MSI
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| Basic information | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 4 Aug 1986 |
| Legal Structure | Public |
| Industry | Computer hardware |
| Also known as | Micro-Star International |
| Official website | https://www.msi.com/ |
Micro-Star International Co., Ltd. or MSI is a Taiwanese technology company that designs, develops and provides computer hardware and related products and services. It was founded 4 August 1986.
Consumer impact summary
[edit | edit source]User freedom
[edit | edit source]- MSI has historically placed "Warranty Void If Removed" stickers over chassis screws on their laptops and prebuilt PCs.[1] While the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ruled that conditioning warranty coverage on breaking a factory seal violates the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, and as such, warranties cannot actually be voided by breaking these stickers.[2]
User privacy
[edit | edit source]- MSI's policies state that user data may be processed and shared with third-party service providers, advertising partners, or legal authorities under broad "legitimate interest" clauses.[3]
- Certain software features and promotions require registration via an MSI Member Account, linking hardware directly to individual user identities and contact details.[3]
Business model
[edit | edit source]- MSI operates primarily as a consumer electronics manufacturer. The majority of its revenue is generated through direct sales of graphics cards, motherboards, gaming laptops, desktop PCs and gaming monitors.[4]
Market control
[edit | edit source]Incidents
[edit | edit source]This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the MSI category.
Threatening and controlling reviewers (2015—2020)
[edit | edit source]MSI has employed tactics to control negative press for their company,[5] some of them are listed below.
- MSI representatives contacted reviewers to request them to edit their reviews or take them down.
- Stalling negative reviews by promising internal testing and validation that never happens to make criticism outdated.
- Offering hardware and opportunities to new reviewers to incentivize them to speak positively about MSI
Scalping graphics cards via Starlit Partner Subsidiary (2020)
[edit | edit source]In 2020, during the cryptocurrency boom, MSI sold their graphics cards above their MSRPs via a subsidiary called Starlit Partner, scalping them through this subsidiary.[6]
After backlash, MSI apologized and offered customers who purchased one of these graphics cards the option to return the card for a full refund, or a refund for the money paid above the MSRP of said card.
Motherboard CMOS Battery Obsolescence (2022-2026)
[edit | edit source]- Main article: MSI Motherboard CMOS Battery Obsolescence
Recent MSI motherboards have changed from using easily accessible clip-mount holders for their CMOS batteries, and instead hiding it behind the voltage regulator module (VRM) heat-sink assembly, and affixing it to the main-board via a lead, and mounting it with adhesives and shrink-wrap plastic.[7][8]
Products
[edit | edit source]- Motherboards (1986)
- Digital Audio Players (2003)
- MEGA (2003)
- Pen Tablet PCs (2003)
- PenNote3100 (2003)
- Notebook PCs (2004)
- M510C (2004)
- Laptops (2008)
- Desktops (2008)
- GPUs (2008)
- MSI Claw (2024)
See also
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ "MSI laptop has a sticker that states void if removed. I can't upgrade the ram without removing the sticker. MSI support gave me a strange response". Reddit. 2015. Archived from the original on 4 Jun 2023. Retrieved 25 Jul 2026.
- ↑ Tyson, Mark (11 Apr 2018). "'Warranty Void if Removed' stickers illegal warns FTC". Hexus. Archived from the original on 15 Apr 2018. Retrieved 25 Jul 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Privacy Policy | MSI Global | MSI Global - The Leading Brand in High-end Gaming & Professional Creation". MSI. 25 Jul 2026. Archived from the original on 2 Jul 2026. Retrieved 25 Jul 2026.
- ↑ "MSI (Emesai Computer)". Tadviser. 25 Jul 2026. Archived from the original on 25 Jul 2026. Retrieved 25 Jul 2026.
- ↑ "Killshot: MSI's Shady Review Practices & Ethics". YouTube. 2020-07-31. Retrieved 2026-07-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "MSI Subsidiary Caught Scalping RTX 3080, 3090 Cards on eBay". PCMag. 2021-10-07. Retrieved 2026-07-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ benjy124302a4 (2022-04-15). "MSI Pro B660M-A CMOS battery location?". MSI Global English Forum. Archived from the original on 2026-03-02. Retrieved 2026-03-02.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ↑ "Where is the location of CMOS battery on this motherboard?". MSI Global. 2023-11-29. Retrieved 2026-03-02.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)