Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/12/02/widowpc_sting_917x2_dualie_latptop/
Will WidowPC's Sting 917X2 notebook be the world's first dual-core laptop? Certainly a number of technology websites are claiming it is, but a check on the company's own website reveals the 5.1kg beast is only available on pre-order.
The 917X2 is will be based an AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ or above. The spec. is customisable, but the machine will ship with at least 512MB of DDR SDRAM, up to 2GB. There are two drive bays, ready for HDDs of 40-120GB, and you can choose from two 17in LCDs: a 1440 x 900 widescreen job or a 1900 x 1200 screen.
The machine comes with an Nvidia Geforce Go 7800 GTX, ATI Mobility Radeon X800 XT Platinum Edition or an Nvidia Quadro FX Go 1400, the choice is yours.
WidowPC is offering the machine with Windows XP Home, Pro or Media Center Edition, and it will stick in a TV tuner, Wi-Fi adaptor, and one or two optical drives (assuming you haven't opted for a second HDD, of course).
On board are two FireWire ports; infra-red; four USB 2.0 ports; legacy connectors; two S-Video ports, one for video-in the other for TV-out; analog and SP/DIF digital audio ports; Gigabit Ethernet; and a 56Kbps modem.
The basic spec. will set you back $3,447. And at 39 x 29.3 x 4.9cm, you're going to want to rest it on something other than your lap.
But when will you get it? According to WidowPC, it's waiting on CPU shipments from AMD, noting "AMD has announced that they will have them to us in November". We're in December now, and there's clearly no sign of the chips - at least, WidowPC hasn't updated its site even if it has received them.
The company suggests pre-ordering now to be "one of the first in line" for the new machine. "Otherwise, if you order when the chips come in you are more likely to get your dual core laptop in 2006."
That's dangerous close to the arrival of dual-core notebooks based on Intel's upcoming 'Yonah' Pentium M, so WidowPC may not be first after all. Still, given AMD CPUs' strength in gaming, the kind of folks with an eye on the Sting are not going to natural Centrino buyers, and we can't wait to see the 917X2's benchmark numbers. ®
WidowPC to ship world's first SLI laptop in 60 days (9 February 2006)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/02/09/widowpc_sli_laptop_sting_919/
Rock beats Widow to ship first dual-core notebook (16 December 2005)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/12/16/rock_ships_first_dual-core_laptop/
AMD unwraps notebook reference platform (15 December 2005)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/12/15/amd_yamato_centrino/
UK vs US as vendors race to ship first dual-core laptop (6 December 2005)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/12/06/dual-core_notebook_race/
ATI unwraps first X1000-class mobile graphics chip (6 December 2005)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/12/06/ati_unveils_mobility_radeon_x1600/
Asus preps carbon-fibre cased laptop (5 December 2005)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/12/05/asus_w1_carbon/
Intel's 'Yonah' benchmarked (30 November 2005)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/11/30/intel_yonah_benchmarked/
Intel to 'drop Pentium name' with Merom, Conroe debut (30 November 2005)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/11/30/intel_to_drop_pentium_name/
Intel juggles 'Cedar Mill' P4 model numbers (25 November 2005)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/11/25/intel_desktop_roadmap_06/
Opteron boosts healthy server market in Q3 (23 November 2005)
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/11/23/server_gartner_q3/
Intel preps two-stage 'Napa' retail roll-out (22 November 2005)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/11/22/intel_napa_retail_plan/
Intel 65nm 'Yonah' to ship at 2.16GHz (21 November 2005)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/11/21/intel_yonah_model_numbers/
Intel files for 'Intel Core' trademark (21 November 2005)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/11/21/intel_trademark_filings/
Mobo maker confirms next Pentium Extreme Edition (18 November 2005)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2005/11/18/asus_reveals_pee/