Closer Look: MSI Wind Top

If you're familiar with the MSI Wind Top AE2010 we tested several months back, the new MSI Wind Top AE2220-25SUS 1080p AIO PC will be an updated addition to the family. Both are part of MSI's Wind-Top E-Series of desktop all-in-one PC products, and both share similar primary features. But the differences outnumber the similarities, and the changes are evident both inside and out. MSI has taken their portable Wind-series all-in-one computer system and combined it with the functionality of a full-featured desktop computer system to create a stylish and compact NVIDIA ION-based Wind Top AE2220-25SUS computer system that fits in the same space as a 21.5-inch widescreen monitor.

The LCD monitor used on the MSI Wind Top AE2220-25SUS is reported by Everest as a "MSI Wind-Net MSI6637", and offers a 1920x1080 (1080p) full-HD resolution with TFT touch-screen capability. The maximum visible display size is 47cm x 26cm (21.1"), and maintains a 16:9 picture aspect ratio with a maximum pixel clock of 750 MHz.

A transparent frame wraps around the edges of the MSI Wind Top AE2220-25SUS, and a high-gloss piano-black bezel surrounds the LCD panel.

Along the right side of the MSI Wind Top AE2220 is a string of menu buttons: power, menu, left, right, auto-adjust, and a unique LCD power button that can shut down the display panel without turning off the entire system. A sturdy spring-loaded stand can be pulled back to adjust the monitors viewing angle from 10° (shown above) up to 20°.

At the left side of the AE2220-25SUS is a compact media-card reader and slim optical Blu-ray Disc (BD) drive by Hitachi-LG (model HL-DT-ST BDDVDRW CT10N). The BD/DVD Super-Multi drive can read and write to both CD and DVD media, and offers Blu-ray Disc playback (BD:4.8x, DVD+RW:8x/8x, DVD-RW:8x/6x, DVD-ROM:8x BD-ROM/DVD+RW/DVD-RW).

The built-in card reader supports various types of memory cards, such as XD (eXtreme Digital), SD (Secure Digital), SDHC (SD High Capacity), MS (Memory Stick), MS Pro (Memory Stick Pro) or MMC (Multi-Media Card) cards. Two Hi-Speed USB 2.0 ports are available for flash drives and digital media devices or charging connected cellular phones.

Although the MSI Wind Top AE2220 all-in-one PC features a dual-core 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 mobile processor (Penryn-2M) supplied with 1.1500 volts, the fan noise is considerably low on this system and temperatures are amazingly low.

In a room with 20°C ambient temperatures, the MSI Wind Top AE2220 idled at 48°C. With full load applied to both CPU cores, the Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 reaches 65°C after twenty minutes. The NVIDIA ION GPU runs considerably hotter, and generates 60°C at idle and 70°C under full load.

Although subdued, the back side of the MSI Wind Top AE2220-25SUS All-In-One Desktop System is bustling with features. The NVIDIA ION motherboard uses a Realtek RTL8168D/8111D PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet (GBE) adapter for RJ-54 LAN connections, and a Realtek RTL8191SE Wireless-LAN 802.11n PCI-E NIC for Wi-Fi networks.

The AE2220 also offers both D-Sub VGA and HDMI 1.3 input ports, which are examined and explained in better detail in the next section, so please continue on.

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