MSI’s Project Zero X could change how we build PCs

If you’ve ever built a PC yourself before, you know that the I/O ports are usually positioned towards the rear of the case. Some cases might include some ports on the front, but the major ports including HDMI or DisplayPorts are usually positioned towards the back. MSI is challenging that concept at CES 2025 with Project Zero X.

Shaking things up

Like we said, most PC cases have its I/O ports positioned at the rear of the case. This helps hide the cables running from your keyboard, mouse, speakers, monitors, and more.

This design has worked well over the decades, but that doesn’t mean it cannot be improved. The MSI Project Zero X is a concept PC that the company showed off at CES 2025. It reimagines the repositioning of the I/O ports to the back (or side, depending on how you look at it) of the case.

This creates a very clean and minimal look, allowing you to easily hide all the cables from sight if you know what you’re doing.

This innovative design breaks the traditional PC setup and offers potential benefits such as space-saving, improved airflow, and a cleaner workspace.

All the possibilities

One of the most obvious ideas that comes to mind with this case is that you could wall-mount it. Most PCs tend to sit on or under a desk. Project Zero X’s repositioning of the I/O ports would make wall-mounted PCs much more feasible and aesthetically pleasing.

The concept of wall-mounted PCs isn’t new. The main problem is that the current design of PCs and the position of the I/O ports make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to hide the cables.

This is one of the problems that Project Zero X solves. Users who want to wall-mount their PCs can follow a cabling system like their TVs. They could install channels to hide the cables running from the back of the PC to the ground. Alternatively, some may even hack a hole in the wall and connect some components to a separate room.

This concept opens up quite a number of possibilities. Unfortunately, at this stage, it is still a concept. MSI has not stated if or when they plan to make it a reality. The MSI Project Zero X is a prototype, and its future availability is uncertain.

It could be a pretty tough thing to pull off, though. It would require more component makers to redesign their PC parts. Of course, MSI would probably be more than happy to sell you its compatible components like GPUs or motherboards, but we’ll have to wait and see.