I might be interested in dual-booting between Windows (for working with Visual C# 2010 Express and Windows Phone 7) and Linux (for text-to-speech screen reading with web pages).
Adding an AMD notebook to my family of AMD-based computers would be a nice one for me as I really don't care for Intel (that I have in my $300 netbook).
Hewlett Packard on Wednesday made it readily apparent that it’s targeting tightened IT budgets with the introduction of nine, count ‘em nine, new business notebooks, most AMD-powered, that start at $549.
The laptops address both the small and medium business (SMBs) and corporate enterprise markets.
First, the ProBook B-series.
The 14-inch HP ProBook 6455b and 15.6-inch ProBook 6555b are available with your choice of AMD Phenom II, Turion II, Athlon II, or V-series processors, which HP says are overall 69 percent faster than the previous generation of AMD ProBooks.
They’re available with HD LED-backlit or anti-glare displays, spill-resistant keyboard with drains, dual-pointing devices and your choice of 6-cell or 9-cell battery.
They also come preloaded with Central Management for HP ProtectTools for remote management.
They’ll be available in June, starting at $779.
That contrasts with HP’s new 14-inch ProBook 6450b and 15.6-inch ProBook 6550b, which carry much of the same features but instead offer Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processors (including vPro technology for remote management).
Further, these two notebooks offer a choice of UMA or discrete graphics, in the form of Intel HD or ATI Mobility Radeon HD 540v graphics.
They also feature a combo eSATA/USB 2.0 port to connect to external RAID array, HDD or optical drives.
They, too, will be available in June, but pricing information was not yet available.
Next up, the ProBook S-series.
Three new models were announced: the 13.3-inch HP ProBook 4325s, 14-inch ProBook 4425s and 15.6-inch ProBook 4525s.
In contrast with the B-series, the S-series features brushed-aluminum metal cases in “caviar” and “bordeaux.” (Read: dark gray and deep red, as seen at the top of this post.)
All three models sport HD LED-backlit displays and offer a choice of AMD Phenom II, Turion II Athlon II or V-series processors.
Depending on the model, discrete graphics are also available, in the form of ATI Mobility Radeon HD 530v, with 512 MB dedicated video memory. ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250 integrated graphics are also available.
The S-series features integrated multimedia controls, clickpad gestures and the ArcSoft Total Media Suite (audio/video editing).
They’ll be available this month, starting at $619.
One thing to note: all B-series and S-series notebooks feature HP Day Starter (to check Outlook calendar on boot), HP QuickLook (quick-boot access for email, calendar, contacts and tasks), HP QuickWeb (quick-boot websites) and HP Power Assistant for power management and reporting.
Finally, the barebones bargain bunch.
The 14-inch HP 425 and 15.6-inch HP 625 sport HD LED-backlit displays, 2 megapixel webcams with integrated microphone, spill-resistant keyboards, memory from 1GB to 4GB (up to 8GB), storage from 160GB to 500GB and, of course, AMD processors (Turion II, Athlon II, V-series).
They come wrapped in a gray microfiber pattern finish and are available in May starting at $549.
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