Customer Reviews

MSI Wind U100-432US 10-Inch Netbook (1.6 GHz Intel Atom Processor, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, XP Home, 6 Cell Battery) Black

5 star:		(70)
4 star:		(38)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This is my second "netbook", the other being an HP Mininote with the 8" screen. I am happy with both, but the MSI is much closer to being the ideal compromise between size and features than was the HP. Although the HP has a (somewhat) better keyboard, the larger screen size on the MSI makes all the difference to someone like me with terrible eyesight. Indeed the screen on the MSI is just lovely; bright, clear, nice colors, and the icons and text stand out well. Even my wife was impressed by how bright it was.

Ergonomically, the MSI has a decent keyboard with good feel and tactile response. I am not a touch typer, but I am quick and accurate on the MSI. The only downside is the small size of the period (.) comma (,), and backspace keys, all of which are 1/2 sized. The trackpad is small but usable and I have had no trouble with the "rocker" (single bar) mouse button. I found the trackpad and the buttons to be better on the MSI than on the HP.

Performance so far is fine, using Word, Excel, and IE. Wireless performance has been fine and it is also a quiet machine, with only the faintest humming sound.

All in all, I think I have found what I have been looking for, a nice, lightweight, capable computer that cuts down on the size, weight, and cost of taking a laptop on the road and to meetings. The first road test will be the end of next week and I am looking forward to having the MSI with me.

Now if Apple would only make something this size....

FIVE WEEK UPDATE:

I have now had the MSI for about five weeks and remain very satisfied. I have used it on road trips to NJ, on-campus at meetings, and even at my son's swimming meet. In all of these situations, the MSI has been a big boost to my productivity, as I would not have taken a full-sized laptop to these events.

Things I am especially pleased with include wireless connectivity (better than my 2007 MacBook at the same hotel) and ability to go several days on standby without losing any significant battery power. The screen and keyboard remain strong points as well.

Things I am less pleased with are more limited. The unit is "tippy" with the larger battery, but you quickly learn to deal with that. Otherwise, no real negatives as far as I am concerned.

12 WEEK UPDATE

I regret I have had the first serious problem with the MSI, a faulty trackpad/mouse button. From what I have read on various MSI Wind forums, this is not an uncommon issue. In my case the left trackpad button no longer works and I have to return the MSI for repairs. Dealing with MSI tech support was only a fair experience; the main problems were registering the MSI on-line (just figuring out which model # I had and finding the serial # [located inside the battery compartment] were the main issues), but the phone call with tech support was hampered by language issues. I would do everything online next time.

Anyway, the MSI heads back for repair early next week (early February) and I'll note what the resolution was after it comes back.

POST-REPAIR UPDATE

The Wind was sent to MSI for repair last Tuesday and I got it back the following Thursday. Most of the time was spent in transit to California (I sent it 2nd day-they returned it UPS ground). The trackpad works fine, but I had to reinstall the drivers since I had tried re-installing Windows on Tech Support's suggestion. It would have been nice if they had done that for me, but I guess that's asking too much. Anyway, all software has now been installed and I am back up and running. I'l keep my fingers crossed this is a one-time event.

Like the title says, I tried the Acer first. I had problems with the wireless dropping on the Acer and decided to look at options. As it turns out, I am glad I did.

For an extra $30, the MSI Wind 432 is a winner. The MSI is a half inch wider than the Acer but the depth is identical. In fact, the Acer may be a tad deeper with the 6 cell battery. The larger keyboard on the MSI is much nicer and comparatively, the 10" screen feels huge.

The trackpad on the MSI is better than the Acer with with buttons located on the bottom. The MSI does not support scrolling on the trackpad. The Acer does but it's functionality is marginal at best.

The MSI has integrated Bluetooth the Acer does not. Also, the MSI supports 802.11 draft N where the Acer does not.

Bottom line, for an extra $30 you get a 10" screen vs. 8.9", integrated Bluetooth, better orientation of trackpad buttons and 802.11 draft N. Upgrading the MSI is easier from what I have read and is capable of 2 gigs vs. 1.5 on the Acer.

