Results tagged “Computers” from All Good Things

There is only one acid-test for a great gaming notebook: Run it by my son, Nicholas, who has been flaying aliens with lasers since dinosaurs roamed the planet. The fact that he is monopolizing the new MSI GX630 is a very good sign that it looks, performs and sounds as good as it gets. Gamers are downright perturbable when it comes to graphics processing, but don't generally have the deep pockets to afford an ace system, which is why this entry from MSI is so attractive: at $799, it's affordable, portable and sacrifices little when it comes to performance.

The 630 has a bright, 15.4-inch, 1280 X 800 display, which does its job ably when it comes to sulfurous explosions or detailed natural settings. And the 2-megapixel webcam above the display delivers exceptionally good video quality during Web chats. Peripherals are no problem, with ports like HDMI, eSATA, three USB 2.0 jacks as well as Gigabit Ethernet and Firewire available along the perimeter of the notebook.

This six-pounder (without cheese) is fairly light for a gaming system, and includes a dual AMD 2.3-Ghz chipset and 4GB of RAM to give it some zip. And the GeForce 9600 GT graphics processor delivers great resolution. There is no Blu-Ray option at this price-point, and the battery life could certainly use improvement, but otherwise, dollar for dollar this is a winner. Unless you want to drop $3K-plus on an Alienware box, this should do the trick nicely for your favorite nephew this Xmas.

No, it's not a new late night comedy show with a big-jawed goomba at the wheel, the IdeaCentre A600 is a snazzy all-in-one desktop loaded with bells, whistles and kazoos to boot. No, thank goodness, it doesn't do an opening monologue. It will, however, warn you if you get too close to the screen for safety. Yes, Hal, I will drink my Tang now, too....

If coolness and sleek lines were all that mattered, we at AGT would give this baby the Raymond Loewy Award straightaway. Easily mistaken for a compact, James Bondian flatscreen TV, the A600 features a 21.5" viewing area, comes with Vista Home Premium and a matched pair of 2GHz Intel processors. Four gigs of RAM insure mega-multi-tasking ability and zippy performance. The slot-loading optical drive is so seamlessly integrated you could almost overlook it at first. And the screen tilts 15 degrees forward and 5 back depending on personal preference.

The A600 signals a quantum leap forward for Lenovo, whose major impact heretofore has been among suit-and-tie types. This streamlined beauty is equally useful at home as at the sweatshop, and will satisfy gamers as well as HD-movie watchers with its crisp, 1920X1080 resolution. The high end units will also spin Blu-Ray discs. Adding to its Cool Quotient is the multi-function media remote/gyroscopic mouse/VOIP handset/game controller, layer-caking the all-in-oneness of this incomparable machine. Wireless keyboard, yes, wireless mouse, of course, looks great, sounds great -- what else could one ask for except two toaster slots and a loaf of bread?