MSI Wind U100-432US 10-Inch Mini Laptop (1.6 GHz Intel Atom, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, 6 Cell Battery, 802.11 b/g/n+BT, XP Home) Black
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best set of features yet
Initial impressions of the U100-432US based on 2 weeks of usage
Pros:
Form factor, it seems to be the right compromise between size and usability. I looked at an Acer Aspire One and found it to be too small, esp its keyboard. The keyboard here is usable, though I doubt I would use it for extended periods. The unit still seems a bit heavier than I expected.
Screen: very bright and very clear-beautiful! Just the right size, any smaller it would be difficult to use, any larger, it's no longer a netbook.
System seems pretty snappy/responsive given its specs.
Boot-up/shutdown is speedy.
System comes with XP Home, but according to on-line sources can also support MacOS X and Linux. The 160 GB can support a dual boot system easily.
System can be upgraded to 2GB from the standard 1GB though this currently seems to void the warranty in the US at least.
Cons:
The system is very tippy ie will tip over backwards easily. While this does not seem too much of a problem if the unit is used exclusively on a table top, if you plan to use it on your lap and/or open the lid to its fullest, it's quite likely to tip over. Too bad the battery isn't in the front to help stabilize the unit. I consider this tippiness a design flaw and a major weakness.
I wish the Wind had a trackpoint (a la Thinkpad), it would eliminate the space/need for the poorly functioning trackpad.
The buttons (really only one toggle button) on the trackpad is very poorly designed, need a lot of pressure to engage, and isn't easily found by feel, ie it's just as smooth and made of the same material as the surrounding case. A different texture would have been nice.
Documentation: It's sparse, I haven't found much info on how to use some of the features of the trackpad, nor how to update my system to the latest drivers/BIOS.
RAM upgrade: The System can be upgraded to 2GB from the standard 1GB though this currently seems to void the warranty in the US at least. This ought to change.
The white "pleather" slipcase is ugly, at least it could have been black for the black model.
I'm probably keeping it as it's much more portable than my larger Thinkpad, but there is clearly room for improvement here, a better trackpad (or a trackpoint) and less tendency to tip, esp for a system whose primary purpose is to be portable and allow computing on the fly (you don't want to watch it take a dive next time you are working at your local coffeehouse). At this form factor it's all about compromise, the Wind offers the best set of features for me now.
Good value
I'm a screenwriter and I needed a laptop small enough for my purse but large enough for me to load my Final Draft software and type a script without getting carpal tunnel or going cross eyed. I purchased this little guy about a week ago and I LOVE IT however, there are a few flaws.
The keyboard is about 85% the size of a standard; perfect for my hands but it could be a nuisance to those with larger fingers. It includes no optical drives, but there are 3 USB ports. Use earphones if you want to listen to music; the speakers are crappy. The packaging claims 5.5 hrs battery life, but it's more like 4 hours.
All in all (even with the flaws), this is a great little notebook and well worth the money.
P.s. when I whipped this mini out at a cafe, it caught the attention of every guy that passed by.
I'm glad I got it!!!
At the time of review this is the best netbook for $430.
PROS: EVERYTHING except cons.
CONS: slow webcam, crappy speakers.
Review: I've used it for almost 2 weeks now and I love it. Removed all unneeded software. Installed software I'd use (Firefox, Chrome, Winamp, MS Office 07, Adobe Lightroom, K-Lite Codec pack, windows blinds, and some other stuff and all windows updates). When I got my 2gig stick ram (crucial) few days later, I updated BIOS to 109 and then installed ram. Updated Bios gave me option to disable onboard memory so I could use 2gb crucial ram. It also gave me option to overclock up to 1.9gHz. So everything runs smoothly, but I didnt like how the webcam worked when I used skype, it's slow but not too bad. Speakers are really bad, but with headphones it sounds really good (has equalizer software). 6 cell battery lasts at least 3 hours on heavy use and up to around 6 hours on very light use, but not 90 minutes like previous review says. Keyboard is fine, I'm a touch typer so I already got used to it. Some people complaint about touch pad and one piece mouse button, well it works good for me. Also I dont really like glossy covers, but its ok, I can put some cool graphics skin on it.
So overall, this netbook is great and its not comparable to regular notebooks, so its ok for it to have small resolution, no optical drive, small speakers etc. If you're looking for a netbook (at the time of this review) for around this price GET THIS MSI WIND.
More info and help you will find at msiwind.net
About MSI Wind U100-432US 10-Inch Mini Laptop (1.6 GHz Intel Atom, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, 6 Cell Battery, 802.11 b/g/n+BT, XP Home) Black detail
- Amazon Sales Rank: #7 in Personal Computers
- Brand: MSI
- Model: U100-432US
- Dimensions: 8.00 pounds
Features
- Intel Atom 1.6 GHz Processor 512 KB L2 Cache, 533 MHz Bus speed 6 Cell Battery 1.3 MP Web Camera Includes protective bag
- Built-in Gigabit Ethernet LAN and Modem Module, Built-in 802.11b/g WLAN Card / Bluetooth Supported
- Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition
- 160 GB SATA Hard Drive, 1GB DDR2 667MHz RAM, 2 GB Max
- Built-in Gigabit Ethernet LAN and Modem Module, Built-in 802.11b/g/n WLAN Card / Bluetooth Supported
MSI Wind U100-432US 10-Inch Mini Laptop (1.6 GHz Intel Atom, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, 6 Cell Battery, 802.11 b/g/n+BT, XP Home) Black Description
10" WSVGA, Intel Atom 1.6Hzh, 1Gb RAM, 160GB HDD, Windows XP Home, camera, bluetooth, 6 cells, Black
Amazon Price: | $429.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details |
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