MSI x230 - 12 inch netbook with HD3200

Looks like there is a new netbook coming with a dual core NV-40 and HD3200 graphics. This looks great!

http://www.liliputing.com/2009/10/msi-wind-u230-features-dual-core-amd-neo-cpu.html

http://www.msi.com/index.php?func=proddesc&maincat_no=135&cat2_no=&cat3_no=&prod_no=1928

I've been not so patiently waiting for a Congo-based netbook to appear, hopefully this will be released soon.

 

This is the notebook I'm looking forward to. I have the Asus 1000HE and the portability and battery life are amazing, but the screen and resolution are too small, the keyboard too tight, and the processor a joke (it's a netbook...)

Now let's see the price...

 

Looks like a netbook with a little bit of spice!!! Sounds good.

 

I posted about an MSI X the other day that had the AMD Neo wonder what ever happened to that?>

 

Looks like MSI took the U230 off their product page.

 

I just noticed that it's gone. Where on earth are the Congo based notebooks? Even the Fujitsu P3010 won't ship until Nov. 25, and it's $100 more than I want to pay.

They've been claiming that it will be released "soon" since September. No Ferrari One, either.

I'm less concerned with either single core or dual core Neo than I am with it having the upgraded GPU. Maybe they don't want to cannibalize the sales of Intel CULV/4500mhd ultrathins

 

Acer Ferrari One is on sale in the UK and I believe parts of Asia.....not in the U.S. though. I'm worried we may never see an XGP equpiied laptop here for some reason.

 

The XGP isn't the main selling point for me, either. I'd just like a small netbook that has both a decent CPU and a decent GPU. With either Intel choice (Ion or a CULV) you get either a good GPU and poor CPU or decent CPU and poor GPU.

The Neo + HD3200 looks like it's perfect, provided it doesn't cost an arm and a leg. The Fujitsu isn't shipping until Nov. 25, so maybe we'll start seeing some of these at the end of this month. It feels like I've been waiting forever for the right netbook. Unfortunately, I suspect that even when they appear they are going to be priced at a premium for a while.

Maybe they are delaying these until the Tigris mid-sized platform notebooks are released, too? To be honest, it seems very fishy to me that all of these new Intel notebooks are out, and the AMD platform has already been displayed multiple times, yet none are actually for sale.

Wonder if Intel is doing the "pay vendors not to release them" scheme again.

 

Well they removed the U230 from the product page but if you see the U210 specs now it has the AMD L335 (Neo dual-core) as an option and more options for the HDD so i think that they will never release the U230 and only offer a cpu upgrade and HDD upgrade for the U210.

 

U210 specs still only list the RS690E/x1250 chipset though...the HD3200 chipset would be the only reason to get the Neo x2 over an Intel CULV.

 

Sure is strange marketing, or should i say Non Marketing...I have the 210, and there's certainly plenty of room in there for the upgrades..what I suspect is that they are having supply problems, coupled with someone trying to figure out how to keep a 230 from decimating their higher priced but only slightly better performing units. What I'd REALLY like to see is the dual core neo coupled with the 4200. at a reasonable price. That would be *end of story* i think for a lot of the competition.

seer

 

HD4200 will probably come with the the new 45nm Neos due out Q2-2010.

http://www.fudzilla.com/content/view/16103/1/

 

Without the HD3200, it loses it's major selling point. I really hope it comes out after all, though.

 

A 12in netbook with a PROPER video card is the biggest selling point in the history of massive selling points.

 

This theoretical netbook sounds like exactly what I'm looking for: respectable CPU and graphics with a 12.1" screen that's not going to break the bank. I hope this model re-emerges, because I haven't seen any comparable package.

 

Damn, netbooks with some power!

 

Sales of the U230 have started in Korea.

http://us.aving.net/news/view.php?articleId=139982

 

Any ideas on how this would compare with a ION based netbook for doing a little gaming on the go?

 

We need these to go on sale in the US. This is what I've been waiting for. Does anyone know how 799,000 KRW translates in US dollars? Though I suppose it is irrelevant if you can't buy it here..

 

Don't think there's a good direct comparison done yet but if you'll take speculation then given the same CPU the MCP79/9400M chipset would beat the M780G/HD3200 chipset. ION LE however is a toned down version of the MCP79 and is stuck with an Intel Atom while Congo has a much better dual-core Neo and a full feature M780G chipset (with DX10).

