MSI today unveiled a new lineup of gaming desktops that it will build in the United States. The company, which typically manufactures its prebuilt machines in Taiwan, has a new series, the MIA Gaming Desktop, which stands for “Made in America.”
That nomenclature isn’t 100% correct, however. The desktops, which will feature Intel’s latest 10th Gen Core CPUs and Nvidia’s RTX or GTX Super graphics cards, will be assembled out of the company’s U.S. home base in City of Industry, Calif. But MSI will still import the components it uses in these rigs.
MSI told Tom’s Hardware that the reason for building the desktops in the United States was to facilitate the shipment of its products in North America. It did not specify if it was getting any government subsidies or other incentives for the business. The other desktops MSI is announcing today, updates to the MSI Trident X, Trident 3 and Trident AS, will continue to be built and shipped from its operations in Asia.
There are four models in the MIA lineup: the Aegis RS, Aegis R, Codex R and Aegis SE.
Specs
| MSI Aegis RS | MSI Aegis R | MSI Codex R | MSI Aegis SE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Up to Intel Core i9-10900K | Up to Intel Core i7-10700 | Up to Intel Core i7-10700 | Core i5-10400F |
| Chipset | Intel Z490 | Intel B460 | Intel B460 | Intel H410 |
| GPU | Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super | Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super | Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Super | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super |
| RAM | Up to 32GB DDR4-3000 | Up to 16GB DDR4-3000 | Up to 16GB DDR4-3000 | 8GB DDR4-3000 |
| Storage | Up to 1TB SSD and 2TB HDD | 1TB SSD or 512GB SSD and 1TB HDD | Up to 512GB SSD and 1TB HDD | 240GB SSD and 1TB HDD |
| PSU | Up to 750W 80 Plus Gold SFX | Up to 650W 80 Plus Gold | Up to 500W | Up to 350W |
| Networking | Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2x2 802.11ac | Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2x2 802.11ac | Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2x2 802.11ac | Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 2x2 802.11ac |
| Starting Price | $1,699 | $1,399 | $899 | $799 |
The Aegis SE is the cheapest with a single, $799 configuration using an Intel Core i5-10400F and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super. The Codex R and Aegis R both go up to an Intel Core i7-10700 and feature multiple configuration options with different CPUs, GPUs, RAM and storage. The Aegis SE is the top-end model, going up to an Intel Core i9-10900K and Nvidia RTX 2080 Super.
The Aegis RS and R will come housed in MSI’s existing 50L PC case, the Gungnir 110R. Meanwhile,the Codex R uses the MAG Force 100R, a 45L chassis, while the Aegis SE is in a smaller, 25L MSI MPG Gungnir 100 with a dedicated RGB button.
Additionally, MSI is bundling each of these desktops with its Vigor GK30 keyboard, which is selling for $40 as of writing, and the MSI Clutch GM11 mouse, which we’ve seen for about $25.