Laptops Arena

Consumers can now find high-performing docking stations for their laptops with Belkin’s new Notebook Expansion Dock.

As the first available in the consumer market, the Dock connects through your notebook’s ExpressCard port, quadrupling your available bandwidth so you can run high-quality video—from DVDs, for example—without affecting bandwidth to your other USB 2.0 devices.

The Notebook Expansion Dock will be shipping in North America in late November, with launches in Asia, Europe, and Australia to follow shortly.

The Dock’s unique vertical design minimizes the amount of space taken up on your desk. At the same time, the design uses convection to minimize heat buildup from the Dock’s GPU and provides additional safety by preventing people from putting their laptop battery on top of the docking station.

The Notebook Expansion Dock is the first docking station to feature ExpressCard technology, which connects at 2.0Gbps to provide unparalleled graphics quality and flawless video reproduction at a superior 1600x1200 resolution in 32-bit color. The Dock provides an additional built-in USB lane as well.

The Notebook Expansion Dock also gives you the convenience of a one-plug connection between your laptop and your accessories.

The Notebook Expansion Dock will be available for $199.99.

Via belkin.

Just when we thought spinning hard drives were going to stick around forever, Samsung throws us a curve-ball.

According to NoteBook Review, Samsung is planning a release of solid state NAND driven Q30 notebook this June.

The Samsung Q30 will have 32GB of SSD and will cost around $3,700 USD and there are no plans to release the device outside of Korea at this point in time.

Here are some more specs:

Processor: Intel Celeron M 753 (1.2GHz)
Memory: 1 SODIMM Socket, DDR2 400 MHz, 512 MB
LCD: 12.1″ WXGA (1280 x 768) TFT-LCD
Graphic: Intel GMA 900
Video Memory: DVMT
Storage: 32GB SSD
External ODD: Ultra-slim (9.5mmH), Super-multi Drive (Red)
Communications: Modem/Lan Combo, WLAN (802.11 b/g)
TV/DMB: Embedded DMB
Keyboard: 83-key Korean Keyboard
Audio: SRS 3D Sound Support, 16-bit Stereo, SB Pro compatible, Internal Stereo Speaker (2W x 2)
Power: 60W AC adapter (110-240 free volt)
Battery: Li-ion Battery - Standard 3-Cell, Extended 6-Cell
Dimension: 287.7 x 197.5 x 18.0 ~ 23.8 mm (without battery)
Weight: 1.14 kg (HDD onboard notebook: 1.16kg)

Via gadgetell.

NEC offers a new PC in its BTO Pro range.

There’s an entry model, the NEC Versa Pro VY20, with a Core 2 Duo T7200, 512MB of DDR2 memory, an ATI Radeon Xpress 1250/IXP 460, a 15” SXGA+ display, 40GB of hard disk and a CD-R/DVD combo.

As those notebooks are BTO, it’s possible to change some of their components.

No word yet on pricing and availability.

Via akihabaranews.

CompAmerica unveiled its new Snow Leopard Laptop, the SL2 6220, a light-weight model featuring a 12" WXGA screen.

Powered by an Intel Core Solo Processor U1400 running at 1.2GHz, the SL2 6220 Snow Leopard is equipped with 512MB DDR2 RAM, with an option to expand it to 1.5GB.

The SL2 6220 Snow Leopard is made of durable material, and weighs just 2.8 pounds including the battery. Security features on this laptop include a fingerprint reader and TPM 1.2. CompAmerica has managed to include a 4-in-1 memory card reader as well. Measuring 11" x 9.3" x 1.2", it's just a tad bigger than a pad of paper.

Prices start at US $1,399, and the CompAmerica SL2 6220 is now available.

CompAmerica SL2 6220 product page

Via mobilewhack.

If you demand the ultimate in gaming performance, check out the WindowPC Sting 517D.

The WidowPC Sting 517D is a high-end gaming notebook with more power than most desktops.

At $2700 (starting), WidowPC Sting 517D features :

* Processor: Intel Core2Duo T7600 2.33GHz
* Memory: 2GB WidowPC L33T RAM
* Screen: 17" 1920x1200 WUXGA
* Hard Drive One: 100GB 7200RPM SATA
* Hot Swappable Hard Drive: 100GB 7200RPM SATA (only available on special
request)
* Hot Swappable Optical Drive: External DVD-RAM Multidrive
* Video Card: nVidia 7900 GTX 512MB Cache
* Wireless: Intel Pro Wireless 54Mbps a/b/g with Bluetooth
* Operating System: Microsoft XP Professional
* Media Features: 1.3Mpixel Digital Video Camera, 4-in-1 card reader

So, how much is one willing to pay to have the ultimate gaming machine? A notebook with full specifications like our test WidowPC Sting 517D has will cost above and beyond what a normal notebook runs, but for that, it comes with the phenomenal design, excessive power, and a one-of-a-kind ownership experience that is to be expected of a notebook of this stature.

Out of all the 17” notebooks I have reviewed in the past year, the WidowPC Sting 517D has been my favorite. I do feel the price is a bit high, but I would not hesitate to recommend the Sting 517D to the extreme gamer with a good deal of cash to spare.

View full review here.