Dr. Dobb's | MSI Launches $400 "Wind" Laptop

MSI Launches $400 "Wind" Laptop

Taiwanese manufacturer MSI has announced more details about its low-cost laptop.

June 03, 2008
URL:http://www.drdobbs.com/mobile/msi-launches-400-wind-laptop/208401836

MSI has officially launched its low-cost laptop, named "Wind," in two models — a $399 Linux version and a $499 Windows XP version. Originally announced last month, the new machines will begin to go on sale this month. The Windows version will be available June 16, and the Linux model will go on sale later this summer.

The new laptops are the latest entries into the relatively new market of small, low-cost, low-power, highly mobile laptops based on the recent crop of low-power processors. The Wind laptops are powered by 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor. Also powered by the Atom are the ASUS EeePC models, which will be given stiff competition by the lower-cost Wind models from MSI.

Both Wind models will come with an 80 GB hard drive, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, 3 USB 2.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g wireless, and a 4-in-1 media reader. The Windows version will have 1 GB RAM and a 6-cell battery with a life of 5.5 hours, and the Linux version will have 512 MB RAM and a 3-cell battery with a life of 2.5 hours. Both machines are upgradeable to 2 GB of RAM.