Reviews of the Acer Ferrari One, which uses a slower 1.2Ghz Neo x2 and the HD3200, have it scoring 1201 in 3DMark06 at 1024x768 and getting 14 FPS in Crysis on low.

Laptopmag.com's review of the HP Mini 311 has it scoring 1386 in 3DMark06 but it doesn't list what resolution testing was done at.

AFO womps the 311 in PCMark05 2621 to 1917 though.

Congo appeals to me as a good middle ground between an Intel CULV+GMA4500HD and the Atom+ION LE.

 

About $693 USD but the same computer is generally cheaper in the US than they are in other countries.

 

Me too. I need a decent processor for certain tasks, but I'm not willing to be gimped in the GPU department when I want to run a light game. The problem with Intel GPUs is not just that they are sorry at gaming - it is that they have poor drivers and it is always a crap shoot getting a game to run at all, never mind whether the chip is capable of running it.

ATI is also going to be supporting GPU acceleration of flash in 10.1, so there is another point in the favor of making sure you get a real GPU when you buy a netbook.

 

only for some ati graphics cards the x1270 in the u210 is not one of the lucky cards to get flash gpu support at least from the beta released yesterday... fingers crossed for the full release in 2 months to support the x1270

 

New Intel SU3500 MSI U200 went on sale today in the UK starting at £399.

http://www.electricpig.co.uk/2009/11/18/msi-wind-12-u200-netbook-lands-in-the-uk/

 

It's missing the thing most important to me, decent graphics. CULV processors are good, they just tend to be paired with the 4500mhd, which isn't so good . I may just get the ASUS 1201-N with the dual core atom and Ion graphics if it comes out at a reasonable price. It looks like the MSI U230 won't be hitting the US before January.

I with there was a CULV 12 incher that had Ion or HD3200 level graphics. The HP Mini 311 is certainly affordable, but I really need a little stronger of a CPU than it provides.

 

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+Pa...ci_sku=9556358&ref=06&loc=01&id=1218123847359 the 13.3 inch hp isnt looking bad at $549 has similar specs as the u230 is going to have but its available now

 

11.6k is already the biggest I'd go for a notebook in thisv performance range and if it wasn't for the u230's chassis taking up the same physical area as other 11.6" models I wouldn't consider it. (u230 is .5"wider but is also.5"shorter)

For something around 13.3" you could get a discrete GPU or something like the Studio 14z with a 9400m.

 

Lenovo is releasing the x100e which is an 11.6 with the Congo platform. It's going to start at $449, which is a good price. No news on when it is shipping, though.

 

X100e doesn't have an HDMI port and the only Neo option leaked so far is the single-core MV-40.

 

U230 First Look [Computer Shopper]

The report says 11.6" which contradicts with the original specs for the U230 that popped up on the MSI site.

Available in January.

 

MSI has it listed again on their website. 12.1" screen...

LINK

I'm excited about this "netbook/subnotebook"

 

Now if only Newegg.com would list it with a Black Friday deal.


U230 Reviewed [HEXUS.net]

 

Nice post. The review seemed the unit was good. Not extraordinary though...

Hopefully the price will adjust any short comings this unit has. Also, as they said in the review, this is an engineering unit. Hopefully the noise will be solved when they release it...

 

This machine surely looks interesting, now lets hope it goes for sale fast!

 

The Fujitsu P3010 is now on sale at Newegg for $499. It has the 3200 and a single core Neo, no HDMI. I'd bite but it is still about $50 more than I want to pay, particularly since it is a single core.

Back to waiting.

 

OVERCLOCK! lol

 

I'll overclock your mum.

 

Anyone got any idea how much the U230 is going to cost?

 

Review from Hexus that was posted says it'll start at £399 and it should cost around that in USD as well. We'll probably be looking at a price-tag that's the same as the current U210 models.

 

Am I the only one that thinks all the vendors are purposefully delaying new netbooks so they can get the current junk in inventories sold during Christmas?

It sucks that we have to keep waiting for new hardware because all the vendors want to create an artificial shortage during the holidays. If they would have innovated on netbooks in the first place instead of resting on their laurels, they wouldn't have so much hardware sitting on the shelves.