MSI's AI PC Builder Fumbles: Labels High-End Ryzen CPU 'Budget' and Overinflates Costs

MSI's AI PC Builder Stumbles: High-End CPU Labeled 'Budget' and Sky-High Costs

MSI has entered the arena of AI-assisted PC building with the launch of its new tool, EZ PC Builder. Designed to demystify the often-intimidating process of selecting components for a custom-built computer, this AI aims to be a helpful guide, particularly for newcomers. Developed in collaboration with MaiAgent and powered by large language models accessible through Amazon Bedrock, EZ PC Builder operates as a free, globally available chatbot.

However, early testing by journalists has revealed some rather peculiar and, frankly, bewildering results. When tasked with recommending a budget-friendly PC configuration, the AI confidently proposed the AMD Ryzen 9 9800X3D. This particular processor, renowned for its exceptional gaming prowess, is anything but budget-oriented, often commanding a price tag that dwarfs the concept of affordability for a "budget" build. Despite repeated attempts to steer the AI toward more economical options, it remained steadfast in its perplexing recommendation of the 9800X3D.

The MSI Product Push: A Heavy Hand on the Recommendations

Unsurprisingly, EZ PC Builder exhibits a strong bias towards MSI's own product line. While this is an understandable outcome given MSI's role in its creation, the AI's enthusiasm for its parent company's offerings sometimes crosses the line into being overly insistent. A prime example of this occurred within the so-called "budget" build. The AI suggested the MSI CoreLiquid A13 all-in-one (AIO) liquid cooler with a substantial 360mm radiator. This is a premium cooling solution, decidedly not suited for an economical build, and it comes with a hefty price tag. PC Gamer, in their own review, even rated this cooler a modest three stars, despite its $99 cost.

The rest of this curiously constructed budget build included an MSI B650 motherboard, an MSI RTX 5060 graphics card, an NVMe SSD, an 850W power supply, and an ATX case – all from MSI. The only outlier in this MSI-centric build was Kingston RAM clocked at 5600 MT/s. Yet, even this choice is questionable; for a CPU like the 9800X3D, which costs around $500, this RAM speed is far from optimal, failing to truly leverage the processor's potential.

A Disconnect from Reality: Pricing Ignorance and Unrealistic Budgets

Perhaps the most glaring issue with EZ PC Builder is its apparent lack of awareness regarding current market prices. The AI is not connected to the internet in real-time, meaning it cannot verify the actual cost of components. This detachment from reality leads to the generation of PC builds that are physically impossible to assemble within the stated budget. For instance, the AI suggested a build featuring the Ryzen 9 9800X3D and an RTX 5060 Ti, all for a supposed budget of $1000. The two components alone would consume nearly $900 of that budget, leaving a mere $100 for the motherboard, case, cooler, storage, and memory – a truly laughable prospect.

Interestingly, the AI itself acknowledges the 9800X3D as a mid-to-high-end gaming processor. When prompted for a more cost-effective alternative, it did offer a more sensible suggestion: the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. This processor delivers very similar gaming performance for significantly less money, representing a much more appropriate recommendation for a budget-conscious builder.

Navigating the Chatbot Maze: User Experience and Core Flaws

EZ PC Builder operates as a conversational tool, prompting users to choose between AMD or Intel for their CPU. This can be a stumbling block for beginners who may not possess the foundational knowledge to make such a decision. Curiously, a similar clarification is absent for graphics cards; the AI doesn't inquire about user preferences for Nvidia, AMD, or even Intel GPUs. The website's interface might appear feature-rich, but EZ PC Builder itself is essentially a simple chatbot embedded in a corner of the page, rather than a truly interactive PC builder. The most significant shortcomings remain its utter disregard for real-world pricing and its unwavering, almost aggressive, promotion of MSI products.

The information presented here is based on reports and analyses from tech publications, notably PC Gamer and further detailed on Tom's Hardware, highlighting the current limitations and eccentricities of MSI's AI-driven PC building assistant.