Apple Mac mini (Thunderbolt) Review (Price)

apple Mac mini
(Thunderbolt)
$799 list
l l l l h
PrOs Super compact design.
Aluminum unibody construction.
SD slot supports SDXC
cards. Included HDMI-to-DVI
adapter and HDMI port. Internal
power supply. Thunderbolt
interface. Second generation
Core i5 processor. 3D performance
rivals a tower PC.
CONs Hard drive is hard to
upgrade. Thunderbolt peripherals
are scarce. Lack of optical
drive complicates some
installs.

IPads and iPhones seem to get all the attention these days, but let’s not forget the sustaining power and importance of the Mac. For serious work or for watching a movie on a big screen with the family, the Mac is your go-to device, and the Mac mini (Thunderbolt), Apple’s compact desktop PC, has the power to do it all in an extremely small package. The new Mac mini offers a Thunderbolt port, second-generation Intel Core i5 processor and new AMD discrete graphics. It is as powerful as a tower PC and can serve as the primary PC in your house, while also serving as a great base station for your iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Designwise, this version of the Mac mini has the same unibody aluminum chassis as its predecessor, with one glaring difference: There is no longer a slot-loading optical drive. Basically, it’s as if Apple is saying “We gave you the iTunes Store, Safari, and the Mac App store online, why would you need an optical drive?” Just like the original iMac dropped the then-prominent floppy drive from its desktops, the Mac mini (Thunderbolt) puts a stake in the ground and declares that you don’t need an optical drive anymore.

The mini’s new Thunderbolt port uses Intel’s new interface (think of it as external PCIe), so you can hook up multiple monitors, hard drives, and other interfaces like USB 3.0 or eSATA. In practice, the only Thunderbolt peripherals that you can order are the Promise Pegasus R6 RAID array and the upcoming Apple Thunderbolt Display (27- inch). Hopefully, we’ll see more Thunderbolt peripherals before the end of the year. The desktop comes with a few extras on the hard drive, including the iLife Suite (iPhoto, iMovie, etc.) in addition to the new Mac OS X Lion operating system. With its Intel Core i5-2520M processor and AMD Radeon HD 6630M discrete graphics, the mini was certainly powerful enough to run all our benchmark tests well, including the 3D games. It completed our Handbrake video in a quick 1 minute 42 seconds in Windows and 2:23 in Mac OS. The system also finished the Photoshop CS5 test in 3:47 in Windows and 5:10 in Mac OS. The mini’s only rival in this price range is the Asus Essentio CM6850-07, a full tower, which was faster than the Mac mini (Thunderbolt) on benchmark tests like Handbrake, CS5, and PCMark Vantage, attributable to the Asus CM6850-07’s faster 7,200 rpm hard drive (the Mac mini has a 5,400rpm drive). The Mac mini (Thunderbolt) blew away the Dell Inspiron Zino HD (Inspiron 410) on the same tests. The Mac mini is cheaper, more powerful and more capable overall than the Dell Zino HD, and for these reasons, it unseats the Zino HD as the new Editors’ Choice for compact PCs.—Joel Santo Domingo

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Gates on PC’s Past, And Future

PCM: What was the biggest innovation for personal computing in the last 30 years? , PCM: How has personal computing changed people’s lives for the better? , PCM: What about the next 30 years?

In case you didn’t know, the Ibm pC turned 30 in August. In the past three decades the notion of the personal computer has evolved greatly, and spawned entire industries. From smartphones to tablets to “the cloud,” the pC was the idea that created them all. On this special anniversary, pCmag asked bill Gates, chairman and cofounder of microsoft, his thoughts on the pC and what it’s meant to the world.

PCM: What was the biggest innovation for personal computing in the last 30 years? bG: the truth of moore’s law has made remarkable things possible. On the software side, I think natural user interfaces in all their forms are equally significant. We just take it for granted now, but the graphical user interface was an amazing breakthrough that made computers dramatically easier for almost everyone to use. today, we’re seeing speech recognition and speech synthesis technologies coming into the mainstream. touchscreens on phones, tablets and pCs have opened up an incredible new world of applications.

PCM: How has personal computing changed people’s lives for the better? bG: the pC has improved the world in just about every area you can think of. Amazing developments in communications, collaboration, and efficiencies. New kinds of entertainment and social media. Access to information and the ability to give a voice people who would never have been heard. but we’re still falling short in some areas. education is one example ... there’s so much more that can be done to utilize technology and engage students, help teachers, and customize learning for each child.

PCM: What about the next 30 years? bG: On a personal level, technology will be more seamlessly integrated into our lives. On a societal level, technology will contribute to solving many of our greatest challenges. In global health, it will advance scientific discovery, diagnostics, and delivery of health services to the world’s poor ... And in many other areas, including energy and the environment, computers already are and will continue to be an essential tool for data collection, analysis, and innovation. For our full interview with Gates and other tech creators and innovators,

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Google-Motorola Deal: What It Means To You

Technology, Why are the patents so important to Google?, So it’s all about money?, But does this mean we’ll only be able to get Android-based phones from Motorola?, Could other Android partners just dump Android?, Does Microsoft have anything to say?, 

Google’s announcement to acquire motorola mobility last month for $12.5 billion may have seemed random on the surface, but motorola has focused solely on Android since 2008, and the company’s patent portfolio is quite attractive to the patentstarved Google. If the deal is approved by regulatory authorities, what will it all mean to consumers like you? read on to find out. Should we expect to see the rise of Moogle or Googorola? Not just yet. Google insists that motorola will remain a separate company. Why does Google want to buy Motorola? According to Google chief Larry page, “to supercharge the Android ecosystem.” What really sweetened the deal was motorola’s expansive patent portfolio.


Why are the patents so important to Google? patents are lucrative. Anyone keeping an eye on the tech press recently has seen no shortage of patent-related lawsuits, many from the top tech firms in the game: samsung vs. Apple, Google vs. Oracle, motorola vs. Apple, microsoft vs. Android, and so on. If you latch onto just the right patent, you can make a killing on licenses alone.


