Then, later, at CeBIT 2009, MSI showcased the also-thin X340, hinting at an imminent release.
Now, MSI has officially released the X-Slim X340 to retail. Touting it as the world's lightest and thinnest 13in notebook, measuring 19.8mm wide at the thickest point and just 6mm at the thinnest - which is surely thicker than the MacBook Air, right? - the X340's knife-life aesthetic is sure to please folk who want the Apple offering but can't quite stretch to the £1,271 asking price.
Weighing in at 1.3kg, including replaceable/upgradeable four-cell battery but sans optical drive, the X340's 13.4in screen has a 16:9 ratio. Looking at the model at CeBIT it was bright and clear, packed with a 1,366x768 resolution.
The guts of the system are from Intel, comprising of a CULV chip - Core 2 Solo ULV and energy-saving GS45 chipset. Graphics are integrated (GMA 4500MDH), of course, and it ships with the usual connectivity gubbins, including 802.11n WiFi, Bluetooth, two USB2.0, and Gigabit LAN. WiMAX is an option too. One can specify an up-to 500GB hard-drive, but one MacBook Air-beating feature, we suppose, is that it ships with regular-sized ports, including HDMI and D-Sub.
A quick look online shows a reasonably basic configuration available on pre-order for £873, including VAT, which is a little more than we expected. Price it at £699 and it stands a decent chance. Trouble is, a number of well-featured netbooks can do almost as much for the casual user but with a considerably smaller price-tag.
Here's a side-on picture of the X320, which shares the same chassis.
Full specifications here.
