14 DAY TRIAL // The Pine trail platform has seen such a quick and wide adoption that it has become rather difficult to create a new netbook based on it that also brings something new to the table. In order to offer some variation and grab end-user attention at the same time, MSI developed a couple of new netbooks that are both faster and larger than most other models. Known as the Wind12 U230-033 and U230-040, the two devices have screen sizes of 12.1 inches and feature ATI Radeon HD graphics.
It is already noticeable that the two U230 netbooks are larger than most such devices, which usually come with 10.1-inch screens. This is not the only difference, as they also have the ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics controller, for “bright widescreen visual experience with exceptional color saturation and crisp imagery.” What is even more noteworthy about the new units is their use not of Intel Atom chips but of Athlon CPUs from AMD. Not only that, but the Wind12 U230-040 goes even further and uses of a dual-core Athlon processor, namely the Athlon X2 L335, whereas the 033 makes do with the Athlon Neo MV-40. Other upgrades, compared to most other low-cost portable PCs, include bluetooth and the 12.1" HD (1366x768) 16:9 aspect ratio LCD.
In addition to better memory, processing power and graphics, the two devices come with either 250GB or 320GB storage (SATA HDD). As for connectivity and I/O capabilities, they include a 1.3 megapixel webcam, an HDMI port, three USB 2.0 ports, a VGA output, a 4 in 1 card reader and keyboards with keys that are 51% larger than standard ones. Furthermore, the netbooks have Ethernet, WiFi and a 6-cell battery.
The only difference between the two products is that the U230-033 uses the Athlon Neo and a 250GB HDD, whereas the U230-040 comes with the dual-core Athlon X2 L335 and the 320GB option. They are already listed on Newegg, with a price of $429.99 and a 1-year limited warranty.