MSI Creator P100X 10th Review

We've always loved a high-end PC build here at eTeknix, in fact, kick-ass PCs are pretty much the core of everything we do here. More often than not though, those PCs are designed to be big fire-breathing gaming PCs, and while that's awesome, it's not for everyone. The new MSI Creator P100X looks set to deliver all the high-end hardware one would expect from a high-end gaming PC, but in a much more professional form factor. While this isn't being marketed as a gaming PC, the hardware within says otherwise. Of course, if you work in content creation, a high-end GPU and CPU can seriously improve your workflow, cut rendering times and much more. MSI Creator P100X 10th As I said, it's a seriously well equipped system, offering up the latest Intel 10th Gen i9-10900K processor paired with the fantastic Nvidia RTX 2080 Super. This isn't a laptop in a fancy box, this is a proper motherboard, desktop CPU and GPU, just in a SFF mini-ITX case for a stylish desktop appearance. It comes with some great features too, such as Thunderbolt 3, WiFi 6, high-end Audio, and much more. Plus, you get access to the MSI Creator Center and Creator OSD. Features & Specifications Windows 10 Home - MSI recommends Windows 10 Pro for businessUp to the 10th generation Intel® Core™ i9 processorsThe latest MSI GeForce® RTX Graphics CardDual Channel Memory with DDR4 Boost Technology provides the most smooth & fastest real-time previewsThunderbolt 3 delivers the fastest, most versatile connection to any dock, display, or data device & NASWi-Fi 6 puts more emphasis on transmission security with speed up to 2.4GbpsSupport 2x M.2 PCI-e SSD with 2x 2.5" SATA Mass StorageSupport 5K2K Creating ExperienceProfessional Sound Quality Powered by Audio BoostEasy to Upgrade DesignExclusive Software – Creator Center & Creator OSD10.36 liters in size, the most compact desktop PC for creators For in-depth specifications please check out the official product page here. What MSI Had to Say "Creator P100 Series were gifted with clean lines, gentle organic curves, a love for different materials, and designers that came from the enduring popularity of the Mid-Century Modern style and they are idolized even today." - MSI Product Trailer A Closer Look Let's get right to it. This is one of the best looking PCs I've ever seen. Seriously, it is utterly gorgeous and the attention to detail really nails this one. It has a soft milky white finish that may be powder coated, or at least has the look of it. It's more matte than glossy too, which gives it a much more premium look. There's a lot of extra ventilation down the side, ensuring the CPU and GPU can get all the airflow they need. There's no case fans here, so the GPU and CPU coolers pull their own air through the case. I love the funky ventilation design too, it's a cool design and much more exciting than just a simple mesh panel. The top of the case has a floating top panel design with a gold trim on the interior edge. It looks really stylish, but also allows a lot of extra ventilation in the top too. The front I/O panel is on the side, but there is a power button up on the top. The gold on the top is complimented by a silver strip that rolls around the front panel. The front panel also has an RGB strip behind it, so it should look amazing once powered up. Down the right side, even more ventilation, ensuring your hardware is kept nice and cool I like that the PC looks great on both sides too, rather than just a bland panel on one side, as it doesn't limit your placement options. Around the back, you can see the word "prestige" at the top of the case. There is a TX form factor PSU at the top, the GPU below that, and the mini-ITX motherboard at the bottom. As it's a proper dedicated GPU, it can be removed, replaced or even upgraded in the future if required. It offers a single DisplayPort and three HDMI ports. Strangely, it seems I have the version that doesn't have WiFi 6, but alas, they do have a version with it, so be wary of which you're ordering. There's ultra-fast 2.5Gb networking though, which is always welcome. Finally, the underside offers up yet more ventilation! Plus, those firm rubber feet give it a good ground clearance, but will also prevent this lovely PC from scratching up your lovely desk! Testing & Methodology To test each system or notebook, we want to stress every component of the system to check stability and performance, giving us an idea as to why those particular components were picked for this particular system. We use a wide variety of applications to gain a broad spectrum of results for comparing diverse aspects of system performance. Games Used All games are tested at both 1920 x 1080, 2560 x 1440 and 3840 x 2160 (4K) (where supported). *Please note that for systems which do not support a particular resolution, such as 1080p laptops, or affordable systems, we will not test the higher resolutions on those devices. In an attempt to bring our games more into line with modern releases and specifically those that offer Nvidia RTX/DLSS features, we have decided to update some of our games accordingly. Please note that not all games listed below may be used in our tests. Games and Settings Used Shadow of the Tomb Raider DX12 Medium Preset - Includes Separate RTX/DLSS Tests - Steam Link1080p1440p*2160p*Deus Ex: Mankind Divided DX12 Medium Preset - Steam Link1080p1440p*2160p*Rise of the Tomb Raider Medium Preset- Steam Link1080p1440p*2160p*Metro Exodus DX12 