Intel Core i5 680 news

Stealth.com Unveils Intel Core-Based Mini PC

By HotHardware, published 04-03-2012

Stealth.com is pumped about its latest mini PC, calling it “the most powerful and advanced small form PC we have offered to date.” There’s a case to be made there, as the tiny LPC-680 LittlePC (6.5 x 6 x 2 inches) supports Intel Core i3/i5/i7 Sandy Bridge processors and sports 8GB of DDR3 memory, and a 2.5-inch 750GB HDD...

In Depth: 10 ways PCs will change over the next 25 years

By TechRadar, published 27-11-2011

The PC in 25 yearsThe best way to predict what the future holds, they say, is to look to the past, but such a philosophy isn't necessarily the best option when it comes to computers. It's a useful way of extrapolating the numbers to see how fast the processors of the future may be; that's one reason Moore's Law continues to work. We can even use it to predict how much RAM future machines will have access to and how big hard drives are going to get, but given that the biggest changes to computers come in the way we use them, any predictions of the future would be better left to futurologists, industry wishlists and brief glimpses of roadmaps. You need only look at the rapidly changing way in which we use our computers to see that it's not just technological advances that have pushed the PC ...

Review: Dell XPS 14z

By TechRadar, published 24-10-2011

OverviewWe first checked out Dell's XPS 14z at IFA, a slightly dinkier version of its excellent XPS 15z laptop. The XPS 14z hits stores today and we've already spent a few days snuggling up and getting to know it.While a 14-inch version of a 15-inch laptop might seem a little pointless, we were impressed by how slim and light the XPS 14z turned out. With its 23mm build and 2kg weight, it more closely resembles a 13-inch portable. The XPS 15z wasn't exactly a chubster, but commuters will want to consider this laptop first.The slender body may seem less impressive compared to the upcoming slew of ultrabooks, including the ridiculously skinny Asus Zenbook which is just 9mm thick. However, we had no problem slipping the XPS 14z into our backpack and carrying it around all weekend.In terms of d...

Intel announces new Sandy Bridge CPUs

By TechRadar, published 09-06-2011

Processor giant Intel has announced a whopping 16 new Sandy Bridge chips, as well as price cuts for its existing desktop line up.Of the 16 chips, 11 are desktop processors for the LGA 1155 socket, with the remaining five designed for mobile devices.The desktop chips range from the single-core Celeron G440 at $37 USD (£23) up to the quad-core I5-2320 which costs $177 USD (£110).Lap it upIn the mobile sector, the Core i7-2960XM is a quad-cored chip with HyperThreading clocked at 2.70GHz, with Turbo taking it up to 3.7GHz.The Core i7-2960XM will drop at a wallet-busting $1,096 USD (£680), so we can expect to see it appear in expensive, high-end gaming laptops.At the bottom end of the Sandy Bridge mobile line up is the dual-core B840 Celeron, which will cost a mere $86 USD (£53).In additio...

Buying Guide: MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: which is right for you?

By TechRadar, published 22-07-2011

When Apple released a new MacBook Air in time for OS X Lion, it also took the chance to cut the white MacBook from its line up. This leaves buyers with a choice between the MacBook Air or a MacBook Pro.But if you're after an Apple laptop and were thinking of getting the white MacBook, which is right for you now? The MacBook Airs and MacBook Pros have some quite significant differences, so we've put together the following guide to help you decide which will fulfil your needs.If you decide the current Apple range isn't right for you, also check our top 20 laptops list here.MacBook Air vs MacBook Pro: PriceThe new MacBook Air range starts at £849 for the 11-inch, 64GB model, with the 128GB model coming in at £999. The 13-inch MacBook Air starts at £1,099 for the 128GB version, with the 256...

Review: Sony VAIO VPC-F21Z1E

By TechRadar, published 21-06-2011

Alright, fancypants. You want a laptop of luxury, but you don't want an Apple MacBook? Not even a 17-inch MacBook Pro? You want 3D but a Zalman 3D monitor isn't for you? Fancy the sort of black plastic slab that your friends can only dream of owning? You want a machine so heavy and precious that taking it out of the house is about as easy as taking a cat for a walk? You've got it in the Sony VAIO VPC-F21Z1E. You've also got an empty wallet and, as we'll discover, a vague sense of disappointment. Clearly you can't have everything.Let's set this up, though: the Sony VAIO VPC-F21Z1E, in culinary terms, is a burger with all the toppings. It's got a Blu-ray drive, it's got USB 3.0 support, it's got a light-up chiclet keyboard and, most importantly, it's got a 16-inch screen capable of stereosco...

