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MSI Slidebook S20 review: MSI’s flagship Windows 8 Ultrabook has a flawed design

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MSI Slidebook S20 review: MSI's flagship Windows 8 Ultrabook has a flawed design

If you've been following our reviews of Windows 8 laptops, you know we haven't been too kind to the slider form factor. It's not like we set out to pan these machines, but time and again we've found that the propped-up display ruins the typing experience. Keep that in mind as we begin our review of the Slidebook S20, MSI's flagship Win 8 device, priced at $1,200 in the US. It's a bold move from a company whose bread and butter is not ultraportables, but gaming systems. In fact, the 11.6-inch S20 is the outfit's only high-end Windows 8 Ultrabook. So the company must have quite a bit of confidence in that form factor, then, if it didn't bother with dockable tablets or some other kind of convertible design. Could that mean the S20 has something all the others don't?

Gallery: MSI Slidebook S20 review

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MSI’s Slider S20 Windows 8 convertible gets first quarter release, priced at $1,200

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MSI's UltraLight S20 Windows 8 convertible gets first quarter release, priced at $1,200

This year's Consumer Electronics Show has yet to officially kick off, but that's not stopping early birds like MSI from getting their news out ahead of the flood. Announced as part of its upcoming showcase, the company's Slider S20 is the very same Ultrabook we first saw back at Computex 2012 and even recently had hands-on time with, but now there's official pricing and a semi-concrete release date to accompany it: Q1 2013 for $1,200. True to its name, this 2.2lbs Windows 8 hybrid measures just under 1-inch in thickness and features an 11.6-inch 1,920 x 1,080 10-point multi-touch IPS display, an Intel Core i5 processor, 128GB of SSD storage, 8GB DDR3 RAM, 720p front-facing camera and supports radios for Bluetooth 4.0 , as well as WiFi b/g/n. As for connectivity, the glossy white convertible hosts ports for USB 3.0 (2x), Ethernet, mini HDMI-out and a Jackson Peak Wireless adapter. It'll be on display in Vegas next week, so you can check it out en vivo if you happen to be in town. Otherwise, make do with the PR just past the break.

Continue reading MSI's Slider S20 Windows 8 convertible gets first quarter release, priced at $1,200

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Hands-on with MSI’s S20 Slidebook, a $1,099 Windows 8 convertible Ultrabook (update: video)

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Handson with MSI's S20 Slidebook Windows 8 convertible Ultrabook

We just got more hands-on time with MSI's S20 Slidebook, which we first spotted at Computex 2012. This ultra light (2.3 pounds / 1kg) and thin (0.78-inches / 19.8mm) convertible Ultrabook runs Windows 8 (naturally) and packs an Intel Core i5 processor (Ivy Bridge), 4GB RAM and a 128GB mSATA SSD. In front, there's a gorgeous 11.6-inch 1920x1080-pixel IPS display with a 10-point capacitive multitouch layer plus an HD front-facing camera. A glossy white plastic bezel surrounds the glass panel and incorporates the MSI logo and the Windows button. The back cover is made of a silver magnesium alloy with matching plastic antenna covers for the built-in WiFi b/g/n, WiDi and Bluetooth 4.0 radios. Most of the ports are on the right edge along with the power / lock key and LED indicators -- this includes the power input, a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, a mini-HDMI output and a pair of USB 3.0 connectors. You'll find a gigabit Ethernet port on the left side plus an SD card reader, orientation lock button and volume rocker in back.

Of course, what sets the S20 apart is its ability to switch instantly from a tablet into a usable laptop. The screen slides up and tilts forward to reveal a chiclet keyboard with excellent key travel and decent spacing. You're not limited to any specific angle here -- the display is fully adjustable from flat to almost perpendicular with the keyboard. The sealed 3-cell 3900mAh battery is rated for 7 hours of continuous operation. We spent several minutes using the Slidebook and came away pretty impressed -- it's incredibly light for its size, the screen is bright and crisp, and the keyboard is comfortable. Even in prototype form, performance and build-quality are top-notch. MSI plans to make its convertible Ultrabook available late November for $1,099 through major US retailers both online and in stores. The company expects to sell other configurations in other markets as well. Take a look at our gallery below and hit the break for our hands-on video.

Gallery: MSI S20 Slidebook Windows 8 convertible Ultrabook hands-on

Continue reading Hands-on with MSI's S20 Slidebook, a $1,099 Windows 8 convertible Ultrabook (update: video)

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Hands-on with MSI's S20 Slidebook, a $1,099 Windows 8 convertible Ultrabook (update: video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 19:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Ultrabooks of Computex 2012

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It was last year that Intel chose Computex, a computer tradeshow in Taiwan, to introduce its Ultrabook concept to the world. Twelve months later, 110-plus models are in the pipeline, which meant the Taipei Convention Center was overrun by skinny, lightweight laptops. Make that skinny, touch-enabled laptops. Between those new Ivy Bridge chips and Microsoft putting the finishing touches on Windows 8, this week's show was nothing if not a five-day-long wedding between two tech giants: almost every device on display here was a vehicle for showing off Microsoft's glossy new OS. At every turn, a celebration of touchscreen notebooks.

With more than 30 hands-on posts this week, we can see where one Core i5 laptop might look like the next, or how you might have failed to keep up with Jonney Shih's rapid-fire product announcements. Now that we're wrapping up here in Taiwan, though, we're ready to take a step back and think about what it is we just saw. Whether you felt overwhelmed by our wall-to-wall coverage or just need to catch up, we suggest you meet us past the break for a quick recap of all the new Ultrabooks. Oh, and if you're in the market for a new laptop, you can check your trigger-happy finger at the door. With few exceptions, we're not expecting these to go on sale until the fall, when Windows 8 is expected to start shipping.

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The Ultrabooks of Computex 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Jun 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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