Laptops at Digital Experience Show NYC Roundup (pics)

We attended a media event tonight in which companies such as Gateway, IBM / Lenovo, HP, AMD, Targus and Toshiba were showing off their latest products. Following are a few of the sights and news bits we picked up while at the event.

HP / AMD

HP had their nx6125 business laptop on display that was announced last week. This laptop has the new AMD Turion 64 processor powering it (ML-28 1.6GHz processor). It is a 15" screen business style notebook, relatively thin at 1.22 inches and an average weight of 6lbs. HP emphasized their commitment to AMD processors and obviously feel that AMD will be a strong partner for them going forward.

HP nx6125 (view larger image)

HP nx6125 has rather bland look overall, but hey, it's a business notebook (view larger image)

Toshiba

Toshiba had on displayfour of their newer laptops. The Qosmio G25 multimedia notebook, new Satellite M55 budget/student targeted notebook, the ultraportablePortegeR200and the teeny tiny Libretto sub-notebook. The Qosmio costs close to $3,000 and has every multimedia port and feature you can imagine, including abuilt-in TV tuner. The 17" screen was quite stunning, along with the overall look. But, the hefty price tag is a bit of a turnoff.

Toshiba Qosmio G25 (view larger image)

The Toshiba Portege R200 was also on display, this notebook is Toshibas entry into the ultraportable arena, it replaced the R100. This is a very nice looking notebook with its silver finish. It sports a Pentium M 1.2GHz processor, is 2.7lbs in weight and has a 12.1" screen. The one disappointing thing we noticed was the amount of flex on the keyboard though, it was as springy as a trampoline.

Toshiba Portege R200 commemorative 20 year series look (view larger image)

If the R200 2.7lbs is too heavy for you, then there's always the sub-notebook class Toshiba Libretto. This thing is tiny -- too tiny in my humble opinion. It's way hard to type on with the integrated 60% sized keyboard, but you can attach a full size keyboard for when you're at your desk to counter that issue. The Libretto features a 7.2" WXGA screen, Pentium M 1.2GHz, Windows XP Pro OS, 60GB HD@ 4200 RPM all in a 2.2lb weight form. That's a lot for such a little thing.

The tiny Libretto (view larger image)

My hands aren't that big, but they sure didn't fit the Libretto keyboard (view larger image)

The Satellite M55 was also on display, it's a 14" screen notebook that's sort of on the budget side if you get it with an IntelCeleron processor where it starts ata price of $1,049. You can get up to a 100GB hard drive, super multi-DVD burner and TruBrite screen. Nothing special really, just a basic standard 14" notebook that doesn't deviate from any past Satellite look.

Toshiba Satellite M55 (view larger image)

Gateway

We recently reviewed the Gateway M680 17" screen notebook (http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2391) and thought highly of it, it's the lightest 17" screen notebook available in the U.S., it weighs about 7.1lb. Gateway told us that they would be releasing this notebook with the nVidia Go 6800 graphics processor with 128MB VRAM in a couple of weeks. This will make the M680 a nice notebook to consider as a gaming laptop.

Gateway M680 Desktop Replacement Style Notebook (view larger image)

Gateway also told us that they would be introducing a new Tablet PC / Notebook in the fall that will be similar to and a competitor of the Toshiba R15 Tablet PC currently being sold.

IBM / Lenovo

IBM / Lenovowas showing off their X41 (IBM ThinkPad X41 Review), R52, T43 (IBM ThinkPad T43 Review)and X41 Tablet PC notebooks. We keep busting their chops as to what they want to be called now with the Lenovo merger, but those guys just wouldn't give us a straight answer. So we'll just keep going with the IBM / Lenovo label. Or is it Lenovo / IBM?

As a side note, theIBM reps choseto make fun of this site for posting a picture of the X41 Tablet PC in front of a blue couch. We very much so like this picture and so here it is again:

Who put that darn X41 Tablet PC on the foot rest?

 

Wow, that Toshiba Libretto looks like something straight out of 1998, with the boxy styling and the bezel that's way, way to wide. Why didn't they make the screen a little bigger? And I assume it's sitting on some sort of expansion base in those pictures, right? 'Cause if it isn't, that's the most awkward design I've ever seen.

 

yeah, especially with the first pic. It looks old, but then you look at the size..But generally I didnt like the style of the Toshiba's. They all look akward to me

 

The X41 has that rookie mistake of bezel , didn't they think the tablet surface should be smooth , I really hoped for more of IBM , it took them long enough I hoped it would be perfect ( not enough buttons on top btw ) .

I didn't get the couch thing ,
Is it that IBM are a lazy bunch of potato couch ?
Or do they mean the IBM logo is as ugly as that sofa ?

Please enlighten me ..

 

I saw the Liberreto at a local Best Buy and Holy, I honestly do NOT see anyone using that.

I guess it's just something to put Toshiba's name back into the market..

 

Well, the couch thing was taken quite innocently but then since it's blue it sticks out so much and IBM reps actually asked us why we had done that, and sort of laughed at it. No meaning to be taken from it really.

 

Yes, it is on an expansion base in this picture which raises up a little. Good observation!

 

btw, the Libretto was available in the U.S. a few years back and continued to be available in Japan where the smaller sized remained popular. Honestly I don't know how long this reintroduction will last in the U.S. Obviously most peoples reactions to this are "it's too small"

 

I tried typing on the dang thing and have to tell you it's near impossible. And I get along perfectly with the keyboard on my 10.6" P7000.

 

There is such a thing as too small....and that Toshiba is it!

 

holy cow, I don't see who would buy that. I guess it would be useful for some business travelers who just need the touchpad to show other people some stuff on a program and they prob. watch DVDs on the plane Iguess. Other than that, it's pretty useless!

 

Why would anyone even buy the Libretto? Why I ask you?