Reviews - MSI Wind 12 U230: AMD Congo takes the fight to Intel CULV

[haris101]

What about the heat?

Please reply a.s.a.p since i'm thinking to buy one.

Many thanks in advance.

[wiak]

i dont think its to noisy, as the MSI CR610 is not noisey, all laptops are noisey anyway

[haris101]

I just bought one. There is no poblem with the heat and noise. I notice slight lag when closing a window on Windows 7 while the aero visual effect is turned on, but so far, there is no annoying performance issue at all. It weighs around 1.45 kg with 6-cell battery and the charger + cable weighs around 0.4 kg.

[wiak]

i recommend turning anything not needed off on startup
will save battery and make the pc faster

and set brightness to minimum on battery

[haris101]

I just bought one. There is no poblem with the heat and noise. I notice slight lag when closing a window on Windows 7 while the aero visual effect is turned on, but so far, there is no annoying performance issue at all. It weighs around 1.45 kg with 6-cell battery and the charger + cable weighs around 0.4 kg.

Correction: The slight performance I mentioned before is because I use additional 22" wide screen monitor, so it doesn't count. I tested running Counter Strike Source's video stress test. The result is 31.7 fps @ 1366 * 768 and all video options set to max. No disappointment at all.

[ddv2005]

For now you can't get more than half CPU speed (800Mhz) on battery because the problem that MSI can't fix yet.

PS. I just got reply from MSI:
"According to AMD, the chipset platform for U230 (Congo) has this
power-saving feature during batter mode. Therefore, the condition
customer is facing is absolutely normal when AMD L335 maximum clock
1.6GHz @ AC mode; while maximum clock of 800MHz @ Battery Mode. Please
be advised."

I can not believe that "maximum clock of 800MHz @ Battery Mode"!!!

Be aware from buying 800Mhz CPU in 2010 year!!!!

[wiak]

read up on AMD's Cool 'n' Quiet technology before writing

[ddv2005]

read up on AMD's Cool 'n' Quiet technology before writing

Please think before writing ...Your psychic abilities let you down, because I know about this technology is much more than you. And I know that AMD L335 CPU have two P-States (1600Mhz and 800Mhz) and in either mode (AC and DC) it is possible to use both of these states. But the problem is that the U230 can not use both states on battery.No power profiles and settings on this does not affect. Moreover, MSI said that it should be...Allegedly, the AMD L335 has a maximum frequency 800Mhz on battery.

[Methanoid]

Please think before writing ...Your psychic abilities let you down, because I know about this technology is much more than you. And I know that AMD L335 CPU have two P-States (1600Mhz and 800Mhz) and in either mode (AC and DC) it is possible to use both of these states. But the problem is that the U230 can not use both states on battery.No power profiles and settings on this does not affect. Moreover, MSI said that it should be...Allegedly, the AMD L335 has a maximum frequency 800Mhz on battery.

Hmm I've read several posts from people who have disabled PowerNow in BIOS and report 1600Mhz on battery

Pity we cannot buy the X2-L335 model in UK

[ddv2005]

Hmm I've read several posts from people who have disabled PowerNow in BIOS and report 1600Mhz on battery

Yes. If you disable PowerNow then you will have 1600Mhz ALL TIME...even on idle. In this case the battery will spend so much faster. PowerNow was made to dynamically switch frequency and voltage on the fly to save the battery in idle mode and receive full power when it necessary. And it must work as declared.
I have answer from AMD about this problem:
"If you are unable to get the processor to run at full speed while on the battery, even after adjusting the windows power management properties, than the issue is a hard code in the BIOS that the manufacturer set and is not a limitation of the chip or chipset and is something you will have to bring up with them."

After this confirmation from AMD, MSI has continued investigation the problem.

Dmitry

[Methanoid]

Still no L335 dual core model in UK