Choosing your next PC can be a rather daunting process. Do you go with pre-built or build your own? Do you go with a small form factor or full size? With RAM and GPU, the price is very fluctuating, it's hard to make a choice. Today I will look at MSI's Infinite X Gaming Desktop which is supposed to be a strong competitor in the pre-wake market. It's a full-size gaming power plant with impressive aesthetics to match.
As someone who is generally not a fan of most gaming computers made before, I really like most of what Infinite X does. It has been assembled and tested with all the parts needed by gamers, but at the same time maintains upgraded capabilities that have been we expect.
Infinite X is currently available in five configurations ranging from GTX 1070 to GTX 1080 Ti. The top three models come with Intel i7-8700K CPU and 16GB RAM while the bottom two have non "K" variants of CPU. For storage options, Infinite X can be configured with various combinations of M.2 SSDs, 2.5 "and 3.5" drives. For motherboards, Infinite X uses MSI's Z370M Gaming Pro AC across the board.
The configuration I submitted for review is VR8RE-006US featuring GTX 1080 and 512GB SSD. In addition to the differences in components, the rest of the system should be similar. Powering all variants is 550W 80 Plus Bronze PSU. More about that later.
GPUs and motherboards are both off-the-shelf components rather than white label replacements. This is great to look at and allows for a complete system upgrade in the future if you find it to be outdated. Because MSI makes motherboards and GPUs, this is not surprising.
Now tour the rig. All computers have sharp corners connecting various geometric shapes. This certainly gives Infinite X the "Gamer" look, but not too over the top. The default side panel and top panel are matte black metal while the front panel has a glossy black plastic cover. The case comes with a standard side panel mounted with ventilation for a vertically mounted graphics card. It provides direct access to fresh air to help thermally. Also included in the box are tempered glass side panels.
At the bottom of the casing, we find a standard magnetic dust filter on top of PSU and large rubber legs. It tilts the chassis slightly backwards and allows proper airflow even in the carpeted area.
As I mentioned earlier, if you prefer glass panels, MSI has included one in the box. This gives you an intact view of the internals through a colored, tempered glass. It is attached with four thumb screws that are each screwed into a deadlock on the side of the chassis. This slightly offsets the panel to provide the necessary airflow without other ventilation holes. Because offset, I find it can easily rip things when transported. I would recommend to remove it when moving the casing as it is only mounted with four small screws.
From the front, we can clearly see this offset in the side panel. Also visible is the RGB illumination strip on the front of the casing. It consists of several elements that evoke circuit board patterns and each can be set to a different color. The front panel lighting can also be synchronized with the rest using MSI's Mystic Lighting software.
In the case of I / O front panel, you get a headphone port and microphone, USB-C port, USB 3.0 port, and USB 2.0 port. Next to this is a large illuminated power button. I found it very thin and the quality of building very poor. Every time you turn on your computer, you will be reminded how cheap it feels. Above all this is a slim CD drive surprisingly. For what it's worth, I'll be happy to do it without this and use the saved money for the right power button. Finally, there is a shiny MSI logo in the lower right corner as well
At the back of the casing, we found a very sturdy carrier handle. It felt very crowded and I was not afraid when carrying the bag. That is unfortunately something that can not be said for another case with a handle. Below is the rear I / O and since the MSI Z370m is mATX motherboard, it's rather limited. We have HDMI and DisplayPort for built-in graphics, 10Gbps USB 3.1 Type A and Type C ports, four USB 3.0 ports, gigabit ethernet ports, and the standard six-channel audio settings that all motherboards have. Some additional USB ports and second ethernet plugs would be great, but this configuration should be good for almost everyone. Since the graphics card is vertically mounted, you need to make sure you have enough cables long enough to reach your monitor.
Both the front and rear panels are attached with small screws and slide into place with metal fins. This screws are easily lost so luckily MSI has incorporated some add-ins in the accessory kit that came with the computer. These screws and shear fins make the luggage feel outdated and inexpensive. I prefer the hinges and thumbs like the side panels of glass used instead here. The money saved by removing the CD drive can easily be allowed for this because it will only cost a few dollars for the MSI to apply.
Inside most cases are painted black except for unfinished rings around the edges. It seems this is an unnecessarily cut corner because painting it to fit the rest of the case will not require extra work. In addition, the main thing that comes up is the three separate zones inside the case. At the bottom there is a power supply compartment, then a graphics card, and finally the motherboard and CPU at the top. These three boxed areas are designed to improve cooling. If the GPU is under load, it will not heat the rest of the components. The same is true with CPU and PSU.
