MSI Wind Unboxing & First Impressions

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiJXYIlgm8M' target='_blank'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiJXYIlgm8M</a><br /><br /></div><p>This is an unboxing and first impressions video of the <a href="http://www.msimobile.com/nblist.aspx?series=U" target="_blank">MSI Wind</a>, a small 2.3 pound netbook with a 10" screen at 1024 x 600 resolution. It features an Intel Atom 1.6 Ghz CPU, 1 GB of RAM (upgradeable to 2 GB), 802.11 b/g, three USB ports, VGA out, and an 80 GB hard drive. I paid $554 CAD + tax for it.</p><p>The version I ordered was <em>supposed</em> to be a black MSI Wind with a 6-cell battery, but instead it's a white MSI Wind with a 3-cell battery. Join me for the fun of an unboxing of the wrong product! I ended up returning this to the computer store I bought it from because it was the wrong version, but I plan on re-ordering an MSI Wind when they release the version with the 6-cell battery. I was extremely impressed with the build quality, the screen quality, and the performance. At 50% brightness the screen was as bright as many laptops in a normally lit room, and the performance of the Intel Atom chip shocked me - I wasn't expecting to be able to play 720p WMV files without a hitch (it choked on 720p h.264 files though).</p><p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" width="425" height="349" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YiJXYIlgm8M&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;border=1" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YiJXYIlgm8M&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1&amp;border=1" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiJXYIlgm8M" target="_blank"><em>[click through to YouTube to see it in higher quality]</em></a></p><p>If you have a YouTube account, please <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiJXYIlgm8M" target="_blank">rate the video</a>, comment, and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/ThoughtsMedia" target="_blank">subscribe to our channel</a>. Thanks for your support!</p>

[Chris Gohlke]

Love the pop up comments!

[Jason Dunn]

Love the pop up comments!

Yeah, it's amusing to be sarcastic with myself after I shoot the video about the things that I forgot or got wrong. I figure I'll beat others to it. :D

[Macguy59]

Told ya. The Atom and GMA 950 do a pretty good job of handling video. The LED backlit screens are very bright but the viewing angles are narrow.

[EscapePod]

So, did your MSI come with any "screener" movies or family photos .... like the ones being recalled by MSI?


Translated version of http://www.heise.de/newsticker/Rueckrufaktion-MSI-Wind-PC-mit-Problemen--/meldung/115538 (http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.heise.de%2Fnewsticker%2FRueckrufaktion-MSI-Wind-PC-mit-Problemen--%2Fmeldung%2F115538&sl=de&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8)


(I think those were only on the MSI Suse Linux version)

[Jason Dunn]

So, did your MSI come with any "screener" movies or family photos .... like the ones being recalled by MSI?

Nope, there was nothing out of the ordinary on the hard drive.

[bnycastro]

just got an Empire Black Wind myself. I got 2Gb RAM and 160Gb HDD built in, 6 cell option was not available though. So far I am liking it except for the keys for the touchpad it is very hard to press. Must get myself another mouse... :cool:

[Jason Dunn]

just got an Empire Black Wind myself. I got 2Gb RAM and 160Gb HDD built in, 6 cell option was not available though

Interesting - MSI doesn't even list a 160 GB hard drive version on their site...? That company REALLY puzzles me. :confused:

[bnycastro]

Interesting - MSI doesn't even list a 160 GB hard drive version on their site...? That company REALLY puzzles me. :confused:

Here in the PH they also sell a model sans the Bluetooth and OS, 1Gb RAM, 80Gb HDD.

I think these might be reasons for my beefed up model...
1. MSI has yet to update it's site
2. The model I got has been released to Asia but not to other territories
3. The local distributors are opening up the Wind and modifying it before selling it [I suspect this the most]

[Macguy59]

Jason, did you ever get the correct unit to finish the review with a hands-on ? Curious as I just picked up a white 3 cell version for $200 yesterday.

[Jason Dunn]

Jason, did you ever get the correct unit to finish the review with a hands-on ? Curious as I just picked up a white 3 cell version for $200 yesterday.

I did, but I haven't shot a video of it yet. Did you have any questions?