MSI’s Wind 12 U200: good thing in a small package?

MSI took the then fledgling netbook market by storm back in 2008 with their Intel Atom powered model, and now, 18 months and a lot of upgrading later they’re back with the UK launch of the Wind 12 U200 mini notebook.

Today’s netbook market is almost unrecognisable to the field in which MSI’s original number set the benchmark, and with more models and manufacturers competing for consumers’ cash than ever before, MSI face tough competition if they’re going to match the impact of their original trendsetter.

At first glance, the name ‘mini notebook’ reveals one of MSI’s most notable changes. Weighing in at 1.5 kg and sporting a 12.1 inch HD ready 16:9 crystal screen, it’s certainly no netbook. It’s high end spec also dwarves many other models on the market representing a firm stride away from the kind of ‘back to basics’ approach associated with some of the earliest models on the market. But the U200 also comes nowhere near the bulk and heft we typically associate with run of the mill notebooks, so can MSI’s latest model bridge the gap between netbooks and notebooks, or will it get lost between the two?

Well, it certainly looks the part with a sleek, stylish finish and frameless display that’s a world away from the kind of Toys ‘R’ Us pioneers of the netbook era. It’s got a respectable 6.5 hours of life from the 6 cell battery and comes equipped with the new Windows 7 platform as standard. There’s also a 320GB hard drive, 2GB of memory, Intel Culv SU3500 1.4GHz processor, optional Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and a 1.3-megapixel webcam.

As well as improved specs, the increase in size also accommodates MSI’s latest in keyboard design, the MSI Ergonomics De-Stress (EDS) Keyboard. This features a surface area that is considerably larger than its predecessor, and the face of each individual key is wider and so easier to use. MSI also claim that the keyboard encourages natural finger and wrist movement to reduce strain, allowing you to waste away the hours without the discomfort that the shovel-handed amongst us have experienced from smaller sized models.

Finally though, there’s the sticky issue of price, and at £399 the U200 is certainly at the top end of the netbook market. But with an impressive array of specs, great design and increased usability it could prove to be the ideal solution if you’re looking for a laptop that marries portability with processing power; and it even looks good to boot.