The MSi Wind netbook is MSi’s reponse to the successfull ASUS EEE pc. It comes with either Windows XP Home or Linux Novell SUSE. Now what grabbed my eye when I first got my hands on this laptop was the size. The keyboard and bottom section of the laptop was as long as my hand, the LCD as well. Now to me this feels like a kids toy because of the size, I mean I dont even know how I would type on the thing. But its not a kids toy and is becoming very popular. The size and specs make it perfect for on the fly work where you dont need to lug a big heavy notebook around, you can just whip out a subnotebook/netbook like the MSi Wind. Some women may even be able to fit them into their handbags. I also noticed that when playing around on it, the Linux distro was installed, it felt incredibly smooth and easy to use. For its size it can definitely pack a bit of a punch in the processing area. Specs are taken from here and are listed below:
| Linux Version | Windows XP Version / Advent 4211 | Medion Akoya Mini | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Linux Novell (SUSE) | Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition | |
| Memory† | 1 GB DDR2/667 MHz (onboard)[12][13] | 1 GB DDR2/667 MHz (SODIMM) | |
| WLAN | 802.11 b/g | 802.11 n | |
| Webcam | 1.3 megapixels | 0.3 megapixels | |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes | No (some regions include free USB module) |
| Chipset | Intel 945GSE, ICH7-M | ||
| Display | 8.9″W or 10″W (1024×600) LCD with LED backlighting | ||
| VGA | GMA 950 | ||
| Hard Drive | Western Digital Scorpio 80 GB,120 GB or 160 GB / 2.5″ SATA / 5400 RPM | ||
| Battery | 3-cell, 2200 mA·h: 2.5 hours or 6-cell, 5200 mA·h: 5.5 hours (in some areas 4400 mA·h) | ||
| USB | 3 USB 2.0 Ports | ||
| Ethernet | 10/100BT Ports | ||
| Audio Interface | 3.5 mm jack Input/Output connecters | ||
| Card Reader | 4-in-1 Card Reader - SD/SDHC, MMC, MS, MS Pro | ||
| Dimension | 260 x 180 x 19-31.5 mm (10.23″ x 7.08″ x 0.748″/1.24″) | ||
| Weight | 2.3 lb (1.04 kg) for 3-cell, 2.6 lb (1.18 kg) for 6-cell | ||
| Touchpad | 2.0 x 1.7 inch (Initial batches had a Synaptics touchpad with gestures, though later batches have a Sentelic touchpad with fewer features) | ||
So as you can see for a little netbook, it definitely has some features. But now to the main point of this blog. What if you happen to be an avid gamer, and when on the road, you need to get your fix in. Unfortunately you think that because you only have a netbook rather than a notebook you will have to go without games for a bit. You are wrong. MSi have compiled a list of games that will run on this netbook:
* 4×4 Evo 2
* Age Of Empires 2
* America’s Army
* Aquaria
* Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
* Baldur’s Gate
* Balls of Steel
* Bejeweled 2
* Blade & Sword
* Black & White
* Blood Rayne 1 (use 3D Analyze to emulate TnL)
* Call of Duty 1
* Carmageddon II
* Carmageddon TDR 2000 (>30 FPS)
* City of Heroes
* Colin McRae 2
* Colin McRae 3
* Colin McRae Rally 04
* Combat Flight Simulator 3
* Command and Conquer
* Command and Conquer: Generals
* Command and Conquer: Red Alert 2
* Command and Conquer: Renegade
* Command and Conquer: Tiberian Sun
* Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars (Works OK, but Shader MUST be set to medium or game will crash)
* Crimson Skies
* Curse of Monkey Island (tested OK in ScummVM)
* Darwinia
* Dawn of War (Platinum edition checks out ok — need to choose ’safe mode’ on first run)
* Day of the Tentacle (use with ScummVM)
* Deer Hunter 2005
* Defcon
* Delta Force
* Deus Ex GOTY (~30 FPS@1024×600 HD)
* Diablo II/Diablo II Lord of Destruction (~25 FPS@800×600)
* DOSBox (running very well)
* Doom
* Doom 3 (low frames)
* Drakan: Order of the Flame (~50 FPS@1024×600, High Detail)
* Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project (~30 FPS@800×600, High Detail)
* Dungeon Keeper 2 (1.7+XP Fix, ~30FPS@800×600(No Shadows, HD))
* Dungeon Siege
* Dungeon Siege II
* Etch A Sketch
* F.E.A.R (v1.08 works better)
* Far Cry
* FIFA 08
* Final Fantasy XI Online
* Football Manager 2008 (requires tweak, see link)
