PC Show 2012 - Notebooks, PC Systems, Networking & PC Accessories Buying Guide
The PC Show is now upon us, and there will be a horde of tech-hungry consumers. If you want to get something, you'd have to be quick, so here's our Personal Computing buying guide to help you hit fast, and and get out of the PC Show safe and sound.
Notebooks, PC Systems, Networking, PC Accessories Buying Guide
The PC Show is currently taking place at the Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Center. Till the 10th of June, the expo will span four floors (1, 3, 4, and 6), and its doors will be opened from noon to 9pm daily. In this segment, we highlight noteworthy items related to the Personal Computing category, consisting mainly of notebooks, desktops, networking and other accessories. Keep your eyes and ears peeled!
Buying Guide Index
PC Show 2012 Shopping Resources
Remember to check out the HardwareZone Tech Show Portal for the latest consolidated shopping resources and updates.
Notebooks and Desktops
Intel's new Ivy Bridge processors have arrived just in time to grace the notebooks and desktops available at this year's PC Show. The 3rd generation processors are the most powerful yet, and promise much more power, while reducing power consumption, thus of course, prolonging battery life. And that's not the best part about the advent of Ivy Bridge processors. Current Sandy Bridge toting notebooks and desktops will also be priced to clear. If you're a casual user, you'd definitely want to look out for these Sandy Bridge machines because they will be more than adequate to suit your needs -- the same goes for gamers.
The biggest winners when it comes to Ivy Bridge, will be the very thin and light Ultrabooks. This year's PC Show will see a bevy of manufacturers showcasing their latest Ultrabook offerings. And in case you're wondering, they won't all be confined to the 13.3-inch form factor. This PC show, you will also be able to cast your gaze on 14-inch to 15.6-inch Ultrabooks that sport the full gamut of features -- more ports, discrete graphics and even optical drives if you really need it.
Another point to get you into the mood for splurging on a new notebook, is the fact that you can upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for just S$18 (starting from now) if you buy a machine that comes with Windows 7 pre-installed.
Acer (Level 4, 6, Hall 402, 403, 404, 602)
Acer Aspire S5
The 13.3-inch, 1.2kg Acer Aspire S5, is a result of Acer's determination to start steering away from its current business model -- cheap and affordable (an example would be the liberal use of plastics). The new Acer Aspire S5 is decidedly very much improved over Acer's first Ultrabook effort, the Acer Aspire S3. It's got a snazzy new look, as well as a full aluminum body which makes it very robust. There is no back-lit keyboard, but there's a mechanized "Magic Flip" port door that opens up at a push of a button, revealing 2 USB 3.0 ports, HDMI and a display port. Talk about luxury! This time, there isn't a cheap hybrid drive option -- instead, there will be options for a 128GB SSD, or a 256GB SSD -- the way Ultrabooks are meant to exist. The only thing taking away this notebook's shine, is the lack of a higher resolution screen, which is a disappointing 1366 x 768 pixels.
- PC Show Price: Core i5, 128GB SSD - $1,498, Core i7, 256GB SSD - $1,898
- Usual Price: Core i5, 128GB SSD - $1,698, Core i7, 256GB SSD - $2,098
- Promotion: Free Acer Folio Case, HDMI to VGA Converter, Bluetooth Mouse
Acer Aspire Z3771 (i212M45)
Windows 8 will be upon us soon, and how are you getting ready for it? For less than S$1000, you can get yourself a 21" Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixel resolution) all-in-one PC -- the Acer Aspire Z3771. Granted, there are other models that are bigger and faster, but for casual users, the Core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM, 500Gb HDD and integrated graphics is more than enough to get you on the Windows 8 bandwagon. If you get it during the PC Show, you will also be able to upgrade it to Windows 8 Pro for just S$18 when it launches.
