MSI shows new thin-and-light laptops and tablets

MSI is showing off new X-Slim laptops at Computex that are less than an inch thick, contain the latest Intel and AMD processors, and offer over eight hours of battery life. It is also showing new tablets running Windows or Android at the Taipei trade show, it announced this week.

The X460 laptop uses Intel's second-generation Core i7 chips, part of the Sandy Bridge range of chips that started shipping earlier this year. It weighs 1.9 kilograms, and has a 14-inch screen and Intel's Wireless Display technology, through which high-definition images can be wirelessly transmitted to TVs with specific receivers.

PC makers such as Dell, Lenovo and Samsung have already announced thin-and-light laptops using Sandy Bridge chips.

The other laptop, the X370, contains Advanced Micro Devices' dual-core E-350 processor and a discrete graphics card to drive its 13.4-inch screen. It weighs 1.4 kg and its graphics system is aimed at gamers.

The new tablets also feature two different processors, in this case an ARM design and one from AMD.

The WindPad 110W is targeted at business customers: It has an AMD Fusion processor running Windows 7, and contains 2GB of RAM, wireless capabilities and SSD (solid-state drive) storage up to 64GB. It weighs 850 grams and offers six hours of battery life, which MSI said is the "the longest of any tablet with Windows architecture."

The WindPad 100A is targeted at consumers: It has a dual-core ARM processor running the latest version of Google's Android OS, and contains 1GB of RAM, wireless capabilities and SSD storage up to 32GB. It weighs 740 grams and can run for eight hours between battery charges.

Both tablets have 10-inch screens displaying images at a resolution of 1200 by 800 pixels, and can be connected to high-definition TV sets via an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) port. The tablets also have USB ports.

Information about pricing and availability for the laptops and tablets was not immediately available.