Since we talked how to upgrade your pre-built desktop PC, we thought that it would be a great idea to search for a pre-built desktop PC that meets the current gaming demands, and we think we did: the MSI Trident X.

The Looks and Performance

The MSI Trident X combines the latest and greatest hardware that will help you both in productivity and gaming, with slim and compact look.

Our test model came with a Core i7-9700K, but can be configured with a Core i9-9900K, a MSI RTX 2080 Ventus, 32GB of 2667 DDR4 RAM, an NVME SSD 512GB and a 2TB HDD.

Cooling capabilities

We tested the MSI Trident X in Prime and other benches to see if we can get smoke out of it, and the processor did not exceed 90C and the video card 75C. These are good temperatures, and even if some will say that they are not not so, let's agree that you will rarely reach these load levels on the processor and the video card in the actual usage scenarios.

There are not many productivity applications so well developed that can keep all cores fully loaded for long periods of time. Sure it's hot, but not so much to make problems, unlike the Mac Pro 6.1 that we work in the office.

As for games, the MSI Trident X can throw some serius punches. They use even less in terms of number of cores per processor so temperatures reached between high 60s and low 70s for the CPU, and the GPU kept a constant low 70s C for the entire time while playing. We ran games including in 4K with maximum details and in most triple A titles and we got scores of over 60fps, in some even over 75fps which makes the MSI Trident X a hypersonic rocket in a console body.

Configurability and Upgrade

Last, but not last, let’s talk about configurability and upgrade. And here the little beast is good for everything: except the motherboard, a mini ITX that fits perfectly with the chassis, the PSU and the case itself, everything can be easily configured.

Remove the side pannels and you can immediately and easily replace anything: processor, memory, storage, video card, absolutely anything. Because apart from the small format motherboard, all other components are at their maximum potential (up until till this date). We were not delirious here about laptop memories as it is on some iMacs, castrated processors or miniature graphics cards. No, we are talking about large, tapered graphics cards with large fans. When you replace these components, you can do so with some of the larger and more powerful! ones.

Price, Availability and Conclusions

The MSI Trident X in the configuration we tested is available on Amazon for around $2399. There are also versions featuring the RTX 2080Ti but that comes with an extra $500.

Sure you might think, wait we can build the same system maybe cheaper, as for sure MSI will charge more? We tried building a similar system (with a few modifications) and here is what we got:

Obviously, the case is super-small and super-optimized in the smallest details, and the cooling is also designed to get maximum performance in this very small box. Let's say you pay another $3-400 for all of this and for engineering, know-how and last but not least, brand. Adding this all up the price seems fair with the current PC part prices.

So if you are in search of something like this, as we are, you are familiar and you are enjoying the benefits of a well-designed and well thought out system by engineers from a prestigious company, then MSI Trident X can be exactly what you are looking for.