MSI Shows Off Slider S20 Ultrabook at Computex
MSI does convertible ultrabook with a twist (or should we say slide?).
With Windows 8 coming in just a few short months, Computex is wall-to-wall Windows 8. Companies have brought ultrabooks, tablets and everything in between. One such device is MSI's Slider S20, which is a convertible ultrabook with a unique sliding design.
The Slider S20 is a hybrid notebook/tablet offering that converts from tablet to ultrabook via a slider mechanism that that attaches the display to the base unit/keyboard. In tablet mode, the keyboard slides back behind the display.
The Slider S20's touchscreen display means that users will be able to make proper use of Windows 8's touchy-feely Metro UI. However, such a form factor, while slick, also carries the risk of making the device seem bulky while in slate mode. For reference, MSI says the device is 2 cm thick, which is the same as Asus' Zenbook. However, the guys at Engadget Spanish confirmed that the Slider S20 was 'a bit chunky.'
Specwise, we don't have a lot to go on for the Slider S20, as MSI says this device won't launch until Q3 of this year. What we do know is that the notebook will be powered by Intel's Ivy Bridge, will sport 4 GB of RAM, and pack support for Bluetooth 4.0, HDMI and USB 3.0.
Pricing and release details have not yet been released but we'll keep you posted!
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Jane McEntegart is a writer, editor, and marketing communications professional with 17 years of experience in the technology industry. She has written about a wide range of technology topics, including smartphones, tablets, and game consoles. Her articles have been published in Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, MobileSyrup, and Edge Up.
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mcd023 this is great! I'm really looking forward to a Win8 convertible tablet/book format. Although, I still plan to use my lappy with its GTX260M for gaming...even though I haven't played games in about a month! lol. Looking forward to this launch!Reply -
classzero I am glad to see a company making a tablet functional instead of worrying about how thin they can get it. This raised an eyebrow for me. Now if MSI could have only made one with Windows 7 . . .Reply -
dalethepcman It's something different, but the slider phones always seemed to have problems. I hope they don't have any design flaws that would cause the slider to break.Reply
I'm waiting for an updated AMD C/Z series APU and I think I like the transformer approach more. I have an Iconia W500, which is a cheesy c-50 transformer like tablet, but once someone (asus) puts these two things together I will gladly throw money at them. -
WR2 Looks very interesting.Reply
I'd certainly be OK with the slightly larger frame for having a choice of tablet and keyboard modes. -
GreaseMonkey_62 Reply
I'm sure you could always get one and install Windows 7 on it.9372971 said:I am glad to see a company making a tablet functional instead of worrying about how thin they can get it. This raised an eyebrow for me. Now if MSI could have only made one with Windows 7 . . .