Help on using MSI wind as a desktop PC

I'm thinking about getting an MSI Wind for daily use as a student, and using it as a desktop at home via external monitor. But I'm a little new to this kind of stuff, and wanted to make sure I'm covering all my bases. From what I can tell, I would need...

1. An external monitor, probably 17 or 19 inches so that the MSI doesn't end up looking too tiny in comparison when outside of home.
2. Maybe a VGA cable if the monitor doesn't come with one?
3. A bluetooth keyboard/mouse
4. Bluetooth speakers? How do people usually handle audio in this setup?
5. External DVD drive

Anybody else using the Wind in this manner? I bought a 13 inch Vaio, and had buyer's remorse when I realized that for less money I could get the above setup. It seems that netbooks will be cheap enough down the line that you can get a new one every year or two without much pause.

 

A USB keyboard/mouse may be more reliable, but I'm leaning towards the bluetooth mouse/USB keyboard. The good keyboards are USB based, but I haven't looked at bluetooth keyboards.

As for audio, I usually just use my headphones through the headphone out or use my USB DAC (headphone amplifier) for better quality.

I'm considering this combination as well (except with the 1000H), and if I do need more power, then I can spend a bit more on a desktop and have two computers to work with. I'm just hoping that the Atom will be able to handle my work. My laptop's Pentium M @ 1.6GHz did the job just fine, and the Atom is between the 800MHz and 1600MHz version of the Pentium M, according to benchmarks.

 

What kind of stuff will you be using it for , ShinyFalcon? I'm pretty sure the Atom will be okay for me, but spent some time trying to find when a newer chip would come out in netbooks (they say first quarter next year at the earliest?).

So what made you choose the 1000H? The head-to-head comparisons show a close battle, plus if I can wait a month or two, the Lenovo S and Dell whatever it's called would round out the competition. Being in the market this month is like being in limbo, right before product launches and in the midst of 6-cell battery shortages.

 

Ya you would defninitely need a monitor with VGA hookups because that's the only port that the Wind has...

And, I have used mine on external monitors(2 different ones) and it works great. You can either make your wind screen turn off while connected or stay on...

Hope this helps!

 

Really, I'm fine with either the Wind or the 1000H. But I'm hearing stories that the Wind's touchpad cannot scroll due to them not using Synaptics anymore, which led me to the 1000H. I really want to wait for the dual core version, or perhaps a bigger screen, but with my current situation, I already have two laptops, and it really complicates what I really want to do.

What I usually do at the moment is listen to music, read websites, watch/play occasional flash games, watch movies (up to 720p), play some games (most intensive probably being PS1 emulators). I hate being in my dorm, so it's nice to go outside once in a while.

 

You've got a good list there. About having a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard I'd say that USB mouse and keyboard would require a little less configuration, but the Bluetooth would give you better range. I personally use a USB wireless keyboard and mouse, which require no software or pairing. Their signal strength isn't great, but if you just need them wireless because you want to avoid the cords, being able to use your mouse and keyboard from more than 10 feet away isn't a necessity anyhow.

Are you planning on printing anything? You may need to find a lightweight, USB or Bluetooth printer in that case.

As for the audio, you could use headphones as mentioned above or small portable laptop speakers. I suppose it depends on how permanent the setup is. If you intend to leave the monitor, keyboard, and mouse in one place all the time, you could buy some good wired 2.1 or better speakers.

Personally, my laptop's "desktop" setting uses a Hewlett Packard wireless USB keyboard and mouse, my LCD TV hooked up through a VGA cable, and an 3.5mm to RCA cable to hook up the laptop to my 5.1 surround sound system.

 

Thanks for all the info. Having a plain ol' Dell laptop for so long, this is definitely going to be different/exciting.

As far as MSI vs Asus, the touchpad was a major concern for me too. MSI's touchpad switcheroo vs. Asus's apparantly loud/stiff buttons (which wouldn't be an issue if you don't use them). If there was no problem with the touchpad or keyboard, I would just go with whatever is available right now with a 6 cell...i.e. Asus.

On the other hand, it seems that a lot of us will be using wireless mice anyway, so maybe it's a no-lose.


Edit: I forgot about the awkward Asus shift key placement, which might shift the balance to MSI (no pun intended).

 

I always tap to click (both left and right), and only use my buttons 1% of the time. What I'm mostly worried about are the touchpad features. 1000H users reported applications closing by themselves when it was in reality a hidden feature. Multitouch feels like a gimmick to me, but until I try it out myself I won't know.

I really liked Dell's Travel Mouse, which is bluetooth, quite small, and has back/forward buttons. It felt so good just having the freedom to use your mouse anywhere!

 

Um actually the Wind is out in multiple places with a 6 cell... and yeah I really like the Wind's keyboard. It is very comfortable and easy to get used to even if you're used to a full size.

 

I don't mean the Love Edition! Just kidding, I probably haven't looked hard enough. Although I did sign up for availability alerts from a few places. Do you use the Wind as your primary computer?

 

No I don't... I have a 17" desktop replacement as my primary computer. But I can easily see the Wind being a primary computer for non intensive applications.