MSI Wind U120-024US 10-Inch White Netbook - 6 Cell Battery | 
| Brand: MSI
Category: Personal Computer
This item is no longer available
Rating:  reviews
Sales Rank: 1538
Color: White
Media: Personal Computers
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
CPU Manufacturer: Intel
CPU Speed: 1.6
CPU Type: Intel Celeron
Processors: 1
System Bus Speed: 533
System Memory: 1000
Memory Type: DDR SDRAM
Hard Drive Size: 160
Floppy Disk Drive: None
Native Resolution: 10
Modem: None
Display Size: 10
Shipping Weight (lbs): 5.3
Dimensions (in): 12.5 x 9.4 x 4.7
Warranty: 1 year warranty
MPN: 9S7-N03111-024
Model: U120-024US
UPC: 816909053036
EAN: 0816909053036
ASIN: B001P5GKBM
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| Features:
| • | Intel Atom 1.6 GHz Processor, 512 KB L2 Cache, 533 MHz Bus speed, 160 GB SATA Hard Drive, 1GB DDR2 667MHz RAM, 2 GB Max, 6 Cell Battery | | • | Built-in Gigabit Ethernet LAN and Modem Module, Built-in 802.11b/g WLAN Card, WiMAX-ready, Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition |
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Product Description
The Wind, an acronym for "Wi-Fi Network Device," features a speedy and energy-efficient Intel Atom 1.6GHz Processor to provide longer operation hours and better mobile lifestyle. This notebook, or "netbook" is lightweight and ultra-portable, measuring about 7 inches wide by 10.23 inches long, and weighing just 2.6 pounds. Being small doesn't mean ultra-small keyboard, the Wind features an ergonomically designed keyboard that is only 20% smaller than a full sized notebook keyboard, with keys spaced a comfortable 0.68 inches apart. The Wind comes equipped with a 10" backlit LED screen that provides superior color quality and brightness giving you better comfort while reading reports, watching online videos and viewing photos. In addition, the 1024 x 600 screen resolution can fully display web pages, which makes it ideal for Internet browsing. With the 802.11b/g wireless built-in, you can enjoy the convenience of accessing the Internet anywhere and video chat with family and friends with the built-in 1.3 Megapixel Webcamera and microphone. With the Wind notebook weighting less than 3 pounds, makes it a great second computer to use at school, work and to take on vacations. 10 WSVGA (1024 x 600) LED Backlit Display Two internal Speakers Built-in 1.3 Megapixel Webcamera and Microphone Facial Recognition Software for Security Built-in 802.11b/g Wireless 10/100 Ethernet LAN 4-in-1 Card Reader - SD, MultiMedia Card, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro 3 x USB 2.0, Headphone out; Microphone-in, VGA, RJ-45 Approximate Unit Dimensions - 10.23 (L) x 7.08 (D) x 1.24 (H) Approximate Unit Weight - 2.3 Pounds
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| Customer Reviews:
Press Function-F11 to turn on the WiFi February 20, 2009
hwmd
70 out of 76 found this review helpful
I bought this for a friend and have been setting up software and updates for them over the past couple of days. I think the styling of the HP Mini is much nicer than the MSI Winds, but I'm getting battery life of 4 hours and change on this for a much better price. I think most folks can put up with that.
The gray, angular design really evokes some of HPs designs from about 3 years ago, like if an HP business notebook and the MSI Wind U100 had a baby together. Or if an MSI Wind had a baby with another MSI Wind, but it turned out the biological father was really an HP business notebook. Anyhow, this goes to say that while this isn't a Vivienne Tam fashion statement, it doesn't come across looking like a toy either, as some of the other netbooks do. It feels solid, even without crazy aluminum unibody casing or something like that.
I will say that there are a few quirks in the unboxing process that caught me by surprise. One is the the boot-up/install time. You turn the thing on, and it sits there for 15+ minutes installing Windows, I guess, onto a 30 GB partition of the hard drive. The other partition is ~100 GB, and labelled D:, but this is non-obvious to novice users who might wonder where the heck the rest of their drive space went.
The other unboxing/first-time use thing is that the WiFi and camera have to be turned on with a combination of the Fn key and the top row of F-keys. I'm sure this was in the paper insert somewhere in the box, but it wasn't obvious to me, and it would've been nicer to just have a big fat button with a lighted symbol of what it was supposed to turn on, e.g. a webcam or a wireless/radio symbol. By the way, the webcam image is nothing to write home about, but it does ok for Skype etc. WiFi range is pretty good, though -- it almost outslugs the access points I can see from my Macbook. Not sure if that's good, actually, but it sure ain't bad.
