MSI Nightblade SA pricing and specs

The MSI Nighblade is black with red glowing parts, can run games better than a PS4 or Xbox One, and has a picture of a dragon on it – what more do you want from a mini-gaming PC?

The compact rig is being billed as a gaming option for your living room, or a convenient pick-up-and-go package for those who like a good LAN. The Nightblade chassis was revealed in March 2014, and now we have the option to buy the black, steel box filled with MSI hardware.

There are three pre-built options available locally over on Evetech – an i3, i5, and i7 variety. Here are their respective specs.

MSI Nightblade i3 – R12,499

Intel Core i3-4150 3.5GHz
MSI Gaming Mini ITX Motherboard
Sapphire Radeon R7 260X 2GB 128bit Overclocked Edition
MSI 600W Power Supply
8GB DDR3 RAM
64GB SSD

MSI Nightblade i5 – R15,499

Intel Core i5-4670 3.4GHz
MSI Gaming Mini ITX Motherboard
MSI R9 270X 2GB 256bit Overclocked Edition
MSI 600W Power Supply
8GB DDR3 RAM
128GB SSD

MSI Nightblade i7 – R16,999

Intel Core i7-4790 3.6GHz
MSI Gaming Mini ITX Motherboard
MSI Twin Frozr IV GTX 760 2GB 256bit DDR5
MSI 600W Power Supply
8GB DDR3 RAM
128GB SSD

Wi-Fi, LAN ports, Bluetooth, and a dual-layer DVD writer are standard on all three rigs.

Eurogamer’s Digital Foundry tested an i5 version of the Nightblade – which included an MSI GTX 760 2GB and 8GB DDR3 RAM – and were impressed with its performance.

Battlefield 4 on Ultra settings, including 4x MSAA struggled a bit, but the machine smashed BioShock Infinite and Tomb Raider, easily maintaining 60fps. “The Nightblade forms a stylish, accessible bedrock for any PC builder intent on constructing a console-beater for the living room space,” said Digital Foundry.

With Battlefield 4 on High settings at 1080p, the MSI NIghtblade outperformed both the Xbox One and PS4.

In terms of its aesthetics and size, the Blade is roughly double the width of the PS4 – 17.7 cm – but it is still small enough to fit in most living rooms. Its size and weight will also appeal to those who frequents LANs, weighing 9.5kgs. Don’t forget to check out the bad-ass dragon.