MSI Wind Nettop 120 Desktop Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I purchased one of the single core models like this for personal use, and was so impressed, I got one of these dual core models to use in my "day job." I wanted to experiment to see how well these beasties stood up against the other full sized PCs we use. I started out using Ubuntu Linux, but plan to try XP on it as well.

This barebone computer is NOT complete; minus RAM, a hard drive or Compact Flash card, an optical drive, monitor, keyboard and mouse, and operating system. Adding all those items can easily cost more than the basic machine, depending on how much you have sitting around. Since I had plenty of monitors, keyboards, and mice, I only needed to add RAM, hard drive, and optical drive to be ready to install Unbuntu. (I actually had a spare new SATA hard drive as well.)

Installing the parts was about a 20-30 minute task. The case and motherboard are quite well made and solid. I haven't installed a Compact Flash card on the motherboard, but that would require removing the motherboard due to the case size and positioning of the connector. Installing, updating, and running Ubuntu on it is a breeze. The wired network connection works quite well. I rarely use wireless, so haven't tried that.

While some people like to complain about fan noise, I come from an era where computers were a lot more noisy than they are today, and that doesn't make much difference to me. I don't find the fan to be a problem.

Benchmark tests I have seen rate the overall average performance gains from the dual core model at about 30% over the single core Atom. I can say that I noticed a very clear difference in how the Flightgear flight simulator worked on the different models. The dual core performance gain with that software was very apparent.

This is NOT a game machine or a 3D rendering machine, so don't compare it to those. It is a small, low power, basic computer that works well for most desktop uses, as well as many media uses. I have run photo slide shows while also playing WAV files (not smaller mp3s) with no problems at all on the single core machine. This beastie and a 17 inch (or larger) monitor would make a great digital picture frame.

This is the only computer I have seen using the dual core Atom chip, and I am surprised that more aren't using it. It would probably create some heat issues for tiny netbook-style cases, so this might just be the ideal format for it.

This is a sweet little computer, and you can hardly go wrong getting it for most daily uses. It is one of the most cost effective computer solutions available. I am currently using it in a small TV control room for monitoring online video conferencing recording, and it does just fine with that.

I have not tried playing DVDs or HD video files on these machines, since a DVD player is far less expensive. At some point in the near future, I will try a DVD in the dual core machine and update this review.


UPDATE: April 2010

Finally got one of these dual core versions for home. Running Ubuntu 9.10 on it and very happy with performance. I've heard of people running Windows XP as a virtual machine with Ubuntu as the basic OS, and I intend to try that, rather than do just an XP machine with this. I will be upgrading to Ubuntu 10.04 shortly, and will try the virtual XP box with that. (And before you ask, I am running XP because of ONE Windows-based program for which I cannot find a Linux substitute. I am also going to try it with Wine.)

While visibly faster than the single core version, these are still not multimedia machines, and do not fill a 19 inch widescreen monitor with smooth video. They can do smaller windows on the desktop pretty well, and I watch all manner of video from the web (YouTube and such) without any trouble (unless it is a strange format video file).

I am looking forward to the Atom 510 dual core version with an upgraded video chipset (the DE500 and 550, I think), minus the Windows 7 OS. While the performance boost from the 510 over the 330 is not huge, I will be interested in seeing it. I have also been looking at different vendors' machines with the Atom 330 dual core and NVidia Ion chipset. This level of machine is more than adequate for most tasks, and is so affordable that one can have more computers available (back-up, special tasks, etc).

These are very nice little machines, and you cannot go wrong putting together an Ubuntu machine with one of these. They do the basic computing tasks very nicely. These make sweet little machines for someone who just wants the basics, and with Ubuntu they are fairly safe and easy to use for tasks like digital photo management, word processing, etc.

MSI did really good with these, and I hope they continue to follow this line.

UPDATE April 30, 2010

Just upgraded this to Unbuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx. It runs both the 32 bit and 64 bit versions, and the performance is crisp. I am looking forward to putting it through its paces.


UPDATE JAN 2011:

There are now new models, no longer called the Wind, but 6676 and such, which have newer processors like the Atom 510 and Ion graphics - still great machines!

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Product Description

Wind Nettop CS120 ATM/1.6 1GB 160GB WLS DVDR WXPH

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Product Details

• Brand: MSI
• Model: WindNettopCS120
• Platform: Windows
• Format: CD
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 7.00" h x 14.00" w x 14.00" l, 10.70 pounds
• Memory: 1GB DDR2 SDRAM
• Hard Disk: 160GB
• Processors: 1

Features

• 1.6Ghz Intel Atom 160 GB Hard Drive 1GB RAM 1x SO-Dimm Slot 2GB Max Wireless b/g 4-in-1 Card Reader 6 x USB Ports 1 x D-sub 1 x LAN Windows XP
• Super Multi DVD Tray(Burner)
• 160 GB SATA Hard Drive, SuperMulti DVD Drive
• SuperMulti DVD Drive
• Box Contents - MSI Wind Nettop CS120, 65W Power Adapter; Software Bundle - Windows XP Home, 1-Year Limited Warranty

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