Lenovo’s existing IdeaPad netbooks are sturdy, safe choices in the segment, but they could soon gain a ThinkPad-branded sibling. Likely targeted more at business use, compared to the consumer-focused IdeaPad line, the ThinkPad netbook is not yet confirmed, but according to Lenovo’s Worldwide Competitive Analyst Matthew Kohut, “it’s an area [Lenovo are] exploring.”
After the cut, why Atom may not be the CPU for the new ThinkPad netbook
MSI have officially listed their X-Slim X340, complete with pricing, and it's something of a disappointment to anybody lured in by the company's promise of a sub-$1,000 sticker. Both the MSI X-Slim X340-021US (in black) and the MSI X-Slim X340-023US (in white) start at $1,099.99, with Core 2 Solo 1.4GHz SU3500 CULV processors, 13.4-inch 1366 x 768 displays and 2GB of DDR2 memory.
We first heard about the MSI X-Slim X340 earlier this year. We even got some hands-on time, to boot. But now, we finally have a better idea of when we can get our hands on this impressive machine for real, with an announcement from MSI today.
Netbooks may have been seen as the recession-proof answer to dwindling consumer electronics budgets, but failed sales goals suggest otherwise. Acer, ASUS and MSI are all said to have missed their sales targets for the first three months of 2009, according to channel vendors, pushing two of the three companies to invest more heavily in CULV ultraportables.
We don't know if this for real or not, but the Internet is abuzz with a rumor that the Inspiron Mini 11 will be shipping sometime this summer from Dell according to DigiTimes.
A lot of this is based on hearsay, but it seems to be legit. For instance, Compal is saying they have received orders for an "ultra-thin notebook" from Dell that relies on the Consumer Ultra Low Voltage processor from Intel.
These notebooks are set to be released in August and bear much of the same specs as the Mini 11. This CULV system will feature a 250GB HDD, 2GB RAM, and an 11.6-inch display. But of course, we'll just have to wait and see if this pans out.
We grabbed some hands-on time with the MSI X-Slim X340 at MobileFocus, but LaptopMag's Mark Spoonauer is obviously far more persuasive (or light-fingered) than we are, as he got to take the slender ultraportable back to his hotel room for the night. That gave him time to try out the Intel CULV notebook's media credentials, as well as run some preliminary benchmarks.
After MSI confirmed the US specs for their Wind U123 netbook and larger X-Slim X320 and X340 ultraportables yesterday, we were keen to spend some hands-on time with the slick notebooks. Of the selection, the MSI X-Slim X340 is undoubtedly our favorite, but there's plenty to recommend the others: how about 5.5hrs runtime from the 6-cell battery, or 8.5hrs from the 9-cell, on the Wind U123?
Video demo after the cut
MSI have announced full specifications for their Wind U123 netbook and X-Slim X320 & X340 ultraportable notebooks. As in Japan, the 10.2-inch U123 has the Intel Atom N280 1.66GHz processor, WWAN and a TV-tuner; meanwhile the X-Slim X320 has an Intel Atom Z530 1.6GHz processor and optional 3G/WiMAX. The X-Slim X340 uses Intel's SU3500 CULV processor.
Intel is believed to be heavily discounting its CULV processors – by more than 50-percent according to some manufacturers – in an attempt to promote the consumer ultra-low voltage platform. HP, Dell and Acer are rumored to have been offered CULV chips at $65 each (when bought in bulk), a considerable reduction from the unit list-price of $152.
We could see a significant shake-up of the consumer ultraportable notebook segment in the second-half of 2009, claim Taiwanese market sources, as current mainstays Acer, ASUS and MSI find themselves under increased pressure from Dell and HP. First-tier laptop manufacturers are expected to begin launching entry-level 11- and 13-inch ultraportables based on Intel's Consumer Ultra-Low Voltage (CULV) platform in Q3 this year.
ASUS are planning a follow-up to the S101 luxury netbook that will be even thinner, according to the latest rumors out of China. The ASUS Eee PC Shell, as the high-end netbook is believed to be called, will have a 10.1-inch LCD display, as does the S101, but have higher specifications and offer longer battery life despite the reduced dimensions.
Intel are planning a new pair of ultra-low voltage processors that will be specially shaved down for ultraportable notebooks, according to the latest leaked reports. The Core 2 Duo SU9600 and Core 2 Solo SU3500 will have core speeds of 1.6GHz and 1.4GHz respectively.