The MSI Wind12 U230 will replace the successful Wind12 U210, a favorite among netbook users looking for a larger screen and more computing power. There are three different version of the MSI Wind12 U230, the U230-033US, the U230-040US and MSI U230-086US . The Wind12 U230-033US and MSI U230-086US are powered by an Athlon Neo MV-40 processor while the the Wind12 U230-040US gets the Athlon X2 L335. The U230 is the first Wind to feature a dual core processor and it’s still called a netbook but it really isn’t as it could really be considered an ultra-portable notebook for its processing power.
The sleek and exquisite design gives Wind12 U230 an elegant presence. Each curve is accentuated with a smooth contour making its polished exterior a delicate feast for the eyes. The exclusive “Color Film Print Technology” from MSI applies to the cover as well as the palm rest area, so the glossy texture promises better quality for both visual and tactile sensation.
The MSI Wind12 U230 comes with a 12.1” HD (1366×768) 16:9 aspect ratio LCD and an ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics card. The combination delivers a bright widescreen visual experience with exceptional color saturation and crisp imagery. Furthermore, LED power-saving backlight technology provides better color fullness and brightness, elevating the total quality of imagery. The lower usage of power can also offer a longer operating time. The U230 does have a glossy screen and there will be glare when used outdoor, but apparently this a trend now as most netbooks and notebooks have them.
The dual core processor does allow you to do many things at once without the system slowing down. As for graphics, it does do HD video content very smoothly and it has an HDMI port as well, but don’t expect to be playing games on high settings though.
The Wind12 U230 also features MSI’s EDS (Ergonomic De-stress) keyboard with keys that are 51% larger than those on a standard keyboard. The larger keys greatly improve finger contact range, which reduces stress on fingers and wrists to improve accuracy and comfort. The touch pad is also pretty big and easy to use.
Battery life is decent, about 4 hours with just light browsing etc, don’t expect a full day out of it, but it’s a netbook and most don’t come with high capacity batteries so that’s about the norm. Of course doing more things at once will shorten the battery life, but that’s expected, just make sure you take the power supply with you if you intend to be gone for a long time with it.
Weighing in at just 3.3 pounds both versions of the U230 ship with 2GB of DDR2 memory, with a 6-cell battery and Windows 7 Home Premium operating system. The ports and connectivity specs are quite standard for a netbook.
MSI Wind12 U230 Key Features
- Ultra lightweight and ultraportable design
- 1366 x 768 HD Ready Display for clearer and sharper images
- 12.1″ 16:9 LED Backlit Widescreen Display
- HDMI Output
- Gigabit LAN 10/100/1000
- MSI Ergonomic De-stress Keyboard
- 802.11 b/g/n Wireless Lan
- Built-in High-Performance 2 Channel Stereo Speakers, and Microphone
MSI Wind12 U230 Specification
- Operating System : Windows 7 Home Premium(62-bit)
- Display : 12.1″ HD WXGA 16:9 LCD Display, Resolution 1366×768
- Processor : 1.6GHz AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 (Models – U230-033US and U230-086US)
- Processor : 1.6GHz AMD Athlon X2 L335 (Model – U230-040US)
- Chipset : AMD RS690 + SB600 (Models – U230-033US and U230-086US)
- Chipset : AMD RS-780MN+SB710 (Model – U230-040US)
- Graphics : ATI Radeon HD3200 Graphics
- Memory : 2GB System Memory (2 slots, Max: 4GB)
- Storage : 250GB SATA Hard Drive (Model – U230-033US)
- Storage : 320GB SATA Hard Drive (Models – U230-040US and U230-086US)
- Wireless Data Network: Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n
- Input/Output: Gigabit LAN 10/100/1000, VGA, HDMI, 3 x USB 2.0 Ports
- Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (Wind12 U230-040US only)
- Memory card reader:4-1 Card Read (XD/SD/MMC/ MS)
- Audio: 2 HD Audio Speakers
- Webcam : 1.3 MP Webcam
- Optical Drive : No Optical Drive (optional external optical drive can be connected via one of the USB ports)
- Battery : Battery 6 cells (5200mAh); 4 Hours of Battery Life
- Dimensions: 11.71″(L) x 7.49″(D) x 0.55~1.22″(H)
- Weight: 3.3 pounds
Upgrading MSI Wind12 U230 Netbook Memory from 2GB to 4GB
Take note of the following;
- The netbook comes with 2 memory slots and it is populated by a 2GB memory module in Slot 1
- That means you can add another 2GB memory module in Slot 2
- Make sure you purchase the right memory module – a 200 pin DDR2 SODIMM notebook memory module (667MHz or 800MHz)
- Installing the memory is a snap. You just need a tiny Philips screwdriver to remove one screw from back cover. Once unscrewed slide the door towards the screw and lift up gently. Pop out the old, pop in the new, replace the cover and boot it back up (Follow the steps outlined in easily self upgrade RAM)
Color Options
The laptop’s casing features MSI’s colour-film-print (CFP) technology, which MSI claims is scratch-resistant and MSI Wind12 U230 is available in Black and Black-Gray.