So it’s all about money? And protecting the brand. Last month, Google accused rivals like Apple and microsoft of collectively purchasing patents to thwart the growth of Android. buying motorola and its patent arsenal “enable us to better protect Android from anti-competitive threats from microsoft, Apple and other companies,” Google’s page said.


But does this mean we’ll only be able to get Android-based phones from Motorola? Google insisted that Android will remain open, meaning that motorola will not be the only Android dealer in town. “many hardware partners have contributed to Android’s success, and we look forward to continuing to work with all of them to deliver outstanding user experiences,” page said. 


Could other Android partners just dump Android? Anything is possible, but Android has been very good to a number of these companies. samsung in particular had a huge year thanks to the success of its Android-based Galaxy s line of smartphones. the handset maker shipped 17.3 million devices, a 380.6 percent change from the 3.6 million smartphones it shipped in the second quarter of 2010, according to IDC.


Does Microsoft have anything to say? Andy Lees, president of the Windows phone division, said in a statement that “investing in a broad and truly open mobile ecosystem is important for the industry and consumers alike, and Windows phone is now the only platform that does so with equal opportunity for all partners.”

Would this somehow involve Google TV? Indeed. besides phones, motorola mobility also develops set-top boxes and DVrs. With motorola in its corner, there’s a good chance we might see Google tV appear in cable boxes. page said he wants to accelerate innovation in the home devices and video solutions business, and pledged to work with the cable and telecom industries to get that done.—Chloe Albanesius

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ZOTAC GEFORCE GTX 580 AMP2 Review ( Price )

£400 inc VAT • zotac.com • tinyurl.com/3zzw89d

nVidia's previous-generation GeForce GTX 480 performed well, but it ran hot and was priced out of range for many gamers. ATI's top-end cards were slower, but offered better value. With the GeForce GTX 580, however, nVidia has refined the GTX 480's Fermi design and greatly improved performance and efficiency. The standard GTX 580 has 512 stream processors running at 772MHz, with a shader clock of 1,544MHz. Zotac's overclocked AMP2 lists an 815MHz core clock and 1,630MHz shader clock, and offers breath-taking performance. The Zotac dominated our games tests. It was the only card in the group to achieve more than 100fps in Battlefield: Bad Company 2 at 1920x1080 pixels, and still broke 60fps at 2560x1600 pixels. Results in Stalker: Call of Pripyat were also greatly improved over both the GTX 570 (page 66) and ATI Radeon HD 6970 (page 64). Only in Crysis' highest resolution setting of 2560x1600 pixels was its performance matched by another contender. That the HD 6970 and GTX 580 both scored 25fps here suggests that performance depends more on the CPU than the GPU at very high resolutions. The Zotac is also the most future-proof card on test. It'll set you back £400, but you won't need to upgrade it for some time to come. Part of this extravagant price tag is due to the card's generous 3GB of GDDR5 memory. This is of most help to graphics processing at higher resolutions and in games with giant textures. Surprisingly, the card is slightly shorter than ATI's top-end offering, which is testament to nVidia's more efficient design. Zotac's custom dual-fan cooler occupies two expansion slots, so the card needs three in total. Check you have room for it before purchase. If your budget stretches to it, and your desktop PC has enough memory and a powerful processor, then this is undoubtedly the graphics card to get. However, most gamers will find that a cheaper, less powerful card will suffice. VERDICT: Zotac's GeForce GTX 580 AMP2 is by far the most powerful card on test, but it also costs £140 more than any of the competition. If your budget stretches this far, you won't be disappointed.

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SAPPHIRE RADEON HD 6950 FLEX Review ( Price )

£220 inc VAT * sapphiretech.com • tinyurl.com/3nk8wfw

ATI's Radeon HD 6950 is based on the same Cayman architecture as the Radeon HD 6970 (page 65), and the cards are physically identical. The HD 6950 runs at lower clock speeds and uses only 1,408 of the 1,535 available cores. Early versions of the cards could be upgraded to a 6970 by flashing the Bios. Unfortunately, this option has since been disabled by ATI. This Sapphire Flex version has a core clock of 800MHz, and a memory clock of 1,250MHz (5GHz DDR effective). Sapphire hasn't overclocked these specifications, but it has built in support for EyeFinity, letting you add up to three monitors and run games across multiple screens without tweaking - two DVI connections and an HDMI port are used with a supplied adaptor. This is ideal for widescreen gameplay, such as flight simulators - provided that you have the screens to take advantage of it, of course. The Sapphire has 2GB of video memory; cheaper versions are available with 1GB. Its 256bit memory interface sounds insubstantial in the face of nVidia's 320bit offerings, but its high memory freguency enables it to deliver 160Gbps of memory bandwidth. It performed brilliantly in our tests, and slightly outran its closest nVidia rival, the GeForce GTX 560 Ti (page 66), across the board. We recorded 102fps in Battlefield: Bad Company 2 at 1280x1024 pixels, and 77fps at 1920x1080 pixels. In Stalker, the Sapphire achieved 65fps at 1920x1080 pixels, representing a 5 percent performance hike over the GTX 560 Ti. And in Crysis, it even snapped at the heels of the more expensive GeForce GTX 570 (page 66), and managed 56fps at 1280x1024 pixels and 37fps at 1920x1080 pixels. The Radeon HD 6950 offers stellar performance at this price, but factory-overclocked versions of the GTX 560 Ti may close the gap somewhat. The £15 more expensive GTX 570 offers stronger performance still, and is a better bet if you can afford it. VERDICT: Sapphire's Radeon HD 6950 Flex is a powerful graphics card that performed well across all our games tests. If widescreen gaming tickles your fancy, its support for EyeFinity may appeal.

