Micro Star International (MSI), a global leader in AI-powered PC, gaming hardware, content creation, and AIoT solutions, recently celebrated its 20th anniversary at Infiniti Mall, Malad in Mumbai. The event showcased MSI’s premium laptops and the brand-new MSI Claw handheld, providing an in-depth and hands-on experience with all their latest innovations. The company also announced a retail partnership with Croma, making its products available in 35 major Croma outlets across India.
During the milestone event, Animation Xpress had the opportunity to interact with MSI’s regional marketing manager, India Bruce Lin and regional marketing manager, EMEA and pan India
Green Lin. They revealed the groundbreaking features that make MSI laptops the top choice for gaming enthusiasts, working professionals, and content creators alike. Here’s a glimpse into our conversation, covering MSI’s innovative features, market expansion, and future plans
India – A promising market for PC and laptops
India has witnessed a significant increase in the adoption of personal computing devices due to digitisation, affordable data rates, and a wide range of media and content availability. Bruce and Green explained why they chose to expand MSI’s presence in Croma outlets to capitalise on this opportunity.
Bruce stated, “MSI’s sales have been doubling every year. Retail and channel extension are crucial. Even during the pandemic, we doubled our reseller points. We care about the experience in our stores, starting with our MSI exclusive experiences in 2018. Post-pandemic, we added 10 more brand experiences and aim for 50 more by year-end. We are expanding our retail footprint, not just through exclusive zones but also with large format retail like Croma and Reliance Digital.”
He further highlighted, “We have a store in Andheri and another coming up in Navi Mumbai. Our brand experience zones cover most states and are expanding to metro and second-tier cities like Lucknow, Coimbatore, Chandigarh, Agra, and Ludhiana. We have also doubled our service points to 200 across the country since the pandemic.”
Diverse product range: From gaming to professional use
MSI has a wide range of products to cater to different needs, from content creation to gaming and professional use. Bruce and Green elaborated, “We started with premium laptops but expanded to include models for productivity and content creation. Our gaming laptops range from Rs 49,000 to six lakh rupees, business laptops from Rs 34,000 to four lakh rupees, and content creation laptops from Rs 74,000 to four lakh rupees. We aim to fulfill various user demands, whether for performance, power, portability, or battery life.”
AI integration: Leading the way in innovation
Embracing AI has been a significant challenge across industries, but MSI has successfully integrated it into its laptops, making it a standout feature in select products. Bruce and Green explained, “AI is crucial for us. We’ve invested heavily in combining hardware and software to simplify and enhance user experience. Our MSI AI engine learns user behavior and fine-tunes system settings automatically based on the type of work being done. Additionally, the MSI AI Artist can generate images from text prompts, allowing users to leverage their hardware for high-performance tasks without relying on the cloud, ensuring data security. We’re also introducing more AI features, such as document integration that enables users to ask questions, summarise content, and extract key points directly on their laptops. The shift from cloud-based AI to local devices demands powerful hardware, and we are dedicated to providing that.”
Bruce discussed the AI integration for gaming, “Our MSI engine preset scenarios adjust system settings based on software use. For gaming, it overclocks, adjusts RGB settings, and optimises display settings for the best visual experience.”
Cooling systems for extended performance
Bruce explained how MSI laptops handle long gaming sessions and maintain optimal thermals: “It’s widely known that more power comes with greater responsibility for managing heat. We optimise our laptops by selecting superior materials and enlarging cooling areas. Our latest chamber cool system features a shared heat design, efficiently dissipating heat from the GPU and CPU. This design enhances cooling efficiency. Additionally, we’ve improved airflow direction for better overall cooling solutions.”
Green added, “It’s crucial not only to achieve peak performance but to sustain it over extended periods. If peak performance lasts only 20 minutes before overheating, it’s not useful. We ensure our laptops maintain peak performance for hours, allowing users to complete their tasks efficiently.”
Key features for esports
Green highlighted the importance of connectivity for esports players, “The best laptop for esports really depends on the games you play. We prioritise excellent Ethernet adapters, such as Killer Network and Killer Double Shot Pro, designed specifically for gamers to ensure the lowest possible ping. This is crucial for esports. Additionally, a fast refresh rate is essential for FPS games. Our MSI laptops support live streaming, recording, and rendering, making them ideal for gamers, streamers, and content creators. We offer a wide range of products, including the Sword and Titan series, and various mid-range options to suit every budget.”
MSI Claw gaming handheld launch
The MSI Claw, a gaming handheld that doubles as a PC, is set to release on 23 June, according to Bruce Lin and Green Lin. They stated, “The MSI Claw features the world’s first Intel Core Ultra processor, the same chip used in our AI-ready laptops. We see it not just as a gaming handheld but also as a mini PC, supporting all the capabilities of a Windows-based device.”
Addressing optimisation and battery life, they explained, “Our gaming handheld is designed for a superior holding experience with ergonomic optimisation and a magnesium mechanical structure to prevent stick drift. Additionally, we’ve optimised the battery capacity to 53 watt-hours, compared to the usual 40 watt-hours in the market. This allows for longer gaming sessions, with low settings running 1.5 to 2 hours longer than competitors. The MSI Claw will be available for pre-order at our MSI brand experience zone.”
MSI’s plans for the Indian market
Bruce and Green emphasised India’s importance to MSI, “We’ve launched AI-ready laptops and the MSI Claw in India. Regarding next-gen products, they were globally revealed at our community exhibition in Taiwan, one of the biggest technology events. This includes the next-generation AMD Ryzen AI 300 series and the Intel Neural series. While we can’t disclose the specific product line yet due to confidentiality, India will be among the first countries to receive these new products upon their official launch.”
