I'd never heard of MSi - before browsing online for a laptop a couple months ago, but must say I am very impressed with the quality of this little laptop! It's nicer than the $1500 Dell I use at the office.
At 12", this computer was the perfect size for me. I was underwhelmed by the traditional 10" netbooks when I tried them out at a local retailer - screen was too small for me, and I didn't care for the cramped keyboard. Nor the Windows 7 starter edition or slow CPU.
Enter the MSi U230 - I've got the single core AMD Neo MV-40, but rarely ever notice any slow down. I would have spent the additional $50 for the dual core version, but it wasn't released yet when I bought my computer (it's still hard to find from most online retailers!).
Pros:
-Faster CPU compared to traditional netbooks with Intel Atom chip
-Windows 7 Home Premium (runs fast)
-2 gb Ram, upgradeable to 4 gb (I did this on a whim, wasn't really necessary as Ram doesn't max out at 2 gb most of the time)
-Full sized keyboard makes typing easy with little frustration
-1366x768 resolution, lots of space for desktop icons, web browsing, watching videos
-SD card slot, webcam, 3 usb connectors
-ultraportable size and weight (but you don't get a cd/dvd drive - I suggest picking up an external one)
Cons:
-4 hour battery life as advertised is a stretch
-Won't perform as well as larger, dual core CPUs notebooks
In reference to battery life, it's advertised as 4 hours but I've found around 3 hours is more realistic. However, you can undervolt the CPU by about 20%, without losing any performance. I get stable performance at 0.85v at 8x and 0.70v at 4x using RMClock. Doing so I've stretched the battery life to over 4 hours with light computer tasks (running spreadsheets, web browsing, etc.).
Overall I highly recommend this laptop, especially if you are just looking for a laptop to compliment a desktop system, and aren't happy with traditional netbooks.Get more detail about MSI U230-033US 12.1-Inch Netbook - 4 Hour Battery Life.
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