Deal Highlight: High-End Ivy Bridge Laptops Coming in at All-Time Low Prices

Just last week, Intel introduced its fourth-generation line of Core processors, nicknamed Haswell, to critical acclaim. While tech geeks may be thrilled about the enhanced power these CPUs will bring, the more exciting result of Haswell's debut is that we're now beginning to see the best deals ever on previous-generation Ivy Bridge laptops. Plus, as we mentioned earlier, Haswell probably won't see much of a discount until late summer.

What this means for the tech-savvy bargain hunter is deals, but until this point, we've mostly highlighted budget configurations. But today we found a perfect example of an affordable high-end Ivy Bridge system that earned our Editors' Choice label. For the raw number-crunching power it possesses, this deal has value for all.

The Power of Quad-Core on a Shoe-string Budget

While Ivy Bridge systems in general will be seeing steep discounts due to the Haswell debut, not all laptops are created equal — particularly when specs and price are considered. Adding a Core i7 quad CPU, more than 4GB RAM, Blu-ray, and discrete graphics to your configuration might ordinarily result in a $800+ price tag, but not so with this Editors' Choice deal: The HP dv6t-7000 Quad Edition 15.6" Laptop has the aforementioned features, but at just $604.99 (via coupon code "NEWPC150" with $9.99 for shipping; expires June 15); that's almost $60 under a deal we found last week that didn't even have a Blu-ray drive. It packs the punch of a quad-core system without the stinging "I'm broke" feeling.

Moreover, earlier today we saw the least expensive Alienware M14x laptop ever with an Ivy Bridge Core i7 quad-core CPU, and, similarly, this Lenovo is close to an all-time low. That means even seekers of high-end systems have something to gain from Haswell's debut.

Impressive Specs, Good Gaming Experience

The aforementioned dv6t is still available, and carries high praise from noteworthy tech outlets. An HP dv6t Quad Edition review at Laptop Reviews says the features on this laptop are so impressive, "you'd expect it to have a price of over $1,000," while Notebook Reviews notes that the graphics card provides an excellent gaming experience. The full list of specs include an Intel Core i7-3610QM 2.3GHz processor, 15.6" 1366x768 LED-backlit LCD, 8GB RAM, 750GB hard drive, Blu-ray player / DVD burner, NVIDIA GeForce GT 630M 1GB video card, Beats audio speakers, 802.11n wireless, webcam, 6-cell battery, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.

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