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Tuesday May 15, 2007
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 Packard Bell is a name I thought I wouldn't hear again any time soon, after their quiet exit from the computer market several years ago. There's been quite a trend of reviving old brand names among computer manufacturers recently. First, Commodore and Amiga made their triumphant returns with high-end gaming PCs and custom cases that make even die-hard "build it, don't buy it" geeks like myself drool. And now, apparently Packard Bell is back in the computer manufacturing business.
Packard Bell's new high-end notebooks are nothing like the slow beige desktops that used to carry the company's logo. The new 15.4-inch notebooks are based on Intel's just-released Santa Rosa processors, and pack 2GB of RAM and built-in 802.11 b/g/n wireless under the hood. They all run Vista and have HDMI output for high-definition video and dual-layer DVD burners.
The similarities between the two different models, the SB85 and SB86, end there. The SB85 ($1,624) sports a 160GB hard drive, a 1.8GHZ Core 2 Duo T7100 processor, and an Nvidia GeForce 8600M GS graphics card with 256MB of onboard video memory. The SB86 ($2,030) will come with a 2GHz Core 2 Duo T7300 processor, a 120GB hard drive, and an Nvidia GeForce 8600 BS with 512MB of onboard video memory. Hopefully these new high-end notebooks will prove just the beginning for the newly invigorated company.
[ via SlashGear ]
Post by Alan Henry
Posted By:
Gearlog
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May 16, 2007 6:02 PM
No way I would spend a dime on a "Packard-Bell" computer. They made lousy machines from back in the 80286 days, and there's no reason to believe their current offerings are any better. I would stay away from these critters as if they had the plague. Caveat emptor for sure on this one!
May 16, 2007 9:07 PM
I Have a Laptop i paid $1600 for and it was made by Compaq Model (Presario) Xp home Edition, Genuine Intel ~2393 Mhz 60 GB hard drive,Sis M650 Video with 64.00 Mb of Ram @ 800x600x60n hertz and also sports a 17 inch screen. Most other units dont make there laptops anywhere near that type of hardware, or even make one with a 17inch screen at all but they will ask for the same type of price for there units, i have tryed out 7 other models before picking this as 1 i wish to own. and by the way i have tryed out 2 new models with Vista OS and i can tell you that i dont care for the OS at all! i think the reason that it works as well as it does(vista) couse the hard ware is so much better today then before and you dont see the short comings of the os as you should. thats my 2 cents worth
May 17, 2007 12:14 AM
HAHAHAHAHA! Yeah, RIGHT! Here's me, off to buy a Packard Bell computer, not having learned anything from history. Maybe I'll buy one and load it into my 2008 Edsel. And then go invade Poland.
May 21, 2007 11:10 AM
Strange that they would go for the high end. Most high end users have been computing for several years and most still have strong memories of the (to put it nicely) "unserviceable junk" that Packard Bell used to put out.
Hopefully they have the backup bucks for the long haul to prove they are truly different now.
June 20, 2007 7:14 PM
I heard pack bell computers are pretty good. But Im not quite sure. How's the dvd burner on this?
July 12, 2007 4:22 AM
I am a British pensioner, but live in Spain and I do not speak Spanish. My present computer seems just to to keep alive, but only just - I need to buy a new one. Yesterday I went to our nearest big city and saw a Pacard Bell computer that had the right price and specification. It did not have an `English language` operating system, but Vista in Spanish. The man in the shop said that was no problem, all I had to do was buy the computer, ´phone Pacard Bell, and they would issue a CD for an ´in English` OS system. I was a little sceptical about this as other shops had said I would have to purchase, for about 300 US dollars, a separate CD. This worried me as, on the packing boxes, there was a label saying ´If box is opened, then contents cannot be returned`. This would have meant, of course, that if Pacard Bell would not issue an English OS CD, then I would have to pay out that rather large sum of US$ 300 - that would bring the total to about US$1,200. Would you kindly let me know what the situation is about the foregoing and, also if you do supply an English version OS system free, can it also be in XP as my laptop runs on XP and I would like to keep both fully compatible ( the laptop is elderly, but completely good and reliable and would cost too much to upgrade to Vista) I would be grateful for an early reply to this.
Yours very sincerely, Victor D. Bridger