Domain: widowpc.com
Stories and comments across the archive that link to widowpc.com.
Comments · 15
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Re:The general problem Intel has
I think what is ultimately screwed Intel is the fact that they paid their OEMs to NOT use any AMD chips, and made it clear that any discounts would go bye bye if so much as a single AMD chip went out the door. I wish I could find the link, but as another poster says Intel puff pieces dominate Google right now.
But you can find proof of it probably in your very own home. Remember back five years ago, when Intel was running Netburst, which was a pig for power, ran like a space heater, and was slower than just about every AMD chip made? While AMD wasn't the truly insane "bang for the buck" it is now, their chips were still quite affordable and the benchmarks kicked every single offering Intel had, yet AMD didn't gain ground. Why? With OEMs having bullet points to stick on the box is a BIG plus, and having the benchmark leaders helps to sell boxes. Not to mention the lower power requirements means less powerful PSUs, and fans, and all that adds to the bottom line. Yet they STILL didn't gain. Why?
Because Intel paid off the OEMs that's why. I would point out this quote from an the article as an example, "Its executives agreed that Intel's financial inducements amounted to "cocaine," but said they were hooked because re-engaging with AMD would jeopardize Intel market development funds estimated to be worth $25 (million)-$30 million per quarter."
And THAT is what is gonna come back to bite them in the ass, just as it did MSFT. Giving discount to volume customers is one thing, tying those discounts to cutting your competitors completely out of the market is another. I'm sorry but they need to be busted. Being tough in the market is one thing, paying off your partners in backroom deals to screw the other guy is antitrust bait. Hopefully Intel will be stopped from pulling this crap in the future, and since AMD used a good portion of their 1.25 Billion dollar settlement from Intel (which if there wasn't any skeletons about to fall out the closet I doubt Intel would have shelled out the cash) to pay off their ATI debts I can only hope AMD comes out better so there is real competition. Because I don't know about you, but I have no desire to go back to Intel being the only game in town. I like being able to build a nice quad for less than $750, thanks ever so much.
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Re:Thinkpad 4 Lyfe, esse
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Re:Video card support for mega texturing
The demo shown at E3 ran under DirectX 9. However, the video card(s) used weren't mentioned nor where the frames per second or other performance characteristics. My guess is Carmack will push the boundaries of performance in other areas as well (as he has done in the past) while making the game compatible with even older cards at lower settings. Remember Doom 3 had an advanced hardware detection algorithm that determined the most suitable graphics settings for your hardware. My guess is they will reuse that code for Quake Wars. Most likely, Quake Wars will become the new standard in graphics performance for gaming computers (replacing FEAR). Mega Texturing should be supported by standard texture support within the card. The only difference in Mega Texturing is in the coding. Looks like a fairly simple concept taken from the real world. This is how painters and other artists make their art. Ie, lay down a basic texture and layer more detailed textures on top of the basic textures. The combination of layers makes for a extremely wide ranging look without forcing the video hardware to load a unique texture for each unique look. Ie 12 textures allows 12 factorial combinations of unique textures assuming no limit to the depth of layers. So, the hardware only has to load 12 textures instead of 12 factorial.
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Video card support for mega texturing
Something not mentioned is what video cards support the mega texturing technique. The new NVIDIA 7900 hardware (a card aimed specifically at gaming computers enthusiasts) supposedly supports it. However, the only real way to test that is to get a copy of the new Doom.
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Re:Wheres the picture or links to another review
http://www.widowpc.com/images/917_b03.jpg
yeah, let's buy a laptop from a company that can't tell the difference between :
a) an s-video port and a power connector
b) a serial port and a vga port
oh, and what the hell is a ":AN" port? -
Everyone here, do me a favor.
Go to Voodoo Laptops, look at this
Then go to Alienware, look at this
Then look at the case on the Widow
Seems someone is outsourcing these things...they have the ports in the same exact spots, I wonder if thier parts are interchangeable. And the insides are exactly the same. I would assume so, since they are identical on the outside. -
Shameless plug...
At first I thought, wow this is kind of cool I want to see the pictures. Then I looked at the picture and came across the port diagram. I may be a little out of touch with hardware, but am pretty sure that isn't a 9-pin Male VGA Port.
Wonder what kind of perfomance I can get with serial video out. : ) -
worst... review... ever
This is the worst review I've ever seen. CmdrTaco should have never allowed this. (Oh... wait...) WidowPC's website has much more information on it, specs, screenshots, and so on:
http://www.widowpc.com/2005/06/sting_917.php
Please CmdrTaco, do you really need to use Slashdot to show the world how happy you are with your new hardware? -
Wait for the AMD X2 dualcore version
Wait for the AMD dualcore version. Less heat, WAY more performance. It's a standard Clevo D900K notebook, also sold by M-Tech, VoodooPC, Alienware, etc.
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Re:No link?
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Re:No link?
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Off the Mark
"Laptop" is not a valid term for this product, as he mentions in his review. It can be called "portable", but it would not be advisable to place this twelve-pound heat-sterilizer on your lap. Taco mentions it randomly shutting off due to heat.
That said, who has a lap big enough for it? Let me give you the key points:
Dimensions: 15.6"(W) x 11.7"(D) x 1.95"(H)
Weight: 11.3 lbs. with Battery
That is almost the size of two reams of paper .
Product Link for reference. -
Link to said laptopHere's a link to the sting 917.
I read teh review, was like ok, it's big, but what's inside?
Here it is:
- Choice of nVidia 7800 GTX, ATI x800 , or nVidia Quadro 1400 video cards with 256MB DDR3 memory
- Intel Desktop Pentium 4 600 Series Extreme Edition CPU with 2MB L2 Cache
- 17 inch 1900 x 1200 WUXGA+ LCD with ClearView SuperBrite Technology
- PCI-Express graphics technology
- Apacer 533Mhz Dual Channel DDR2 RAM
- Fujitsu SATA and Ultra ATA drives with commanding queuing
- New 600 series 64 bit P4 w/ 2MB cache
- Phoenix BIOS
- Full size keyboard
- Fully user upgradeable video & CPU
- Full desktop CPU combined with incredibly fast graphics power
- More powerful than most desktops
- TV tuner with remote available
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Here's a link to the manufacturers page
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Re:Wheres the picture or links to another review
Don't worry, I found some pictures