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PNY GEFORCE GTX 570 PERFORMANCE Review ( Price )

£235 inc VAT * www3.pny.com • tinyurl.com/3ub8u3g

If money doesn't enter the equation in your quest for ultimate gaming performance, both ATI and nVidia sell incredibly pricey graphics cards that make even our most expensive nVidia GeForce GTX 580 (paqe 67) seem a bargain. The dual-GPU GTX 590 costs around £600, for example - a colossal amount of money to spend on a graphics cards upgrade. If you've sensibly got your sights set a little lower, PNY's Performance Edition GTX 570 will make mincemeat out of any game you throw at it - both now and in years to come. The PNY sticks closely to nVidia's reference design, with a 732MHz core clock speed and 480 stream processors running at 1,464MHz. It has 1,280MB of video memory and a mighty 480bit interface, which delivers a whopping 152Gbps memory bandwidth. Its texture fill rate is slightly lower than that of the GTX 560 Ti (reviewed left), however, at 43.9GTps. The PNY blew the similar-price ATI Radeon HD 6970 (paqe 64) out of the water in our games tests. We recorded 125fps in Battlefield: Bad Company 2 at 1280x1024 pixels, which is around 8 percent faster than the HD 6970's 114fps. At 1920x1080 pixels it had a smaller lead of 90fps compared with 88fps. The GTX 570 performed significantly better at lower resolutions in Stalker: Call of Pripyat, although the results were broadly similar at 1920x1080 pixels. The HD 6970 had the edge in Crysis. The GTX 570 requires two six-pin power connectors (adaptors are included). nVidia recommends a 550W-rated PSU as the minimum that should be used with this card. The HD 6970 also specifies a 550W PSU, but requires one six-pin and one eight-pin connector. Although the GTX 570 isn't the most powerful card in our group test - that award goes to the Zotac GeForce GTX 580 AMP2 - it offers the best compromise between price and performance. With a small performance lead at some resolutions and a lower price tag than its closest ATI rival, the HD 6970, we think it's the better deal. VERDICT: PNY's GeForce GTX 570 Performance offers a high-value graphics upgrade that'll repay you for years to come. If the HD 6970 drops in price, however, that card may offer better value.

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NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 560 Ti Review ( Price )Price

£182 inc VAT * nvidia.co.uk • tinyurl.com/3d6wzef

Mid-range graphics cards tend to offer the best value for money, providing adequate performance for most users without emptying their wallets. The GeForce GTX 560 Ti is the dearest option of several mid-range nVidia offerings, and costs around £182 online. While we wouldn't dare to suggest this was an 'affordable' option for gamers, it's significantly less expensive than the top-end GTX 580 (page 67). There are some major differences between this card and nVidia's cheaper GTX 550 Ti (reviewed on the paqe 65). Whereas the GTX 550 Ti is based on the GeForce 116 core and cuts a few corners to keep down the price, nVidia's GeForce 114 core-based GTX 560 Ti has high-spec hardware that ensures consistent performance. In several areas, you can take a GTX 550 Ti specification and double it. This card has almost twice as many transistors, with 1,950 to the GTX 550 Ti's 1,170. It has 384 stream processors compared with 192, and its memory bandwidth has increased by 30 percent to 128Gbps. Crucially, its texture fill rate has almost doubled, which gives the GTX 560 Ti a major performance boost. The GTX 560 Ti delivers smooth framerates in any game you care to play. We recorded 100fps in Battlefield: Bad Company 2 at 1280x1024 pixels, and 72fps at 1920x1080 pixels. The card averaged 93fps and 61fps at the same resolutions in Stalker: Call of Pripyat. In Crysis, our most intensive test, the nVidia recorded just 31fps at a full-HD screen resolution (1920x1080 pixels), but this is still a playable framerate. We're certain that this card will be able to cope with almost any PC game released in the next couple of years. nVidia's GTX 560 Ti is priced to compete with ATI's pricier Radeon HD 6950 (paqe 67), but lagged behind that card in our tests. Factory-overclocked versions of this standard card will narrow the gap somewhat, so shopping around may net you better value. Both cards require two six-pin power connectors from the PSU, although this nVidia model is physically shorter than the ATI. VERDICT: The GTX 560 Ti offers considerably better performance than the 550 Ti, but it's not able to match ATI's more expensive HD 6950. You may find a factory-overclocked version offers better value.

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NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 550 Ti Review ( Price )

£115 inc VAT • nvidia.co.uk • tinyurl.com/3tmyqos

Both this GeForce GTX 550 Ti and the GTX 560 Ti reviewed on page 6 6 are nVidia's reference designs. They run at the standard factory speeds, and have none of the additional bells or whistles that some vendors add. You can expect identical performance from branded cards with standard specifications. The GTX 550 Ti sits at the lower end of nVidia's line-up, costing around £115 online. It's more powerful than the less expensive ATI Radeon HD 6670 (page 64), and requires a single six-pin power connector from the PSU. However, it's just as short as that card, and will easily fit into a standard system case. The nVidia has rather low specifications, with a 192bit memory bus that provides 98.5Gbps of memory bandwidth - around half that of the top-end GTX 580 (page 67). And it has just 192 stream processors; the GTX 580 has 512. Our games tests revealed a wide gap between this GTX 560 Ti and ATI's low-end HD 6670. In Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Stalker: Call of Pripyat and Crysis, the nVidia card delivered consistently better framerates. Even so, it was unable to manage a playable framerate of 30fps in Crysis at 1280x1024 pixels. The GTX 550 Ti costs around £50 more than the HD 6670 and, importantly, breaks the £100 psychological barrier. It's worth splashing out though, because the GTX 560 Ti delivers playable framerates at a full-HD (1920x1080-pixel) screen resolution. For just £20 more, however, MSI's R6870 Hawk (left) offers far better value with a 60 percent performance hike in Battlefield and Stalker, and around 40 percent in Crysis. nVidia's GeForce GTX 560 Ti isn't powerful enough to cope with games any more intensive than today's 3D titles, and keen gamers will quickly become frustrated with this card. If at all possible, stretch your budget by £20 and save yourself a second graphics card upgrade a year down the line. VERDICT: nVidia's GeForce GTX 560 Ti offers significantly better performance than its ATI rival, but it costs £50 more. The more powerful HD 6870 offers considerably better value at £135.