- PC Show Price: $899
- Usual Price: $1099
- Promotion: Free Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security
ASUS (Level 4, 6, Hall 401, 402, 403, 602)
ASUS Zenbook UX21E / UX31E
The ASUS Zenbook UX series haven't been updated to Ivy Bridge processors in time for the PC Show, but that also means that it's priced to compete with the latest Ivy Bridge processors. Under the full aluminum body UX series, there is the 1.1kg UX21E (i5 or i7, 128GB) and the 1.3kg (i5, i7, 128GB or 256GB) UX31E. These Sandy Bridge notebooks are good for casual or business users who don't require any gaming firepower, and need a thin-and-light notebook for travel. For entertainment, there is audio by Bang & Olufsen ICEpower. Its trump card over most other Ultrabooks though, is its high-resolution (1600 x 900 pixels) screen.
- PC Show Price: UX21E-i5 (Core i5, 128GB SSD) - $1,398, UX21E-i7 (Core i7, 128GB SSD) - $1,598. UX31E-i5 (Core i5, 128GB SSD) - $1,498, UX31E-i7 (Core i7, 128GB SSD) - $1,698, UX31E-i5 (Core i5, 256GB SSD) - $1,998
- Usual Price: UX21E-i5 (Core i5, 128GB SSD) - $1,698, UX21E-i7 (Core i7, 128GB SSD) - $1,698. UX31E-i5 (Core i5, 128GB SSD) - $1,598, UX31E-i7 (Core i7, 128GB SSD) - $1,798, UX31E-i5 (Core i5, 256GB SSD) - $2,098
- Promotion: Free Trend Micro Internet Security ($59), upgrade 3yrs internationl warranty. In Box: mini-VGA to VGA cable ($69), USB to LAN cable ($69)
- More Information: HWZ Review
ASUS N46VZ-V3019V
The ASUS N46VZ is one of the latest thin-and-light multimedia notebooks to feature an new and powerful quad-core i7, Ivy Bridge processor. It has 4GB of RAM, a large 750GB SATA drive, and even an optical drive. It comes in 2 sizes: 14-inches and 15-inches. Unfortunately ASUS didn't indicate how much the 15-inch version costs, or what components it has. This versatile do-it-all machine also has an NVIDIA Geforce GT650M which is adequate for casual gaming at lower settings and resolutions. The only issue we have with this machine is that its screen is quite low res (1366 x 768 pixels) for a high performance multimedia notebook.
- PC Show Price: $1,498
- Usual Price: $1,598
- Promotion: Free Trend Micro Security ($69), upgrade 2 years international warranty (S$129), notebook bag ($69), optical mouse ($19)
Dell (Level 4, 6, Hall 402, 602)
Dell Inspiron 14z Ultrabook
Dell's last Ultrabook, the XPS 13 was a valiant effort on their part. It's got so many things right, but unfortunately, it's a little bit too expensive for some people. However the new Dell Inspiron 14z Ultrabook seeks to change that. It's got the body of an Ultrabook, yet packs the latest Core i7 Ivy Bridge processor, optical drive, a whopping 8GB of RAM, (low) mid-tier AMD Radeon HD 7570M 1GB discrete graphics, 500GB HDD and 32GB SSD. It's priced (quite well) to move, so don't expect frills like clickpads, backlit keyboards or even high resolution screens because you won't find them here.
- PC Show Price: $1,499 ($1,199 after $300 trade-in)
- Promotion: Free Targus Case ($49), McAfee Security Center 15 months ($59)
Alienware X51 Desktop
Some gaming powerhouses need to be as big as a house to fit all that firepower -- not the Alienware X51 desktop. This little powerhouse is not much bigger than a gaming console, and yet is well equipped enough to keep up with your intensive gaming needs. It hasn't had the Ivy Bridge update yet, but it does have an NVIDIA Geforce GTX555 to churn out those frames at a more than acceptable rate. It also comes standard with 8GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage space. It doesn't come with a monitor, but there are options to add a monitor and and upgrade your i5 processor to an i7.
