MSI Wind U160DX Netbook Runs for 15 Hours

With all the talk about more powerful Intel Atom CPUs and their support for faster memory, there was no way that any PC supplier would miss the opportunity of being among the first to unleash a product based on them. In fact, with Computex just around the corner, it would be surprising not to see such a product. Micro-Star International seems to be more than aware of this, which is why it has already let some information slip concerning the Wind U160DX.

Since it is a next-generation device, it is obvious that basic specifications will be superior to what MSI has been selling so far and, sure enough, the netbook seems more than ready to assume the role of successor to the Wind U160. The U160 showed up at this year's CES and its appearance will live on in its sibling. The insides, however, are another story. 

The Wind U160DX runs not on the Intel Atom N450, but on the N455 CPU, which does not exactly bring any groundbreaking speed improvements, but does have one major asset. To be exact, this new chip gives netbooks the ability to integrate DDR3 memory instead of just DDR2. It is not exactly clear how much DDR3 the model has, but its speeds will definitely make more than just a little difference. Unfortunately, little other information is available on the hardware, which means that consumers will have to wait a bit longer before learning about graphics and connectivity, not to mention pricing and availability.

Here is one vital detail that was disclosed, though. By means of the MSI power management system, and the so-called “Turbo Drive Engine,” the mobile PC will supposedly be able to last for up to 15 hours on a single battery charge. That is no small feat, given that it's about as long as most people stay awake during a day.