The first games-oriented quad-core machines have been launched as channel players predict gaming will continue to be a hotspot for system builders.

Both UK manufacturer Novatech and Taiwanese Asus have claimed to be the first quad-core PC makers to cater for this demographic.

Novatech’s Extreme x80mv 17in laptop is built on the new Intel quad-core mobile processor – ­ Intel's follow-up to its Centrino 2 range. Commercial director Kris Pomroy said the firm has packed workstation-like performance into a laptop.

With 12MB cache and a 1,066MHz bus speed, this is a high-spec machine to be used just for games, according to Pomroy. “In a mobile platform, this kind of processing power is immense,” he said.

He refuted the idea that this sort of power is wasted on gamers. “Games enthusiasts have been asking for this,” he said.
Pomroy said gamers are important customers in today’s economic climate, when many business buyers may put purchasing on hold.

Meanwhile, Asus claimed to have been first to please the gamers with a quad-core gaming notebook ­ the G71. Asus has removed the overspeed protection, allowing higher levels of performance through overclocking, which makes the system less likely to be used for business applications.

Distributor RealTime has signed games peripheral supplier Razer in anticipation of the surge in demand for games.

Richard Marsden, sales director for specialist gaming distributor Realtime, said gamers are increasingly targeted by PC vendors and distributors.

He argued gamers will continue to upgrade their machines to achieve extra performance, even in an economic downturn, because while business is driven by logic, gaming is driven by emotion.

It is important that suppliers adapt themselves to cater for this market, he said. “Realtime is now in a position to support the channel further with marketing activity and stock allocation.”

Realtime has announced exclusive distribution of Razer’s precision gaming peripherals. By insisting on exclusivity, Realtime will guarantee a larger channel marketing push into this specialised market, he said.