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MSI omits manuals and documents from its motherboards in eco-friendly gesture
MSI is taking steps to remove unnecessary paper from its motherboard lineup. It’s a small but welcome gesture, and every bit of it helps reduce the tech industry’s environmental impact. Items such as flyers, catalogs and user manuals will be omitted from its retail box.
“MSI is committed to mitigating the environmental impact of its business activities through green production and supply chain management. We are actively investing in improving energy consumption, waste reduction and chemical control to address climate change risks,” According to the statement on the MSI website.
Kind of cynical to note that this move will save MSI some money, and it also leads to some positive PR, but let’s face it, we live in a struggling world where small steps like this can Increase to make meaningful changes.
For now, MSI is only referring to its motherboard products, without mentioning whether its other divisions will follow suit. MSI has a comprehensive and ever-expanding portfolio of high-end monitors and luxury cooling products, all with the same kind of paper add-ons. Of course, it’s only a matter of time before the rest of the MSI lineup follows suit. Who knows, maybe this move will inspire others in the industry to do the same.
I certainly don’t miss something like a manual, especially when 90% of it is made up of different languages, which means it’s more of a book. These days, most DIY builders download updated drivers and software from the web (if you don’t, you should). Product manuals are easily available online in different languages next to the driver or software, so there’s no sudden loss of access to paper materials.
Usually the only things I’d mention in the manual are the front panel pinout and possibly the PCIe lane configuration and M.2 slot arrangement. For each specific model, these are the things that can be easily viewed online.
MSI Gestures are a small part of a grander plan. Big industry still has a lot of problems to solve, but if everyone in the world worked harder to recycle, or reduce their environmental impact, the world would be a better place because of it.