14 DAY TRIAL // External graphics for notebooks seems to be on the minds of many people at this year's CeBIT show in Hanover, Germany. Shuttle has already showcased an external adapter that can allow laptops to use desktop graphics cards. Gigabyte, on the other hand, while also exploring ways of upgrading notebook graphics, came up with a different approach, which it illustrated through its M1405 notebook PC. The company's new mobile computer employs an external NVIDIA graphics solution and even comes with support for up to three monitors.
The Gigabyte M1405 is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 central processing unit (CPU). This chip leverages the performance of up to 4GB of DDR3 SO-DIMM memory. The laptop also boasts the Intel GMA 4500HD integrated graphics and a 5400RPM SATA hard drive with a storage capacity of up to 500GB. Other features of this device include Bluetooth BT2.1+ EDR connectivity, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, a built-in HSDPA antenna and support for an HSDPA module.
The main interesting element in Gigabyte's demonstration, however, is not exactly related to the actual product specs. In fact, it is the lack of powerful graphics that gave way to Gigabyte experimenting with an external graphics solution from NVIDIA. By using an external docking station, the company implemented the NVIDIA GeForce GT220 graphics card, which has 1GB DDR3. When connected, the laptop had superior capabilities, including support for up to three distinct monitors. This meant that the display could be extended over three additional screens besides the laptop's own 14-inch HD WXGA LCD panel, whose maximum resolution is of 1366 x 768 pixels.
The Gigabyte M1405 laptop is powered by a six-cell Li-Polymer battery, with 39.96Wh and 3600mAh. End-users are unlikely to use the external graphics on the go, of course, because of the impact on battery life, but the method's functionality and convenience when at home is rather indisputable. Unfortunately, there is no word on prices or availability, although such information should come out soon.
Live report by Traian Teglet from CeBIT 2010 in Hanover, Germany.
