By Chris Nicholls

SYDNEY: Toshiba Australia has updated their consumer laptop range, which sees the first use of an AMD Turion processor, a greater number of HD DVD drive-equipped models and more computers equipped to handle 8022.11n wireless protocols.

The new line-up adds a new gaming laptop, the Satellite X200, which has a 17-inch screen, dual NVIDIA GeForce GT graphics cards, two 256MB video memory and an HD DVD drive.

The machine, which will retail for $3,999, will also come with what Toshiba claims is the first laptop use of SLI graphics technology, restricted previously to desktops and 5.1 channel surround sound with Harmon Kardon speakers. It will arrive in ‘Flair Carmine Gloss Red’.

All other new models will come in what Toshiba calls a ‘high gloss, onyx blue finish’, and use blue LED indicator lights. They also have silver keyboards, as opposed to the black versions favoured in the past.

The Satellite series comes standard with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate or Microsoft Windows Vista Business. The latter comes with the option to rollback to Windows XP Pro.

The new Satellite A200 range, which starts from $1,199, will now offer HD DVD drives on the two top models, which retail at $2,299 and $2,599, and will come with hard drives from 160GB to 400GB in size.

Toshiba’s entry-level laptop, the A210, will come with an AMD Turion processor and 160GB hard drive. It will sell for $1,499, with $100 cash back available.

To complement the X200, Toshiba also released its 17-inch entertainment notebook, the P200, which will retail for a recommended $2,999. It comes with HD DVD drive, 400GB hard disk and numerical keypad.

Finally, Toshiba also released a new ultra portable, the Satellite U300, which comes with a 13.3-inch screen, 250GB HDD and three USB 2.0 ports. While heavier than the recently released Apple MacBook Air at 2 kg, it has stereo speakers, its larger hard drive and three USB ports in its favour. It will retail for $2,199.

All laptops above $1,599 now come with 802.11n compatibility. The Qosmio G40 and F40 remain unchanged.