Full Review

The second Atom-based all-in-one desktop PC we reviewed, the MSI Wind Top AE1900 is very similar to the Asus Eee Top 1602 we reviewed earlier in the year. The whole unit is primarily black in color, and thin like the Eee Top, and it is encased in transparent plastic. The extended plastic on all sides acts as an attractive screen bezel, and it also helps prop up the Wind Top with the help of its central back stand.

The glossy touchscreen is 18.5-inch wide, with a 16:9 aspect ratio. The top screen bezel has a silver strip where nestles a 1.3-megapixel webcam. When you start up the Wind Top AE1900, you are greeted with a control panel with a host of apps. The icons are all large and easy to press with your fingers—the apps include instant messaging client, shortcuts to launch your video, audio, or pictures folder, among others. The monitor has good viewing angles. While my time spent working with the touchscreen on the AE1900, I thought it was pretty similar to my experience with the Asus Eee Top.

Occasional problems crept in while trying to resize windows or trying to pin the mouse down on a tiny area, but the overall experience was fine. On the hardware front, the MSI Wind Top AE1900 runs on an Intel Atom N230 processor, 1GB of RAM, and a 160GB hard drive. It also comes with Gigabit ethernet and Draft-N wireless support, and has Windows XP Home edition. There are plenty of USB ports on the back to connect the included mouse and keyboard. Sound from the onboard speakers isn't great but acceptable. Since this all-in-one has netbook-based innards, don't expect it to do anything more than what a netbook does. The MSI Wind Top AE1900 is still a great candidate for a second PC in the house, kind of a lifestyle gadget.

Bottom Line

A very good choice for an entry level all-in-one desktop PC. The MSI Wind Top AE1900 is very similar to the Eee Top 1602, but has a better touch interface and it comes with a DVD writer.