MSI’s Trident 3 Gaming PC Gets Limited-Edition Model Sporting GTX 1070

MSI announced a limited edition of its Trident 3 small form factor (SFF) gaming PC. The new model sports a chilled white finish and goes beyond the capabilities of the previously available configurations with an upgraded graphics card.

The MSI Trident 3 Arctic features an Intel Core i7-7700 processor with 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 RAM on an Intel H110 motherboard. The newer CPU sitting on an older H110 chipset may not seem like an ideal match, but the only real sacrifice between that and a newer B250 chipset is Intel Optane compatibility, and that’s not really much of a sacrifice with a storage configuration consisting of a 256GB M.2 SSD (which is likely plenty fast) and a 1TB 7,200RPM HDD.

The graphics card has been upgraded from a GTX 1060 (the highest available GPU of the former model) to a custom-built mini-ITX MSI GTX 1070. The jump to the new GPU gives the Trident 3 Arctic edition a significant bump in graphics horsepower, and it also sports a new 330W power supply (the standard models feature a 220W PSU) to accommodate the increased power demand.

The MSI Trident 3 Arctic also sports the same USB and display connectivity as the standard-edition models, with a front-panel USB 3.1 Type-C port, three USB 3.0 ports, and four USB 2.0 ports. There's also a rear-panel HDMI output coming from the motherboard, in addition to the GPU's outputs (two HDMI 2.0, two DisplayPort, and a DVI-D interface). There's also a front-panel HDMI passthrough (you plug the GPU into the other end on the back side), giving it formidable living-room VR gaming chops.

The device is kept frosty, as it were, by MSI’s Silent Storm Cooling 2, which keeps the gear chilled with separate compartments for the heat-generating components and quiet fans. The RGB LED lighting on the chassis can be adjusted using RGB Mystic Light or MSI’s Gaming Center software.

The MSI Trident 3 Arctic limited-edition gaming PC will be available this April from major retailers, including Newegg, Amazon, and Fry’s, for $1,500.