MSI Maestro 900R launches in Q3 for $699 and it's a lot of case

MSI's flagship Maestro 900R case is arriving in Q3, and it'll set you back $699. It made its prototype debut at CES earlier this year, and after a hands-on look at MSI's HQ this week, it's shaping up to be a surprisingly capable chassis — with a few caveats.

The standout feature is the triple-sided panoramic glass and the fully removable motherboard tray. That tray doubles as an open test bench — pull it out, mount your motherboard, CPU, RAM, and PSU, confirm everything posts, then slide the whole assembly back into the case. It's a genuinely useful feature for DIY builders who'd otherwise be balancing components on a cardboard box. The PSU sits directly behind the motherboard, which looks odd at first glance since it's enclosed on all sides with the power cable snaking out — but it's side-mounted, so most of the fan still gets airflow through the rear panel vents. One catch: if you're pairing it with the Coreliquid E15 360 AIO, that 110° wraparound pump screen means it's not going anywhere outside the case.

A couple of details give pause before dropping near $700. The top cover doesn't run the full length of the case, leaving a large section of mesh filter permanently exposed — it slightly undercuts the premium look. The cover itself also feels a bit plasticky, which is noticeable at this price point.

If $699 is too steep, MSI also has the MPG Maestro Vixta as a more affordable alternative. It features a floating base design with 75 mm of clearance underneath for improved intake airflow, and comes in either a wraparound tempered glass version or a dedicated airflow variant with dual 160 mm front fans and an optional 120 mm intake fan above the base gap.