Software Included with MSI Wind12 U230
The following are included;
- Arcsoft Magic-i – allows you to have fun with your webcam
- Microsoft Works 9.0
- Norton Internet Security Trial
- MS Office Home & Student Edition 2007 – 60 Day Trial
User Reviews
The MSI Wind12 U230 is nicely made and it seems durable. The keyboard is nice and large, the keys are about the size of a desktop keyboard so you’ll be typing easily on it. It is a great choice if you’re looking for a new netbook, it offers the portability of a netbook but the power of a notebook in the same form factor. If this is where netbooks are headed then this is a good thing. The Wind12 is priced not much higher than some other Atom based netbooks out there but it’s much more powerful making it more useful overall.
Pros
- Dual core AMD processor let’s you do more things at once
- Small and portable like a netbook but powerful like a notebook
- 1366×768 resolution, lots of space for desktop icons, web browsing, watching videos
- Full sized keyboard makes typing easy with little frustration
- Rather large touch pad
- 2 gb Ram, upgradeable to 4 gb
Cons
- Glossy screen
- Short battery life
- No cd/dvd drive
Where to Buy MSI Wind12 U230 Netbook
We found Amazon.com to have the best prices on all netbook computers including the MSI Wind12 U230. Click on the links below to visit the product website for additional information and special offers. You can also compare prices from the numerous retailers by clicking on the More Prices link.
MSI Wind12 U230-086US 12.1-Inch Black Netbook
 |
| ||||||||||
MSI Wind12 U230-040US 12.1-Inch Black-Gray Netbook
 |
| ||||||||||
MSI Wind12 U230-033US 12.1-Inch Black-Gray Netbook
 |
| ||||||||||
Optional Upgrades
Crucial CT25664AC667 2GB 667MHz 200-pin SODIMM DDR2 Memory Module
 |
| ||||||||||
Microsoft Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade [Home Premium to Professional]
 |
| ||||||||||
Microsoft Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade [Home Premium to Ultimate]
 |
| ||||||||||
Intel 80 GB X25M Mainstream SATA II Solid-State Drive Retail Package(SSDSA2MH080G2R5)
 |
| ||||||||||
Microsoft Office Home & Student 2010 [Disc Version]
 |
| ||||||||||
MSI Wind12 U230 Netbook Video Review
Related Posts
ASUS Eee PC 1215B-PU17 AMD E-350 Zacate APU 12.1-Inch Netbook Review
ASUS Eee PC 1215B-MU17 AMD C-50 Ontario APU 12.1-Inch Netbook Review
HP Pavilion DM1Z AMD E-350 Zacate APU 11.6-inch Netbook Review
ASUS Eee PC 1215N-PU17 D525 NVIDIA Optimus 12.1-Inch Netbook Review
ASUS Eee PC 1215P-MU17 Dual Core Atom N550 12.1-Inch Netbook Review
ASUS Eee PC 1215T-MU17 AMD Athlon II Neo K125 12.1-inch Netbook Review
Gateway LT3119u AMD Athlon 64 X2 L310 11.6-Inch Netbook Review
Gateway LT3201u AMD Athlon II Neo K125 11.6-Inch Netbook Review
Acer Aspire One AO721 AMD Athlon II Neo K125 11.6-Inch Netbook Review
Lenovo Thinkpad X100E AMD Athlon Neo X2 L335 11.6-inch Netbook Review
Lenovo Thinkpad X100E AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 11.6-inch Netbook Review
(104)
(369)
(7)
(52)
