BenQ launches Joybook R45 laptop

BenQ announced its newest laptop, the Joybook R45, on Tuesday. The R45 sits near the top of the R-series and is aimed at style-conscious users with its soft-touch, leather-like surfaces, complemented by high-spec multimedia and connectivity hardware. The 14.1-inch LCD features a 1280x800-pixel resolution and displays videos thanks to NVIDIA's GeForce 8400M G graphics card with HDMI output. Bluetooth connectivity is integrated, and the R45 was designed with VoIP communication in mind thanks to noise-cancelling software.

BenQ's newest features a latch-free design and spring-loaded function buttons for tactile quality. The ultra-bright display is rated at 200 nits, with a 2-megapixel camera and integrated microphone allowing for video chats sitting above.

As expected, a WLAN card allows Wi-Fi access. The processor is a 2.1 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, with RAM starting at 512MB and expandable up to 4GB. SATA hard drives can be ordered with 120, 160 or 250GB capacities. Battery life is rated at a disappointing 2.5 hours.

The new laptop launches this month in China, Taiwan, South East Asia and Russia with prices not announced.