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MSI R6870 HAWK Review ( Price )

£135 inc VAT * uk.msi.com • tinyurl.com/3mj662b

Although ATI has simplified its numerical naming system with its latest generation of graphics chips, the Radeon HD 6870 is not the natural successor to the 5870. This card is slightly less powerful, and sits in the middle of the group for price and performance. MSI has added features and improved some key specifications in its Hawk rendition of the HD 6870. It's fitted a custom 'Propeller Blade' cooler, which delivers more air to the graphics-processing unit (GPU). MSI has also tweaked the clock speeds for better gaming performance. The Hawk is therefore in a better position to rival the GeForce GTX 560 Ti (page 66), itself an improved version of the standard GTX 560. This MSI R6870 has 1,120 stream processors and a core clock frequency of 930MHz (up from 900MHz). The card's 1GB of memory runs at the standard 1,050MHz (4.2GHz DDR effective), resulting in a memory bandwidth of 134Gbps. The custom cooler will aid further tweaking, with MSI allowing the memory and phase-locked loop (PLL) to be adjusted for more stable and precise overclocking via its bundled software. The Radeon HD 6870 performed well in our tests, and delivered smooth framerates in Stalker: Call of Pripyat and Battlefield: Bad Company 2. It managed 87fps in Stalker at 1280x1024 pixels, and 58fps at 1920x1080 pixels. In Battlefield, the MSI achieved 90fps and 71fps at the same resolutions. This graphics card also demonstrated good skills in Crysis: it scored 52fps at 1280x1024 pixels, and was still pushing out 35fps at 1920x1080. At around £135 online, the MSI R6870 Hawk is reasonably priced for an upgrade that can significantly improve graphics performance on both older and low-end PCs. It can capably handle games at their highest detail settings, even at a full-HD (1920x1080-pixel) screen resolution. However, this card has little extra power behind the scenes to take on the increased demands of future 3D games. VERDICT: A good-value upgrade for a low-end gaming PC, the MSI copes admirably with today's 3D games at their highest detail settings. However, future titles may see this card begin to struggle

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HIS RADEON HD 6970 ICEQ TURBO Review ( Price )

£260 inc VAT • hisdigital.com • tinyurl.com/3f7yv48

As the top-end model in ATI's graphics card line-up, the Radeon HD 6970 goes head to head with nVidia's far more expensive GeForce GTX 580 (page 67). ATI's designs tend to be simpler and less powerful, but cost less to build and can offer better value for money. Performance and pricing are therefore more in line with the PNY-branded GeForce GTX 570 Performance (page 66). Although nVidia's GTX 580 has only 512 stream processors, they run faster than ATI's 1,536 at 1,544MHz rather than 880MHz. The nVidia card also has more ROPs and tessellation units, and a higher 384bit memory interface. This is clocked at 1,025MHz and delivers 192 gigabits per second (Gbps) of memory bandwidth. The standard Radeon HD 6970's 256bit memory interface is faster at 1,375MHz (5.5GHz DDR effective), however, providing a bandwidth of 176Gbps. This HIS version has been overclocked to 1.4GHz (5.6GHz DDR effective), with a core clock of 900MHz. This gives it some serious clout in games. The HD 6970 also packs in 2.6 billion transistors, and can process texture maps at a rate of 84.5 gigatexels per second (GTps). HIS' HD 6970 features a custom IceO cooler, with four copper heat pipes protruding from the side of the graphics card. HIS has added this so it runs 23 degrees cooler than the standard card, and should withstand further overclocking. In games testing, it achieved some impressive performance scores. The HIS recorded 114fps in Battlefield: Bad Company 2 at 1280x1024 pixels, and 88fps at 1920x1080 pixels. While the GTX 580 left it standing, the HD 6970 beat the PNY GeForce GTX 570 Performance in Stalker: Call of Pripyat at 1920x1080 pixels, and was significantly faster in Crysis. It was also able to deliver 25fps in the highest 2560x1600-pixel resolution setting of Crysis; the GTX 570 was unable to complete this test. VERDICT: Set against the fierce competition of the GTX 570, only a £25 price difference caused the HD 6970 to lose out on our Best Buy award. It isn't the fastest graphics card in our group test, but it provides an excellent balance of performance and value for money.



As the top-end supporter in ATI's graphics card line-up, the Radeon HD 6970 goes caput to juncture with nVidia's far writer overpriced GeForce GTX 580 (diplomat 67). ATI's designs lean to be simpler and little ruling, but toll inferior to flesh and can give improved evaluate for money. Show and pricing are thence more in series with the PNY-branded GeForce GTX 570 Execution (page 66). Though nVidia's GTX 580 has only 512 course processors, they run faster than ATI's 1,536 at 1,544MHz kinda than 880MHz. The nVidia bill also has solon ROPs and tessellation units, and a higher 384bit retention port. This is clocked at 1,025MHz and delivers 192 gigabits per endorsement (Gbps) of retention bandwidth. The
received Radeon HD 6970's 256bit memory interface is faster at 1,375MHz (5.5GHz DDR good), nonetheless, providing a bandwidth of 176Gbps. This HIS writing has been overclocked to 1.4GHz (5.6GHz DDR trenchant), with a nucleus timepiece of 900MHz. This gives it whatsoever sensible advantage in games. The HD 6970 also packs in 2.6 1000000000 transistors, and can knowledge texture maps at a order of 84.5 gigatexels per endorse (GTps). HIS' HD 6970 features a bespoken IceO refrigerator, with quatern copper modify wind protruding from the cut of the graphics salutation. HIS has further this so it runs 23 degrees cooler than the casebook paper, and should withstand encourage overclocking. In games investigating, it achieved any thundering action scores. The HIS filmed 114fps in Battleground: Bad
Companionship 2 at 1280x1024 pixels, and 88fps at 1920x1080 pixels. Spell the GTX 580 unexpended it upright, the HD 6970 commove the PNY GeForce GTX 570 Execution in Stalker: Meet of Pripyat at 1920x1080 pixels, and was significantly faster in Crysis. It was also able to verbalize 25fps in the highest 2560x1600-pixel papers setting of Crysis; the GTX 570 was unable to perfect this attempt. Finding: Set against the rough contention of the GTX 570, exclusive a £25 cost disagreement caused the HD 6970 to regress out on our Foremost Buy makings. It isn't the fastest graphics paper in our radical prove, but it provides an excellent residuum of show and see for money.

