MSI X-Slim will compete with Apple Air, Dell Adamo at lower admission cost
Today, if the Netbook doesn’t cut and you want a more stylish laptop and yet full usability, meaning power, larger keyboard, larger display, etc.. you have to pay that “luxury tax” that costs around $2000. Yes I am referring to the Macbook Air, Dell Adamo alike.
But as Intel introduces the consumer ultra-low-voltage (CULV) chips in few months. and Its precursor ULV SU3500 is featured in the MSI X-Slim X340 (and we expect it will be the first to inherit the CULV chip when it is released. ). We should expect to see potent power in a slim design laptop at more affordable price. This class should fill the gap between the low end netbook to the high end Air alike.
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What is CULV exactly? Well, one thing it’s not is the Netbook-centric Atom processor: the 1.4GHz SU3500 is based on Intel’s higher-performance mainstream Core 2 architecture. But like the Atom, it’s a single-core chip. Single core means low power. In this case, the SU3500 draws only 5.5 watts, more than the Atom but a fraction of the dual-core mainstream Intel mobile chips rated at 25 and 35 watts. It also comes in a small 22mm chip package. [Source Intel via Cnet] |
And what does all this mean? Better performance than Atom-based Netbooks. And in a well-designed system, longer battery life than a mainstream laptop.
We should expect the entry point will be higher than the current crop of Netbook and much lower than the MacBook Air or the Dell Adamo. Thankfully, AMD is also releasing its low power chip called the Athlon “neo” and the single-core Neo processor will get a dual-core sibling dubbed "Congo" by summer. This certainly will drive the price further down by year end.
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