I am not bashing the Acer. It is a very nice machine and it's build quality is very solid. If you are buying the netbook for everyday use and not as a novelty, the additional screen real estate and larger keyboard are really nice.

The cons:

The MSI is not well balanced. The unit is weighted toward the back. When on my lap, it has a tendency to fall backwards.


Overall, this unit rocks and I highly recommend it.

Edit 12/3/08

With all the glowing reviews of the Samsung NC10, I returned the MSI and purchased the Samsung. Nice build quality on the NC10, heavier but better balanced than the MSI. The wireless card is the same Atheros used in the Acer. I did not think to research this before I bought it. Had I known, I would have kept the MSI. I need ad hoc wireless support and the Atheros is flawed. For a premium priced netbook primarily designed for remote connectivity, why did Samsung pick this POS wireless card? If Amazon will let me return the Samsung in favor of the MSI, I will do it in a heartbeat. Also, the multitouch capability on the Samsung is horrible, basically useless. It could be bloatware, but the Samsung was not as snappy as the MSI. For me, the marginally better keyboard on the Sammy is not worth compromised wireless reliability. Keep in mind that the MSI also provides 802.11 draft N.

For the dollar, the MSI is tough to beat. Also, if you are a hacker, the MSI can be dual booted with OS X.

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

This laptop is very small and very portable. It is not as small as an asus eee pc or something that is a 8.9 screen and cannot be comapred to one. This is a 10in screen and realize that it would be a little bit bigger and heavier then those other ones. But this is the perfect size in my opinion. The screen very nice and bright, perfect for microsoft and web surfing. This is a newer model which comes with Draft N and an increased and much needed 6 cell battery. This is in my opinion a very good choice for regular use for basic microsoft and surfing.

Downside, the barrel hinges is not the greatest thing in the world. I would have preferred a flush solid hinge. Speakers are very very weak. barely audible in a crowed area. 1gb of memory is built into the motherboard, integrated memory is not the best idea especially if it decides to crap out on you meaning you have to send it in to MSI to get it fixed. 1gb of memory is barely adequate, its a must to upgrade to 2gb if you want to do more than surfing and typing.

Overall I love this thing, it does exactly what you expect it to do. It performs exactly what you want for the price and a little more. I would recommend this to people who have the money for it.

First of all, this netbook is worth every penny for those who seek a portable solution with a long battery life. Before buying MSI Wind I researched all the current netbook offerings and after several days of reading user and magazine reviews concluded this one provides best value for the money--better than Apple Air, eee Pc, even Lenovo. While solid state drives are theoretically more reliable as they have no moving parts, the performance of the ones that find their way into cheap netbooks is surprisingly sub-par to conventional hard drives (such as the one found in this netbook). However, do not mistake this for a full-fledged laptop. This is a netbook and as such its scope and function is different than that of a laptop. So, if you are in a need of a netbook, I think this is the best one can get currently on the market.

If I had to complain, it would have to be that:

1) my netbook came with a sentelic touchpad that has a limited set of functionality when compared to the ubiquitous synaptics found in most laptops (e.g. it supports tap-click and scrolling by holding a finger in top-right and bottom-right corners for scrolling up and down respectively). Some users reported they did get a synaptics touchpad so this aspect is a hit and miss. That being said, the touchpad works just fine and as long as you are not a "power user" commonly utilizing two- or three-finger gestures, you should be perfectly fine.
2) The netbook is so light, with the screen propped open all the way it tends to tip backwards which has in my case resulted in the netbook falling from my sofa. The good news it still works fine and there are no noticeable blemishes.
3) In Linux (see below for more info) some dialogs/windows have minimum size of 700+ pixels which makes it cumbersome to read on a 1024x600 screen.

OPERATING SYSTEM CONSIDERATIONS
Like Asus Eee PC, this netbook is also available with Linux (although AFAIK not in US). However, the Linux flavor it comes with has been reported to not work as well as some of the more recent distributions, such as the Ubuntu 8.10.

