MSI Wind U100-420US 10-Inch Netbook (1.6 GHz Intel Atom Processor, 1 GB RAM, 120 GB Hard Drive, XP Home, 3 Cell Battery) Black

by MSI

Product Details

User Manual [3.75mb PDF]

• Item Weight: 4.3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 4.4 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B001J8BAYW
• Item model number: U100-420US
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,494 in Computers & Accessories (See Top 100 in Computers & Accessories)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 19, 2008

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 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/n 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 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

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lowest price point entry into the U100 series, December 3, 2008

By 

HMMWV "God, Country, Corps" (santa clara, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: MSI Wind U100-420US 10-Inch Netbook (1.6 GHz Intel Atom Processor, 1 GB RAM, 120 GB Hard Drive, XP Home, 3 Cell Battery) Black (Personal Computers)

This U100 is almost identical to the $429 ($80 price difference now) model MSI Wind U100-279US 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) White - you can read my detailed review there.

What you are giving up for the $80 difference is:

1/2 the battery capacity. This is a 3 cell - the more expensive model is a 6 cell (and they make a 9 cell aftermarket battery). Expect 2.6 hr, 5.5 hr, and 8 hr runtimes for each battery. Weight really is not a factor in this small of a system but runtime is real nice to have!

40 GB less disk space (this has a 120 GB drive and 80 buck more unit uses a 160 GB drve) - note that the drive comes partitioned into a drive C with the operating system of about 39 GB and a drive D that is empty for you to store your programs and data on - this makes drive upgrades easy.

Other than that - it's the same computer. If you plan to buy a 9 cell battery and rip out the disk and put in a 320 GB drive instead down the road, this is the place to start. (be sure to add another 1 GB ram while you are inside)

If you plan to start using your U100 for serious work right away and want to enjoy almost 6 hours of runtime then now is the time to spend the extra $80 for the other model.

Hope that helps explain the price difference.

If you are plugged in most of the time, and have an external usb drive then this may be the model for you. I almost went this way but finally gave into the more expensive version because I wanted to use it from day one.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Impressive, provided you have the right expectations. :), December 23, 2008

By 

JD "SwitchPath" (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: MSI Wind U100-420US 10-Inch Netbook (1.6 GHz Intel Atom Processor, 1 GB RAM, 120 GB Hard Drive, XP Home, 3 Cell Battery) Black (Personal Computers)

The MSI Wind may be one of the best technology purchases I've made. As long as you calibrate your expectations to the product's intended purpose, you won't be disappointed! I've owned a lot of notebook PC's (and a few MacBooks) and this may be the best notebook I've had. It's certainly not the fastest or the most ergonomic, but the performance and features you get for the price can't be beat. I use this notebook for IT consulting work in which portability and convenience are key, and this little Netbook works great. Additionally, I use it around the house for casual web-browsing and email. As previously stated, it is all about your expectations. If you simply want a device to provide you web/network access, store and edit files and documents, and to take with you to a class or a coffee shop, this is a great choice. If you are looking for a Photoshop editing portable, or a multimedia-centric laptop, you need to stick to a traditional notebook PC or a desktop solution. Bottom line, for around $350 you can't find a better portable computer.

Pros:
- Surprisingly quick intel Atom CPU (N270).
- Very decent storage capacity thanks to the 120GB hard drive.
- MSI built-in dynamic overclocking for increased performance.
- Comes with Windows XP.
- Very respectable array of ports and connectivity including VGA-out, audio in/out, three USB ports, wired & wireless networking, and a decent webcam.

Cons:
- Upgrading the memory, while easy to do, may void the warranty.
- Cramped keyboard (typical of netbooks) is not great for extended usage periods (get a USB keyboard to resolve this).
- Battery life is around 2 hours with the included 3-cell.
- Stupid default hard drive partitioning scheme (2 partitions, one for OS @ ~40GB & one for data @ ~65GB).

In summary: A great little netbook and a very capable substitute for a traditional notebook PC as long as the intended use for the device is Web, email, and some document creation/editing. Non tech-savvy users will enjoy the device for its' intended purpose almost right out of the box. G33ks & IT Pros will like the additional performance and functionality to be gained by a little performance tweaking of XP and adding some additional memory.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE SECRET IS OUT!, December 18, 2008

By 

Michael A "Michael" (AZ) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: MSI Wind U100-420US 10-Inch Netbook (1.6 GHz Intel Atom Processor, 1 GB RAM, 120 GB Hard Drive, XP Home, 3 Cell Battery) Black (Personal Computers)

Have only had this little GEM for less than one day, and have not been able to drag myself away except to grab a bite to eat and catch a few winks!

As someone who has a good deal of experience with computers and up to now built my own, this little notebook is quite a revelation.

The quality and design are first rate, as is the construction. The sensitivity and stability of the Wireless function is absolutely astounding.

With the built-in camera and microphone, it is a phenomenal performer on Skype.

If this U-100 420US continues to perform as stated above, (which it probably will) being a first class product from MSI, it is my belief that you can't go wrong by purchasing this excellent machine.