Asus, Sony and Toshiba's new multimedia laptops offer 1TB storage, Blu-ray optical drive and a CEC-enabled TV tuner, respectively. Which configuration won us over?
| Sony VAIO AR |
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 The Sony Vaio AR is a nice fit for a high-end home theater setup in need of a portable, hi-def solution. While this might be a narrow niche, we think such enthusiasts will enjoy the Vaio AR, which looks every bit the part it will play. These customers probably won't miss the lack of DVI output, or the unimpressive dedicated media controls, as their system will already use better options. Gamers looking for a desktop replacement for LAN parties might want to look elsewhere, as the machine couldn't keep up playing Crysis. And road warriors who want to watch a hi-def movie in first class better check to make sure the plane has power outlets, because battery life, though better than other laptops in this class, won't last a full movie, let alone a cross-country flight. Still, the Vaio AR's size makes it easy for typing and using on the desktop, in lieu of an external monitor, and with all of the newest, most advanced tech onboard, it should keep up with the newest multimedia machines for months to come. Release: January 2008. Price: $3600.
Pros: Blu-Ray burner. Full HD display, and HDMI output. Large keyboard.
Cons: Pricey, even for these capabilities. Battery won't last through a movie. Couldn't play Crysis.
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| Toshiba Qosmio G45 |
Specs » Gallery » |
 This powerful 17-inch multimedia notebook got a unique update at CES, a technology called CEC or Consumer Electronics Control. Basically, CEC is a wiring protocol within HDMI that provides 14 functions for different plug-and-play controls among consumer products. For example, if you want to connect your notebook to an HDTV, the transition is far more seamless than in current HDMI-out implementations. For now however, most of the CEC-compatible HDTVs are only available from Toshiba. Release: January 2008. Price: $3000.
Pros: Updated with CEC compatibility
Cons: Very few TVs with CEC compatibility
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| ASUS M70Sr |
Gallery » |
 Billed by ASUS as the "world's first terabyte notebook," the M70Sr features two of Hitachi's recently announced Travelstart 5K500 500GB hard drives. The M50 is also available with a terabyte configuration but it's really in this 17-inch space where you see the benefits of having a large, roomy hard drive to store all your music, photos and games. That's great, on the downside, we'd like to see a little more style in a luxury notebook like this. Release: March 2008. Price: $1500.
Pros: 1TB of storage
Cons: Not a whole lot of style
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