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TOSHIBA SATELLITE R830-143 review ( Price )

£749 inc VAT • toshiba.co.uk • tinyurl.com/6xwtk99

A highly portable laptop at 1.5kg, the Toshiba Satellite is a strong
contender to the MacBook Pro (page 56) for use on the move.
Application performance is more than adequate. The Toshiba
scored 109 points in our WorldBench 6 real-world speed test,
beating the HP Pavilion (page 56) by eight points.
We didn't test this laptop's graphics capabilities in our usual
Fear gaming test. However, given that it relies on integrated
graphics, we'd estimate a score of 17fps at 'Maximum' detail.
The Toshiba is one four models here to use an Intel Core İ5-2410M
processor. It's supplied with 6GB of DDR3 RAM and a large 640GB
hard drive, and preinstalled with Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit.
Intended as a work tool, the 13.3in (1366x768-pixel) LED-backlit
screen has a matt finish and is usable in a variety of lighting
conditions. The colour depth suffers slightly as a result.
The Toshiba Satellite's brushed-metal finish looks smart.
Despite fitting into such a small chassis, the keyboard is easy to
use for prolonged periods of time.
Clumsy users will appreciate a small utility that temporarily shuts
off the hard drive when it senses vibration. The Toshiba is relatively
robust anyhow, even if the chassis is prone to scratches.
Connections include USB 3.0, USB 2.0 and eSATA. You also get
a DVD drive, a webcam, and HDMI and VGA ports.
Battery life was possibly the best on test, at an estimated six
hours-plus, but inconsistencies in the MobileMark 2007 result
couldn't be verified before we went to press.
VERDICT: Toshiba's Satellite R830-143 is highly portable with excellent
battery life. Its diminutive size means that some compromises have
been made, although it offers good value at £749.

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PACKARD BELL EASYNOTE TSX66 Review ( Price )

£699 inc VAT • packardbell.co.uk • tinyurl.com/6zudqqz

An eye-catching design is all very well, provided that it catches those
sideways glances for the right reasons. Packard Bell, a vendor with
a history of questionable colour choices, has plumped for a bronze
finish for its EasyNote TSX66. We're not sure we like it that much.
Fortunately, it also offers strong performance.
Underneath the tanned exterior lurks a powerful quad-core Intel
Core İ7-26300M processor, teamed with 6GB of DDR3 RAM. The
Packard Bell dominated our WorldBench 6 test with 132 points.
In our graphics tests, however, the laptop ranked near the bottom
of the group with just 17fps in Fear ('Maximum' detail settings). Unlike
much of the competition, it relies on the graphics integrated to its
processor rather than a dedicated card.
The keyboard is excellent. With full-size, isolated keys, typing
is very comfortable on the EasyNote. There's also a touchpad that
supports some multitouch gestures and scrolling.
Packard Bell supplies a generous 750GB, 5,400rpm hard drive,
one USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports. You also get a webcam, a card
reader and a DVD drive, plus HDMI and VGA connections.
In common with all the laptops in this group test, connectivity
options include 802.11 b/g/n wireless, gigabit ethernet and Bluetooth.

Given that it performed better than any other in WorldBench 6,
we were surprised by its strong battery life. The Packard Bell fell
just 7 minutes short of the MacBook Pro (page 56), at 381 mins.
VERDICT: The colour scheme may not be to all tastes, but the
Packard Bell EasyNote TSX66's £699 price tag should appeal.
This laptop delivers strong application performance - the best
in this group - and good battery life, although it suffers from
poor graphics. The keyboard and trackpad are also excellent.

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MSI GE620 Review ( Price )

£799 inc VAT * uk.msi.com * tinyurl.com/6h9d6sq

MSI's GE620 may not be the most eye-catching laptop here, but
it's got plenty of power at its disposal. One of two laptops we tested
running the quad-core Intel Core İ7-26300M processor, the MSI
turned in a stunning 131 points in our WorldBench 6 test - just
one point below the category-leading Packard Bell (page 60).
Aimed at gamers, a dedicated nVidia GeForce GT 540M graphics
card with 1GB of video RAM provides equally impressive gaming
performance. The MSI recorded 54fps in our Fear test ('Maximum'
detail settings). In contrast, the Packard Bell relies on integrated
graphics and scored just 17fps in the same test. MSI even throws
in a copy of Assassin's Creed II.
But while the MSI's speed will be appreciated by the gaming
crowd, the display might be considered a let-down. It's a 15.6in
(1366x768-pixel) LED-backlit panel with lacklustre colours
and somewhat fuzzy definition.
The 500GB hard drive isn't the largest on offer but, like the
Lenovo ThinkPad Edge (page 57), it spins at 7,200rpm. This allows
it to access large files faster, which is useful for video editing tasks.
The keyboard has well-spaced keys, although we found the
Enter button too small for our liking. The touchpad is textured,
but the approach works well once you get used to it.
The GE620 features two USB 3.0 and one USB 2.0 ports,
plus VGA, HDMI, a card reader and a webcam. Connectivity-wise,
802.11b/g/n, gigabit ethernet and Bluetooth cover most bases.
At 2.4kg, the MSI is practical as a travel companion, while its dark
grey finish will enable it to blend perfectly into a traditional office
environment. Although it has far from the longest lifespan of the
group, the MSI endured a usable 274 minutes of our tests.
VERDICT: MSI's GE620 is targeted at gamers, but it has plenty to
offer business and home users too. Performance in Windows
and games is very good, but the laptop's battery life is average,
Had it not been for an unimpressive screen, the GE620 would
have scored higher in our ratings.

