MSI unveils dual-drive hybrid netbook

The Wind U115 Hybrid features solid state and Sata hard drives

MSI has taken the wraps off its latest netbook offering, which sports a solid state drive (SSD) and a traditional Sata hard disk drive (HDD), and promises up to 12 hours of battery life.

The Wind U115 Hybrid is the first netbook to include both types of drive in a single unit, according to MSI. The range will be available in SSD/HDD combinations of 8GB/80GB, 16GB/120GB and 32GB/160GB.

The device has the operating system installed on the SSD, which should reduce boot time and improve operating speed, while the HDD will be used for bulk storage.

MSI said that the U115 also has an Eco Mode, which shuts off the Sata disk, thereby reducing power consumption and extending battery life.

The six-cell battery version will offer up to 12 hours of use before the battery needs recharging, according to the firm, while a three-cell battery version will appeal to users willing to sacrifice battery life for weight.

The rest of the specifications will be fairly standard for a netbook, including a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, up to 2Gb of memory, a 2-megapixel webcam and a 10in screen at a resolution of 1024x600.

Pricing and availability have yet to be confirmed.