MSI Releases the ‘VR One’: A Backpack PC For VR From $1999

MSI has started to sell its VR One backpack PC designed for virtual reality enthusiasts. The MSI VR One system is now available in the US, and comes equipped with an Intel Core i7 and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060/1070. The backpack promises to pack a lot of performance and can even be overclocked. However, the combination of high FPS and a relative freedom of movement is going to cost: the system starts at $1999.

MSI’s VR One backpack PCs rely on the company’s expertise in mobile computing and high-end notebooks. The VR One systems are based on the Intel Core i7-6820HK (4C/8T, 2.7/3.6 GHz, 8 MB LLC, 45 W) processor with an unlocked multiplier as well as NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB (VR One 6RD) or GeForce GTX 1070 8 GB (VR One 6RE) GPUs. The key components of the backpack are cooled down using an MSI proprietary cooling system featuring nine heatpipes and two blowers that ensure that the CPU and GPU never overheat even if overclocked (the HM170 chipset supports CPU overclocking). In fact, MSI even supplies its special Shift application that allows the user to boost both the compute and the cooling performance with just a few clicks.

The system comes equipped with a 256 or a 512 GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4/NVMe SSD with up to 2.2 GB/s read performance and have another M.2/SATA slot for an additional drive to install more gaming titles. No spinning HDD is equipped by default for obvious reasons.

One of the key things about VR gaming backpack PCs is connectivity. The VR One features all the ports needed to connect a VR headset like the HTC Vive with the ports right on top. To simplify connection of the Vive, MSI even supplies a special 3-in-1 cable with HDMI, USB 3.0 and power wires. Moreover, the system packs the Rivet Networks Killer 1535 Wi-Fi 802.11 ac + Bluetooth controller as well as Intel’s Alpine Ridge controller to enable one USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 port.

The whole design of VR One’s motherboard resembles the design of MSI’s gaming laptops, which helps to make the PC relatively thin (54 mm) and relatively light (3.6 kilograms). Meanwhile, two hot-swappable batteries enable MSI’s VR One to work completely autonomously for about 1.5 hours each. In fact, the whole outside design of the MSI VR One is optimized primarily for backpack, not desktop operation (unlike ZOTAC’s VR Go). While the VR One can be put on a desk, it will have to lie down, making its ports less accessible. So, the VR One is a system made primarily for virtual reality gaming, not for general-purpose computing.

Right now MSI offers the VR One 6RD with the GeForce GTX 1060 and a 256 GB SSD for $1999 in the U.S. The more advanced VR One 6RE with the GeForce GTX 1070 and a 512 GB SSD will be available a little later for $2299.

Gallery: MSI Begins to Sell VR One Backpack PC: Core i7, GeForce GTX, TB3, Starts at $1999

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HP Z2 Mini G3 Announced: Miniature Professional Workstation with Xeon and Quadro

This week HP has announced its new Z2 Mini G3 workstation, which weds a small form-factor with workstation-grade capabilities, along with rated reliability and performance. The new system can integrate Intel’s current and next-generation Core i7 or Xeon CPUs, NVIDIA’s Quadro GPU, two storage devices and up to 32 GB of DDR4 memory.

One of the desktop PC categories that is actually growing these days is SFF PCs. Such systems are faster than many outdated desktops and are designed to be subtle and discreet. While there are numerous makers of consumer computers that offer miniature PCs which are akin to Intel’s NUC, there are no workstations of the same size due to multiple reasons. For example, it is hard to offer workstation-grade endurance/reliability along with performance in a small enclosure due to thermals of desktop components, whereas usage of laptop parts is sometimes prohibitively expensive. Nonetheless, it still can be done. HP decided to capitalize on the SFF PC trend and used its expertise in developing commercial mini PCs as well as all-in-one workstations to develop a miniature workstation which would be small and powerful. The Z2 Mini G3 used to be called ‘Ant-Man’ internally, implying on a Marvel superhero character.

The HP Z2 Mini G3 measures 216×216×58 mm (8.5×8.5×2.28 inches), which is larger compared to Intel’s mainstream NUCs, but is smaller than SFF gaming systems like the MAGNUS EN980. The weight of the system starts at around two kilograms (4.5 lbs), it has 75/100mm VESA mounts and can be installed almost everywhere (behind the display, under the desk, on the desk, on the wall, etc.).

Gallery: HP Z2 Mini G3: Miniature Workstation with Xeon and Quadro

The workstation comes in black and to a degree matches the design of other HP Z machines, at least when it comes to versatile connectivity and functionality. For example, the higher-end Z2 Mini G3 models will offer four dual-mode DisplayPort connectors supporting up to six displays. In addition, the system will have four USB 3.0 Type-A and two USB 3.0 Type-C receptacles, a Gigabit Ethernet connector, a Wi-Fi 802.11ac + BT module, and a TRRS audio input.

