MSI to Jump In the Low-Cost PC Bandwagon

Micro-Star International (MSI) is munching over the idea of introducing a new line of low-cost PCs. According to Sambora Chen, director of Greater China sales, the company will introduce its first new products in June this year at the earliest, with more of them to arrive afterwards.

More and more companies have jumped in the low-cost PC bandwagon, as this kind of computers have a tremendous appeal to the public, mostly because they are extremely compact and sell for low prices. According to the same source, the company's first low-cost computer will use Intel's Shelton processor.

The Shelton processor was introduced back in October 2007. This is one of the first processors built with the new 45-nanometer technology and is already being used by Asustek for the next-generation of Eee PC products.

As the vast majority of other low-cost computers, it will also be powered by a Linux distribution that has not been disclosed yet. Micro-Star International is currently testing another model which runs on Windows XP, so the PCs are expected to ship with both Windows and Linux, upon users' choice. Although the first model will surely come with Intel's Shelton, director Sambora Chen states that MSI is already in talks with AMD about a partnership.

Currently, the low-cost PC market is dominated by companies such as Asus, Belinea, Acer, Compal Electronics and Quanta Computer, and MSI officials confirmed that the company will adopt a cautious policy regarding the deployment. Should the second quarter sales in the market fail the company's expectations, MSI is determined to adjust its marketing plan and may either postpone or hold off its launch schedule.

MSI had a profitable year, and its motherboard business shipped 18 million units during 2007. In the graphics sector, the company has also done a good job, with 10 million units shipped. Notebook sales have barely reached one million units on all the world's markets, but MSI is planning to raise the figure to about 2 million units during 2008.

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