MSI MPG Gungnir 120R Evaluation

Until you construct quite a few techniques or improve your desktop PC regularly, a pc chassis could seem to be nothing greater than a fairly field to mount elements in. This has led some tower case distributors to design circumstances which have a lot of visible aptitude however find yourself being downright troublesome to work in. Personally, we worth a case’s ease of use over its aesthetics, however give further factors to those who handle to juggle each facets nicely. Not each case hits this mark, however MSI nails it with the $119.99 MPG Gungnir 120R. It isn’t a super case for giant triple-fan water coolers or jumbo Prolonged ATX (EATX) motherboards, however in any other case it is a standout.

The Design: All-ARGB FTW

Once you’re not explaining to your pals that “Gungnir” is the title of Odin’s mighty spear, you may be receiving compliments on the case’s eye-catching design. It seems clear and enticing with simply the correct quantity of aptitude. Total, the chassis is comparatively easy, with an all-black body and no distinguishing options other than a particular entrance panel.

(Credit score: Michael Justin Allen Sexton)

The entrance of the case consists of metal mesh with two items of tempered glass hooked up. The glass panels on both aspect of the entrance panel are separated by a strip of perforated metal that runs down the center. On the prime and backside, the mesh kinds triangles that time towards the middle and an MSI brand that lights when the system is powered on.

(Picture: Michael Justin Allen Sexton)

The remainder of the chassis is normal fare, with a left panel product of tempered glass and the best aspect, prime, rear, and backside constructed of metal with perforations to let airflow by. To my eyes, this makes the chassis immediately recognizable with out being too edgy. The dearth of plastic additionally helps the 120R really feel extra premium than another circumstances.

(Picture: Michael Justin Allen Sexton)

MSI outfitted the MPG Gungnir 120R with 4 120mm Addressable RGB (ARGB) followers, three in entrance and one on the rear, that hook up with a lightweight controller. The latter is related to a button on the case’s entrance panel that allows you to rapidly and simply change between lighting patterns. The controller will also be related to a appropriate motherboard for management by way of software program.

(Picture: Michael Justin Allen Sexton)

The case’s entrance panel is kind of good, although it could possibly be higher nonetheless. USB ports are ubiquitous on fashionable PCs, and I am not totally happy until a case provides 4 USB ports plus a card reader all accessible from the entrance. MSI provides you three front-panel USB ports, two being USB 3.2 Gen 1 Kind-A ports and the third a quicker USB-C 3.2 Gen 2×2 port permitting as much as 20Gbps of bandwidth.

(Picture: Michael Justin Allen Sexton)

USB Kind-C ports are widespread on entrance panels these days, however not many assist the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 spec, so MSI earns kudos right here. Alongside these ports are devoted headphone and microphone audio jacks, energy and reset buttons, and the aforementioned LED management button.

The Construct Expertise

The MPG Gungnir 120R was designed to carry ATX motherboards, and the primary space across the motherboard mounting tray was left empty to make becoming boards into place straightforward. MSI additionally left an unlimited cutout within the heart of the motherboard mounting tray that helps make putting in cooler brackets from the rear aspect far much less painful than typical. A number of smaller cutouts are set across the tray for cables to go by.

(Picture: Michael Justin Allen Sexton)

The cutouts to the instant proper of the motherboard are lined by rubber, which helps to cover the opposite aspect of the tray from view. This helps create a cleaner-looking completed construct, as that aspect is normally jammed with cables operating each which method, and the rubber masks them. The opposite cutouts do not obtain this therapy, however they’re situated in much less seen locations, akin to on the very prime of the board.

(Picture: Michael Justin Allen Sexton)

MSI opted for a reasonably normal storage configuration contained in the Gungnir 120R. There are two 2.5-inch mounting brackets set instantly behind the motherboard mounting tray, and a drive cage on the backside of the case that may maintain both two 3.5-inch or two 2.5-inch drives. Storage is much from being a standardized facet of circumstances, however in recent times I’ve seen extra circumstances with this precise bay configuration than with some other.

(Picture: Michael Justin Allen Sexton)

To be clear, I am not saying it is a downside—not many builders use greater than 4 storage units, and now that M.2 SSDs are widespread you may simply match significantly greater than that in right here. I merely imply that on the subject of storage, the 120R is neither significantly missing nor forward of its competitors. One spotlight I’ll point out is that the chassis makes use of a tool-free mounting system for the three.5-inch drives, which is at all times welcome. I want extra case makers would do the identical.

MSI shipped one among its new MAG CoreLiquid C360 water coolers to make use of for this overview, which you’ll see within the pictures of the completed system construct. Although the cooler is pretty quiet and appears good with a set of three ARGB followers, I would not personally suggest this mix.

(Picture: Michael Justin Allen Sexton)

Why not? The Gungnir has room to put in a complete of six case followers. One might be positioned at rear, two on prime, and three up entrance. This implies the one place you may set up the MAG CoreLiquid C360 is on the entrance, the place three followers come already put in. As these followers are one of many large causes to purchase this case within the first place, I would counsel as an alternative that you simply go for a 240mm water cooler, which you’ll add on the prime of the case with out eradicating of any of the put in followers.

(Picture: Michael Justin Allen Sexton)

Another excuse to not use a 360mm water cooler: To put in a cooler of that measurement on the entrance panel, you should both take away the drive cage from the case or slide it apart, so the large radiator can lengthen downward into its cavity, as you may see above. This may be achieved by eradicating a screw that holds it in place from beneath the motherboard mounting tray and eradicating a further 4 screws from the underside of the case. After you put in the cooler, all these screws will should be reinserted into completely different holes, which makes including the cooler a chore.

Worse, in the event you decide to maintain the cage within the case after shifting it over, chances are you’ll discover you not have room to put in your energy provide! This occurred to me with my construct—the case can maintain PSUs as much as 250mm in size with out the laborious drive cage put in, however a tough measurement reveals the out there house drops to about 170mm with the cage within the place closest to the case’s rear. That wasn’t sufficient for the EVGA SuperNova 750 B2 energy provide I attempted to put in first (its size is 180mm).

There was sufficient room for me to slip in a smaller Corsair ATX PSU, although it was a decent match too, and in hindsight it could have been simpler to put in the ability provide earlier than shifting the drive cage. The PSU must be inserted by the best aspect of the case, and any cable you put in beforehand will even get in the way in which, so in the event you do resolve to maneuver the cage and never take away it, you undoubtedly need to set up the ability provide first.

Happily, this difficulty doesn’t lengthen to graphics playing cards; there’s room for as much as a 340mm card contained in the case. Most massive air coolers will match with out difficulty, as nicely, since there’s 170mm of vertical clearance for these.

Upon getting every part put in, a variety of preinstalled cable ties underneath the best panel assist information cables neatly to the place they should go and maintain them in place.

Verdict: We’re Gung-Ho About This Case

The MSI MPG Gungnir 120R is a tower case that in some ways appears to have all of it. Some individuals will certainly desire to spend lower than $119.99 for a case and extra on key elements like a processor or GPU, however in the event you’re searching for a contemporary, enticing case this MSI is a wonderful possibility.

Its greatest demerit is its barely restricted cooler assist, as some fans would really like to have the ability to set up two 360mm water coolers. However that is a distinct segment concern, and there are different circumstances that pander to these prospects. The 120R is not your finest guess if you wish to set up half a dozen laborious drives, both, however in any other case it ought to work nicely as both a gaming PC or productiveness machine. The 4 preinstalled followers are certain to generate loads of airflow for many buildouts, and that may solely assist efficiency. And its seems, whereas enticing, aren’t so gamer-centric as to disqualify it as a sober work system.