Growing MSI Mobile Portfolio Challenges Dell, HP, Acer

by Michelle Maisto

MSI introduced the Wind U135 netbook series to celebrate the “1 million and counting” Wind models it has sold globally. Wind U135s are available in silver, charcoal, ruby and sapphire colors.

The U135 netbooks feature the Intel “Pine Trail” platform, Atom N450 processors, Windows 7 Starter, 1GB of DDR2 (double data rate 2) memory, 160GB or 250GB hard drives and starting prices of $309.99.

The MSI Classic Series includes three 15.6-inch notebooks built on the Intel “Arrandale” platform, with Core i3 or i5 processors, backlit high-definition displays, 4GB of memory and either 320GB or 500GB hard drives. In one model, a Blu-ray drive is an option.

The CR600, also part of the Classic or C-Series, features Nvidia GeForce 8200M graphics, 802.11 b/g/n wireless, an HDMI out port, a 1.3-megapixel Webcam and MSI’s Easy Image Recording software.

The Wind 160 netbook, a 10-incher that arrived March 8 and is MSI’s second netbook built on Intel’s Pine Trail platform, features Windows 7 and a promised 15 hours of battery life.

The Wind U160 is the thinnest Wind model to date, measuring 0.98 inches at its widest point. A bit swank, it’s available in gold and black, the logo on the outside is illuminated and the power button is located on its cylindrical hinge. Pricing starts at $379.99.

MSI’s older 12-inchers were replaced March 9 with a series of Wind12 U240 models featuring AMD dual-core processors and Bluetooth connectivity. They weigh 3.3 pounds, run Windows 7 Home Premium, have ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics cards, feature 12.1-inch HD and 16:9 ratio LCD displays, and start at $429.99.