It is tough to estimate, however primarily based purely on eyeballing the gang I might say MSI’s sales space was one of many busiest at Computex 2024. Combating my manner by way of YouTubers, vloggers, Tik Tokers and a few elbow-happy photographers, I’ve had the prospect to take a tour by way of some {hardware} that appears designed to shock.
First up, let’s speak motherboards. Rear connector designs have been one thing we have been anticipating to see at this years present, and MSI’s Challenge Zero Plus—a motherboard design we have caught glimpses of earlier than—was there in all its low profile CAMM2 glory.
Nevertheless, extra instantly intriguing nonetheless is an Intel 790 chipset board with an Intel and MSI co-developed “revolutionary reminiscence answer”, with the placeholder title of “Mini_CUDIMM”.
The RAM slots are shorter than your common customary DIMM slot, with a giant sticker excessive so you may’t see the connections beneath. I assumed CAMM2 was imagined to be the way forward for RAM, MSI? Quizzical eyebrows have been raised.
These slots are additionally very near the CPU socket, and it is recommended that that is to make sure the bottom latency between the chip and the reminiscence. This, along side some enhanced energy circuits, makes this board one thing of a technical anomaly—and hints have been made in direction of an elevated overclocking potential.
No matter Intel and MSI are cooking up right here is intriguing, and I will you should definitely regulate it over the subsequent few months for extra.
Additionally intriguing is a twin Gen 5 SSD M2 slot PCIe enlargement card. At first I assumed the XPander-Aero Slider Gen 5 (I do know, horrible title) was a low-power single fan design GPU, however a fast click on reveals two hidden NVMe drive holders that may be hot-swapped out and in of the rear of the cardboard like {a magazine} from a pistol.
Sadly, I did not get an opportunity to play with the mechanism correctly, as some valued member of the press earlier than me had managed to partially break it. Nonetheless, the general design seems to be neat, and there’s something mechanically fascinating about it that made me need to attempt one for myself.
Simply swappable SSDs, in my line of labor? Appears somewhat useful, that.
Talking of SSD coolers, how’s this for measurement—fairly actually. We have been lower than impressed by Gen 5 drives with gigantic tower heatsinks ultimately years present. At MSI this trip, I am proven a smaller, slimmer, translucent unit connected to a Spatium Gen 5 SSD.
What at first seems to be like a bit of bizarre design is definitely what MSI calls a “non-metal vapor chamber” that’s, apparently, extraordinarily environment friendly in an analogous option to the bigger fashions. Whereas the jury’s out till we check one for ourselves, the design alone definitely seems to be higher in particular person than my phonecam snaps may handle to seize.
Whether or not it is bought the cooling items, I will be to search out out. Whereas I am not holding my breath, no less than its one thing a bit sleeker than a number of the designs I have been proven this 12 months.
Talking of cooler design, maybe my favorite piece from the entire sales space is the MSI RTX 4080 Tremendous 16G Skilled Fusion. MSI hasn’t precisely been recognized for refined design selections over time, however this neat, tidy and simple dual-slot water-cooled answer stood out for merely wanting like a imply, purposeful little bit of engineering.
Notably when displayed in a black case, with zero RGB.
Picture 1 of 3
I am additionally proven the RTX 4090 24G Suprim Fuzion, a water-cooled RTX 4090 answer that could be a lot chunkier. The RTX 4090 appears to have confirmed as soon as once more that it refuses to be shrunk all the way down to extra cheap proportions.
Keep in mind how I stated MSI’s designs weren’t recognized for being refined? Effectively, there are a couple of doubtful fan shroud designs, no less than certainly one of which was “designed by AI.” Purchase which I assume it means somebody typed “MSI graphics card cooler design with MSI dragon” into an AI picture era device, then 3D printed the outcomes.
The tip models are… really, you may see for yourselves:
Picture 1 of 3
Screens in (and on) circumstances are one thing I’ve seen a good bit of at this years present, and MSI’s MEG Imaginative and prescient X AI PC would possibly simply function the most important of the lot. It is bought an enormous touchscreen taking on many of the house on the entrance panel, which is designed to sync with MSI’s AI apps for “enhanced AI performance”.
Truthful sufficient, however I just like the potential potentialities with a touchscreen this huge being built-in into the entrance of the case. Whereas a smaller display screen is perhaps relegated to displaying primary info just like the CPU temperature, one thing this measurement strikes as having a mess of makes use of.
Like keeping track of a Steam obtain, as an illustration. Or a chat window. It’d rely in your desk setup after all, however I prefer to have my PC subsequent to me on the desk tilted barely in direction of me, so there’s all kinds of makes use of right here in addition to the AI do-hickery.
As for the internals? But to be determined, it appears, or on the very least not revealed. Whereas the AI stuff is okay, I assume, stick this display screen integration right into a gaming-focused rig and I reckon MSI is perhaps on to one thing.
Picture 1 of 3
Additionally current is one thing of a controversial product, re-jigged. Once I wrote concerning the MSI 321URX QD-OLED again when it was first unveiled at CES earlier this 12 months, I recommended that its AI “Skysight” options might be tantamount to dishonest. In some individuals’s eyes. Maybe.
Effectively, it is again once more, and it is supposedly rehabilitated. It is nonetheless bought a lightbar that may present you well being, ammo ranges and path of incoming hearth, however I am advised after “suggestions” from customers and the media that its rather more single participant targeted, somewhat than constructed to achieve an edge on-line.
I could not get a transparent reply on how this has been achieved—what with half of Computex making an attempt to elbow me within the again as I requested questions on it—however what I can say is the AI options are refined in particular person, simply switched off, and doubtlessly helpful—and the panel itself seems to be fairly incredible.
So then. A number of attention-grabbing package, from the marginally weird throughout to the genuinely fascinating. I may go on, after all, and and possibly have already got for too lengthy. During which case, I will merely finish again the place I began, with rear connectors and Challenge Zero.
A full Challenge Zero construct is on show, and one thing about seeing all of it put collectively actually rams the idea dwelling.
Because of the dearth of seen cables, that CAMM2 reminiscence, some sharply RGB-ed AIO radiators and a see-thru piping system, it actually does look the bees knees.
That being stated, I nonetheless would not have it in white. Give me that lean, imply, watercooled RTX 4080 Tremendous construct above although, and now we’re actually speaking.
