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The MSI Trident may be the world's smallest VR-Ready gaming desktop

By Koh Wanzi - on 17 Nov 2016, 9:52am

The MSI Trident may be the world's smallest VR-Ready gaming desktop

Image Source: MSI

Bigger isn’t always better, and nowhere is this more true than in the PC space. MSI’s new Trident gaming PC is just the latest in a line of machines aiming to be both small and powerful, and is supposedly – according to MSI at least – the world’s smallest VR-Ready desktop (it measures just 346.25 x 71.83 x 232.47mm).

The Trident boasts an MSI GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card and can support up to an Intel Core i7-6700 processor (3.4GHz, 8MB cache) and 32GB of DDR4 RAM. MSI hasn’t detailed the amount of storage the Trident has, but we do know that it ships as either a fully-equipped PC or a barebones system, with a single slot each for a 2.5-inch and M.2 2280 SSD (only SATA drives are supported for both).

For such a small chassis, USB connections are aplenty, and you’ll find one USB 3.0 Type-A port and four USB 2.0 ports on the rear. On the front, there is a USB 3.0 Type-C port and two USB 3.0 Type A ports.

To further bolster its credentials as a VR-Ready PC, the Trident also includes an HDMI pass-through called VR-Link. This connects to the GPU, and allows you to connect your VR headset to an HDMI port at the front of the PC. Arguably, this is more convenient and doesn’t waste the cable length available to your HMD device by making you route it to the rear of the system.

In such a compact chassis, cooling isn’t as simple an affair as including plenty of fans. MSI has used something it calls Silent Storm Cooling 2 technology, with input and output vents precisely located to optimize airflow over key components. The interior is also divided into two separate chambers – one for the CPU and RAM, one for the GPU – which MSI says improves cooling and reduces noise.

To cap things off, you get support for RGB Mystic Lighting as well, so there’s the ability to play around with different colors and lighting effects on the case.

The fully-equipped version of the Trident starts at US$899. The barebones model, which comes with the GPU only, will cost US$599.

Source: MSI

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