In other parts of the world though, now’s the time that PC manufacturers bring out some amazing laptops for the back to school crowd and the upcoming winter holidays. HP has just released the second update this year for its HP Pavilion dm1 Notebook PC. This is a consumer notebook featuring either a glossy finish or HP’s Soft-touch Imprint design, plus Beats Audio and the HP Premier Experience — a set of innovations designed to improve on the Microsoft Windows experience.
If you’re going to buy one of these, do get it with the HP Soft-touch Imprint technology. This is a unique printing process that creates a soft-to-the-touch surface by inlaying graphics into a rubber skin that covers the notebook’s exterior. For the dm1, this results in an ash black design that offers a velvety finish, which not only provides a tactile experience, but also collects fewer fingerprints compared to glossy surfaces.
The dm1 features an 11.6-inch high-definition LED display, and its built-in HP TrueVision HD webcam captures high-quality images even in low-light conditions. This compact machine has a range of storage options and also packs power with the latest AMD E-Series Accelerated Processing Units and AMD Radeon HD discrete-class graphics to enable crisper and more vivid video playback. Thin and light, the dm1 measures less than 1-inch thick in front and weighs 3.52 pounds. With the addition of HP Beats Audio, a unique, high-performance technology developed by HP and Beats by Dr. Dre, the Pavilion dm1 offers high-quality entertainment for mobile users at about $400.
The second laptop that we’re featuring today is Toshiba’s Portégé Z830 Series Ultrabook. Weighing less than 2.5 pounds and featuring a 0.63-inch (15.9 mm) profile, the Ultrabook is clad in a light, yet durable magnesium alloy casing that is reinforced with an enhanced Honeycomb Rib design and new internal structures that provide shock absorption and increased rigidity.
Supporting the latest second Generation Intel Core processors and equipped with a 128GB solid state drive, the Ultrabook is responsive, durable and energy efficient. The Portégé Z830 Series is built with a host of convenience-driven features such as a full-size LED backlit and spill-resistant keyboard that makes typing easy in low light conditions and helps guard against accidents. The Ultrabook also includes Toshiba’s USB Sleep & Charge technology to give users the freedom to power up their smartphones even while the system is powered down. Stereo speakers with enhanced audio technology from Waves Audio make the Portégé Z830 ideal for listening to music, watching movies and video chatting. Portégé Z830 Series Ultrabook systems will be available in November 2011, priced starting at under $1,000.
Thin is definitely in this year, with Samsung also bringing out its Series 7 laptop line which aims to empower both savvy consumers and design conscience business users, allowing them to accomplish more in less time. The Series 7 has a beautiful brushed-aluminum body, under one-inch thick, smooth lines and a thin bezel screen. Series 7 machines are available in 13-inch or 15.6-inch HD+ (1600 x 900) high resolution. Samsung’s latest Max Screen technology allows Series 7 users to experience up to an extra inch of viewing without sacrificing mobility or portability, with the 14-inch display being contained within the form factor traditionally associated with a 13-inch model. Series 7 machines run on Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processors with an AMD Radeon HD6750M graphics card.
Samsung’s exclusive Easy Settings make it effortless to connect the Series 7 to new wireless networks, projectors and more by giving users easy access to commonly used PC settings, resulting in stress-free business travel and presentations. Samsung Easy Migration allows users to seamlessly transfer existing files to the new laptop by connecting their old PC to the Series 7, launching and starting Easy Migration and letting the PC do the rest. The Samsung Series 7 will be available starting October 2 and will retail for $1,000 to $1,300.
Now, we’ve just shown you three desirable laptops, but they’re all missing one thing — color. That’s where Lenovo introduces a winner in its limited-edition Clementine Orange IdeaPad U300s Ultrabook. This luxury laptop is designed for individuals who take technology and fashion seriously. Featuring up to an Intel Core i7 processor, the U300s has a 13.3” 16:9 widescreen HD display, 4GB DDR3 memory and up to 256GB of SSD storage. At just 0.6 inches (14.9mm) thick, the U300s is built from a single-piece aluminum shell to create a lightweight product weighing in at less than three pounds. Its Clementine Orange color has been applied through an electrolytic process, and sandblasted to create a perfect, scratch-resistant coating.
Other smart technologies in the U300s include the one-of-a-kind Breathable Keyboard, an Intel Advanced Cooling Technology that allows air to flow in through the keyboard and out of the sides and rear hinge. This design removes the need for vents on the underside of the notebook. That means it won’t heat up your lap and can even be set on a pillow or soft surface safely. The U300s starts at $1,200 and becomes available in November.