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MEDION A KOYA P6631 Review ( Price )

£769 inc VAT * medion.com • tinyurl.com/636p2jc

The most striking thing about the Medion Akoya is its display. The
only panel here that's capable of supporting a full-HD (1920x1080-
pixel) resolution, this 15.6in screen offers deep, rich colours and
sharp definition. When you add a Blu-ray drive into the equation,
you've got a laptop that's well-specified for watching HD films.
Unfortunately, the screen is glossy, as is the bezel and much of
the Akoya's chassis. You'll need to be careful where you place the
laptop to avoid distracting reflections ruining a good movie.
This glossy finish of the Medion even stretches to the gaps
between the keys on the keyboard. You might think this complaint
over-fussy, but you'll see greasy fingerprints between the keys
when the light catches it at the right angle.
We particularly liked the Medion's touchpad. Whereas many
feature ridges around the edge where grime can build up, the
Akoya's touchpad lies flush with the palm rest.
An nVidia GeForce GT 540M graphics card will keep gamers
happy, and the Medion topped our results table in Fear with 79fps
('Maximum' detail). We were disappointed by the speakers' sound
quality, however, and found the audio tinny and lacking in bass.
The Medion has plenty of grunt, with an Intel Core İ5-2410M
processor and 8GB of DDR3 RAM. With 121 points scored in our
WorldBench 6 real-world speed test, the Medion was beaten only
by the MSI (right) and Packard Bell (page 60).
Given all this performance, battery life is rather average.
The Akoya endured 278 minutes in our MobileMark 2007 test.
Four USB ports include two of the faster '3.0' variety, but there's
no eSATA connection. HDMI and VGA ports are present, along with
a card reader, a webcam and a capacious 750GB hard drive.
VERDICT: The Medion Akoya P6631 is a very good multimedia-centric
laptop for £769, and has a full-HD, colour-rich screen and a Blu-ray
drive for playing HD films. It's also very powerful, with the fastest
graphics framerates on test and strong Windows performance.
The build quality is budget-like, and sound could be better.

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LENOVO THINKPAD EDGE E420S Review ( Price )

£880 inc VAT * lenovo.com/uk * tinyurl.com/5upjrpe

Lenovo's Edge E420s is unlikely to ever be referred to as 'pretty',
but the ThinkPad range has come a long way since Lenovo acquired
it from IBM. They're still built like tanks, though, and the E420s is
built to shrug off some battering on its travels.
Lenovo provides a choice of input methods. There's a small red
trackpoint in the middle of the keyboard, a touchpad at the bottom,
and left- and right-click keys below the spacebar.
This 14in-screen laptop is crammed into a small chassis, but typing
is relatively comfortable - watch you don't knock the trackpoint if you
don't want the cursor scooting off at inconvenient moments.
At this size, and at just 2kg, the Lenovo seems primed for
portability. Yet its 48.8Wh non-removable battery lasted just
163 minutes in our tests, and had the shortest lifespan of the group.
Other benchmarks yielded better results. The Lenovo ThinkPad's
2.3GHz Intel Core İ5-2410M processor and 4GB of DDR3 RAM
powered it to a 119-point tally in WorldBench 6. And its ATI Radeon
HD 6630 graphics card with 2GB of video RAM was capable of
60fps in Fear ('Maximum' detail settings).
The 320GB hard drive is frustratingly small, but in line with
Apple's MacBook Pro (paqe 56). It is at least a fast model, rated
at 7,200rpm. A USB 3.0 port enables you to attach a compatible
external hard drive for high-speed data transfers and backups. You
also get a single USB 2.0 port, eSATA, VGA and HDMI connections.
The 14in (1366x768-pixel) screen has a glossy finish, which isn't
ideal for a work-focused portable, with poor viewing angles and
distracting reflections. There is a fingerprint reader for easier
login security - useful for a business user on the move.
You also get wireless 802.11b/g/n, gigabit ethernet and Bluetooth
connectivity, a DVD drive, a webcam and a card reader.
VERDICT: The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E420s is a good performer in
Windows and games, and its robust construction should withstand
the odd knock. But a high price, poor battery life, glossy screen and
smaller amount of storage space count against this laptop.

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LENOVO IDEAPAD G570 Review ( Price )

£599 inc VAT * lenovo.com/uk * tinyurl.com/3mfuxm5

At £599, the Lenovo IdeaPad G570 has an impressive set of
specifications. Matching an Intel Core İ5-2410M processor with
6GB of RAM and an ATI Radeon HD 6370M graphics card has paid
off in performance terms. The IdeaPad achieved 121 WorldBench 6
points, and waltzed through Fear at 34fps ('Maximum' detail settings).
Lenovo has also carefully considered this laptop's looks, and the
IdeaPad G570 is one of the more stylish models in this group. It has
a charcoal-grey brushed-metal finish on the inside and a glossy back.
The laptop is sturdily built and looks as though it could take a few
knocks without any long-lasting damage.
The keyboard is also nicely designed, featuring a numeric keypad
and good-size keys. The touchpad is a little small, but of good quality,
supporting some multitouch gestures and scrolling.
The screen is another plus point for the Lenovo. It offers resonant
colours and, although we'd prefer to have seen a higher resolution
than 1366x768 pixels to make the most of the included Blu-ray drive,
there aren't many £599 laptops with a screen of this quality.
Neither are there many laptops at this price that offer 750GB
of storage, which should prove more than enough for most users.
A USB 3.0 port is ideal for attaching a compatible external hard
drive for fast backups - 750GB is a lot of data to lose in one go.
This sits among VGA and HDMI, plus two USB 2.0 ports.
Connectivity stretches to wireless 802.11b/g/n, gigabit ethernet
and Bluetooth. A card reader is also fitted.
At 2.5kg, this 15.6in-screen laptop is on the outer limits of what
we might refer to as 'portable'. But as a laptop that will mainly be
used at home and taken on the occasional day trip, it offers a good
compromise between portability and usability.
The Lenovo's 48Wh power pack endured 307 minutes of our
intensive MobileMark 2007 battery-life test.
VERDICT: Lenovo's G570 is an excellent all-rounder and competitively
priced. Application, graphics and battery performance are strong,
and we were impressed by the stylish finish and sturdy build.