1GB of RAM seems to do just fine for this XP-based machine; it can feel a little sluggish if you decide to open three different browsers, Microsoft Office, and some video applications at the same time, but if you're doing that in the first place -- on a netbook -- then maybe you need a prescription for Ritalin. Maybe this is a function of the processor also, I'm not sure. Certainly this isn't the machine to be running Photoshop on while you watch re-runs of You Suck at Photoshop.
The keyboard bothers me a little (but then, a lot of things bother me, just a little bit). The period and comma keys are a little narrow for my liking -- but it beats the keyboard layout of the Dell Mini 9 and the EeePC I saw over at Best Buy. It's sort of like if you had a flight of stairs in your home but the last two steps were a little more narrow. You get used to it, but it's not exactly something you enjoy. That said, in this continued analogy, all the other stairs are close to normal sized, and so I'd say that the keyboard, while certainly not full-sized, comes as close to it as possible while maintaining the compact netbook form factor. The trackpad is a little small for my liking, but this was the case on nearly every netbook I saw.
What's really impressive about this machine is that for $350, this is a rather solid deal. I can see this particular model -- or netbooks like it -- becoming increasingly popular with enterprise users down the line, particularly for those users who already have a desktop at their... well... desks. It has ports galore off the sides. It has just enough oomph to run Office 2003 for your basic productivity-type needs, enough space to store your Neil Diamond mp3 anthology. It has an interesting facial recognition and webcam fun/toy app that you probably won't use.
Oh, speaking of mp3s, the sound from the stereo speakers is tinny but loud enough to do a speakerphone-like conference with someone over Skype. It's sort of the sound quality that I'd expect from a notebook this size, so I guess my expectations must've been not too high to begin with.
So I'm actually going to give this four stars. Then again, five stars would probably notch the price up a bit, at which point you'd probably have to give it four stars because the price was higher than most other netbooks. Thus, we are at an impasse, and so I end my review here.
ADDENDUM (6 months later):
Several months later, I must update my review, after now owning an MSI Wind U100 myself and having experienced the keyboard first-hand. (I wonder how many keyboard reviewers have used that pun.)
The keyboard on all netbooks is a miserable experience. The MSI Wind I suppose is marginally better, but outside of the aforementioned issues with the really narrow comma, period, and forward slash keys, all the keys are sort of tiny. I have big fat fingers, and so this is a problem for me. If you have long, spindly fingers, you may enjoy the keyboard on the MSI Wind U120 and other netbooks. If you have long, spindly fingers, you may also want to audition for commercials that make stuff look big where you're supposed to hold some new product.
Still give it a four-star rating, though. This is a sturdy little sucker. My daughters have both dropped the machine from wuthering heights, and not-so-wuthering heights, and generally abused the plastic casing to no end. That was the point, by the way -- I didn't want them mangling up my Macbook. But the MSI Wind continues to hold up despite the rough-housing. I suspect that if the kids were old enough to read, they might find the keyboard appropriately-sized for their little fingers. But alas, they aren't yet reading age, and by the time they will be old enough to read and to type, the keyboard will probably be too small for them. So we are at an impasse, and so I end my comment here.
 Excellent mobile computer February 16, 2009
David Eisenberg (MA)
23 out of 23 found this review helpful
I've owned my MSI Wind, w/6 cell battery, since November, and have no complaints (but, one suggestion). After traveling with notebook computers for at least the past 15 years, it is great to finally have an alternative that weighs less then 3 lbs, has a long battery life, and runs all the software that I normally use on the road.
One suggestion for MSI -- ship the netbook w/the Wi Fi turned on, or at least a card with a hint to his Fn F11 to turn it on. I only found out by finding that hint on the internet. Several friends who saw my MSI Wind went out and bought one of their own. They all like 'em... but all called to ask how to turn on the Wi Fi!
Great computer, not as powerful as my desktop, but perfect for travel. And, the price just keeps getting better!
 Beware of the 1GB RAM Limitation March 7, 2009
Keith J. Epstein
29 out of 33 found this review helpful
The MSI Wind is a perfectly serviceable netbook, with a nice 10 inch screen, massive (for the genre) hard drive, great keyboard (with nearly full-size layout), and it is very lightweight. Battery life is adequate, but not quite the battery life you would expect from a 6-Cell Battery. The one flaw is that it is not possible to add additional RAM to this unit -- the prior version of the Wind is set up to allow the owner to add an additional 1GB stick of SO-DIMM. I ordered this unit before there had been any reviews. Had I known that it would not take additional RAM, I would not have ordered it. That said, if it is unlikely you would ever add RAM yourself, this netbook may be exactly what you are looking for.