The Although XP does the job for the most part (assuming you wish to spend another couple hundred $ getting Microsoft productivity software or better yet use one of the free alternatives, such as Open Office), as a long-time user of Linux platform I installed Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid (for the uninitiated, this is a flavor of Linux) and was literally blown away by the fact that practically everything worked out of the box. In my 10+ years of using Linux I've never had this good of an experience installing Linux on a portable. If you do decide to install Linux, however, pay close attention to the wireless card you get, as mine was entirely different from all the online documentation, so it required a driver that was not included with Ubuntu. One simple download and I was ready to go. Overall, if you are brave enough to take a plunge and try Linux, I think this is the portable to do it on. Not only does it provide better user experience than the aging XP, but it also includes all the productivity software you will ever need in a netbook. If you do decide to use Linux, please pay special attention to fine-tuning power-saving features as the bios by default has rather aggressive settings for the spin-down of the HD which (unless configured properly) may significantly shorten its lifespan. For more info on this last feature look into laptop-tools and hdparm.

OTHER CONSIDREATIONS
One rather cute feature is with the latest bios you get to overclock the netbook by up to 24%. There is even a reserved key/icon for this feature(Fn+F10). Please note for this to work you do need latest bios update and you need to enable overclocking in the bios. Finally, the overclocking only works when you are running off of AC power (which makes sense as you would want to conserve power when running off battery anyhow). The crazy part is this is a feature supported by the manufacturer and it truly does deliver the 24% boost in cpu performance (as measured by the SuperPI cpu benchmark).

Overall, I love the portable and I use it regularly next to my 17" Apple Macbook Pro.

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.

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 spent MONTHS researching for a netbook. I currently own a Lenovo X61t which is very portable and lightweight, but I wanted to have something I could grab fast in the AM and use just for the day. In order to get the battery life of my new MSI Wind on my x61t, I'd have to carry BOTH the 8 cell and extended battery which really is a pain in the butt.

I used a list that I compiled over the last 3 months of reviews from all the major websites (CNET, Laptopmag, etc) and after looking at all the reviews there and from sites like Amazon, I decided to go with the MSI Wind.

That was NOT easy as I tested the HP mini at Best Buy. The problem was, for all the looks of the mini, it does the same as the Wind at about $150 less the cost. Add to that I actually think the Wind looks BETTER and feels better and this machine is a winner.

I'm not sure why some have had issues with the wireless connection because mine as run fantastically with ZERO issues, as has the BT.

I'm getting about 4 hours of battery life running wireless and BT as well as running other programs. For an intensive use, it gets great battery life. I recently experimented with the lower power settings and was able to squeeze almost 5 hours out of the battery with a little to spare.

I downloaded OpenOffice software but also use the 60 day Microsoft Office trial, using Outlook, Word, Excel, and PPT with no glitches and no slow down in operation. The SD card works fine (I bought the 4 GB version) and I also have the Seagate Go HD that I carry all the time.

Furthermore I upgraded to another 1GB of memory which was extremely easy.

I am 100% satisfied with this little machine and would recommend it to anyone. I am an every day power user and while my x61t will in fact be my main machine for longer trips that I take, this will be used for my daily one day trips or times I need to take it with me for a few hours of work.

One final note. I had read that some wanted to upgrade to BIOS 1.09. This machine comes with the new BIOS so you can overclock it up to 24% with no need to do the Flash upgrade and risk having an issue.

WORTH THE $430!!

There is nothing bad to say about this laptop, small, big hard drive, fast processor, ultra thin and light, great LCD Screen, complete freedom with Bluetooth and wireless technology. The battery lasts 4 hours on turbo battery mode. With the 6 cell battery the unit weighs about 2.8lbs. I absolutely love this computer. Best computer I have ever bought. Perfect for school, getting out of the house to do homework and socialize without leaving your laptop at home because it's too big and bulky!!

It was everything I had hoped for, and then some, except for one item. The MSI Wind is full of great features, with the exception of a "real" copy of Office, and it's performance is excellent except for that one item. The glide pad is forever time and time again moving the cursor around the page and you find yourself having to re-type sentences. It even will reset the font selection. I've tried various options but it keeps on happening.

But it is very convenient to carry around and the battery life is around 4 hours. Good, but not great and this is with the 6 cell pattery