Eurocom Introduces 15.6" and 17.3" FOX Laptops With NVIDIA Optimus

Eurocom has been producing high-end notebooks for years now, and they often get purchased by other companies and rebadged from there. But the company's newest machines aren't the usual. Rather than being big, beastly gaming notebooks, the new Fox line is more on the nimble side, and these show some respect for battery life with integrated NVIDIA Optimus.

What's most unusual about the Foxes is the size. Usually, we see Optimus in systems that are smaller; ultraportable machines with switchable graphics are all the rage right now, as they can be used for both gaming and portable work. But Eurocom is included Optimus into larger machines. The two Fox laptops are 15.6" and 17", and both can be ordered with a Core i5 or Core i7.

Each machine ships with a discrete NVIDIA GeForce GT330M (1GB) and integrated Intel HD graphics, and there's a single button that enables gamers to activate the GPU switch. The 15.6" M5100M starts at just $999, whereas the 17.3" B7110 starts at $1199. Both price points are rather low for machines this large, particularly when you factor in that you're basically getting two GPUs here. Is this the beginning for Optimus in larger machines? We hope so, that's for sure.

Eurocom launches line of gamer-friendly notebooks with Optimus, the latest in graphics switching technology from NVIDIA.

Eurocom’s new line of gamer-friendly notebooks features NVIDIA's Optimus technology, which intelligently switches graphics between 1GB DDR3 NVIDIA GeForce GT330M and Intel HD integrated graphics to deliver optimal battery life (up to 240 minutes).

It also offers  a choice of 15.6” and 17.3” Full HD 1920x1080 displays and comes with Intel Core i5 and Core i7 technology.

The EUROCOM  Fox line is available for order today starting at $999 for 15.6"  B5100M FOX and $1199 for 17.3"  B7110 FOX model.

Eurocom FOX line of gamer-friendly notebooks features special VGA Optimus button that allows the user to switch between Optimus Mode (where GPU switching is automatic) and UMA Mode (for constant power-saving with he integrated GPU only).
- In the UMA Mode system will use only integrated GPU (part of Intel’s Arrandale technology) for maximum power-saving.
- In the Optimus Mode will allow the system to automatically determine whether to use discrete GPU (dGPU) and integrated GPU (iGPU) depending on task and/or application.

Thus the user can completely control how the graphics system operates just by pressing the VGA button – the button light will indicate the current mode.
- Green color: UMA Mode Activated. The system will use the integrated GPU (iGPU) only
- Orange color: Optimus Model Activated. Optimus technology will determine automatically when to use the integrated GPU (iGPU) or discrete (dGPU).

There are also two separate GPU LED indicators displaying which GPU is in use; Green - Integrated GPU (iGPU) activated; Orange - Discrete GPU (dGPU) activated

SPECIFICATIONS:
DISPLAY:
15.6” or 17.3” Full HD 1920x1080 LED Backlit Display

PROCESSORS:
Intel Core i7 Mobile Processor 620M; 2.66GHz; 4MB L3 cache
Intel Core i5 Mobile Processor 540M; 2.53GHz; 3M L3 cache
Intel Core i5 Mobile Processor 520M; 2.40GHz; 3M L3 cache
Intel Core i5 Mobile Processor 430M; 2.26GHz; 3M L3 cache
Intel Core i3 Mobile Processor 350M; 2.26GHz; 3M L3 cache
Intel Core i3 Mobile Processor 330M; 2.13GHz; 3M L3 cache

CORE LOGIC
Mobile Intel HM55 Express Chipset

MEMORY:
Up to 16GB of DDR3-1333
Two 204-pin SODIMM modules

VIDEO / GRAPHICS
Supports switchable graphics NVIDIA Optimus Technology
Intel integrated GMA HD GPU and NVIDIA GeForce GT330M

a) Intel GMA HD integrated GPU:
- Intel DVMT (Dynamic Video Memory Technology) automatically and dynamically allocates as much as up to 1748MB system memory (RAM) as needed to the integrated video system. DVMT returns whatever memory is no longer needed to the operating system.
- DirectX10 compatible
- Enhanced Video and 3D Engine
- Hardware Acceleration Decoded for Blu Ray

NVIDIA GeForce GT330M Discrete GPU:
- 1GB GDDR3 Video RAM
- PCIe x8
- Direct X10.1 compatible

STORAGE:
Supports 2 physical hard drives; up to 1.6TB of storage (1TB + 640GB); STA-300
2nd hard drive via Optical Drive Bay
Optical Drive: Blu Ray Reader, Blu Ray Burner, DVD Burner

I/O PORTS:
  1x USB 3.0
  3x USB 2.0
  1x eSATA
  1x HDMI output
  1x external VGA
  1x Headphone jack
  1x Microphone jack
  1x S/PDIF output jack
  1x RJ-45 LAN port
  1x DC-in jack
 
CARD READER:
    9-in-1 Card Reader
  - MMC/RSMMC
  - SD/mini SD/SDXC compatible
  - MS/MS Pro/MS Duo

POWER:
   - Auto Switching C adapter 90W, AC in 100~240V, 50~60Hz, DC output 19V, 4.74A
   - Standard 6 cells Smart Lithium-Ion battery pack, 48.84WH
   - Optional high capacity 6 cells Smart Lithium-Ion battery pack, 62.16WH
      Battery life 240 minutes (UMA mode with 62.16WH battery)