Maingear Introduces Nomad 15 Gaming Notebook Starting at $1,579

Maingear, a boutique system builder based out of New Jersey, has taken aim at gaming on the go with its new Nomad 15 gaming laptop. Available in a variety of color options, the customizable Nomad 15 is, as its name implies, a 15-inch notebook equipped that features 3rd Generation Intel Core i7 processor options (Ivy Bridge), discrete graphics (GeForce GTX 670MX and up), and up to 32GB of system memory."Hot new colors, sleek design, top of the line mobile parts — the Nomad 15 is one of the best 15-inch mobile gaming units we have launched to date," said Wallace Santos, CEO and founder of Maingear. "Those points along with a great entry level price will make this gaming system a no brainer choice for anyone looking to hop from console gaming to PC gaming.
A baseline configuration starts at $1,579 and includes an Intel Core i7 3740QM processor, GeForce GTX 670MX graphics, 8GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3-1600 RAM, 750GB hard drive (7200 RPM), built-in memory card reader, 8X DVD burner, 802.11n Wi-Fi + Bluetooth adapter, 2.0MP webcam, three USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, HDMI and DVI-I output, FireWire, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, and a 9-cell battery.There are several upgrade options available. You can bump the GPU up to a GeForce GTX 680M and/or swap the default storage for a solid state drive, to name just two.
This is an attractive ultrabook with a respectable mix of components for its price, a responsive touch-screen and a backlit keyboard. It isn't very configurable, so you can't make it too much more powerful than it already is. It's on the heavy side for an "ultrabook" (if you consider 4.5 pounds heavy). Its touch-pad is jumpy at default settings.The HP Envy TouchSmart Ultrabook 4 is a good gateway to the Windows 8 experience with a responsive touch-screen in a traditional laptop body.It looks as good as any 13-inch ultrabook, with the added attraction of a 360-degree screen and a laptop body that can fold into a tent, stand or slate.Tablet mode leaves the keyboard exposed, and it costs more than standard ultrabooks with similar components.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 is a convertible touch-screen laptop/tablet that most importantly doesn't compromise the traditional laptop experience.The interface is innovative, elegant, powerful and versatile. The tablet feels strong and well built, includes Office 2013, and offers rich video and music services. Its keyboard cover accessories are the best ways to type on a tablet, period.The tablet has sluggish performance, its Windows Store is a ghost town, Metro requires some practice to get the hang of, and the desktop interface feels clunky and useless.If you're an early adopter willing to forget everything you know about navigating a computer, the Surface tablet could replace your laptop. Everyone else: Wait for more apps.