Looking closer at the top, we found several more cut corners. RAM does not have a visible branding and does not have a heat spreader. While this does not affect performance, of course it does not look good. Cable management in this situation is also difficult. As we will see later, there is not much room on the other side, but I think MSI could be better here. Indeed, this may not be a big deal for consumers who want to buy pre-built instead of building their own PC. The last criticism I have in this field is CPU cooling. It has only a 92mm single radiator and fan to cool the overclocked i7-8700K. If I design the system, I will install a 2x120mm radiator at least.
After 20 minutes of continuous load test, the CPU temperature is about 70 degrees with the GPU temps hovering around 60 degrees. It's pretty good though on a hot day, the CPU gets rather hot and does not raise up to full speed. Each chip can work differently, but I am increasing up to 4.8GHz for short time and continuous 4.4GHz. These numbers are pretty good for a 6-core CPU and there should be no problem chewing the workload. Oddly my GPU is not an overclocked factory but a simple boost is very easy to obtain on MSI Afterburner.
Moving to the back of the casing, we see limited space for cable management. Surprisingly there are no pieces for the motherboard, CPU, or other power cord. They all had to run from the front. Considering there is a mount for a 3.5 "drive, there will definitely be enough space here for this.Again, this will not affect performance and not everyone will care about cable management, but it seems like an easy fix.
Every PC needs peripherals and Infinite X is packed with some pretty good ones in the box. The keyboard is not mechanical and the backlight can not be modified, but this keyboard looks and feels better than most included keyboards. The same goes for the mouse. Unless you like the highly competitive eSports game and need a very precise mouse, the included mouse will work really well for almost everyone.
Because Infinite X uses the main hardware, its performance will be almost identical to other systems we've tested with the same hardware. For detailed performance figures, I'll refer you to our reviews on GTX 1080 and 8700K. They should give you a good idea of how powerful the system is. From various storage options, my unit has a 512 GB Intel M.2 SSD that achieves a read speed of 1772MB / s and a write speed of 363 MB / s. For the entire system benchmark, my unit achieved a 3DMark Fire Strike score of 19559 and a Time Spy score of 7578. Those looking for configuration should have ideas for what level of performance they are looking for or at least what budget they want to spend. Knowing one of these will help you easily choose the right model for you to use.
With this much power, there are some minor weaknesses. Since the CPU cooler is only 92mm, the fan and the pump must run at higher speeds to keep everything cool. This resulted in the Infinite X having a faint hum, but it sounded even when idle. During periods of intense load, the computer can become very loud. Because the thermal is pretty good by default, there is some space to adjust the fan curve to keep the system a bit quieter.
The other smaller problem I observed was with the power supply. The system under full load draws about 650 Watt from the wall while the power supply is rated only 550 watts. Taking into account the 80 Plus Bronze efficiency, this puts the power supply at almost maximum load. Although this is not dangerous, the power supply is designed to be the most efficient with an efficiency of about 50%. Running a full strength PSU can also reduce its lifespan. I would expect a slightly stronger unit to be loaded.
Once you're inside Windows, MSI has included some preinstalled programs on Infinite X. There is a Norton Antivirus test which I honestly recommend to uninstall. Furthermore there are some special MSI programs to help manage the system. These include MSI Command Center, MSI game program, and MSI Mystic Lighting software. The Command Center will allow you to monitor system temperature, clock speed, adjust the fan curve, and the like. The game program is designed to help optimize system performance to provide a better gameplay experience, but I never felt the need to use a program like this. Finally, Mystic Lighting software controls all aspects of RGB lighting in this case. These include GPU, internal case lighting, and front panel patterns. Lights can be set to solid colors, patterns, or any of the many effects that are included.
For someone who may not be familiar with the MSI ecosystem, all of these programs may be confusing. I would love to roll them all together in one piece of software as this will make it easier to find whatever settings you're looking for.
The last major thing to be aware of is pricing. As reviewed, our test unit sells for $ 1900. If you build the system itself with the same components, it will cost around $ 1600-1700 depending on the market price. This results in Infinite X having a premium price of about $ 250 more than an off-the-shelf build. It may be a little high for some people, but you get a good case, one year warranty, full system integration and validation, and eliminates the hassle of sourcing components and ensuring compatibility.
Experienced PC makers will shy away from such systems, but for those who have recently entered the PC gaming world, they offer attractive deals. MSI has many competitors in this market including but not limited to the likes of HP, Alienware, Origin, and Lenovo. Since they all use the same components, performance will be the same across the board. As always, you should search around to find the best deal, but if MSI Infinite X is the option for you, it will be hard to go wrong. It makes some sacrifices along the way, but as a whole has it where it matters. This will make a highly qualified and elegant gaming machine that you can buy, install, and go.