MSI thinks you need AI holograms in your gaming desktop

“AI” infecting all the things is the theme of 2026, a lot in order that even Microsoft is scaling issues again a bit. But don’t inform that to MSI. Apparently, they noticed Razer’s slop-powered anime women again at CES and determined they wanted to up their very own recreation for Computex. The MEG Vision X2 AI+ desktop consists of an animated avatar for the business’s avaricious extra, proper within the entrance of the machine.

The little dragon avatar within the holographic jar is “LuckyClaw, MSI’s agentic AI companion.” According to the press launch, the cartoon can “enable seamless, hands-free control of performance profiles, MSI monitor settings, RGB lighting, and more.”

If that sounds a bit imprecise to you, don’t fear—it’ll get “future skill updates” for presumably extra imprecise capabilities sooner or later. The “AI Holostage” show can be suitable with “digital companions, desktop pets, and custom third-party AI avatars.” Presumably which means you received’t be caught with solely MSI’s in-house, branded dragon dude.

The precise show tech right here is neat. A little bit holographic avatar is one thing that I might have gone bonkers for a decade or so in the past… earlier than AI grew to become related to just about all the things that’s poisoning the tech business and past. While I’ve by no means been a fan of little add-on screens, I can respect a light-weight present for a high-end desktop. A Tamagotchi-style pet, or an animated anime character of questionable style, looks as if a pure pairing.

But having tried out the aforementioned Razer product and being just about immediately soured on its utility, I can’t see the enchantment for performance-minded PC players and different energy customers. Voice controls for one thing as fiddly as monitor settings appears like an answer to an issue nobody had. And I can’t assist however marvel how a lot of a efficiency hit you’ll take from working the {hardware} required for an additional, animated avatar in your desktop, or whether or not offloading that requirement to an AI chatbot (which can include a subscription?) will have an effect on your community speeds.

MSI’s promotional imagery mentions Intel and Nvidia components, however an precise breakdown of the {hardware} isn’t included. We’re in all probability months away from an precise launch of the MEG Vision X2 AI+ on the very least. Expect to pay an enormous premium later this 12 months, or perhaps in 2027, if you wish to get your palms and eyes on it.

I did spot one thing a bit extra interesting in MSI’s Computex press bundle: new laptops with Van Gogh work on the lids. These are variants of the Prestige 14 Flip AI+ with both Starry Night or Starry Night Over the Rhône emblazoned on them, and an identical blue on the 14-inch aluminum chassis. It’s a pleasant choice in order for you one thing a bit extra everlasting than a lid-covering vinyl sticker (and people normally aren’t obtainable past mass market MacBooks and Surface laptops, anyway).

The Prestige 14 Flip AI+ is obtainable with Core Ultra 3 processors, an OLED show, and a claimed 30 hours of battery life. You can learn PCWorld’s evaluate of this mannequin right here, which begins at round $1,500. No phrase on whether or not the flowery paint job will value additional.