vx2 will never been seen in the same place..they'll be like clark kent and superman..... So, it won't be a big deal.

But like I said, the Vx1 was step one in informing the people at large that Lamborghini was into laptops........ the quickest and cheapest way of doing that was to take an already fantastic and well designed system and modify it bit..... I never agreed with what they did, but I understood and it turned out to be a good idea because they instantly had a notebook that would review well and it got them in the game..... Things are just moving a little slower than I thought they would. The Vx2 was supposed to be out by last Fall, but then again it was not orginally going to be based on the V2 either....

 

X1450 is way off of X1700 and 7700...

 

I am definitely aware that the X1450 is roughly half as powerful than the X1700 and Go 7700, that's why I wouldn't mind getting the V2 with a X1450, than the Vx2 with a Go 7700 because I already own a V1J with a X1700. Plus I want something lighter and want more battery life. Plus i am planning on purchasing my next notebook around December, so once again, I don't mind waiting for things to come about.

Thanks,

MysticGolem