Introduction
Rock Xtreme XTR-3.2 Laptop reviewThe £1000+ laptop market has now effectively been split into two camps. On the one hand you have the so-called thin-and-light laptops, usually powered by Intel's all-encompassing Centrino technology, that put portability at the top of the priorities list. Usually weighing in at the sub-3kg mark and now featuring DVD ReWriters, large hard drives and connectivity galore, they're a mobile professional's dream. The inherent trouble with a slim, light package is value for money and sacrifice. You can't, for example, expect a true thin-and-light to carry a Mobility Radeon 9600 Pro or GeForce FX Go5600 graphics adapter or, for that matter, a 16" screen.
On the other end of the scale are what's commonly referred to as desktop-replacement laptops. The name says it all. They're designed to replicate as much desktop power as possible, with just a lazy eye on weight and portability. Our recent review of Voodoo PC Envy m:855 highlighted the advances made in power laptops. The premium desktop replacement market is pretty hot property at the moment. Companies often buy in shells and screens from the handful of Taiwanese manufacturers and then kit out the beasts with user-configurable components.
Rock is one such company. After our look at one power laptop we were only too keen to have a closer look at others. That resulted in Rock sending us one of its Xtreme laptops, suitably kitted out with cutting-edge componentry. Is it time to bin that large beige tower and opt for a sexy, powerful laptop?. Let's find out.
