Hands-on With MSI's Hybrid SSD Netbook

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Just at the tail end of December, MSI announced the first Hybrid storage netbook. We headed down to MSI to check it out for ourselves.

The Hybrid uses an SSD to run Windows and a regular old spinning hard drive disc for file storage. This is akin to how users prefer to run the operating system on the hard drive with the most RPMs in the box, but going to SSD has the added advantage of power savings.

We got a little hands on time with the Hybrid this morning and other than the HDD and SSD things, it’s pretty much exactly the same as any other netbook. Shocker.

You’re looking at 1 GB of DDR2 (with capacity to upgrade to 2 GB), the almost obligatory Intel Atom 1.6 GHz processor and a 10-inch LCD (1024x600) with various combination of 8 GB or 16 GB for the SSD, and 120 GB or 160 GB for the HDD.

Jane McEntegart
1 Comment Comment from the forums
  • A silly pattern of thought already proven wrong...

    A hybrid drive still uses more power in standby than a regular drive, and still more than an SSD.

    reason since it has 2 controllers,and part of the power goes to the spinning drive.

    Hybrid drives are better for 'green' desktop pc's, giving a small speed increase, while having some storage space available; and cheaper than having an SSD with HD both installed in your system.
    Plus, it saves you a slot!
    Good idea, but just not for netbooks/laptops.
    Reply