Review: Toshiba Satellite P755-113

By TechRadar, published 21-06-2011

Things are moving fast in mobile gaming right now. For the traditional laptop to stay relevant in these tablet-filled times, it has to offer something special to offset the decreased mobility compared to its touchscreen foe. The easiest area to exploit is raw power, specifically graphics. Fruit Ninja is all well and good on an Apple iPad 2, but what if you want to play the latest DirectX 11 games on the go?Enter Toshiba's Satellite P775-113. Under the bonnet, an Nvidia GT 540M handles the pixel pushing, which spells playable frame rates in graphically demanding DX11 titles. It's the latest in a new breed of vaguely affordable gaming PCs making the most out of rapidly advancing mobile technology. And at this price point, things are starting to get crowded. Medion's Erazer X6811 has impressi...

How to Build a Kick-Ass Gaming Rig for Under $700

By MaximumPC, published 20-06-2011

Build A Gaming Machine That Will Satisfy Your Cravings Without Breaking the Bank The thought of a gaming PC might conjure up images of decadent excess—a full-course meal of awesome that moves from an SSD consumé to a filet of Core i7 990X to quad-SLI under glass. While that’s certainly a feast worth aspiring to, it’s by no means the only fare that will give your gaming needs sustenance. And, no, we’re not suggesting that you ruin your health with an empty-calorie diet of console. In fact, unlike some corners of the gaming world, where there’s a fixed menu of parts, the PC offers loads of options that scale from opulent to economical. Our budget gaming rig is all about instant gratification: a way for you to fill your gaming hunger with a state of the art, speedy machine, capabl...

Buying Guide: 10 top gaming graphics cards compared

By TechRadar, published 18-06-2011

There's one component in your machine that will be superseded by faster and more powerful versions quicker than any other, and that's the graphics processor. The graphics card is the supermodel part of any modern gaming PC. It, more than anything else, makes your games look beautiful and run as smoothly as a baby's velvet smoking jacket. So, if you're a gamer and you've got a bit of cash to spend, forking out the lot on a new graphics card is the best way to up the frame rate of your favourite games and make the girls think you're attractive, right? Unfortunately, that's not necessarily the way the graphics game works. The top-performing rigs are always the most well balanced. Put a Ferrari engine into a Mk1 Golf GTi and it will go fast, sure, but you'll fly off the first corner you come t...

In Depth: What's inside your iPad? Tablet tech explained

By TechRadar, published 13-06-2011

What makes one tablet a winner and another a bucket of bolts? Let's start with a story. Once upon a time, there was a little English company called Acorn Computers. Through the early 1980s, it had quite a bit of success with an 8-bit home computer named the BBC Micro. You may remember it. For a replacement, Acorn decided that none of the then-available processors - such as the Motorola 68000 and Intel 80286 - were suitable. So it decided to make its own, as you do. The year was 1985 and Acorn developed a 25,000 transistor RISC processor called the ARM v1. It used it to power the now defunct Archimedes computer, and that same ARM core - with a few enhancements - is what now powers more than 75 per cent of all embedded 32-bit devices made in the 21st century, 90 per cent of all mobiles in th...

Review: Apple iMac 21.5-inch 2011

By TechRadar, published 20-05-2011

Apple's new 2011 iMac range retains the form factor of the 2010 models, but enjoys a very significant component upgrade. Second-generation quad core Intel Core i5 processors are used throughout the 2011 iMac lineup - which includes two 21.5-inch models and two 27-inch models - where previously all but the most expensive model had dual Core i3s. New graphics give up to three times the power of the mid-2010 iMacs, and the Thunderbolt port could revolutionise I/O technology.The 2011 21.5-inch iMac reviewed here is the new range's entry-level model, costing £999. It offers a quad core Intel 2.5GHz Core i5 processor, a great leap forward from the dual core 3.06GHz Core i3 used in the cheapest 2010 release. Its discrete graphics chip is a powerful AMD Radeon HD 6750M, with 512MB of GDDR5 memory...

Review: Apple iMac 27-inch 2011

By TechRadar, published 20-05-2011

Although the form factor is unchanged, the 2011 Apple iMac refresh represents a significant step forwards for the popular all-in-one computer. Again consisting of two 21.5-inch models and two with 27-inch screens, the entire lineup has switched to Intel's Sandy Bridge processors, the second generation of the respected Core-i CPU series. Quad core Intel Corei5s are used throughout, whereas the 2010 iMacs they replace used dual core Intel Core i3s in all but the most expensive model. The 27-inch iMac under review here is the priciest in the 2011 range, but instead of the quad-core 3.1GHz Intel Core i5 processor offered in the standard configuration, ours was fitted with a quad core 3.4GHz Core i7 CPU. This is available as a configure-to-order option on the online Apple store, costing £1,809...

