Exterior Look

The front of the MSI Nightblade MI2 is simple in its design, with an obvious disc drive on the left and some red highlights on the bottom. That drive, however, should give you an indicator of just how small this mini PC really is. It's not square as it is fairly long, but not as big as some motherboard packaging I've got on my shelf. Stack two high-end VGAs standing next to each other, and they'll likely be close to the same size as the MSI Nightblade MI2. It is a tiny little box that betrays its true capabilities for sure.


Looking at the back panel, we find six USB ports, a LAN port, a PS/2 port, and display and audio plugs. With the ability to install up to a GTX970 into the MSI Nightblade MI2, display connectivity can be added to easily, but you're stuck with the optical and five analogue audio ports, which is more than enough for most home uses. The front I/O panel, located on the right, consists of USB 3.1 Type-C and USB 3.0 Type-A ports, headphone and mic jacks, and the power button. There is no reset switch.