The Rift and Vive VR headsets offers substantially better audiovisual fidelity compared to mobile-based VR experiences. Unfortunately, the packaging and setup for PC-based VR rigs is less convenient, particularly for those that wish to transport their VR systems for demonstrations. MSI seeks to stick a fork in those pains with the Trident, which the manufacturer calls the "smallest VR-Ready gaming PC."

The Trident comes with a choice of Skylake Intel Core i5-6400 or i7-6700 CPUs and custom-designed Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card in 3GB and 6GB variants. All this goes into a chassis that takes up a volume of only 4.7L. MSI's "Silent Storm" cooling system with independent chambers for the CPU and graphics card aims to keep system temperatures in check. The Trident's pair of SODIMM slots can accomodate up to 32GB of memory, though memory clock speeds are limited 2133 MT/s. Storage devices can go into a 2.5" drive bay and an M.2 slot. Wireless connectivity comes by way of an Intel 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 adapter.

The Trident's front panel has audio jacks, one USB 3.1 Type-C and two USB 3.1 Type-A ports, and an HDMI connector that MSI labels VR Link. Additional connections on the rear panel include a Gigabit Ethernet port, a USB 3.1 Type-A connector, four USB 2.0 ports, and additional display connections. The Trident's external dimensions ring in at 13.6" x 9.1" x 2.8" (34.6 cm x 23.2 cm x 7.2 cm) without a stand. The Trident comes with its own 230-W power brick.

The PC can lay down, or it can be mounted vertically in the included stand. Either way, the Trident's RGB LED lighting should help the Trident blend into or stand out from its environment. MSI did not provide pricing information, but the company did say it expects the Trident to ship in mid-November.