Arma 3 Announced For Summer 2012, First Screenshots

By MaximumPC, published 19-05-2011

After weeks of puzzles and hinting, Czech developer Bohemia Interactive has confirmed that a follow-up to its landmark military simulation game, Arma 3, is in development. It’s still a PC exclusive, it’s set somewhere in the Mediterranean, and it’ll retain the fine, sandboxy, multiplayer-friendly, emergent warplay that we expect from the franchise with some key improvements. Within: I dissect every detail of the announcement, play Where In The World Is Arma Sandiego?, and change my pants. Arma 3?s story, as described by the press release: “After years of intense warfare against Eastern armies, Europe has become the last stand for the battered NATO forces. On the verge of being driven into the sea, NATO command embarks upon a most desperate measure. In the hope of seizing what seems...

Review: Acer Aspire 5750G

By TechRadar, published 18-05-2011

We've seen Sandy Bridge laptops emerge from almost every major manufacturer since Intel unveiled its second generation processor earlier this year. While these laptops have differed wildly in look and size, from the tiny Samsung 9000S to the hulking Dell XPS 17, we've found that performance is consistently excellent.Now it's Acer's turn to join the Sandy Bridge club, with the Aspire 5750G. It looks like a typical Acer machine on the outside, with the Taiwanese giant's standard design in place, but inside it's brimming with power. Best of all, the £680 asking price is rather low considering the tight specs. If you're a student with high demands, or need a laptop that'll suit the whole family, this is a great, affordable option.With a pleasant blue finish to the lid and palmrests, the Aspir...

New Apple iMac: Thunderbolt, Sandy Bridge and FaceTime HD

By SlashGear, published 05-03-2011

Apple has unveiled its new iMac range, and as expected the all-in-one desktops have been upgraded with Intel’s 2011 Sandy Bridge quad-core processors, new graphics and Thunderbolt connectivity. The new iMacs come in the same 21.5-inch and 27-inch versions, with the entry-level $1,199 21.5-inch model having a 2.5GHz quad-core Core i5 processor, AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics and a 500GB hard-drive. At the other end there’s the $1,999 27-inch machine with a 3.1GHz quad-core Core i5 processor, Radeon HD 6970M graphics and 1TB of storage. Optional is a $200 quad-core Intel Core i7 processor upgrade on select models, running at up to 3.4GHz. There’s also a second 21.5-inch pre-config model, with a 2.7GHz Core i5, Radeon HD 6770M and 1TB of storage, for $1,49. The entry-level 2...

LG unveils new P430 and P5390 super slim laptops

By SlashGear, published 05-03-2011

The notebook world is always changing. For a while, what people wanted was high-end and feature packed notebooks that ended up being very thick and bulky. Some folks still want machines like that. There are a lot of notebook users who are willing to give up power and some performance in an effort to get a machine that is thin and very portable. For these people, something like the new LG P430 and P530 notebooks is ideal. These new notebooks are in the LG Blade series that will hit stores later this month. The P430 is a 14-inch screen notebook, and the P530 is a 15.6-inch notebook both using LED backlights. The screen on the P430 is only 4.5mm thick and the screen on the P530 is only slightly thicker at 4.7mm making them each up to 50% thinner than any other screen on notebooks in their ...

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer and Eee Slate EP121 officially priced & dated

By SlashGear, published 30-03-2011

ASUS has confirmed availability and pricing of the Eee Pad Transformer and the Eee Slate EP121, the company’s two new tablets. The Tegra 2 based Android 3.0 Honeycomb Transformer will drop on April 6 – pre-orders will kick off today – priced at £379 ($608) for the 16GB version and £429 ($688) for the 32GB version. Throwing in the optional keyboard – which also has an integrated battery that boosts runtimes to 16hrs – bumps the 16GB model to £429. A 3G model will follow on in around two months time. As for the ASUS Eee Slate EP121, that will arrive on April 10 as an Amazon exclusive in the UK (until May 1). It will be priced at £999 ($1,602) complete with a 12.1-inch touchscreen with active digitizer and stylus, Intel Core i5-470UM processor, WiFi b/g/n ...

