Most - if not all - of the laptops we've seen packing AMD's Fusion processors so far have been netbooks or ultraportables under 12 inches. But the low-power chip, with its fairly capable GPU, packs enough performance that there's no reason that it couldn't find its way into a full-sized entry-level laptop.
And that's exactly the approach MSI seems to have taken with the recently announced CR650 laptop. For all intents and purposes, it's a fairly standard 15.6in notebook, except for the fact that it's powered by the 1.6GHz dual-core AMD E-350 APU. This also means that it has an integrated Radeon HD 6310 graphics-core driving the 1,366x768px LED-backlit display, which is more than sufficient for HD video playback and some light gaming.
Obviously there are a few benefits of the larger chassis, the most obvious of which are the built-in DVD burner and a full-size keyboard. MSI hasn't given any specific details, but the six-cell battery combined with the company's proprietary Turbo Battery+ technology should help to extend the laptops life away from the wall, despite the larger screen.
Of course, the extra size also comes with a major drawback - weight. Although it isn't excessive, the CR650's 2.3kg heft and 38mm height make it quite a bit bulkier than its smaller Fusion-powered brethren.
Other highlights from the spec sheet include a 720p webcam, up to 500GB of mechanical storage, Bluetooth and 802.11n WiFi onboard and 'premium' audio that's been enhanced with SRS technology. As with other Zacate systems, HDMI, VGA and USB 2.0 are all present and the laptop will unsurprisingly run Windows 7 Home Premium.
There aren't any details on pricing or availability for the CR650 just yet, but we'd expect the laptop to join the Fusion-party sometime in the next few weeks.
