14 DAY TRIAL // MSI is one of the first system vendors to adopt Intel's CULV platform for ultra-thin notebooks, with the introduction of the X-Slim series of portable PCs. However, the company appears to be planning a new model, one that will be based on the CULV platform but will be part of the Wind series of notebook PCs. According to some recently leaked details, MSI's Wind series will soon receive a new member, in the form of a 12-inch ultra-thin, ultra-portable PC, leveraging Intel's latest mobile platform for computers with such form factor.
A picture, accompanied by the specifications of the Wind U200, recently surfaced on the Chinese Engadget website, pointing to an upcoming release on the part of the Taiwanese company. According to the aforementioned site, the Wind U200 incorporates an Intel CULV platform and boasts a12-inch LED-backlit display, capable of a resolution of 1366 by 768 pixels. The notebook is powered by an Intel Celeron M ULV 723 processor, running at a cool 1.2GHz and coupled with 2GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive.
As you might expect, the PC runs on Intel's GMA4500M chipset and includes options for WiFI b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.0+EDR connectivity. In addition, there's also a VGA video output, one USB port and quite possibly an HDMI output. According to additional details, the system will be packed with an Windows Vista Home Premium operating system and will be equipped with a 3-cell battery pack, taking the total weight to 1.4 kg.
Unfortunately, there's no word on pricing and availability at the moment, but we can assume that MSI will launch the new laptop in time for this year's Computex show in Taiwan. Prices could end up in the range of US$699, according to Intel's previous plans for its 2009 netbook/notebook lineups.