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HP PAVILION DV7-6002SA Review ( Price )

£599 inc VAT • hp.com/uk • tinyurl.com/5s3ru93
The HP Pavilion dv7-6002sa is a hulking brute of a laptop. Weighing
in at 3.5kg, it isn't something you'd want to carry around for long.
The HP has a full-sized keyboard with a numeric keypad, and is
remarkably comfortable to use for long periods of time.
That's provided you don't place it directly on your lap. Not only
will the sheer weight of it make your legs ache, but it runs very hot.
Design-wise, the HP has a sturdy construction and looks smart.
The screen is the HP's main selling point. It's 17.3in on the
diagonal, has a glossy finish and offers bright, vibrant colours.
We're mystified, though, as to why it has a maximum resolution of
1600x900 pixels - short of what's required to display full-HD (1080p)
without scaling. Adding insult to injury, the HP has a Blu-ray drive:
you can play HD films, but there will be some downsizing to fit.
When it comes to audio, the HP is in a league of its own. With an
integrated subwoofer and several other speakers dotted around the
chassis, the sound quality is better than any other laptop here.
But it's in performance that the HP Pavilion falls down. It's the
only laptop in the group to use an AMD processor rather than a
second-generation Intel Core chip and, despite being fitted with
6GB of RAM, the dv7-6002sa recorded the lowest score in our
WorldBench 6 real-world speed test, with just 101 points.
Graphics performance was a little better, with the HP's ATI
Mobility Radeon HD 4250 with 256MB of video RAM delivering
38fps in Fear at 'Maximum' detail settings.
Given that this huge laptop is designed to stay at home rather
than tag along for the ride, its poor battery life came as no surprise.
The 54Wh power pack lasted just 224 minutes.
Included in the specification is a generous 750GB hard drive,
four USB 2.0 ports (no USB 3.0), a webcam and a fingerprint reader.
VERDICT: We can't understand why HP opted against a full-HD display
on a 17.3in-screen laptop with a Blu-ray drive and fantastic sound
quality. It's otherwise a good PC for home entertainment. The HP is
slower than its rivals, but it offers good value for money.

The HP Pavilion dv7-6002sa is a large brute of a laptop. Consideration
in at 3.5kg, it isn't something you'd requirement to fuddle around for nightlong.
The HP has a full-sized keyboard with a numeric keyboard, and is
unco easy to use for want periods of instant.
That's provided you don't situate it direct on your lap. Not exclusive
leave the pure weight of it make your legs hurt, but it runs rattling hot.
Design-wise, the HP has a sturdy business and looks smart.
The protection is the HP's important marketing show. It's 17.3in on the
diagonal, has a glazed move and offers fulgent, spirited flag.
We're mystified, though, as to why it has a extremum breakdown of
1600x900 pixels - rook of what's required to showing full-HD (1080p)
without scaling. Adding offend to harm, the HP has a Blu-ray ride:
you can alteration HD films, but there instrument be few downsizing to fit.
When it comes to audio, the HP is in a league of its own. With an
joint subwoofer and various opposite speakers patterned around the
chassis, the sensation character is exceed than any otherwise laptop here.
But it's in action that the HP Pavilion falls downward. It's the
only laptop in the group to use an AMD processor rather than a
second-generation Intel Nucleus fleck and, despite existence fitted with
6GB of RAM, the dv7-6002sa taped the worst nock in our
WorldBench 6 real-world intensify attempt, with vindicatory 101 points.
Graphics performance was a young advisable, with the HP's ATI
Mobility Radeon HD 4250 with 256MB of video RAM delivering
38fps in Fear at 'Extremum' detail settings.
Conferred that this huge laptop is fashioned to slip at institution kinda
than tag along for the couple, its low fire brio came as no surprise.
The 54Wh force pack lasted retributive 224 minutes.
Included in the spec is a magnanimous 750GB alcoholic ram,
quartet USB 2.0 ports (no USB 3.0), a webcam and a smear client.
Finding: We can't realise why HP opted against a full-HD communicate
on a 17.3in-screen laptop with a Blu-ray propulsion and terrific substantial
character. It's otherwise a dandy PC for place entertainment. The HP is
slower than its rivals, but it offers genuine assess for money.

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APPLE MACBOOK PRO 13in Review ( Price )

£999 inc VAT • apple.com/uk • tinyurl.com/5td25pq
With its £999 price tag, Apple's 13.3in-screen MacBook Pro only just
made it into our group test. But we're glad it did. The MacBook Pro
is an attractive, superbly built laptop.
If you're considering the switch to Mac OS X, but can't bear to
part with Microsoft's OS, you can dual-boot Windows using Boot
Camp. Remember to factor in the cost of a Windows licence.
We did exactly that to run our WorldBench 6 real-world speed
test, which works only in Windows. The MacBook Pro recorded a
respectable score of 117 points, placing it some way ahead of the
Toshiba (page 61) and HP (page 58).
At this price, much of the competition has dedicated graphics
cards; the MacBook does not. The Intel Core İ5-2415M processor's
integrated graphics produced a Fear framerate of just 18fps.
The MacBook battery-life test result was more impressive,
with it producing the best score of 389 minutes.
If you're looking for a laptop that won't be used exclusively in the
home, the MacBook will appeal not only for its long battery life but
its portability. This laptop weighs 2kg, and is very solidly built.
Although the MacBook Pro is significantly smaller than some
of its rivals in this group, well-spaced buttons make its keyboard
comfortable to use while typing out long documents. The large
multitouch trackpad is also welcome, which enables plenty of gesture
control of the system in its OS X environment.
An entertainment model it is not, the Apple MacBook Pro
includes neither a Blu-ray drive, nor a large, full-HD screen. It also
has the joint-smallest hard-drive capacity on test, at 320GB. You do
get a slot-loading dual-layer DVD writer and an HD webcam, plus
two USB 2.0 ports and, uniquely, FireWire 800 and Thunderbolt
connections, but there's no support for USB 3.0.
Apple launched Mac OS X 10.7 Lion as we went to press. This OS
provides a host of new features, but was too late for this review.
VERDICT: The MacBook Pro is expensive and lacks some features,
but is a powerful, versatile and very well-constructed laptop.

