NbC: MSI Wind U115 Hybrid Review

The MSI Wind U115 Hybrid netbook is perhaps the most fully featured netbook on the market today. It’s driven by the powerful Poulsbo Intel chipset and an energy-efficient Z520 Atom processor. The biggest talking point surrounding the U115 Hybrid, however, is its dual hard-disk drive and solid-state storage. A combination of the above factors leads to the longest battery times we’ve seen in a netbook thus far.

All of this comes at a premium though. At around £450 the U115 Hybrid is significantly more expensive than its 10-inch peers. Despite the technology involved, this price may have been easier to swallow had the design moved on since the original Wind U100. However, if you have the spare cash and are not dictated by the fashionista, then the U115 Hybrid definitely deserves your consideration. Read on for our thorough review, including some comprehensive performance and battery tests. Read more

MSI Wind U115 Hybrid stripped bare

MSI’s Wind U115 Hybrid is the next netbook to be disassembled by teardown experts, Netbook Italia. This is one model I was particularly interested in seeing its guts exposed, mainly to find out how they ended up packing in both a HDD and SDD and also keeping its weight reasonably low at 1.3kg.

Owners of the Wind U115 shouldn’t really try this at home as MSI void your warranty if you attempt to open the case. Despite this risk, Netbook Italia found that it was relatively easy accessing the internal components and upgrades can be completed with reasonable ease. Read more

NbC: MSI Wind U115 Hybrid netbook unboxed

MSI were kind enough to send over the much-talked-about Wind U115 netbook. This 10-inch netbook differs from almost every other netbook out there by including two hard-drives within its chassis. In the particular model we have you’ll find an 8GB SSD and 160GB HDD. We understand that other SKUs were planned with different hard-drive capacities, but I’m not sure how that’s changed with Microsoft now ‘banning’ hybrid netbooks.

Given how much tech MSI has managed to squeeze into the case, I’ve very impressed to see that the weight is no heavier than the Samsung N120 at around 1.3kg, including a 6-cell battery. This particular model isn’t really aimed at the fashionista, you won’t find any dynamic angles, striking curves or chrome effects on the U115. However, it does have a printed design on the glossy lid and it comes with a matte display which always earns a tick in our books.

The keyboard looks a little small, but that’s bound to be the impression when you’ve just spent a lot of time with the Samsung N120, which has a 97-percent sized keyboard. The touchpad also looks small and the single rocker bar sits a bit too flush with the palm rest, which means I often have to look to see where the left mouse button is. The Wind U115 is all about battery life though and we’re very much looking forward to seeing how it fares against the competition. We should have a review up in a couple of weeks, in the meantime check out our unboxing pictures below. Read more

MSI UK responds to Microsoft’s hybrid netbook ban

Last week we reported on a story that Microsoft was looking to ban netbook manufacturers that produce hybrid storage netbooks whilst running Windows XP. The only major netbook that this really affects is the MSI Wind U115 Hybrid, which uses a 8GB SSD and 160GB HDD. We have now had official word from MSI that confirms Microsoft’s stance.

Richard Stewart, MSI’s UK Marketing Manager, confirmed to us that it will not be removing the U115 Hybrid netbook from retailer’s shelves. “MSI will continue to sell the U115 until our current stock in the UK (and WW) has been sold,“ Stewart said. He did, however confirm that production of the U115 Hybrid will cease at the end of July at Microsoft’s request. What this means is that if you are considering this product then you better not hang around for too long. Stewart even feels that the U115 Hybrid will become a “special limited edition” product.

MSI kindly sent us a review sample of the U115 Hybrid and we should have some unboxing pictures for you tomorrow.

Samsung N310 & MSI Wind U115 Hybrid netbooks now available in US

Not too far behind the European launch, both the funky Samsung N310 and long-lasting MSI Wind U115 Hybrid netbooks are now available to order in the US. The Samsung N310, complete with bold embossed logo and an array of snazzy colours, is now on order from Best Buy where it will set you back $479.99.

