14 DAY TRIAL // There are several types of desktop PCs, divided according to size and hardware capabilities for the most part, and the smaller ones are usually the weakest too, although micro-ATX systems can be really strong if it comes down to it. Not so for nettop. Or at least it wasn't so until just now.
Micro-Star International decided to completely disregard everything a nettop is supposed to be when it made the Nightblade. It's kind of like the world record for Kaveri overclocking just got broken on a motherboard that wasn't even made for overclocking.
Although at least there it was just a technicality. The MSI Gaming line may not be made for overclockers, but it comes with everything needed to tweak the living lights out of clocks and voltages.
By contrast, nettops, by nature, don't allow for much of anything beyond basic computer operation.
And yet Micro-Star International was still able to make one that is specifically aimed at gamers. It's got the MSI OC Genie software and everything.
Truth be told, the MSI Nightblade looks more like a micro-ATX LAN Part mini PC instead of a nettop, but it does ship without graphics cards, RAM, and storage devices. In the end, that's the main, essential feature of nettops.
The computer also lacks an actual central processing unit. The Intel Z87I Gaming Nightblade motherboard (which gives the system its name) supports Intel's Z87 Core i3/i5/i7 CPUs though.
On that note, it also gives the PC space for even the biggest high-end graphics cards (an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti or AMD Radeon R9 280X) and up to 16 GB of DDR3-3000 memory.
It explains why the nettop is so much wider than most others we've covered: it needed room for full-size video cards.
Moving on, the MSI Nightblade nettop gets 7.1 channel audio, E2200 Killer Gigabit LAN, room for a tower cooler (if you want one), and support for one 3.5-inch storage drive (HDD/SSD/SSHD/HHD) or two 2.5-inch units (four mSATA units even, two per 2.5-inch bay).
As for connectivity and I/O, the ports and plugs are many, from eSATA and PS/2 to Clear CMOS button, video outputs (HDMI, DVI, DisplayPort), two antenna connectors, and 7.1-channel audio.
Other components include an optional slot-in optical drive, a system fan (or two) and Wi-Fi support. All in a 16-liter frame and powered by a 600W 80 Plus Gold power supply.
The MSI Nighblade nettop weighs 7.8 kilograms / 17.19 pounds and should sell from next week onwards. It will be live at CeBIT 2014 in Hannover, Germany, but its price isn't known just yet.
