Asus’ N61 range consists of multimedia machines featuring powerful components and the latest features, including Asus’ own SonicMaster technology standards.

This is also one of the first laptops we’ve seen to feature USB 3.0, the next generation of USB technology. The N61J is a powerful machine for the multimedia user, but there are a few issues here as well. One of the laptop’s key selling points is the aforementioned SonicMaster standards.

We found that while the stereo effect was impressive, sound wasn’t as good across the full audio spectrum, and tracks generally lacked bass and depth. Although better than most laptops, we still wouldn’t use this machine as a replacement for desktop speakers.

In our experience with the N61J, the technology worked as advertised. When running our gaming benchmarks, the discrete card kicked in without any effort on our part. Unfortunately, Optimus couldn’t elevate the N61J’s gaming performance beyond middling. The notebook’s GeForce GT 325M might be based on a new GPU architecture using a smaller 40nm process, but the mainstream card is still an amateur compared to the older GTX 260M in our zero-point notebook. Moderately demanding games like Far Cry 2 are playable, to be sure, but only when run at the notebook’s native 1366×768 resolution with quality set at medium, which yielded 36.75fps.

The N61J is more impressive at productivity chores. Its 2.26GHz Core i5-430M is part of Intel’s new Arrandale family of mobile processors. It’s built on the same 32nm process as Intel’s Clarkdale desktop procs, which include an integrated graphics chip in the CPU. There are numerous other improvements the Core i5 chips offer over the Core 2 Duo, with integrated memory controller, better power management, and HyperThreading among the most noteworthy. So, despite its 800MHz clock disadvantage, the Core i5-430M performed slightly better than our zero-point’s 3.06GHz Core 2 Duo Mobile T9900 CPU in all the content creation benchmarks that are multithread-friendly. Photoshop shows no such bias, leaving the older Core 2 Duo out front.

Red Fox, just like the other home grown names like Blue and Neo, is a ubiquitous brand with the masses in parts of the Philippines. While the latter two are brands who are focusing on notebook computers, Red Fox has been around earlier providing pre-configured and assembled desktop computers and in recent years, notebooks. What we have is one of their recent notebook models that propose a balance between value and mobility: the Red Fox Razer WR113.

From the way things are going, it’s headed for competition from the netbooks and sub notebooks on the lower end of the scale, and its mainstream peers on the other when one takes a glance at its base offering and price. What exactly differentiates this product from what the competition is offering? That’s what we’ll find out.

It looks simple, even with its glossy, blue finish. There’s nothing about the WR113’s looks that will make heads turn.

This notebook sports a 13.3-inch display and a rather wide keyboard that almost takes up the whole width of the computer – a plus, as it does make typing easier which could be an issue in some thin-and-lights. The WR113 is also a bit on the heavy side, tipping the scales at around 1.8kg.

In terms of ports, this Red Fox offers pretty much what you would expect from this kind of notebook. It has HDMI, VGA, and mic ports, a 3.5-mm headphone jack, and 2 USB ports located at the right side of the computer. A 1.3-megapixel webcam sits atop the display, offering basic video-chat capabilities. A 2.5-inch-long vent lines up the left side, constantly blowing up warm air from the computer’s guts.

Typical Apple, the Macbook pro’s presentation was as meticulously done as the beauty of this device. Popping the box open was a breeze and there she was, the 2010 13-inch Macbook Pro wrapped in box perfection and guarded by a thin layer of plastic. The box and the wrapping speaks of obsessiveness for perfection. It didn’t take too long to breach that. A casual observer would find the plastic and the keyboard guard in a pile.

It was cold. The slab of unibody aluminum was great to the touch. The edges were almost sharp. It felt like a slab, which after all it was. That is, until one popped the lid open, and pressing the power button the machine quickly lit up.

About this MacThe process was quiet. The 2010 Macbook pro is as quiet as a ninja. And like all virgin Macs, the registration process rolled in. It asked if it should pickup from a time machine backup, or upgrade from an existing mac. Far from the cave, the choice was obvious one that no, this wouldn’t be about migrating from one mac to the next. In less than five minutes, Mac OS X’s introduction video flew in.

