MSI is one of the leading motherboard manufacturers in the world and a massive sponsor of eSports events. The company was founded in 1986 and has grown to be one of the biggest names in DIY computing and PC gaming. While MSI began with motherboards in the 1980s but, has diversified in recent years. MSI now makes laptops, monitors, desktops, graphics cards, peripherals, and more. MSI is seriously reaching a point where it will be possible to build a PC with nothing but MSI branded hardware in it. CPU, RAM, and a case seem to be about the only things that will be missing MSI logos in such a build.

MSI has consistently impressed me with the quality of its products in recent years. Gone are the days of color coding their RAM slots differently than anyone else or putting roller coaster heat pipe heat sinks on motherboards. The company transformed itself from the run of the mill motherboard company with mediocre motherboards into a company that focuses on PC gaming like no other company in the industry. Sure, ASUS and GIGABYTE have gaming brands, but MSI is the company that put nearly everything they make into a "gaming" brand. Oddly, the motherboard we are looking at here is not part of the usual gaming brand. The B350I PRO AC has no red and black colors, no "gaming" printed across the box or anything of the sort. This is one of those rare products in MSI’s catalog that sits as almost a niche within a niche. It’s a non-gaming part and a mini-ITX motherboard on top of that.