MSI Introduces New Gaming Gear at CES 2016
MSI Introduces New Gaming Gear at CES 2016
MSI is focusing on enhancing the gaming experience this year with new peripherals, quad SLI bridges, gaming laptops and upgradable gaming AIO systems. Let’s take a quick look at a few of MSI’s new gaming gear for 2016.
Interceptor DS4200 Gaming Keyboard
MSI’s latest keyboard is a typical gaming membrane keyboard. It features the standard 110-key layout, with added multimedia keys. Other features include anti-ghosting, built in ergonomic palm rest and RGB lighting. For those that tend to spill drinks while gaming, MSI has made the Interceptor DS4200 water resistant, that does not mean water proof.
4-Way SLI Bridge
MSI was demonstrating a new 4-way premium SLI bridge that includes a large 120mm low-profile fan to help cool the quad graphics cards. MSI recognizes that not all graphics card will be compatible with a static fan position designed for the reference cooler, so they developed a method to raise the fan slightly to accomodate large heatpipes and heatsinks.
Tobii Eye Tracking
As part of the PC Masterace, we are comfortable with using a keyboard and mouse for controllers. Tobii EyeX is looking to enhance our gaming experience by allowing us to use our eyes as controllers. If you are familiar with Assassin’s Creed, you know how it can take sometime to get used to finding all the little grappling points with a controller. With Tobii EyeX it is as simple as looking around the screen. At first, I was skeptical of using eye tracking for gaming, I felt it wouldn’t feel natural or be able to keep up. However, as I quickly found out, it enhanced the experience quite a bit. I was able to grapple across the region without any issues. In addition, it is compatible with Windows Hello, so you can log into your PC with facial recognition. Right now, there are a limited number of games and apps that are compatible with Tobii, however they are working to change that.
MSI has two different implementations of Tobii, the first is a magnetic bar that can be positioned in the most comfortable position.
The other method is to purchase the MSI GT72S Tobii gaming laptop. This laptop is a very powerful gaming laptop that includes an Intel i7-6820HK processor, NVIDIA GTX 980M 8GB graphics, 1080P 17.3″ IPS panel, 32GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB hard drive, Killer NIC and SteelSeries gaming keyboard. Positioned on the lid between the screen and keyboard, the Tobii sensors should be around 12inches away from you to work correctly. It will function with further range, with diminishing results. There are three red IR sensors as well that helps Tobii detect eye movement.
Pricing wasn’t immediately available on either the MSI Tobii bar or the GT72S Tobii gaming laptop, however they are due to be released within this quarter, so we should hear soon.
Vortex PC
Mini all-in-one gaming PC’s isn’t anything new, we have seen all sorts of sizes of PC gaming systems. MSI’s latest is the Vortex PC, which is in a small 6.5L can that is filled with high end gaming hardware which can include up to two NVIDIA GTX980’s in SLI, making it capable of 4K gaming and VR. Internally, the components are placed in a triangle layout, allowing for the fan to create a vortex of air to keep the components cool. In addition, various aspects of it is designed to be user upgradeable, for example the two SODIMM’s, and storage can be easily upgraded.
When it is available to purchase later this year, it will be available in a couple different configurations so pricing is hard to estimate. MSI estimated that pricing should start around $1,999 and go up from there depending on the components.
This doesn’t even begin to touch the surface of what MSI has in store for us this year. MSI has new motherboards, video cards, mice, headsets and more coming in 2016. Keep an eye out for their latest gaming hardware that is sure to impress gamers everywhere.