MSI Wind U123 (003US)

The original MSI Wind burst onto the scene in spectacular fashion, nabbing the first-ever Editors' Choice in the netbook category. Of course, it helped that this fledgling field wasn't the mob scene it is today. The Wind U123 (003US) ($385 street) is a nice follow-up, and it's full of life—battery life, that is. Its 87Wh battery is the biggest battery yet found on a netbook, though it was added at the expense of making this model look like the Hunchback of Notre Dame (though the hump is on the bottom). Overall the U123 could use more of a lift, as its performance scores fell well short of the competition, and everything else is just middle of the road.

SPEC DATA:

Price as Tested: $385.00 Street
Type: General Purpose, Ultraportable, Value, Netbook
Operating System: MS Windows XP Home
Processor Name: Intel Atom N280
Processor Speed: 1.67 GHz
RAM: 1 GB
Weight: 3.2 lb
Screen Size: 10.2 inches
Screen Size Type: widescreen
Graphics Card: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
Storage Capacity: 160 GB
Networking Options: 802.11g
Primary Optical Drive: External

SOURCE: www.pcmag.com