- PC Show Price: $1,499, with monitor and i7 upgrade - $1,899
- Promotion: Free McAfee Security Center 15 mths ($59), 1st Complete Cover Warranty ($59), Alienware goodie bag ($199) and Dell wireless WLAN ($59)
Fujitsu (Level 4, Hall 401)
Fujitsu Lifebook SH771
When a notebook is perfect for enterprise use, chances are it's also perfect for use in school. A piece of information that Fujitsu shared with us lately, is that the Fujitsu SH771 is one of the most preferred notebooks for Polytechnic students. Not surprising if you consider its sleek black and very robust magnesium alloy body. It may be really thin, but it also comes with an optical drive, a feature which students may find indispensable. It also seems to have enough space for a massive battery, it did quite well in our battery tests. And if you don't need the optical drive, you can always swap it out and the notebook becomes a light 1.3kg. Oh and it's made in Japan, if you're particular about that sort of thing.
- PC Show Price: Core i5 - $1,888, Core i7 - $2,488
- Usual Price: Core i5 - $2,288, Core i7 - $2,888
- Promotion: Free upgrade to 8GB RAM, Fujitsu bar speakers, Fujitsu carrier case
- More Information: HWZ Review
Fujitsu Lifebook UH572
Fujitsu didn't join the initial Ultrabook frenzy, but when they do, they came up with 2 models, both equipped with 3rd generation Intel Ivy Bridge chips. There is the very premium U772, and then there is the very reasonably priced UH572. The UH572 is targeted at mainstream users, as you can tell by its lack of an SSD. That doesn't mean however, that it's not competitive in terms of performance and features. It comes with either a i5, or i7 processor, 4GB RAM, 320GB (w/32GB cache) hybrid drive, 2 USB 3.0 ports, and a USB 2.0 port and HDMI port.
- PC Show Price: Core i5 - $1,298, Core i7 - $1,598
- Promotion: Free 4GB RAM upgrade, external DVD-drive, Fujitsu carrier case
HP (Level 4, Hall 401)
HP Envy 4 Ultrabook
This very affordable 14-inch 1366x769 display Ultrabook from HP comes equipped with a 3rd generation Intel Core i5-3317U Processor (1.7GHz), 8GB RAM, 500GB HDD and 32GB SSD. For your entertainment needs, it boasts a discrete AMD Radeon HD 7670M GPU and is the first Ultrabook to feature a built-in subwoofer. As with all HP Envy machines, it comes loaded with Beats technology for a better audio experience.
- PC Show Price: $1,299
- Promotion: Free HP wireless mouse X3000, multimedia speakers, Trend Micro Internet Security, HP carrying case, 1 year Smart Care Service Care
HP Touchsmart 620
It's hard to build yourself a machine that has multi-touch. So why not just get one that already has multi-touch built in? THe 23-inch, Full HD, HP Touchsmart 620 is built to bring a fun multi-touch experience into your home. Although it doesn't have the latest Intel Ivy Bridge processor, it's still eligible for the Windows 8 upgrade, which means you'll be ready to take advantage of the touch experience that Windows 8 is optimized for. It's got a Core i7 (3.4GHz) processor, 6GB RAM, 1TB storage, and discrete (AMD Radeon HD 6670A) graphics.
- PC Show Price: $2,299
- Promotion: Buy an Xbox console ($339), HP Deskjet 3070A ($149) for $99, and a Beats Audio Solo headphones ($420) for $299
Lenovo (Level 3, 4, Booth 314, Hall 401, 402, 403)
Lenovo Ideapad U310
Technology is no longer for the geeky. It's now gotten to a point where mainstream devices can't just perform well -- they've got to look good too. That's the rationale behind the introduction of the full aluminum, 13.3-inch Lenovo Ideapad U310 Ultrabook. These slim yet affordable notebooks comes in 3 different colors, and are updated with Intel's latest Ivy Bridge processors. There's a standard 4GB of RAM, a 500GB hybrid drive (32GB SSD cache), and it runs on the integrated graphics (Intel HD 4000) found on its Core i5 (1.7GHz) processor.
