MSI goes hard on AI with a thicc desktop PC that chats with you

MSI

MSI

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Screens hard-mounted to desktop cases aren’t a new idea, but MSI is pitching this one as a dedicated “Human Machine Interface,” which sounds like marketing speak for that giant spike that goes into the back of Neo’s head in The Matrix. MSI’s version is decidedly less spikey, of course, and it’s really just a dedicated view for the proprietary “MSI AI Engine,” which includes a chatbot that runs locally on the desktop.

MSI’s promotional materials don’t elaborate on what exactly you’ll chat with your desktop PC about, but it can “search documents within your local folders, analyze, summarize, and respond to you based on the data in your files.” That front-mounted display can also do more old-fashioned gaming desktop things, like showing info about system performance and temperature, giving you quick access to RGB color settings, etc.

MSI says the MEG Vision X AI will be available sometime later this year, but even though preliminary versions of the hardware were shown back at Computex, we still don’t have a final price or spec list. Expect to pay a lot for this AI-powered privilege.

An OLED monitor with syncing rear lights

The other MSI hardware that caught my eye at IFA is an OLED gaming monitor. Granted, OLED displays will catch anyone’s eye, but it’s getting harder to stand out in a crowded market.

But the MEG 31URX has a trick up its sleeve: the AI Sky Sight feature lets the 32-inch monitor detect the colors on your display and sync them to the rear-mounted LED light bar, giving you the same kind of backlight bling as those fancy syncing cameras you’ll see in some TV displays.

What does AI have to do with this? I have no idea. I’m sure artificial intelligence isn’t necessary for this sort of thing, since Phillips was building this tech into televisions a decade ago. But I can’t deny that it’s cool. Sadly, there’s no date or price for this, either.

Updated laptop models, too

MSI is planning updates to the latest chips across its laptop lineup, with the Summit, Prestige, Stealth, and Creator lines all getting “AI” slapped on their official product names.

The Summit 13 and Summit A16 both caught my eye, as they’re both 2-in-1 laptop designs that max out with AMD Ryzen 9 processors and speedy LPDDR5X 7500 memory.

MSI

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The larger Summit A16 will get you a 16-inch, 2650×1600 touchscreen with an impressive 165Hz refresh rate, though it’s an IPS panel instead of a more cherished OLED. Integrated graphics max out at Radeon 880M, and ports are generous with double USB-C/Thunderbolt 4, USB-A for backup, HDMI (with double 4K/120Hz output!), and a microSD card reader slot. The whole thing comes in a fetching “Ink Black” colorway and MSI gives the weight as 4.4 pounds (2kg).

MSI

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The smaller Summit 13 opts for an Intel Core Ultra 7 250V but pairs it to the same 32GB of maximum RAM and Gen4 storage. The 13.3-inch screen keeps its 16:10 aspect ratio while settling for a 1920×1200 resolution, and you keep almost all the ports except the card reader. Integrated graphics aren’t as beefy with Arc 140V, but you probably shouldn’t be using this thing as a gaming machine anyway. It’ll tip the scales at just under 3 pounds (1.35kg). I dig the stylish gold accents on the body side panels.