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MSI launches hybrid HDD/SSD netbook

The Taiwanese manufacturer's latest low-cost subnotebook uses a solid-state drive for primary tasks and a hard-disk drive for storage
Written by David Meyer, Contributor

MSI has launched a netbook that uses both solid-state and hard-disk drives.

The U115 Hybrid, unveiled on Monday, comes with a solid-state disk (SSD) for most of the PC's operations, together with a hard-disk drive (HDD) that can optionally be used for storage. An 'ECO on mode' temporarily disengages the HDD; MSI claimed this mode extends battery life, as SSDs are generally more power-efficient than their spinning-disc counterparts.

Apart from its use of both SSD and HDD technologies, the U115 Hybrid closely follows the standard netbook template.

The 10-inch screen has a resolution of 1,024-by-600 pixels. The device uses a 1.6GHz Z530 Intel Atom processor, Windows XP Home, and a gigabyte of DDR2 533MHz RAM. Bluetooth is included, as are three USB 2.0 ports.

Buyers can choose between a 1.3-megapixel or 2.0-megapixel webcam; a three- or six-cell battery; and 802.11b/g/n or 802.11b/g Wi-Fi. The machine comes with two possible combinations of HDD and SDD: a 120GB HDD with an 8GB SSD, or a 160GB HDD with a 16GB SSD.

The U115 Hybrid weighs around 1kg with the three-cell battery.

Although MSI claimed in its release on Monday that the U115 Hybrid's battery life is "super-long", the manufacturer did not specify the estimated battery life. Release details and pricing are also not mentioned in the release.

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MSI's U115 Hybrid netbook is unusual in that it uses both spinning-disc and solid-state storage technologies
 
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