Dual Core Sandy Bridge Laptops Arrive In Droves

By MaximumPC, published 21-03-2011

Sandy Bridge has been back in the news this week in a very big way, with just about every manufacturer launching all new dual core laptops with Core i3, i5, and i7 branded processors. You might make the argument that Sandy Bridge laptops have been around for ages now, but as Engadget points out, only those on the market for quad cores were finding a match up until this week. Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, and Sony have all hopped on the bandwagon giving you plenty of new machines to pick from. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE ...

Buying Guide: MacBook vs MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air

By TechRadar, published 03-01-2011

The latest versions of the MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air are the kind of kit you'd happily swap your kidneys for. But which one should you go for, and much kidney would you need to sell? Here's everything you need to know about the MacBook range: specs, prices and how much it'll cost to replace those internal batteries.MacBook vs MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air: PriceEntry to the MacBook family starts at £867 for both the MacBook and MacBook Air, with the 2011 MacBook Pro starting at £999 - although of course if you head for the top of the range and start adding custom options you can easily make a Mac that costs more than a car.There's only one MacBook, but there are two base MacBook Air models - an 11-inch for £867 and a 13-inch for £1,122 - and three MacBook Pros: a 13-inch (£999...

Kingston offers new HyperX T1 Black triple channel RAM kits for Intel platforms

By SlashGear, published 03-01-2011

When it comes to RAM one of the companies that has been around the longest is Kingston with its line of mainstream and enthusiast grade memory products for computers. Kingston also has a big line of flash drives and SSDs as well. The latest new offering from Kingston is the new HyperX T1 Black triple-channel RAM kit for Intel platforms. The RAM is specifically designed for the Intel X58 systems and supports the new Core i7-990X CPU. The RAM has black heat sinks to complement mainboards with black components on board. The typical Kingston RAM kit has blue heat sinks. Kingston is offering the RAM in kits of three or six modules. Kit capacities range up to 24GB. Kingston is offering the HyperX T1 Black in 1600MHz DDR3 flavor in 24GB, 12GB, and 6GB configurations. “Our new HyperX T1 Black ...

Build It! A Sandy-Bridge Powered Gaming PC (for under a grand)

By MaximumPC, published 17-02-2011

You don’t need to spend a fortune to take advantage of Intel’s newest platform Previous builds in this section have tended toward the expensive side, whether they’ve been the $8,600 photo studio or our $1,800 mini-ITX gaming build. While we stand by those choices (this is Maximum PC), we’ve also heard your cries for more affordable options. Often, a budget build means buying parts that are a little past their prime—and don’t get us wrong, you can find great deals there. But for this month’s build, I knew I wanted to explore Intel’s hot new Sandy Bridge architecture—and, if I could swing it, one of AMD’s new Radeon 6800 series GPUs—while keeping my total budget under $1,000. (Editor's Note: This was written before the Sandy Bridge snafu, but hey, it's still a great bui...

Updated: 15 best PC upgrades for gamers

By TechRadar, published 17-02-2011

What are the best gaming upgrades for your PC today? How do you turn a whimpering little PC into the gaming goliath you want, nay, deserve?Well, stick around because no matter what you can afford to spend, we've got a the best PC upgrade for you.Obviously the key components we'll be looking at are the graphics card, CPU, motherboard, memory and your storage devices. Upgrading any of these will always help, and we're here to tell you which ones are right for you.To get the most out of your machine you need to know first what you're mostly going to be using it for and secondly which components will deliver the best performance increase for the things you're going to do with it.After all, there's little point in forking out £500 on a dual-GPU graphics card when all you're using it for is pla...

Daily Roundup: 2011-01-27

By Bjorn3D, published 27-01-2011

CPUs, RAMs, Mobos Intel Sandy Bridge Review at Digital Trends Zotac's H67-ITX motherboard at Techreport Foxconn P67A-S, H67A-S vs. Intel DP67BG, DH67BL Mainboard Review at Technic3D MSI GT680 Sandy Bridge Gaming Laptop Review at HotHardware.com ASUS Crosshair IV Extreme Review at Ocaholic Intel Core i5 2

Review: Samsung SF310

By TechRadar, published 26-01-2011

Any new thin and light weighing in at £750 has a lot to prove in a crowded market. It needs to stand out stylistically, yet still offer strong value for money. It's not an easy task, because on one side you'll find Apple's impossibly thin MacBook Air redefining style, while on the other you have the ever-expanding glut of netbooks, typified by the likes of Samsung's own N230 proving that a little cash can go an incredibly long way if the right components are used. What hope is there for the likes of the SF310 then? What can it do to raise more than a passing interest?First impressions are positive – a run-down of the components list used in the Samsung SF310 will placate the techno savvy. The presence of an Intel Core i5 processor, Nvidia discrete graphics, LED screen and good storage o...