MSI Wind U123 netbook and X-Slim X320 and X340 laptops

While it's not the first name that comes to mind when thinking of netbooks, PC maker MSI earned gallons of ink last year for its superb Wind U100, one of the first 10-inch netbooks to hit the market.

The follow-up, the Wind U123, has Intel's latest Atom processor, the N280, as well as a TV tuner and optional 3G antenna. It'll also come in red and blue, in addition to the standard white and grey versions we saw with the U100.

MSI has also announced two new 13-inch models from the X-Slim line. Both have 1,366x768-pixel displays and run Windows Vista Premium, but the $700 (£480) X320 uses an Intel Atom Z530, while the more expensive X340 (starting around $1,000 (£685)), uses Intel's new CULV platform -- basically a much more efficient mobile processor. At 18mm thick and 1.3kg, we could see these being a low-cost alternative to slick, thin 13-inchers such as the MacBook Air or Dell Adamo.

Both the new Wind U123 models and the X-Slim series laptops will be available in the US this May, and should arrive in Europe later in the year, although specific dates and prices aren't yet available.