Digital Storm introduces xm15 gaming laptop with Nvidia Optimus graphics

Laptop introductions are few and far between in the weeks leading up to CES, but that hasn't stopped Digital Storm from releasing a new 15-inch gaming notebook, the xm15, that uses Nvidia Optimus graphics.

For those who don't know about Optimus, the technology basically determines when to switch between the system using integrated graphics (for basic tasks) and discrete graphics (for gaming, imaging editing and the like. The result is improved battery life, since the power-sapping graphics card isn't always in use. The xm15 includes GeForce GT 425M graphics with 1GB of graphics memory, which is a mid-level card for a mid-range laptop.

The xm15 comes in four base configs you can then customize slightly, with the $999 version coming with an Intel Core i5-520M CPU, 4GB of RAM, and a 320GB hard drive. For a little more, you can step up to the $1,086 configuration, which swaps in the slightly faster Core i5-540M processor and bumps the hard drive up to 500GB. For $1,367, you get Core i7-620M CPU, 6GB of RAM, and a Blu-ray reader/DVD writer combo drive instead of just a DVD burner. Finally, for an extra $35, you can get 8GB of RAM with the other specs staying the same from the $1,367 configuration.

Customizations are limited, but include moving up to a Blu-ray burner and improving the 1,366x768 15.6-inch screen to a LED-backlit display with 1,920x1,080 resolution. Standard features also include eSATA and USB 3.0 ports and an HDMI output.