Virtual reality has been undergoing something of a renaissance of late, particularly given the recent focus on the concept of persistent, interconnected virtual worlds. We've already seen some of the spectacular possibilities it represents in titles like Half Life: Alyx and No Man's Sky.
The future of VR is here — and it will only get better
Imagine witnessing the might of Subnautica's leviathans first hand, with no screen between yourself and the titans of the depths. Or the overwhelming paranoia of exploring an abandoned asylum in Phasmophobia, wondering what horrors await you around each corner. Or maybe you're more about losing yourself in the massive, immersive world of Zenith: The Lost City.
Modern titles such as Horizon: Forbidden West and Dying Light 2 are capable of stunning levels of detail and realism, and virtual reality can take that realism to an entirely new level. It's hardly news, however, that in order to support this level of realism, you need to have a seriously beefy rig. With the right hardware, virtual reality can go from immersive to incredible.
As the technology continues to develop, you will need to upgrade in order to get the most from it — even now, hardware that's more than a few years old may have trouble running newer VR titles, leading to dropped frames and higher latency.
Virtual experiences will only grow more immersive, evolving beyond simple head tracking and spatial voice. Games will only grow more realistic, with better visuals and more advanced AI. We're already seeing the development of technology that can map non-verbal communication such as a raised eyebrow or a slight frown onto the face of a 3D avatar, and the release of platforms like Unreal Engine 5.
Modern development frameworks, advanced game engines, photorealistic visuals, and cutting-edge artificial intelligence are just a few of the factors at play here. Just a few of the things our systems will need to support moving forward. And again keeping pace with advances like these will require some serious power under the hood.
The good news is that this is all well within our reach already.
The last few years have seen some enormous innovations in graphics card and processor architecture. This evolution has gone hand-in-hand with the development of new rendering techniques such as ray tracing. Games look, perform, and play better than ever before.
And the hardware to support that performance and visual fidelity no longer needs to be in a bulky desktop format.
Future focused
If you truly want to experience everything virtual reality has to offer, you cannot compromise. And that's where MSI's new laptops come in. As a company dedicated to providing extraordinary gaming experiences to users for decades, MSI has alway had a knack for predicting the needs of its audience.
That's why it's released three new product lines, all built with the specifications to allow users to make the most of modern gaming — from high-end AAA titles to high-demand development frameworks.
Raider GE
Raw power and an unbeatable aesthetic
The Raider GE Series is designed to support the heaviest, most resource-intensive workloads. Whether you're running a high-end development framework or the latest VR titles, this laptop's made for optimum performance. Better yet, it also looks amazing.
This is in large part thanks to its RGB keyboard and the light bar it sports across the front of its chassis. Both can be customized to your heart's content through MSI's Mystic Light software. And for the audiophiles out there, the Raider GE also sports Duo Wave Woofer audio design—meaning that whether you're listening to music or immersing yourself in a new game, everything will sound incredible.
Stealth GS
A portable powerhouse for the modern professional
Stealth GS Series laptops feature an ultra-thin, ultra-light design perfectly at home in any professional environment. Designed equally for business and gaming, Stealth GS laptops include a built-in 1080P IR webcam with full support for Windows Hello, allowing you to intuitively access and secure your system via facial recognition.
The 99.9 whr battery, meanwhile, ensures you'll stay connected no matter where, when, or how you decide to work.
Vector GP
For STEM students looking to run the most powerful software
The Vector GP Series is made to impress with a sleek, subtle black chassis design. If you're a student, these are made for you, as you can bring them to class — or anywhere else — without standing out too much. But don't make the mistake of thinking that subtlety means they lack power.
Alongside their powerful hardware, Vector GP laptops are built with new Cooler Boost 5 cooling technology. This ensures they stay cool and allows them to unleash their full potential even when running highly-complicated software.
Built for the future
Modern VR is capable of providing some downright incredible experiences, but it needs to be backed by powerful hardware in order to do so. MSI has designed three unique product lines specifically with this in mind. These laptops allow you to fully enjoy everything the games industry has to offer, and all three come with the following specifications:
- Optimal CPU and GPU heat dissipation
- Intel Core i7 H-Series Processors (or above)
- NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3070 Laptop GPU (or above)
- Lightning-fast network connectivity
- Versatile I/O including HDMI, Thunderbolt(optional), and USB Type-C
- 16+ GB of RAM and 8+ GB VRAM
- 512+ GB of SSD storage
No matter what kind of user you are — whether you're a developer who wants to create cutting-edge software, a gamer who's excited about the potential of VR, or simply a tech enthusiast that wants to prepare for the future — MSI has a laptop that's perfect for you.
