News

  • Home > News

        MSI ships tweener portable

        Jonathan Angel | Date: Mar 10, 2010 | Comments: 1


        MSI says it is now shipping a portable computer blending netbook dimensions with upgraded, AMD-based internals. The Wind12 U230 comes with the single-core Athlon Neo MV-30 or dual-core Athlon X2 L335, a 12.1-inch display, a HDMI output, and up to 4GB of RAM.

        When MSI preannounced the Wind12 U230 last November, we suggested that the netbook -- generally defined as being a mini-notebook with a 11.6-inch display or less, and a low-power Intel Atom processor -- might be set to fade away. We cited the fact that the product category is being nibbled away as follows:
        • from left field, by mini-notebooks that are netbook-sized, but include faster processors and larger hard drives
        • from right field, by products that retain low-power "netbook" components, but are physically as large as a traditional notebook

        Now, with the benefit of hindsight, we freely admit that our crystal ball was a little cloudy. Thanks to the subsequent announcement of Intel's retooled "Pineview" Atoms, plus the fact that Windows 7 is now widely available on mini-notebooks, netbooks appear to be just as popular as ever.

        However, MSI's Wind12 U230, now shipping after a four-month delay, is precisely the kind of netbook replacement we had in mind. It's a "tweener" portable that's sized like a large netbook but incorporating more RAM and a faster CPU. The device measures 11.7 x 7.5 x 1.22 inches, incorporating a 12.1-inch display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels.

        The Wind12 U230 accepts up to 4GB of memory -- most un-netbook-like! -- via two SODIMM slots, and is offered with 250GB or 320GB hard disk drives. The Wind12 also includes a choice of AMD processors, either the single core, 1.6GHz Athon Neo MV-40, or the dual-core Athlon Neo X2 L335.

        MSI adds that the Wind12 U230 employs AMD's RS780 northbridge and SB710 southbridge, and includes ATI Radeon HD3200 graphics. As a result, the system is DirectX 10-compatible, and can play back even "difficult 1080i content," according to information previously released by ATI.


        MSI's Wind12 U230
        (Click to enlarge)

        The Wind12 U230 includes both HDMI and VGA ports, three USB 2.0 ports, a gigabit Ethernet port, plus a microphone input and headphone output, says MSI. Also specified are a 1.3 megapixel webcam, an SD/xD/MMC/Memory Stick card reader, 802.11b/g/n wireless networking, and optional Bluetooth 2.0.

        MSI says the Wind12 U230 is offered with either three-cell or six-cell batteries, and weighs 2.86 pounds when equipped with the former. (U.S. configurations come with the six-cell battery, and are said to weigh 3.3 pounds.) Battery life is rated at approximately four hours, presumably with the six-cell pack.

        Features and specifications cited by MSI for the Wind12 U230 include the following:

        • Processor -- Single core Athlon Neo MV-40 or dual-core Athlon Neo X2 L335
        • Chipset -- AMD RS780 northbridge and SB710 southbridge
        • Memory -- Expandable to 4GB via two slots (2GB standard)
        • Display -- 12.1-inch display with 1366 x 768 pixel resolution
        • Camera -- 1.3 megapixel
        • Keyboard -- "Ergonomic de-stress," 87-keys
        • Storage -- 250GB or 320GB hard disk drive
        • Expansion -- 4-in-1 (SD/xD/MMC/Memory Stick) card reader
        • Networking:
          • WLAN -- 802.11b/g/n
          • LAN -- RJ45 port for gigabit Ethernet
          • PAN -- Bluetooth 2.0 (optional)
        • Other I/O:
            1 x HDMI
          • 1 x VGA
          • 3 x USB 2.0
          • 1 x microphone input
          • 1 x headphone output
        • Battery type/life -- 3-cell or 6-cell battery; up to four hours of operation
        • Dimensions -- 11.7 x 7.5 x 1.22 inches
        • Weight -- 2.86 pounds with three-cell battery; 3.3 pounds with six-cell battery

        Availability

        More information on the MSI Wind12 U230 device may be found on the company's website, here.

        MSI did not cite pricing, but the Wind12 U230 appears to be on sale now by Newegg.com for approximately $430, with a single-core processor and 250GB hard drive, or $480, with a dual-core processor and 320GB hard drive. More information may be found on the reseller's website here and here.

        Related stories: