Top Netbooks: the Eight Best Netbooks Compared: Page 7

Check out the list of top netbooks:

ASUS 1000HE // Acer Aspire One // Samsung NC10 // Dell Inspiron Mini 9/Mini 10

HP 2140 Mini // Lenovo IdeaPad S10/S10e // MSI Wind // Sony Lifestyle PC

7) MSI Wind

Base price: $419

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Google: MSI Wind

Amazon: MSI Wind

Product page: MSI Wind netbook

With a nearly full-size keyboard (92 percent) and a spacious 10-inch screen that’s visually crisp (with a matte display), the MSI Wind is a nicely designed machine. Fortunately the more recent release of this netbook provides a six-cell battery, so you’ll be equipped on the go.

A nice touch: in an effort to alleviate the strain of a small netbook screen, the MSI Wind comes with software that magnifies small text. Who says you can work with small detail on a netbook screen?

The MSI Wind has a bit of a cult following because it’s available pre-installed with SUSE Linux (though most commonly it’s sold with Windows XP). If you’re looking for the really low cost option, chose the smaller 8.9 inch screen and the Linux version. You’ll enjoy a big smile as your friends tell you how much more they spent.

Some users complain about the small trackpad (a mere 2. x 1.7 inches) and the mouse button, which uses a single surface as both the right and left click control. On the flip side, the Shift, Backspace and Enter keys are good-sized. And the MSI Wind is generally considered a visually attractive fashionable accessory, with a snazzy, compact design.

No, the MSI Wind doesn’t really offer any special feature that sets it above the competition, and yet this compact unit keeps up with the competition. The six-cell battery helps.

Netbook reviews: MSI Wind

In a significant honor, PC Magazine dubs the MSI Wind as the “Editor’s Choice” in the UMPC category.

Laptop magazine’s review praises the MSI Wind strongly, saying “f there were a Survivor: The Mini-Notebook series, and each of the ultra–low-cost notebooks were incrementally eliminated, the MSI Wind NB would be the one left standing.”

CNET is less glowing about the MSI Wind, but it does opine that the netbook “Strikes [the] optimal Netbook balance between portability and usability.”

Specs:

Intel Atom Processor; 1 GB RAM, 120 GB Hard Drive; six-cell Battery; 10-inch wide screen; 120 GB Hard Drive; Built-in 802.11b/g WLAN Card/Bluetooth Supported; 1.3 megapixel camera; 3 USB 2.0 Ports; an Ethernet jack; a 4-in-1 memory card reader; mic and headphone jacks; a VGA port.

The MSI Wind (photos courtesy of MSI)

Check out the list of top netbooks:

ASUS 1000HE // Acer Aspire One // Samsung NC10 // Dell Inspiron Mini 9/Mini 10

HP 2140 Mini // Lenovo IdeaPad S10/S10e // MSI Wind // Sony Lifestyle PC