Whilst the exterior of the 10-inch Samsung N310 is certainly unique, it also comes with a flush glossy display and chiclet keyboard. The innards aren’t anything to get too excited about though, powered by a 1.6GHz N270 Atom CPU, 1GB RAM and a 160GB HDD. It seems as if our US cousins will get a 6-cell battery with a promised 11 hour battery life, compared to the 4-cell battery seen in the European SKUs. The Samsung N310 is already available in the UK, where it costs £376.17.

There is a rumour that Microsoft is looking to ban hybrid storage netbooks that run XP Home, but that doesn’t look like it’s stopping MSI. It has placed its Wind U115 Hybrid netbook on sale on its official website for $499. The high cost is mainly due to dual internal storage of both a SSD and HDD. This combined with a power efficient Z series Atom CPU means some of the best battery times seen in a netbook. The Wind U115 is now available in the UK for £450.

Via Liliputing and Portable Monkey.

Microsoft bans hybrid storage netbooks that run XP

As things stand, there aren’t too many netbooks that have hybrid storage systems. The most notable one is MSI’s 10-inch Wind U115 Hybrid that uses both a 8GB SSD and 160GB HDD. One of the benefits of such a system, is that battery life can be prolonged by disabling the HDD when not in use.

However, it appears that we won’t be getting too many more netbooks that employ similar systems if Microsoft gets its way. According to bit-tech, Microsoft is banning netbook manufacturers from producing hybrid storage netbooks, when using Windows XP Home. Read more

MSI Wind U115 Hybrid manual now online

For those of you contemplating purchasing the MSI Wind U115 Hybrid, then you may want to have a flick through of the manual which has now appeared online. There are also a number of drivers, utilities and BIOS listed on the official product page.

Interestingly, the manual also talks about a SKU with a 1.86GHz processor option, although this hasn’t been announced yet. It also goes through all of the power management features including both ECO and Hybrid storage power saving functions. The English manual can be downloaded here.

In related news, TrustedReviews put the netbook through its paces today and scored it 6/10 overall. They found it didn’t offer enough value for money with an uninspiring design. The 10-inch Wind U115 netbook is available to purchase in the UK for around £450.

Video: MSI Wind U115 Hybrid hands-on

As well as launching in the UK, the MSI Wind U115 Hybrid netbook also saw its Japan launch this week. Peter from Portable Monkey received his unit today and has posted his initial hands on impressions in the video below. Design wise, it seems very similar to the Wind U100, although it does have a slight texture that can’t really be made out on the video. This includes having the same hinges, status indicators as well as the misplaced Function key on the bottom left of the keyboard.

The keyboard itself appears to be quite solid and doesn’t have any flex. A touchpad sits underneath, although it really does look quite small. There is a rocker bar underneath this. The U115 comes with a matte display. It’s a shame to see no access panels for either the HDD or SDD on the bottom of the unit. He expects a full review to be up in a fortnight. Check out the video after the jump. Read more

MSI Wind U115 Hybrid gets reviewed

THE MSI Wind U115 Hybrid netbook has already seen a soft launch in the UK, where it is available from a few retailers. Right on cue, we’ve come across the first review of MSI’s unique netbook that comes with both SSD and HDD storage options, hence the ‘Hybrid’ name. Reg Hardware put a silver Wind U115 through its paces and came away very impressed, that is if you don’t consider its price tag.

The Wind U115 does come at a premium, but that is down to the Hybrid (HDD/SDD) storage solution and Intel’s latest Poulsbo chipset. To enhance battery times, the HDD can be disabled. The UK SKU comes with a 160GB hard-disk drive plus a 8GB solid-state drive, although 16GB SSD + 120GB HDD options are also on the way. Power efficiency is also helped by using a Z series Atom processor.

The battery tests showed that it offered the longest battery life (whether you disable the HDD or not) and good performance from the 1.6GHz Z530 Atom CPU. However, they felt it didn’t offer good value for money. At £450 it is significantly more expensive than its predecessor and placing it in the same price bracket as the luxurious Asus S101, which comes with a 32GB SSD and is much slimmer than the Wind U115. Click through for the key review points. Read more

MSI Wind U115 Hybrid now shipping in UK

The MSI Wind U115 Hybrid netbook has now started to ship in the UK. Whilst some of the bigger retailers have yet to list it, purelygadgets.co.uk has it in stock for the RRP of £499.99, whilst Laptops Direct has limited stock but is £50 cheaper at £449.99.