Inside the Z2 Mini G3 there is a proprietary motherboard based on the Intel C236 PCH and featuring an LGA1151 socket supporting Intel Core i-series or Intel Xeon E3 processors (Skylake and Kaby Lake). The CPU is cooled-down by a relatively large blower. Given the fact that the total power draw of the system cannot be higher than ~180 W due to the power supply, we might not expect high-TDP microprocessors to be used inside the Z2 Mini G3, but it is reasonable to expect the system to support desktop-grade chips with 45-65W thermal design power (hence, four cores with HT, Iris Pro Graphics, etc.). The motherboard has two memory slots and can support up to 32 GB of DDR4 memory with or without ECC.

For graphics, the more advanced versions of the HP Z2 Mini G3 will come with NVIDIA’s Quadro M620 GPU (Maxwell, 384 stream processors, 30 W TDP) with 2 GB of GDDR5 memory that is certified to run professional CAD graphics applications. Alternatively, the entry-level HP Z2 Mini G3 models will use Intel’s integrated GPUs.

When it comes to storage, the HP Z2 Mini G3 supports one 2.5”/9.5 mm SATA HDD (or SSD) as well as one M.2-2280 HP Z Turbo Drive SSD (which is a re-badged Samsung SM951 SSD with NVMe and PCIe 3.0 x4 interface) with 256 GB or 512 GB capacity. The latter will be cooled-down using the airflow from the CPU blower to ensure consistent performance. Initially HP will support up to 1.5 TB of storage by its Z2 Mini G3 (1 TB HDD, 512 GB SSD), but eventually it may certify more capacious storage devices for the system.

All of HP’s Z2 Mini G3 systems will have a three year-long lifecycle option. The starting price of an entry-level SKU will be $699 and the systems will start to emerge in December. The more advanced models with Xeon and discrete graphics will naturally cost more and for the next-gen Intel Xeon E3 featuring the Kaby Lake microarchitecture customers will have to wait until early next year.

Gallery: HP Z2 Mini Briefng Deck

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ECS Preps LIVA Z: Apollo Lake-Based Nettop with 4K and USB-C Support

ECS has quietly published brief specifications of its new miniature LIVA Z personal computer, which indicates that the system is set to hit the market in the coming weeks or months. The new small form-factor PC is based on Intel’s Apollo Lake system-on-chip and thus features improved general purpose performance, graphics, and multimedia playback.

The ECS LIVA Z comes in a small 117×128×33 black enclosure, which is a bit larger than the Apple TV STB and about the same size as Intel’s entry-level NUCs. While the LIVA Z has rather advanced media playback capabilities and has both HDMI and mDP outputs (as well as a TRRS connector for analog audio), ECS positions its new SFF system not as a media-centric PC, but rather as an affordable miniature computer. This is a reason why the LIVA Z does not come with a remote control or even an IR receiver, but has two GbE ports in addition to 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0. For peripherals, the system has three USB 3.0 Type-A ports as well as a USB 3.0 Type-C port.

The heart of the ECS LIVA Z is an Apollo Lake SoC, which brand and model numbers the manufacturer does not disclose, but FanlessTech claims that the chip is a desktop part with 10 W TDP. Anyway, we do know that Intel’s Apollo Lake chips feature up to four x86 cores based on the latest low-power Goldmont microarchitecture, a new graphics core that features Intel’s ninth-generation architecture (Gen9) with 12 or 18 EUs as well as a new multimedia playback engine that supports hardware-accelerated playback of 4K video from hardware decoding of HEVC and VP9 codecs. The architectural and multimedia-related enhancements of the Apollo Lake SoCs make the LIVA Z quite good for light multimedia and video playback workloads.

So far, ECS has published only brief specs of the LIVA Z on its website, but we understand that the system will exist in different configurations, (possibly different regions will get different variants). The SFF PC will feature up to 8 GB of DDR3L memory (up to two SO-DIMMs), a pre-installed eMMC 32 GB/64 module as well as an M.2-2242 slot for SATA SSDs. There is no place for 2.5” HDDs/SSDs inside the LIVA Z, hence the system supports only solid-state M.2 storage devices. Currently the maximum capacity of available M.2-2242 SATA SSDs is 512 GB (albeit, they are rare), which means that people with vast multimedia libraries will have to use external storage.

At present ECS does not disclose pricing of its LIVA Z nettops and does not reveal when and where the PCs are set to be available. Prices will naturally depend on exact SoC, RAM, eMMC configuration as well as on the version of Windows included (or the lack of any OS). Some of the previous-gen ECS LIVA systems started at $170 and $180, so expect the new versions to be in the same range.

Gallery: ECS Preps LIVA Z: Apollo Lake-Based Nettop with 4K and USB-C Support

Many thanks to FanlessTech for the original source.

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