The mightiest mini gaming PC for the living room
MSI has made some mind-blowingly small PCs including a Mac Guru competition along with a system you could carry on your back. However among these machines, the MSI Trident 3 stays the most trendy gaming PC MSI has made.
MSI touts the Trident 3 because a console killer, and it’s not tough to see where it’s coming from — it is about precisely the exact same size as the Xbox One S, but packs far more power than even the Xbox One X — thanks to its Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia GTX 1070 pictures. It is an rig, at a reasonable price — making the MSI Trident even in 2018.
Price and availability
The MSI Trident 3, at the configuration you see above runs for $1,599 (roughly #1,160, AU$2,040). This particular unit MSI sent us is a Arctic edition of the Trident 3, which comes with a distinctive white paint job along with a Nvidia GTX 1070 you’ll only find on this version.
In 2018, however, you’ll realize that the i7-7700 version was replaced with an i7-8700, also has obtained a $100 price reduction, and you will now find it for $1,499 (AU$2,499, roughly #1,131).
Shoppers can pick up the standard black version of the Trident 3 with the same chip and other specs, but it just maxes out using Nvidia GTX 1060 graphics at $1,099 (Number 1,099, roughly AU$1,450).
Regardless, it’s still above and far less expensive than comparable gaming PCs on the market. The same Corsair One version starts at $1,799 (#1,799, AU$2,639) with nearly identical specs, save for a 16GB smaller SSD and liquid-cooling solution for your chip.
Meanwhile, the Zotac Magnus EN1080 is just another limited edition run compact gaming PC that retails for $1,999 (#1,999, AU$3,849). And that price doesn’t even account for the storage and memory you’ll want to buy separately for this package that is barebones.
Design
Perhaps it’s the white design or the silver foundation, but the MSI Trident 3 Arctic looks like the Nintendo Wii’s larger, more hardcore brother. Not that we are complaining. The streamlined PC is aesthetically pleasing with a design that successfully toes the line between futuristic and modern.
MSI has kept the RGB lighting tasteful instead of going like some other manufacturers. You will only find one lighting component on a corner in the shape of a trident to keep in line with the namesake of this PC. We love the prismatic style of this gambling desktop. All of the angles helped from becoming just another boring box maintain the Trident 3.
Speaking of size, the Trident 3 is one of the smallest gambling PCs we’ve reviewed. Measuring in at 13.63 x 2.83 x 9.15 inches, so it won’t stand out like a sore thumb in the remainder of your home entertainment setup. We can’t say the same for the Corsair One, that looks like the Asus ROG GR8 II, or a fridge pack of soda.
Upgradability and performance
Sick style is one thing, but what MSI has done together with the internal layout within the Trident 3 is much more striking. You get a full-fledged desktop processor and graphics card — in spite of the extremely compact dimensions of this desktop.
Even further, the Trident 3’s simple layout makes it simple enough to replace the majority of the components including the GPU, memory, memory drives — basically everything but the chip.
Of is the power supply is the fat brick that you get with any of MSI’s gaming laptops. It’s an annoying trade off that includes the character of mini-desktops like this and the Acer Predator G1. This non-upgradeable 330W ability PSU makes it tough to truly overclock the system, and you are going to need to pay special attention to the energy draw of those parts you are itching to substitute.
Whether these are concerns will depend on the user. Many Trident 3 users will be happy with a system that only works out of the box and may play games in high-to-ultra excellent settings.
Regardless of the omission of the Nvidia GTX 1080, located at Zotac Magnus EN1080 and the Corsair One, the MSI Trident 3 manages to maintain its competitors. The gaming background provides a playable experience across multiple titles, such as GTA V and Mass Effect Andromeda. The Trident also generated nearly identical results as the equally-equipped (and larger) MSI Aegis 3.
What is even more impressive, is that the Trident 3 remains cool and silent even while under full load. Fan noise is inaudible while sitting inside a foot and a half of the PC. Users should have the ability to present this gaming PC in their home entertainment set up of adding unwanted noise to their gambling and movie 27, with no fear.
Last verdict
The MSI Trident 3 is a handsome and streamlined gaming PC we would gladly add to our home entertainment setup. Between the styling of this situation and its size, the mini desktop of MSI is different than an Xbox One or PS4. It’s not the most powerful desktop rig in the world, but it’s got more than enough gusto than the Guru can push to play games at higher graphics settings.
With what comes from the box, it is possible to go far with gambling at Ultra quality, although the notebook-style power supply limits the upgradability of the system. The most beautiful thing about the Trident 3 is the way quietly and cool it runs. This is by far among the greatest gaming PCs you can have sit alongside your TV or on a computer desk.