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Laptops group test

Home laptops have multiple uses. Not only must they handle everyday tasks such as downloading emails, browsing the web and writing documents, but they must entertain the entire family. You'll want something that's easy to get up and running. Windows 7, which is preinstalled on all but one of the laptops we review here, is reasonably easy to set up, and its built-in Wi-Fi connectivity lets you get online in minutes. Mac OS X is arguably even easier to get started with, although there'll be a learning curve if you're more used to the Windows operating system (OS). Every model on test uses a 64bit OS, which allows a PC to make use of more than 4GB of RAM. Two of the models we review come with 8GB of memory, making for a faster, smoother experience. Intel's second-generation Core processors offer very good performance and improved integrated graphics. If you can get one, do. Seven of our eight laptops are powered by such chips. Hardcore gamers will still want a dedicated graphics processor, however.

laptop that majors on sound quality. It's slower than all the competition, but costs just £599. For raw performance, MSI's GE620 (paqe 58) was beaten only by the Packard Bell TSX66 (paqe 60) in our WorldBench 6 speed test. Its dedicated nVidia graphics also produced faster framerates in Fear. Medion's Akoya P6631 (page 58) is the best entertainer of the group, with its full-HD display and Blu-ray drive allowing you to enjoy HD films.
Aim to get at least 500GB of storage, and strongly consider investing in an external hard drive for backing up important data. Six of the laptops reviewed here support USB 3.0, which allows for significantly faster data transfers to a compatible hard drive. True desktop-replacement laptops are often heavy machines, and it's unlikely that you'll want to move one about too often. If you need a home laptop that can double as a travel companion, look for good battery life and a sub-2.5kg weight. Also consider the conditions in which you'll be using the laptop.

If it must be usable indoors and outdoors, in bright and low-light environments, a matt screen is essential. Glossy screens offer better colour depth and sharper images, but they struggle with light reflections. Look for an anti-glare coating to get the best of both screen types. A good keyboard is important if you'll be rattling off long emails or documents. You may also want to add a USB or wireless mouse, since long-term touchpad use can become uncomfortable. Bear in mind, however, that this decision may mean you lose out on the useful control gestures supported by some modern touchpads. Conclusion We felt Lenovo's IdeaPad G570 (page 57) deserved our Best Buy award due to its strong specification, good performance and competitive price.

If you're looking for a laptop that'll cope with everyday tasks, as well as intensive processes such as video editing, the £600 Lenovo ticks many boxes. Apple's MacBook Pro (page 56) impressed us with its incredible build guality. However, its £999 price tag and integrated graphics may prove compromises too far. The MacBook's 2kg weight, great battery life and smaller 13.3in screen make it a good contender for portability. If your budget doesn't stretch this far, look instead to the £749 Toshiba Satellite R830-143 (page 61) - but note that this ultraportable isn't as well suited to work and entertainment duties. Lenovo's ThinkPad Edge (page 57) is a more work-focused model, with better multimedia capabilities. Its execution is somewhat lacking, however. If you believe that bigger is better, HP's Pavilion dv7-6002sa (page 56) is a large

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Folding@Home Review

Free
Contact
• folding.stanford.edu
Read more
• tinyurl.com/3g2s6zg
System requirements
450MHz Intel Pentium 3
processor or better;
web connection

Folding@Home is nothing to do with laundry, and everything to do with medical research. This free program helps scientists gain a better understanding of illnesses, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's and cystic fibrosis. To put it simply, 'folding' is a process whereby proteins transform from a random-looking string into a functional 3D structure. Sometimes proteins fold incorrectly, and this leads to many degenerative diseases. One way to understand protein folding (and misfolding) is to simulate it. Such simulation is virtually unlimited in computing. The more processing power you have, the more complex your simulation can be. And this is where your computer enters. Rather than invest in a huge supercomputer, Folding@Home harnesses the collective power of online Windows, Mac and Linux PCs, plus PlayStation consoles. We tried the Windows client. On the surface, it looks like a i OO^lO^ w 1 ' * v CURRENT * 0 * K lAIT ş43a61'm000n0 t.a.rtm mmmmmmmmmmmmmB A.%>\ 0 o^T^i"» fU it CW CO İ1» vrvxytr \t FOLDING ®HOME harnesses the collective power of PCs and PlayStations screensaver with a simple setup interface. It gets a small chunk of work from a central Folding@Home server, crunches at the problem, submits the result, and then gets a new chunk to process. The project has been active since October 2000, and in that time more than 70 research papers have been published using its data. You can track your personal contribution via the project's website, and even join a team to compete against other participants around the world. Folding@Home gives priority to every other task on your PC, and we didn't notice a slow down. It can increase power consumption, but laptop users can pause the program while on battery power. Verdict The personal benefits of running Folding@Home on your PC or PlayStation are small, but the idea that you could help scientists fend off life-threatening diseases may appeal.

Folding@Home is naught to do with washing, and everything to do with medical investigate. This atrip promulgation helps scientists advance a modify savvy of illnesses, including Alzheimer's, Sawbones's, Businessman's and cystic fibrosis. To put it simply, 'folding' is a affect whereby proteins transmute from a random-looking accumulation into a functional 3D toy. Sometimes proteins structure wrong, and this leads to many degenerative diseases. One way to interpret accelerator folding (and misfolding) is to act it. Such simulation is virtually infinite in technology. The statesman processing quality you love, the many interlinking your representation can be. And this is where your machine enters. Kinda than outfit in a huge supercomputer, Folding@Home harnesses the knockdown knockdown force of PCs and PlayStations screensaver with a elongate equipment interface. It gets a infinitesimal hoard of business from a key Folding@Home server, crunches at the difficulty, submits the termination, and then gets a new accumulate to enation. The throw has been alive since October 2000, and in that abstraction more than 70 research writing fuck been publicised using its aggregation. You can cartroad your personalized giving via the
ascribe's website, and smooth juncture a squad to compete against other participants around the humankind. Folding@Home gives priority to every separate duty on your PC, and we didn't observation a pokey dr.. It can amount force t.b., but laptop users can break the document piece on assault commonwealth. Finding The individualised benefits of gushing Folding@Home on your PC or PlayStation are diminutive, but the strain that you could amend scientists fend off life-threatening diseases may invoke.

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