* FlatOut
* FlatOut 2 (15-30 fps)
* Fallout
* Fallout 2
* Ford Racing 3
* Ford Racing Off Road (select “Simple Graphics” setting. Don’t set complex graphics as this crashes it)
* Fusion
* FreeCiv
* Freelancer
* Freedom Fighters
* Freedom Force vs. The 3rd Reich
* Frets on Fire (15-20 fps @ minumum details and resolution)
* Giants Citizen Kabuto
* Gladiator - Sword of Vengeance
* Gothic 2
* Grand Chase
* Grand Theft Auto (free version from rockstar.com/classics)
* Grand Theft Auto II (free version from rockstar.com/classics)
* Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
* Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
* Grim Fandango
* Guild Wars
* Guitar Hero III
* Gun
* Halo (~15 FPS@1024×600 LD, No Shadows, No VSYNC)
* Half-Life (also playable: Counter-Strike, Team Fortress, and other mods)
* Half-Life 2
* Heroes of Might and Magic V
* Hitman 2
* Hitman Contracts
* Homeworld
* Imperium Galactica II (800×600 @ ~60 FPS, 1024×600 results in anomalies…)
* Incoming (very high frame rate)
* Jaws Unleashed
* Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver I and II
* Lego Indiana Jones
* Lego Racers
* Lineage 2
* Lionheart
* Live For Speed
* Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle-Earth
* Mafia (Choppy at times)
* Manhunt1
* MapleStory
* Max Payne
* Max Payne 2 (1.01 1024×600 ~20fps)
* MechCommander 2 (<30 FPS@800×600)
* MechWarrior 3 (15-40 FPS@800×600)
* Medal of Honor Allied Assault
* Medieval: Total War
* Mobile Forces
* Monopoly Tycoon
* Morrowind
* Motocross Madness 2
* Neverwinter Nights (14 FPS@1024×600 - Low Graphics settings)
* Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2
* Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed
* Need for Speed: Underground 2
* Nexuiz 2.4.2 (all 3 OS’s)
* No One Lives Forever 2 (Requires TnL emulation)
* Oni - 800×600 32 bit high quality
* Operation Flashpoint (1024×600)
* Peggle
* Perfect World (Mmorpg - optimized video config button)
* Peter Jackson’s King Kong (Some low framerate)
* Planescape: Torment
* Postal 2: Share The Pain
* Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
* Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones (15-25fps)
* Project64
* Psychonauts (borderline - choppy framerate)
* Puzzle Hero
* Quake
* Quake 2
* Quake 3 (edit ini file to get 1024×600)
* Quake III Arena (60 FPS @ 1024×600)
* Railroad Tycoon 3
* Rayman Raving Rabbids
* Return to Castle Wolfenstein
* Roller Coaster Tycoon 2
* Rome: Total War
* Rune
* Sacrifice
* Sam & Max - Season 1 & 2
* Sauerbraten
* ScummVM (an emulator, runs old LucasArts quest games)
* Second Life
* Severance: Blade of Darkness
* Sid Meier’s Locomotion
* Sid Meier’s Pirates
* Sim City 4
* Simon the Sorcerer 2 (ScummVM)
* Snes9x
* Soldier of Fortune
* Space Rangers 2
* Spore
* Spore Creature Editor
* Star Wars: Empire at War
* Star Wars: Jedi Knight II - Jedi Outcast
* Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Jedi Academy
* Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - 800×600 low details, no shadows, no grass. A bit choppy but playable.
* Starcraft
* StepMania
* Street Wars: Constructor Underworld
* System Shock 2
* The Hulk
* The Incredible Hulk
* Theme Hospital
* Total Annihilation
* Tomb Raider: Legend (borderline - playable but quite choppy)
* Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon
* TrackMania
* TrackMania Nations
* Transformers The Movie Game
* Tropico
* Turok
* Tux Racer
* Unreal
* Unreal Tournament (40-60 FPS@1024×600, with newest Patch you neither need to edit ini for the res nor the CD for starting)
* Uplink
* Virtual Skipper 5 (free version, see link)
* Warcraft III (Low frames, don’t expect to play DotA)
* Wall-E
* Winning Eleven 8 International
* WinUAE (Amiga emulator, FPS is depending on WinUAE settings, highest settings work perfectly)
* Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory
* World of Warcraft
* Worms Armageddon (800×600)
* ZSnes
Im also pretty sure there are a bunch of games not mentioned here but can slide in there for sure. If you have a netbook and keen to game on it, find one of the above games and try it out.