Nearly a year has passed since Apple released its updated 15-inch MacBook Pro , featuring a unibody aluminum construction, SD Card slot, and a longer-lasting lithium ion battery. Now, the Cupertino-based company has  incorporated a few important upgrades under the hood to supercharge this elegant machine (starting at $1,799; $2,199 as configured). These enhancements include the long-awaited Intel Core i7 processor, capable of overclocking on the fly, and automatic graphics-switching technology that makes moving from integrated to discrete graphics mode all but invisible to the user. Best of all, even with the jump from Core 2 Duo to Core i7, Apple has managed to deliver all-day battery life. These are collectively welcome improvements, but are they enough to justify the premium? Yup.

Asus partners with designer Karim Rashid on the Eee PC Seashell Karim Rashid Collection unveiled at the CES 2010. The Asus Eee PC Seashell Karim Rashid Collection is the realization of Karim’s vision of computing—one that is more sensual, more human, and ultimately more hip.

Karim’s inspired touch is evident in every inch of these ultra slim and light netbooks, from the fluid waves of the exterior design to the advanced soft-to-the-touch materials that will redefine how people perceive netbooks.

The Eee PC Seashell Karim Rashid Collection features a breathtaking design that includes a 10.1″ frameless LED backlit display and an ergonomic chiclet keyboard. This beauty is matched by its computing prowess. It features the new power-saving Intel Atom N450 CPU, which works in tandem with ASUS’ exclusive Super Hybrid Engine energy management technology to deliver 6 hours of battery life on a single charge.

The Karim Rashid runs on a Windows 7 OS, and it’s a little sluggish. We gave it the ultimate test (ahem, Facebook games), and even then, it’s noticeably slow, but tolerable nonetheless. Its 1GB RAM and 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor tell us it can be much speedier with earlier-released operating systems, which is a good thing. Now if official distributors actually give customers an option to upgrade the RAM to 2GB (and they usually do, sometimes even for free), then we’re talking.

When everything is said and done, this Eee PC still is a design-centric netbook and should not be expected to crunch numbers like other similarly priced computers.

Key Specifications

Processor: 1.66GHz Intel Atom N450
Memory: 2GB RAM
Storage: 320GB hard drive
Optical Drive: None
Screen: 10.1 inches (1,024×600 native resolution)
Graphics: Integrated Intel GMA 3150
Weight: 2.5 pounds
Dimensions (HWD): 1×10.3×7 inches
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (32-bit)

The VAIO F VPCF116FG is huge. It measures in at 387.2 x 263 x 31mm, and easily dwarfs most notebooks. The size isn’t wasted, though—it packs a 16.4-inch wide (Full HD 1920 x 1080) TFT color display and a whole array of ports and slots you could possibly ask for. There are no signs of pretentiousness in the lid design—simple, matte black with the requisite VAIO lettering is what you get. Sony has opted to go with island-style keys this time around, and since there’s plenty of real estate, a full-sized keyboard complete with a number pad came built in. The wrist rest looks vaguely covered with leather, with the trackpad embedded slightly off center.

And while the VAIO F VPCF116FG isn’t eye candy, it’s equipped with impressive hardware. Most of the number crunching is handled by an Intel Core i7-720QM Processor running at 1.60 GHz (with turbo boost up to 2.80 GHz). An NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M GPU with CUDA technology handles any graphic rendering tasks that you might want to throw at it. To cap it all off, the VAIO F VPCF116FG has a 4GB DDR3 SDRAM, 500GB of hard disk space and a Blu-ray optical disk drive.

This laptop is large enough that the keyboard even has a numeric keypad, as well as space for a generously-size trackpad. The keys are well-spaced, and are very easy to type with. The satisfying click each press produces made typing this review a very pleasurable experience. Sony’s design cleverly integrates the power button on the right side of the hinge, and the port for the power cord on the opposite side.

With a high-capacity 6-cell battery, the F Series can last for around two-and-a-half hours without external power, even with everything on, and with the screen at full brightness. That’s long enough to play at least one HD movie that takes full advantage of the laptop’s 1920 x 1080 (full HD) 16.4? display.

Equipped with the latest Quad Core CPU, the Intel®  Core™ i7 Processor plus the latest NVIDIA® GeForce® GPU. The Full HD display lets you enjoy viewing of HD video and photos. The classy top panel of Premium Black features a two-layer finish with pearl black covered by a clear layer.

• Intel® Core™ i7-720QM Processor 1.60 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 2.80 GHz
• Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium (64-bit)
• 16.4″ wide (Full HD: 1920 x 1080) VAIO Display + Full HD 1080
• NVIDIA® GeForce® GT 330M GPU with CUDA™ Technology
• Blu-ray Disk™ Combo Drive
• Advanced Connectivity:eSATA/USB port, HDMI output connect