We have been eagerly awaiting the release of the Wind U115 Hybrid, mainly on the reports of its phenomenal battery life. We have seen tests that yield 13 hours on the 6-cell battery and up to 25 hours on the 9-cell battery.

It is expensive for a 10-inch netbook, however this premium is down to the Hybrid (HDD/SDD) storage solution and Intel’s latest Poulsbo chipset. The UK SKU will come with a 160GB hard-disk drive and 8GB solid-state drive. The HDD can be disabled which helps with the long battery times.

The 10-inch (1024 x 600) LED-backlit display is powered by a low-power 1.6GHz Z530 Atom CPU and US15W (Poulsbo) chipset. This chipset provides full hardware acceleration of HD files (including H.264, MPEG2 and VC1) helping to reduce the total power consumption. It will come with 1GB RAM and a 4-in-1 card reader. Other features include WiFi (including draft n), Bluetooth, a 1.3MP webcam and three USB ports.

25 hours squeezed out of MSI Wind U115 9-cell battery

Around a month ago, Johannes from Eee-PC.de conducted a battery test on the 6-cell battery of the MSI Wind U115 Hybrid which yielded over 13 hours on a single charge. Johannes has since got hold of a 9-cell battery for the U115 Hybrid and has started to see just how much juice he can get out of it. His first test was running the Battery Eater test on the “Idle” setting which resulted in a whopping 25 hours and 4 minutes!

Now it is worth mentioning that under the “idle” setting, Battery Eater will show a result closest to the maximum possible. Therefore you would not expect to achieve a time of 25 hours under real-world use. He is now running tests in the “Classic” mode which provides the results under a maximum 100% workload.

The U115 Hybrid has been designed to have a long battery life. Its unique storage solution combines both a SDD and HDD, and allows the HDD to be disabled when not in use. It also uses a low-power 1.6GHz Z530 Atom CPU. The MSI Wind U115s battery recently came top in a 13-way netbook shoot-out. We can’t wait to test it for ourselves in due course. The MSI Wind U115 Hybrid is due in the UK in May for £499. Check out a preview video of the 9-cell battery and comparison with 6-cell battery after the break. Read more

MSI Wind U115 Hybrid netbook gets official UK pricing

The MSI U115 Hybrid netbook has been officially announced for the UK market. It is expected to arrive in May at a price point of £499. This certainly is quite pricey for a 10-inch netbook, especially compared to the competition. However, this price accounts for a Hybrid (HDD/SDD) storage solution and Intel’s latest Poulsbo chipset.

We have certainly been impressed by the technology behind the U115 Hybrid. The UK SKU will come with a 160GB hard-disk drive and 8GB solid-state drive. The HDD can be disabled to preserve power, which some users have managed to get 13 hours of battery life of use out of it. The official announcement refers to a 12 hour battery time on its 6-cell battery. This figure is based on the SSD and LCD enabled and the HDD, WiFi, Bluetooth and webcam disabled and speakers muted.

The 10-inch (1024 x 600) LED-backlit display is powered by a low-power 1.6GHz Z530 Atom CPU and US15W (Poulsbo) chipset. This chipset provides full hardware acceleration of HD files (including H.264, MPEG2 and VC1) helping to reduce the total power consumption. It will come with 1GB RAM and a 4-in-1 card reader. Other features include WiFi (including draft n), Bluetooth, a 1.3MP webcam and three USB ports.

Despite this impressive technology, MSI may have a challenge on its hands. Whilst it has to be commended for introducing new hybrid storage technology and the impressive battery life, one is able to buy the Samsung NC10 or Asus Eee 1000HE and extra battery for less money than the MSI U115. Click through for the full U115 Hybrid specifications. Read more