- PC Show Price: $1,299
- Usual Price: $1,499
- Promotion: Free McAfee Anti-Virus, Lenovo sleeve, HDMI to VGA converter, 2nd year carry-in warranty
Lenovo Ideacentre A720
One of the best deals in the PC Show is the fact that you can get an upgrade to Windows 8 for less than $20. And one of the best ways you can take advantage of that, is to get yourself a multi-touch enabled PC -- the Lenovo Ideacentre A720. The reason why this machine is so thin (Lenovo claims it's the thinnest 27-inch AIO on the planet) is because it uses notebook guts. However, its quad-core Ivy Bridge i7 processor is more than enough to handle anything you throw at it. There's also an NVIDIA Geforce GT630M (2GB) to make sure that you can also play games (low settings) with it. This machine also has an adjustable hinge that puts it down flat -- useful for when you're taking advantage of its 10-point multi-touch for some family fun.
- PC Show Price: $2,699
- Usual Price: $2,999
- Promotion: Free McAfee Anti-Virus Plus, 3rd year carry-in warranty
MSI (Level 4, 6, Hall 403, 601)
MSI GT70
The thing about gaming machines, is that it doesn't matter if it weighs 3.6kg or looks blacker than Darth Vader's soul. What matters is that it crushes all the graphical data your games throw at it. That's what the MSI GT70 does, and does pretty well we may add. This 17.3GB Ivy Bridge packing machine also has an NVIDIA Geforce GTX670 (3GB) that does most of the heavy lifting. What's most interesting is that it give you a 128GB Super Raid (2 x 64GB SSD) array, as well as a 750GB HDD for supercharged performance. It also comes with an anti-glare (matte) screen, 16GB of RAM and a Blu-Ray combo drive. If you can find a better gaming machine -- that has its keyboard made by Steel Series -- at a better price at the PC Show, let us know.
- PC Show Price: $3,598
- Usual Price: $3,699
- Promotion: Free MSI gaming mouse, gaming backpack, gaming headset, Blu-Ray writer (optional with $100 top up)
- More Information: HWZ Review
Samsung (Level 3, 4, Hall 401, 402, 403)
Samsung Series 9 (2012)
Whatever you do, don't call the Samsung Series 9 notebooks, Ultrabooks. They're not. Even if they are as thin, as light, as fast (new ultra-low-voltage Ivy Bridge processors and SSD), and as sexy as Ultrabooks. That's because these full aluminum notebooks are made to be a notch more premium than Ultrabooks are meant to be. The 2012 Series 9 notebooks are made to be even more robust than last year's version. There's also a 15-inch version for folks who need a bigger screen.
- PC Show Price: 13-inch (i7, 128GB SSD) - $2,188 15-inch (i5, 128GB SSD) - $1,788, 15-inch (i7, 256GB SSD) - $2,488
- Promotion: Free Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security, 2nd, 3rd year extended local warranty, Microsoft Office Home and Student Edition
Toshiba (Level 4, 6, Hall 401, 402, 403, 602)
Toshiba Portege Z930
The Toshiba Portege series machines have always had very impressive battery life, making it one of the best enterprise notebooks in the market. However, that's not what makes the Portege Z930 so ideal for the travelling executive. It's its feather-light 1.12kg weight that gives the constantly-on-the-go business traveller's back some relief. Performance-wise, the Portege Z930 doesn't take any hits either. It's been updated with either a Core i5 or i7 processor, and it retains the massive 6GB of RAM.
