Type: Gaming, General Purpose, Media, ValueOperating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo E4700
Processor Speed: 2.6 GHz
RAM: 2 GB
Weight: 6.9 lb
Screen Size: 15.4 inches
Screen Size Type: widescreen
Graphics Card: nVidia GeForce 8600M GT
Storage Capacity: 250 GB
Networking Options: 802.11n
Primary Optical Drive: Dual-Layer DVD+/-RW
The art of customizing, configuring, and branding a PC is not an easy task. Boutique vendors like Alienware and Voodoo PC have made a name for themselves by putting together high-end, specialty PCs. A byproduct of their success is that they were acquired by larger companies (Dell HP, respectively). Independently owned velocity Micro is another recognizable name in custom building, one known to attract power users and big spenders. Occasionally, though, the company comes out with a bargain aimed at students; one of these is the Velocity Micro NoteMagix C90 Ultra Campus Edition
Velocity Micro NoteMagix C90 Ultra Campus Edition ($999 direct), a desktop-replacement laptop. This tongue twister runs an actual desktop processor, a speedy nVidia graphics card, and a built-in TV tuner. Despite doing all of this for under a grand, the C90 doesn't outperform many of the current laptop models, and its battery life is appalling. Battery life was the biggest disappointment. Despite the drastic cooling measures, the 53-Wh battery was simply no match for the scorching heat coming from the processor. A battery score of 1 hour 30 minutes is not enough for a 15-inch laptop. Making matters worse is a temperature reading of 115 degrees Fahrenheit at the system's base, which is too warm for any kind of lap work.
The 15.4-inch widescreen sports a 1,680-by-1,050 resolution, higher than that of both the Dell 15 and the Toshiba Satellite A305-S6845. The result is a noticeably better movie, photo, and video experience. The Acer Aspire 6920G-6071's 16-inch widescreen, however, gives you more physical screen space for your money. The C90 Ultra's keyboard looks generic and is not as well built as the keyboards on the Dell 15 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Y510. The C90 Ultra runs an nVidia GeForce 8600M GT mobile graphics card, the same card as the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Penryn), so it was able to generate very good scores on our 3D benchmark tests. Its 3DMark 06 scores were on a par with those of both the Dell 15 and the Acer 6920G
The one feature that stands out is the built-in ATSC TV tuner, which is similar to that on the HP dv5t. Once you connect the external antenna, you can pick up free, over-the-air high-definition channels, provided you're close enough to a TV station or tower. You can also find an HDMI-out port for external display hookups, and a five-in-one card reader. An eSATA port is present for external storage solutions, even though the included 250GB hard drive is probably big enough for all your media files. It comes with a dual-layer DVD burner, which is overshadowed by the BD-ROM (Blu-ray drive) that the Acer 6920G offers at a lower price point.
Running an actual desktop processor on a laptop sounds impressive on paper, but the 2.6-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E4700 is based on a 65nm core, not a 45nm core like the latest Intel Penryn ones. Although its SYSmark 2007 Preview Overall score of 110 is admirable, the Dell 15 beats that number by 10 percent. The ASUS M50Sa-A1 and the Toshiba A305 also achieved better SYSmark 2007 Preview Overall performance scores. The system did better on video-encoding tests, however, achieving a score of 1 minute 9 seconds, but it still trails the Dell 15 by 3 seconds
The 15.4-inch widescreen sports a 1,680-by-1,050 resolution, higher than that of both the Dell 15 and the Toshiba Satellite A305-S6845. The result is a noticeably better movie, photo, and video experience. The Acer Aspire 6920G-6071's 16-inch widescreen, however, gives you more physical screen space for your money. The C90 Ultra's keyboard looks generic and is not as well built as the keyboards on the Dell 15 and the Lenovo IdeaPad Y510. The C90 Ultra runs an nVidia GeForce 8600M GT mobile graphics card, the same card as the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Penryn), so it was able to generate very good scores on our 3D benchmark tests. Its 3DMark 06 scores were on a par with those of both the Dell 15 and the Acer 6920G
The one feature that stands out is the built-in ATSC TV tuner, which is similar to that on the HP dv5t. Once you connect the external antenna, you can pick up free, over-the-air high-definition channels, provided you're close enough to a TV station or tower. You can also find an HDMI-out port for external display hookups, and a five-in-one card reader. An eSATA port is present for external storage solutions, even though the included 250GB hard drive is probably big enough for all your media files. It comes with a dual-layer DVD burner, which is overshadowed by the BD-ROM (Blu-ray drive) that the Acer 6920G offers at a lower price point.
Running an actual desktop processor on a laptop sounds impressive on paper, but the 2.6-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E4700 is based on a 65nm core, not a 45nm core like the latest Intel Penryn ones. Although its SYSmark 2007 Preview Overall score of 110 is admirable, the Dell 15 beats that number by 10 percent. The ASUS M50Sa-A1 and the Toshiba A305 also achieved better SYSmark 2007 Preview Overall performance scores. The system did better on video-encoding tests, however, achieving a score of 1 minute 9 seconds, but it still trails the Dell 15 by 3 seconds