Great, affordable 10-in netbook, except for a couple of serious flaws May 1, 2009
KN (Gilbert, AZ USA)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
I got this for under $300 at a local store. This is the best netbook possible for the price in my opinion. I compared it at the store against the Acer 10-in netbook which costs around $50 more. I didn't look at other 6-cell, 10-in brands because they tend to cost quite a bit more. Here are my observations:
1) Screen: Don't even look at a 9-inch screen or smaller. A 10-inch screen is much easier on the eyes and well worth the small bump in cost. Also, look for a matte screen, not glossy. I don't know why anybody would want a glare-prone glossy screen especially on something you might use outdoors. The MSI has a matte screen that is very bright and has great contrast. On the other hand, the Acer has a glossy screen that lacks contrast, with the colors a little washed out.
2) Keyboard and touchpad: The MSI's keyboard extends from edge to edge. The keys are contoured and have great feel and travel, nearly as good as a full-size notebook's keyboard. The Acer's keyboard feels slightly smaller and cramped. The keys feel flatter and not as responsive. On the other hand, the MSI's mouse buttons are truly junk. They feel cheap and creaky and feel like they could fail any day. They also have a lot of travel. You have to press down a lot before they register. The shiny chrome buttons are totally out of place with the rest of the notebook. Having said that, this is actually not a problem for me as I tap the touchpad for left clicks, and can put up with the occasional right clicks. I also much prefer to use a mouse. But if you use the touchpad buttons a lot I would advise to get something else.
3) Sound: The MSI's speakers are simply horrible. They don't have enough volume and sound very tinny. I played with the equalizer settings and still cannot get decent sound. It's impossible to watch a movie using these speakers. Definitely use headphones or external speakers. The Acer's speakers are not all that great, but better than the MSI's for music and movie-watching.
4) Memory: Apparently you can't upgrade the RAM on the MSI without breaking the warranty. This is not a problem for me because I have no need for more memory, at least not at this time. Keep in mind that these netbooks are not designed for heavy-duty computing anyway. I can wait a year to upgrade the RAM, and then only if there's a real need. This can be a serious problem for some users though.
4) Battery: The battery pack on the MSI is bulky and raises the rear of the machine up a bit. Some may not like this, but it's a plus for me because I like the typing angle. Both netbooks have 6-cell batteries which is plenty long for me. Battery life on the Acer is apparently longer, so this may be a factor for you.
4) Other: I don't need webcam or bluetooth so cannot comment on these. The webcam images on both seem clear enough and comparable. Aesthetically I like the business-like look of the MSI over the more toy-like, "stylish" look of the Acer, but it's a matter of personal taste.
Verdict: I chose the MSI because it has a much more liveable screen and keyboard than the Acer. After all, in my opinion these two components largely determine how enjoyable the computer is to use. I wish it had better speakers and touchpad buttons, then it would be just about perfect, but I can live with these shortcomings. The cheaper price is also a deciding factor.
The Acer has better sound and better mouse buttons, but falls short in the critical areas of screen and keyboard, in my mind. However, if you watch a lot of movies or listen to music and don't want the hassle of external speakers, or if you need more RAM right away, then it's probably the better choice.
Note: I currently own an Acer notebook, and have not been impressed with it. The same flat keyboard and glossy, washed-out screen, plus horrible battery life. This may color my review of the Acer netbook a bit.
UPDATE: After using it for a month, here are some additional observations: The battery only lasts 3.5 to 4 hours, better than 3-cell models but disappointing for a 6-cell netbook. On the other hand, the keyboard and wrist rest areas stay cool to the touch. This is a huge plus for me. My Acer notebook gets warm enough to be downright unpleasant to use. I used a hard disk temperature monitor program, and found that the MSI stays around 40 degrees Celsius while my Acer notebook is over 50, triggering the warning alarm. I have read that the Acer netbooks also get pretty warm. High temperatures can adversely affect the reliability and longevity of hard drives and components, something to keep in mind.
All in all I still think this is one of the better deals on the market at this time.
So far, so good. February 22, 2009
Ms.ML H (Illinois)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
I received my netbook yesterday, and so far I am very pleased with it. First, let me say, I am NOT a techie kind of girl. I purchased this machine because I am starting a masters program and I wanted something I could carry in my book bag. It's connecting well to the wireless router in my house and I'd say the internet speed (on Chrome browser)is absolutely as fast as my desktop. The keyboard is a smidge smaller than a traditional laptop, but I can still touch type with it.Web pages are surprisingly easy to view- I expected it to be far more limited. I did not upgrade the memory from one to two gig yet but I have had no problem with performance even with more than one application open at a time. I am not loving formatting a document on this screen, but then I am using office 2007 (not included on the MSI Wind) for the first time and kind of hating the new program, so I don't think I can really blame the computer for that. Things that aren't so great- the track pad is pretty bad with difficult to click right and left buttons- I plan to use a usb mouse. Also the speakers aren't great quality. All things considered, for the price and the portability, I am impressed with this little computer.
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