MSI at Computex 2026: 40 Years of History, 100% Taiwan Production, and a Surprise You Didn’t Expect
The Computex 2026 in Taipei is the setting chosen by MSI to celebrate an extraordinary milestone: 40 years of operation. Founded in August 1986 by Joseph Hsu along with four other partners in a small office in Taipei under the name MicroStar International, the company started as an exclusive producer of motherboards and then became one of the most recognized hardware brands in the world for gaming and high-performance computing. The celebration materializes in a free exhibition at Warehouse 5 of the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, open until June 7, 2026, showcasing eight thematic zones that trace the entire history of the company and look towards the future of AI.
From Origins to GPUs: A Summary of MSI's 40 Years
The first significant turning point came in 1997, when MSI moved to its main headquarters in Taipei and started producing GPUs, alongside motherboards. In 2004, the first MSI notebook was introduced, while global expansion continued in parallel: the first European office opened in 1993 in France, and in 2010 it arrived in Italy, with an active office in Milan. Over the years, MSI has solidified a strong gaming identity: unlike other Taiwanese manufacturers that created separate brands for gaming, MSI chose to make gaming its main identity. Among the historical models displayed are the world's first overclockable 286 motherboard, the legendary K7 Pro, the Z87-G45 GAMING in red-black, and the compactly designed GeForce GTX 960, which remains iconic to this day, the same design MSI has recently reintroduced in some modern projects.
One of the distinctive elements of MSI compared to Taiwanese competitors is its almost entirely in-house production at its Taiwan facilities. The manufacturing process is divided into eight phases: intelligent material inspection, millimetric application of solder paste on the PCB, high-speed robotic placement of capacitors, resistors, and chips, passing through a reflow oven at 250-270°C, automated optical inspection with high-resolution cameras, assembly of structural and thermal parts with heat sinks and fans, full load testing for power, signals, and connectivity, and finally automated packaging with weight verification. The only exception concerns the display panels, commissioned to specialized external manufacturers, a common practice among laptop manufacturers worldwide.
Over the years, MSI has received numerous accolades from the European Hardware Association, of which Hardware Upgrade is also a part, not only for gaming video cards and notebooks but also for Quantum OLED monitors and the Radix series of routers with Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7. Recently, the company expanded its networking presence with the Roamii BE Lite line for mesh Wi-Fi in large environments and the Pro Max series with sleek finishes for professional contexts.
Wallboxes for Electric Vehicles: MSI Enters the EV Charging Market
One of the most surprising new developments is MSI's entry into the wallbox market for electric vehicle charging. The company presents two already functional models: the EZ GO, a portable version with charging power up to 7 kW, and a fixed installation version with power options of 11 or 22 kW. Both products have been developed for the European market, with the portable version expected to arrive in Italy by the end of 2026, and are produced at MSI’s Taiwan facilities, unlike most competing wallboxes that come from China. MSI aims to leverage this factor to differentiate itself in terms of build quality and reliability.
The celebration also manifests in a line of limited edition products featuring commemorative graphics and colors: from the Maestro 500 Wireless headphones with a 40th-anniversary logo to the Radeon RX 5080 Supreme with a reissue of the historic MSI logo, along with the Versa Alloy Wireless mouse, laptops from the Titan line, the MEG Maestro cases, GeForce RTX Supreme, the MEG Coreliquid cooler, and the MEG Vision X monitor. The Songshan exhibition also hosts collaborations with major IPs such as Frieren: Beyond Journey's End featuring thermoreactive technology that changes color at 40°C, along with special editions themed around Evangelion, Monster Hunter, World of Warcraft Midnight, and Toy Story. Live gaming challenges with well-known streamers and creators are scheduled for June 5, 6, and 7.