MSI is set to become the latest company to unveil a notebook that aims to topple Apple's iconic Macbook Air with a much cheaper price tag (ed: there's actually two of them).
Both the X320 and the X340 share the same chassis which has been described by some as hollow and flimsy although eerily thin - 6.6mm at its thinnest and 19.8mm at its thickest.
The X320 has a 250GB hard disk drive, an Intel Atom processor running at 1.6GHz while the X340 bumps the capacity to 320GB and uses an Intel Centrino CULV SU3500 1.4GHz processor. The X340 has an HDMI port, which is replaced by an additional USB port in the X320.
They both carry a 13.4-inch LED display capable of showing 1366x768 pixels (much better than the Macbook Air), a four cell battery, Intel's GS45 Chipset, Windows Vista Home Premium, two year warranty, the usual set of connectors and come with 2GB RAM.
The cheaper version will carry a £659 price tag with the X340 going for a whopping £859. That's well beyond netbook price ranges and excludes the £199 external Blu-ray optical drive.
The X320 and X340 will be available in black or white and will be on sale within the next few days. Asus's EEE PC Sea Shell in comparison looks a bargain at less than £370 although it has slightly different features.
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Our Comments
MSI is not Apple and while some reviewers have said that the X340 could rival the Macbook Air, stylewise and based on the material and the finish, Apple's device still holds the upper hand. The Mac Book Air costs £1271 though. MSI will also have a hard time trying to convince customers that this is a proper laptop, not a netbook.
Related Links
Apple MacBook Air vs. MSI X340: The Super-Slim Ultraportable Face-Off
MSI prices X320 and X340 models for UK
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/news.phtml/24076/msi-x320-x340-uk-prices.phtml (opens in new tab)
MSI X340 Reviewed
http://www.notebooks.com/2009/05/12/msi-x340-reviewed/ (opens in new tab)
MSI pushes skinny MacBook Air-like laptops
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/05/13/msi_x_notebooks/ (opens in new tab)
Hands on: MSI X-Slim X340 review
MSI X340 Reviewed, Earns 3.5 Of 5 Stars at LAPTOP
MSI launches super skinny X320 laptop in UK
http://stuff.tv/news/MSI-launches-super-skinny-X320-laptop-in-UK/12355/ (opens in new tab)
MSI X340 ultraportable reviewed
http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/05/13/msi-x340-ultraportable-reviewed/ (opens in new tab)
