MSI tosses in AE2280 touchscreen PC for entertainment enthusiasts

Just when we thought MSI is busy sketching out stylish laptops like its slim P600 and S6000, our assumptions turned out to be pretty wrong. Well, the company has now revealed its Wind Top AE2280 all-in-one desktop PC featuring THX TruStudio Pro audio capabilities for users in North American.

Entertainment aficionados can enjoy advanced surround sound acoustic clarity and rich, subwoofer-powered bass frequencies with this latest offering. Designed to deliver a theater-like experience, the AE2280 is fitted with a 21.5-inch display that delivers full HD (1080p) videos and 16:9 aspect ratio. An enriched graphics performance is ensured with the desktop PC’s ATI Radeon HD series graphics card.

“The Wind Top AE2280 brings the ultimate in Hollywood-caliber video and audio technology to the desktop. It packages the perfect combination of processing power, stunning graphics, HD video, and powerful, crystal-clear audio in a sleek, modern and energy-efficient design. As both a multimedia and home entertainment system, the newest Wind Top sets a new standard for the level of power, functionality and ease-of-use available in All-in-One PCs,” shared Andy Tung, vice president of sales, MSI Computer.

The new Intel Core i3/i5 processors employed in the Wind Top AE2280 proffers high-performance processing and augmented multitasking capabilities for work and entertainment-related applications. Besides, Intel’s Turbo Boost technology embedded in the Core i series processors mechanically increases or decreases operating speeds according to the demand of the applications. Moreover, Hyper-Threading technology by Intel further improves system performance while running numerous operations simultaneously.

Users are proffered an enhanced multi-touch experience which is rendered by the Window 7 operating system of the PC. MSI equips Wind Touch Generation III multi-touch software, Wind Mail email software, and YouCam software to add visual effects for photos or videos taken with the built-in webcam and directly upload them to YouTube and Facebook.

YouPaint software, a touch-enabled painting software that includes different painting elements, and YouMemo software for creating personal notes and memos are also bundled in the device. The offering caters to the needs of hardcore gamers with its ability to run 3D/HD games as well.

The Wind Top AE2280 PC is available in a variety of configurations with a starting price of $949.99 (approx Rs. 44,036).

Lenovo ThinkCentre M70e and A70 show that desktop design matters

The portable PC hasn’t killed the traditional desktop as yet. The demand for both types of PCs is expected to almost equal each other this year according to IDC reports. Taking the cue, Lenovo has stepped in with two ThinkCentre desktops, the M70e and the A70. The devices flaunt small form factor and tower designs.

The M70e is offered with the Intel Core2Quad processors, while the other options for both PCs include Intel’s Core2Quad, Core2Duo, Pentium and Celeron processors. Each are sold with up to 4GB DDR3 memory, Gigabit Ethernet connectivity and DVD burners. The visuals are powered by Nvidia GeForce FX380 Quadro or Intel integrated GMA X4500 graphics solutions.

John Swansey, an M70e designer, cited, “We grouped together frequently accessed controls near the top of the PC where they are easy to reach whether the PC is placed on the floor, on a desk, or in computer furniture. The indicator lights and power button are on a panel angled toward the use, and the power button is shielded from accidental use by an elegant chrome ring. USB and audio ports are placed conveniently next to the DVD drive at the top of the machine where they are visible and accessible. The red-striped DVD drive eject button, borrowed from our ThinkPad heritage, is easily noticeable.”

Customers will be able to avail of up to 500GB HDD space or up to 1TB on the M70e variant. Lenovo packs them in with ThinkVantage Tools accompanied by Rescue and Recovery to protect against data loss. The M70e is cited to use almost 15% less energy than previous models and incorporate a front plastic bezel that has 35% post consumer recycled plastic.

The highlighted feature of both ThinkCentre PCs is their ergonomic design. The M70e houses a trimmed down motherboard and rearranged internal components that allow it to sport a relatively smaller form factor as compared to Lenovo’s older ThinkCentre offerings. It even runs cooler than previous models with the extra fan and side vent added to reduce the risk of HDD and CPU failure.

The ThinkCentre M70e models cost upwards from $559 (approx. Rs. 25,700), while the A70 variants are tagged with prices starting from $379 (approx. Rs. 17,450).