Derrick
ლ(ಠ_ಠ )ლ
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2010
- Messages
- 5,085
- Reaction score
- 5
External graphics makes more sense than you think!
Desktop-replacement notebooks are not new: there is an increasing number of options available with each passing year, as components become cooler, more power efficient and some would say even cheaper.
The appeal of desktop-replacement notebooks is very obvious, in that they allow one to use the same machine at home and at work without sacrificing performance. However, while there are many of these notebooks, some featuring AMD’s highest-end graphics solution in the form of the HD4870X2, such a solution is just not viable or practical for most people. Battery life under full load is less than one hour, these notebooks are cumbersome, and for the most part, defeat the purpose of having a notebook in the first place.
This is where the AMILO SA 3650 with XGP sets itself apart. Powered by AMD’s dual-core Turion processor, the notebook isn’t going to blow you away, but it is faster than any netbook on the market and certainly holds its own against its competitors. Where it’s a cut above the rest is in the graphics department, thanks to the XGP unit.
The XGP is basically an HD3870 graphics card housed in a special unit that has cable connectivity to the notebook via a special PCI Express 2.0 8x data cable. When the XGP is plugged in, it can take over the display abilities from the on-board HD3200 accelerator. Moreover, it allows one to use both display adapters in tandem to power several displays at once. The XGP has its own power supply and doesn’t drain the notebook’s battery. This also means that one can leave the XGP at home connected to a larger display, like the matching XL322W we received with the unit.
On the road, one would use the notebook with the built-in Radeon HD3200, but at home, one would connect it to the XGP and instantly play higher resolutions in any given game already started on the road, or titles that are just not playable on the 3200. One could also play back hardware-accelerated, high-definition videos through the HDCP-supporting XGP unit.
While the XGP offers massive improvement in graphics power, right now in 2009, the GPU is starting to show its age, but it is still capable of playing the vast majority of triple-A titles on the market. The XGP is a really interesting concept that is obviously not limited to what GPU is installed in it now. In future, one would be able to purchase even higher-end models of the XGP with better accelerators, offering almost unlimited upgrade possibilities for users.
Desktop-replacement notebooks are not new: there is an increasing number of options available with each passing year, as components become cooler, more power efficient and some would say even cheaper.
The appeal of desktop-replacement notebooks is very obvious, in that they allow one to use the same machine at home and at work without sacrificing performance. However, while there are many of these notebooks, some featuring AMD’s highest-end graphics solution in the form of the HD4870X2, such a solution is just not viable or practical for most people. Battery life under full load is less than one hour, these notebooks are cumbersome, and for the most part, defeat the purpose of having a notebook in the first place.
This is where the AMILO SA 3650 with XGP sets itself apart. Powered by AMD’s dual-core Turion processor, the notebook isn’t going to blow you away, but it is faster than any netbook on the market and certainly holds its own against its competitors. Where it’s a cut above the rest is in the graphics department, thanks to the XGP unit.
The XGP is basically an HD3870 graphics card housed in a special unit that has cable connectivity to the notebook via a special PCI Express 2.0 8x data cable. When the XGP is plugged in, it can take over the display abilities from the on-board HD3200 accelerator. Moreover, it allows one to use both display adapters in tandem to power several displays at once. The XGP has its own power supply and doesn’t drain the notebook’s battery. This also means that one can leave the XGP at home connected to a larger display, like the matching XL322W we received with the unit.
On the road, one would use the notebook with the built-in Radeon HD3200, but at home, one would connect it to the XGP and instantly play higher resolutions in any given game already started on the road, or titles that are just not playable on the 3200. One could also play back hardware-accelerated, high-definition videos through the HDCP-supporting XGP unit.
While the XGP offers massive improvement in graphics power, right now in 2009, the GPU is starting to show its age, but it is still capable of playing the vast majority of triple-A titles on the market. The XGP is a really interesting concept that is obviously not limited to what GPU is installed in it now. In future, one would be able to purchase even higher-end models of the XGP with better accelerators, offering almost unlimited upgrade possibilities for users.