Medium Preset - Includes Separate RTX/DLSS Tests - Epic Games Link1080p1440p*2160p*Far Cry New Dawn Medium Preset - Steam Link1080p1440p*2160p* World of Tanks enCore Medium Preset - Official website1080p1440p2160p Software Used 3DMark Fire Strike (download)FireStrike (1080p) BenchmarkUnigine Superposition (download)1080p Extreme BenchmarkPCMark 10 Professional (download)Express BenchmarkWPrime (download)32M and 1024MCineBench R15 (download)CPU MultiCPU SingleHandbrake (download)Custom MP4 to MKV 4K conversion (details below)AIDA64 Engineer (download)CPU-Z (download)HWMonitor (download) Handbrake To stress processors to their absolute limit and accurately judge their performance in video editing workloads, we transcode a 7.7GB compilation of gaming footage; this particular file is freely available from here. The captured footage is 22 minutes and 12 seconds long, it has a bit rate of 50.1 Mbps and it uses the Advanced Video Codec. Additionally, the video runs at a constant 30 frames-per-second and opts for a 3820 x 2140 (4K) resolution. Once loaded into Handbrake, we then transcode the 4K MP4 to an MKV file using the “normal” profile. We already know the Intel i9-10900K is a beast when it comes to workflow, so it's no surprise to see it perform so well here. The GPU didn't quite have the guts to beat out the competition, but it's still a 2080 Super, and that's a VERY fast gaming card. It's just that some of the systems I've tested also have 2080 Tis. Of course, this system does come in other versions, and I'm sure 3000 series models will hit the market in the new year. 3DMark Firestrike Unigine Superposition 1080p Extreme PCMark 10 WPrime 32m and 1024m Cinebench R15 Handbrake MP4 to MKV Conversion 4K AlphaSync tend to use the same SSD and HDD combo in most of their systems, but with Gen4, this one does get a nice performance boost, ensuring loading times are a thing of the past. Gaming Performance It's pretty much the same here too, with a powerful CPU that can top 5GHz, and one of the fastest graphics cards from the last 12 months, it's going to put a big smile on your face while gaming. Of course, you get the added benefit of RTX features such as ray tracing, DLSS, etc too. One thing is for certain, though, gaming at higher settings and even at 4K will not be a problem. World of Tanks enCore Far Cry New Dawn Metro Exodus Shadow of the Tomb Raider Final Fantasy XV Acoustics & Temperatures Being a slimmer system, heat and noise is always a concern. However, the system has been well designed so that there's a lot of airflow for all of the hardware. The CPU fan and the GPU can both draw air and expel heat easily things to those ventilated side panels, the open airflow design in the base of the case, and the vents at the top too. The end result? One of the quietest systems I've tested in a long time! CPU Temperatures GPU Temperatures Acoustics How Much Does it Cost? Unfortunately, I can't find stock of this system at the time of writing. With GPU stocks low, pre-built system sales have shot up now too. However, it should be on their Amazon store when it's back. In its current configuration, it's around £2000. However, there are models with different GPU and CPU configurations that will obviously have a big effect on price. Albeit, once I saw this thing in person, it's so gorgeous I just wanted one, so be careful not to spot on by mistake while holding your credit card. Overview When you drop down to such a compact form factor, there are often then limitations on what hardware you can utilise. MSI has created their own custom mini-ITX enclosure for this build, and their hardware has certainly paid off. It's ultra-stylish and seriously cool. While I love having it at home, it'll also stand up in a professional environment. I'd take something that looks this good over a mac any day... I'd take just about anything over a mac actually, but I'm trying to make a different point here. Performance While the 2080 Super isn't the latest or greatest graphics card out there, it's certainly not far off it. It's a great card for high-refresh rate gaming, 1440p and ultrawide monitors and even for 4K gaming too. Even the mighty Metro Exodus managed an impressive 59 FPS at 4K, with everything maxed, and while using full Ray Tracing settings and DLSS Quality. It may not be marketed as a gaming PC, it is built for content creators, but the hardware is obviously capable. That GPU and CPU combination is a good pairing, and gives us fast multi and single core performance for workstation tasks, rendering, compiling, etc. The GPU can pick up the pace in rendering video and graphics scenes too, which is no big surprise. However, if your workflow is CAD based, a more dedicated video card would likely be the best route. Should I Buy One? I really do like this PC, everyone who's seen it likes this PC. My partner saw it and immediately asked if she could have it for her office. I can't blame her, but I can fight her to the death over it... If MSI want it back, they'll have to come and pry it from my arms or something. It's not going to be cheap, but then again, the parts for it aren't cheap in their own right. It's actually going to be a little kinder to your wallet than similar systems from the likes of Alienware. Most importantly though, it's the best looking system MSI makes right now, and it makes their Trident mini-ITX systems look bland in comparison! It you're after a fast, quiet, and ultra-stylish desktop PC, this is it.