With the International Consumer Electronics Show just hours away from its debut, Taiwan's Micro Star International, the creator of the Wind netbook, has come out with a surprisingly interesting new product. The PC maker has just showcased its new X320 notebook, an ultrathin, ultraportable computer system that might turn out to be a real MacBook Air competitor. With a name that could remind you of Samsung's alternative to Apple's aforementioned model, the new X320 from MSI could easily be mistaken for the OS X-enabled MacBook Air.

 

The fellows over at laptopmag had a hands-on experience with the new ultraportable computer system, which they have been informed about by MSI. The new product packs a design similar to that of the MacBook Air, starting from the exterior and ending with the internal specifications. With a display size of 13.4-inches and boasting a glossy black bezel, the X320 is heading towards a head-to-head competition with the new Apple notebook. The keyboard and trackpad will give you the same feeling that this one has been made with the image of Apple's very own ultraportable computer system in mind.

 

Design features aside, the X320 is expected to boast Intel's Atom Z520 processor, running at a cool 1.33GHz, the same processor that is used for the ASUS S121, another possible competitor for the MacBook Air. The preproduction model has been featured with 2GB of RAM memory and was running on Microsoft's Vista Basic. According to laptopmag, the overall feeling about the new X320 is that it provides a smooth Vista experience, unlike other portable systems in its class.

 

 

As opposed to its possible competitor, the X320 features a few more connectivity options, including 3 USB ports, Ethernet, VGA Out and a mic and headphone port. There's also a built-in card reader, which is rather impressive for a notebook that allegedly weighs just 2.9 pounds.

 

What’s more impressive about the X320 is that, according to MSI, it can provide its users with a total of 10 hours of battery life, while in its ECO mode. All of that will be packed inside an ultraportable that is expected to be priced somewhere between $700 and $900 and which will ship in April, according to the company.

 

We are not certain how MSI managed to create an ultraportable computer system such as the X320 without having Apple's lawyers knocking on its doors, especially if you consider the undeniable similarity between the two models. The guys over at slashgear managed to take some pictures of the two systems, set side-by-side. As you can see for yourselves, the battle has begun.