Category: new notebook models
By: Morgan Jones
MSI launches the U230-033 and 040 notebooks in the US
The 12.1” notebooks are available directly from MSI and start at $479.99
U230-040US
MSI's EDS keyboard
MSI has just launched its U230-033 and 040 notebooks in the US. The company is selling the 12.1” notebooks directly from its website. The U230-033US costs $479.99 and the U230-040US costs $529.99. Both notebooks are AMD-based and have largely the same components; but there is still quite a difference between them.
The 033 is equipped with a 1.6GHz AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 processor, which is ranked 250 in our CPU benchmark list, and only managed to score 594 in 3DMark06. The 040 on the other hand, has a 1.6GHz AMD Athlon Neo X2 L335, which is ranked 184 in our CPU benchmark list, and managed to score 1155 in 3DMark06. This is quite a large performance increase for just $50. Both notebooks feature an ATI Radeon HD 3200 integrated GPU, which only managed a rather low score of 1000 in 3DMark 06; consequently, it is ranked only 165 in our GPU list. Please have a look at our 3200 page to find out more about it.
There are two other differences between the 033 and 040 aside from the processor, namely the hard drive and networking capabilities of the two machines. The 040 has a larger hard drive (320GB) than the 033, which has a hard drive capacity of 250GB. Both machines support LAN Gigabit 10/100/1000 and WLAN 802.11 b/g/draft-n, but the 040 also supports Bluetooth. These two differences are significant and certainly make the 040 the most attractive model of the two.
The rest of the machines' specifications are the same. They both have a HD capable, glossy, 12.1” display; a HDMI port; a 1.3MP webcam; a 6-cell battery (up to 4 hours of life); and an 'Ergonomic De-stress' keyboard, which has a 51% larger surface area to accommodate wider keys.
The U230 isn't a stranger to the European market and reviews of the 033 have described it as little more than average. However, both the machines' low weight of 3.3lb is exceptional for their size, making them both very portable. The 040 will undoubtedly score higher in reviews than the 033 as it has a much higher performance potential and is only slightly more expensive. Both machines have appeared on etailer websites already, and Newegg.com is currently offering the machines for $50 less than the MSRP.
Specifications
Model | U230-033US (9S7-124312-033) | U230-040US (9S7-124312-040) |
Processor | 1.6GHz AMD Athlon Neo MV-40 | 1.6GHz Athlon Neo X2 L335 |
Chipset | AMD RS780MN+SB710 | |
Memory | 2GB | |
Graphics adapter | ATI Radeon HD 3200 | |
Display | 12.1” WSVGA (1366 x 768), 16:9, LED, glossy | |
Hard disk | 250GB | 320GB |
Audio | HD audio; 2 x speakers | |
Connections | HDMI; 4-in-1 card reader (XD, SD, MMC, MS); 3 x USB 2.0; VGA (15-pin, D-Sub); audio-out; audio-in | |
Networking | LAN Gigabit 10/100/1000; WLAN 802.11 b/g/draft-n | LAN Gigabit 10/100/1000; WLAN 802.11 b/g/draft-n; Bluetooth |
Optical drive | None | |
Battery | 6-cell (up to 4 hours) | |
Webcam | 1.3MP | |
Dimensions | 11.71” x 7.49” x 0.55” to 1.22” (WDH) | |
Weight | 3.3lb with 6-cell battery | |
Color | Black and gray | |
Additional features | Ergonomic De-stress keyboard (EDS) has 51% larger surface area to accommodate wider keys | |
Operating System | Windows 7 Home Premium | |
Warranty | 1 year limited and 1 year global | |
Price | $479.99 | $529.99 |
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