- PC Show Price: i5 (128GB SSD) - $1,699, i7 (256GB SSD) - $2,199
- Promotion: Free Norton Security (1 year), 1 year local pick-up and return, notebook sleeve, 3 years international warranty, Sennheiser VMX200 Bluetooth headset or Toshiba external DVD drive
Toshiba Regza LX830-1000X
This newly released 23-inch all-in-one desktop boasts a full HD (1920x1080) touchscreen display with multi-gesture support. It is equipped with the latest Intel Ivy Bridge i5-3210M processor, 4 GB RAM, a 1 TB HDD, and NVIDIA GeForce 630M discrete graphics. A Blu-ray drive and ONKYO stereo speakers and subwoofer make it a great choice for entertainment and movie watching, and it also comes with a built-in TV tuner. A matching wireless keyboard and mouse are also included.
- PC Show Price: $1,799
- Promotion: Free Norton Security (1 year), 1 year local on-site warranty
The Love is in the Air
With more and more content becoming available for digital delivery, and many services (especially gaming) requiring an 'always-on' connection, the speed of your network connection is now more important than ever. In the past, we were limited to slow 14.4kbps dial-up modems, but with the advent of cable and and now fiber optic broadband, we have achieved speeds of 200Mbps and above.
These technological advancements also demand equally proficient hardware, at the consumer end at least, to optimize their blazing fast speeds. As such, it is important that you pick the right router to suit your broadband capabilities. For instance, utilizing an old N-router when you're subscribed to a fiber network is like listening to 128kbps songs with a pair of high-end headphones. So if you've upgraded to fiber recently, be sure to get a high-speed router (and preferably NGNBN-certified) to match your network.
Aztech (Level 6, Hall 603)
Aztech 500Mbps HomePlug AV Pass Through (HL115EP)
The Aztech HomePlug AV 500Mbps is one of the best choices for users with high bandwidth-demand applications, such as online gaming or HD streaming, with speeds of up to 500mbps. Setup is simple, just plug in and connect one homeplug to your router, and another to the device of your choice, then pair them by pressing the Simple Connect button on both. The Simple Connect button also doubles as a security feature providing 128-bit AES encryption. For extra convenience, this model comes with an integrated noise-filtered power outlet, so you won't lose a power port when you're using it.
- PC Show Price: $65
- Usual Price: $75
- Promotion: Get two for $119 (Usual Price: $150)
Cisco (Gain City - Level 6, Hall 602; Harvey Norman - Level 6, Hall 602)
Cisco Linksys E4200
Powered by a Broadcom BCM4718 chip, the Cisco Linksys E4200 is marketed, not surprisingly, as a compatible companion to fiber networks. Theoretically, it is capable of top speeds of up to 450Mbps on 5GHz, and 300MHz on 2.4GHz.
Its deviation from the usual (and boring) router dress code also makes it one of the few aesthetically appealing routers; and it's got substance to back up that style too, with many built-in features you want in a modern day N-router, like guest access and access policies. In our testing, the router's 3x3 and 2x3 MIMO streams translated into stable throughput figures, while its UPnP media server and IPv6 support also lends a hand to its multimedia and future-proofing accolades.
- PC Show Price: $259
- Usual Price: $338
- Promotion: Free Wireless-N USB adapter AE 2500
- More Information: HWZ Review
D-Link (Level 6, Hall 601)
D-Link DIR-605L Cloud Router
This Wireless-N router is a great solution for those who need to share internet access among wireless devices. It features the mydink management portal software which allows you to configure the router from your supported Android or iOS devices, as well as enhanced wireless security with remote threat monitoring.
- PC Show Price: $79
- Usual Price: $109
- Promotion: Free Wireless-N DWA-140 USB adapter
- More Information: HWZ Article
EnGenius (Newstead - Level 4, Hall 402 & 403)
EnGenius ERB9250 Wireless N Universal Repeater
Network dead spots are annoying - to combat them, the Engenius ERB9250 can extend your SOHO router’s Wi-Fi coverage. In our tests, we positioned the unit in a dead spot, and managed to get Wi-Fi signal strength to bounce from one bar up to five, with Windows displaying a theoretical speed of 270Mbps on our test notebook. The ERB9250 can also be deployed as a client bridge as well or, in other words, it can be used to extend your wired network by connecting a network switch to the unit.
