MSI Wind U160 Netbook Review
MSI Wind U160 Netbook Review – 5.5/7
The Wind U160 excited us immensely when it was announced. Two things that impressed us were the claimed fifteen hours of battery life and the fantastic design with the cylindrical chrome hinge. We’ve been let down on both fronts though. The MSI Wind U160 features the Intel Atom N450 processor and IGMA 3150 graphics – pretty standard fare for netbooks and has a slightly larger than average 250GB hard drive.
Also the Wind U160 is slightly more expensive than others and we’re stumped as to why. Sure it has a few small touches like Bluetooth, wireless n and the fact that its quite lightweight. But the battery life falls way short of what was promised, and the design pictures released don’t include the ugly battery that juts out. Take a look at the promotional pics and the actual model below.
MSI Wind U160 Netbook Review – Top Features
- Among lighter netbooks – At 2.4lbs,the U160 is lighter than most other netbooks in its size including the Dell Mini 10 which weighs 3lbs and the Samsung N210 which weighs 2.8lbs.
- Nice keyboard and touchpad – The U160 features an island style keyboard that is sturdy to the touch. The trackpad features a bumpy design and is responsive. The single mouse button is easy to press.
- Runs cool – The U160 doesn’t get hot at all, and is very comfortable to grip and keep on your lap, even after an hours usage.
MSI Wind U160 Netbook Review – Drawbacks and things to keep in mind
- Battery juts out – What’s worse than the ugly battery is the fact that every single promotional picture doesn’t feature it. That’s false advertising.
- Battery lasts only 9 hours – Again, that is not a bad length at all. But why say one thing and fall so damn short of it. That’s just msileading (pun intended)!
- Glossy finish saves fingerprints – The Wind U160 has a glossy lid, interior and bezel (which is quite large). All of these surfaces are fingerprint magnets.
MSI Wind U160 Netbook Review – Ratings
- Price and Value for money – 0.5 Star. The U160 is about $80 more than the 1001P with very similar specs, so it loses some points in this regard.
- Speed and Performance – 0.75 Star. The performance is better than netbook averages across categories.
- Screen – 0.75 Star. The display is bright and colorful, even while dipping the screen up and down. Watching from sideways isn’t too comfortable though.
- Keyboard, Touchpad, Useability – 1.0 Star. A nice combination of keyboard and touchpad that are responsive, sturdy and easy to use.
- Portability and Battery Life – 1.0 Star. At 2.4lbs and with a 9 hour battery charge, this netbook does exceptionally well in this regard.
- Looks and Design – 0.75 Star. This netbook would have been a looker except for the battery jutting out which ruins it.
- Connectivity and Extensibility – 0.75 Star. Has a variety of ports and features, but WiFi strength has been tested as slightly weaker than other netbooks.
This gives the MSI Wind U160 an overall rating of 5.5 out of 7 Stars.
Image courtesy Laptopmag
MSI Wind U160 Netbook Review – Our Recommendation
This isn’t a perfect netbook. It’s got a few things going in its favour like the nippy performance, cool run, decent battery life and good keyboard-trackpad combination. But the jutting out battery takes a chunk off its appeal to the eye. Taking out its ergonomics and aesthetics, this netbook is a bit too expensive for our taste with the similarly specced ASUS 1001P in at only $286.
The MSI Wind U160 is available for $379.99 in black and $388 in gold.
MSI Wind U160 Netbook Review – What have buyers on amazon said?
Pros:
- “Good touch pad response feedback, keypad is pretty easy to navigate for big or little hands, touch pad gesture are pretty smooth.”
- “Plays 720p video smoothly, sounds as good as it gets for a netbook.”
Cons:
- “High glossy screen, web cam lags a bit up close.”
- “Battery isn’t 15 hrs or at least mine came as a 9 hr life.”
MSI Wind U160 Netbook Review – Technical Specifications
- OS: Windows 7 Starter
- CPU: Intel Atom 1.6GHz N450 Processor
- Display & Graphics: 10 inch 1024 x 600 LCD Display, Intel GMA 3150
- RAM: 1GB DDR2 (Max 2GB)
- Storage: 250GB (5400RPM) Hard Drive
- Connectivity: 4-in-one card reader, 802.11b/g/n, Ethernet, VGA, 3 x USB 2.0 Ports, Bluetooth
- Battery: 6-cell Li-ion Battery (9 hours)
- Weight: 2.4lbs
- Colors: Black and Gold
- Price: $379.99
Filed under: MSI Netbook Review