New Centrino Duo and Pro notebooks abound

Stephen Withers
Thursday, 10 May 2007 03:33

Your IT - Home IT

Intel predicts more than 230 Centrino Duo and Centrino Pro-based designs using its new 'Santa Rosa' chipsets will hit the streets by the end of the year, and major manufacturers have been quick to get moving.

Features include the next-generation Core 2 Duo CPU (with speeds between 1.4 and 2.4GHz), improved HD video from the graphics chip (new drivers support Vista's Aero), turbo memory (a flash memory cache to reduce hard drive use) and 802.11a/g/ draft N wireless networking, while Centrino Pro delivers remote management and security features from Intel's vPro desktop technology.

Fujitsu's LifeBook Centrino Pro lineup will include the E8410, A6030, E8310 (all three are 15in models) and the T4220 convertible tablet.

HP has announced five Centrino Pro models: the Compaq 2510p, 2710p 12in tablet, 14in widescreen 6910p, 15in widescreen 8510p and the high end 8710p with a 17in widescreen display and optional Blu-ray/DVD burner. Prices range from $US1349 to $US1699.

Lenovo - featured at Intel's Australian launch event - has announced a pair of Centrino Pro ThinkPads plus a Centrino Duo notebook to be sold under the Lenovo brand. Features of the ThinkPad R61 ($A1949/$US1249) and T61 ($A2999/$US1399) include a top cover "roll cage" design for extra strength and improved wireless performance, quieter and more efficient cooling, and 14in widescreen displays. The $A2099/$US1099 Lenovo 3000 N200 is a 15in widescreen model.  All three are due to ship by the end of the month.

Dell's new Centrino Duo-based Latitude D630 ('thin and light' with a widescreen 14in display, priced from $A1739) and D830 ('high performance' 15in widecreen, priced from $A1874) provide the option of a turbo memory card. The company will offer its Latitude D430 ultra-mobile notebook and Precision M4300 with Intel's new processors "in the coming weeks", while the Centrino Pro-based D630c will arrive later this year.

Some higher end Centrino Duo/Pro models include or will include separate graphics chips for better performance. Although the integrated graphics controller is sufficient for the 'Vista Premium experience', gamers and some others require more in this respect than the typical corporate user.