- PC Show Price: $49
- Usual Price: $69
- More Information: HWZ Review
Prolink (Cybermind - Level 4, Hall 404)
Prolink WNR1008 3.75G Wireless-N Gigabit Router
Prolink's WNR1008 3.75G Wireless-N Gigabit features a standard 4-port gigabit switch on its rear panel, works between 2.412 to 2.483 GHz, and comes equipped with two detachable antennas. It makes an excellent choice if you're looking for 3G sharing capabilities (i.e. mobile hotspot), and it also has a USB port to enable you to share USB data over the network. For example, content on an external hard drive can be accessed via FTP or Samba.
During our testing, at 2, 10 and 25 meters, average downlink throughput was clocked at 69Mbps, 44Mbps and 40Mbps respectively. With WPA2-AES enabled, the router also emerged unscathed with a laudable showing of 73Mbps at 2 meters.
- PC Show Price: $89
- Usual Price: $109
- More Information: HWZ Review
PC Accessories
The mouse and keyboard are the medium through which you control and navigate your PC, making them very important indeed. With the PC Show 2012 upon us, we bring you the best deals for mice and keyboards so you won't have to scour the halls with the hordes of shoppers!
Corsair (Level 3 Concourse, Convergent Systems)
Corsair Vengeance K90 Gaming Keyboard
Keep an eye out for this formidable keyboard, especially if you need one for gaming hacks and spills. The Corsair Vengeance K90 boasts a full suite of mechanical keys, as well as anti-ghosting technology to ensure that every single key press is registered during the heat of battle. Other aspects we fancy include the Vengeance's 20-key rollover feature, a rugged aluminum chassis, and laser-etched keys to weather the abuse. Game on!
- PC Show Price: $179
- Usual Price: $189
Logitech (Level 6, Hall 602, Ban Leong)
Logitech Anywhere Mouse M905
So you need a new mouse. How about one that even tracks on a glass desktop? The Anywhere Mouse M905 does that, and with hyper-fast scrolling, allows you to zip through documents and webpages quickly.
- PC Show Price: $119
Microsoft (Level 6, Hall 602)
Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse
Microsoft's Arc Touch Mouse may not look like your typical mouse, but its design allows you flatten the mouse when traveling and its touch-sensitive strip allows you to slide up and down for navigation.
- PC Show Price: $79
- Usual Price: $89
- Promotion: Free $10 voucher and 16GB microSD card
Microsoft Ultimate Collection 3000 Series
If you're looking for a complete mouse and keyboard replacement, the Ultimate Collection 3000 Series may fit the bill. Providing a cleaner layout with its wireless setup, the set also includes the Lifecam HD-3000.
- PC Show Price: $109
- Usual Price: $149
- Promotion: Free $20 voucher and 16GB microSD card
Razer (Level 6, Hall 602, Ban Leong)
Razer Star Wars: The Old Republic Gaming Keyboard
If you're a huge Star Wars fan, then this gaming keyboard from Razer will definitely appeal to you. It features complete anti-ghosting of up to 10 key presses and 10 dynamic adaptive tactile keys so you can equip more skills or macros. There's also a unique multi-touch LCD track-panel on the side to navigate the game or display faction symbols.
- PC Show Price: $349
- Promotion: Free laptop sleeve or waterbottle
SteelSeries (Level 6, Hall 601)
SteelSeries SenSei Laser Mouse
A professional-grade gaming mouse, the SenSei houses a powerful 32 bit ARM processor allows Sensei to reach up to 11,400 DCPI. The SenSei is also able to record extremely long and advanced macros thanks to the SteelSeries Engine software, and the macros can be layers to include keystrokes. Customize your SenSei by uploading your own bitmap picture to the SenSei's LCD display.
- PC Show Price: $169
- Promotion: Free 4HD mouse pad
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