Dell launches Studio XPS 1340 and 1640 notebooks

Dell has produced a new pair of notebooks for CES, namely the Studio XPS 1340 and 1640. It's Dell's attempt to go slightly more high-end, but without breaking the bank. That means an eye-catching case of 'obsidian black' plastic and faux leather, a backlit keyboard and a choice of 13 or 16-inch WXGA LCD screen, depending on your choice of model. Aside from that, much is the same for both, which means Core 2 Duo processors and a base option (for the 1340) of Vista Home Premium, a 2 megapixel webcam, 4GB of DDR3 SDRAM, 320GB of storage, a slot-loading DVD burner and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M G graphics. If you opt for the larger 1640, the NVIDIA chip is replaced by ATI Mobility RADEON M86XT for the graphics. Ok, neither is going to change the world, but they do offer an attractive option at an attractive price, which in the US starts at $1,199 (around £800). Link: Dell (via Engadget ) (link)