Rock Xtreme 780 gaming notebook

The Rock Xtreme 780 is the first notebook we’ve seen that uses Intel’s mobile Core 2 Quad Q9000 processor.

It uses less power and generates less heat than previous mobile quad-core processors.

It also costs a lot less, which is one reason why Rock can offer a high-performance entertainment notebook for the relatively low price of £1,699.

Another reason for the lower price is that Rock has cut some corners. Only 2GB of PC3-8500 DDR3 Ram is included in the basic model, for example.

That’s a shame, since Vista runs better when more is present. Likewise, the basic hard drive is a mere 250GB, smaller than that found in some cheaper mid-range notebooks.

Even so, the Xtreme 780 is extremely capable of playing the latest 3D games. It uses a powerful Nvidia Geforce 9800M GTS, with 512MB of dedicated video memory, which is the main reason why it achieved a 3Dmark06 score of 10,074, and a playable 30fps (frames per second) in Fear – impressive for a portable computer.

Rock’s website allows you to customise the specification, so you can upgrade the memory to 4GB and the hard drive to 500GB for an additional £125, which is something we’d recommend. To make use of the extra memory, you’ll also need to upgrade Vista Home Premium from 32-bit to 64-bit for another £10.

The 17in screen is capable of a resolution of 1,920x1,200, enough for high-definition video, although not large enough to really enjoy its benefits. A standard dual-layer DVD writer is included, but there’s no Blu-ray; it can be added when you buy from Rock’s website, but isn’t an essential upgrade.

The Rock Xtreme 780 is an excellent and well-priced gaming notebook, but to get the best from it you will need to specify extras, which makes it more expensive.