MSI details X-Slim X360 with low-power Core i5
updated 11:00 am EST, Tue March 9, 2010
MSI X360 first PC to use ULV Core i5
MSI claimed a first on Tuesday through the launch of the X-Slim X360. Teased briefly at CES, the 13-inch system is the first to use a low-voltage Core i5 and uses the 1.06GHz i5-520UM to provide 'real' notebook performance while remaining 0.9 inches thick. The dual-core chip can ramp up to 1.86GHz when only one core is needed and supports Hyperthreading, which can have the i5 behaving like a quad-core processor with optimized apps.
The same choice of processor also gives the system as much as nine hours of battery life (though possibly only with an eight-cell battery) and support for newer DDR3 memory. As with most of MSI's launches, the company won't provide details of specific configurations but notes the X360 can handle as much as 4GB of RAM as well as between 250GB and 500GB of hard drive space. It only has Intel's built-in graphics, but 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1 help put it near the front of the X-Slim range in features.
MSI isn't providing specific launch information but is poised to ship the X360 worldwide.
