MSI to omit manuals and papers from its motherboards in environmental gesture

MSI is taking steps to remove unnecessary paper from its motherboard product lines. It’s a small, but welcome gesture, where every little bit helps to reduce the impact of the tech industry on the environment. Items such as flyers, catalogs and user manuals will be omitted from its retail boxes.

“MSI is committed to mitigating the environmental impacts of its business activities through green production and supply chain management. We have invested actively into improving energy consumption, waste reduction and chemical substance control in response to climate change risk,” according to a statement on MSI’s website.

It would be a little cynical to note that this move will save MSI some money, and it makes for a bit of positive PR as well, but let’s face it, the world we live in is struggling, and small steps like these can all add up to make a meaningful difference.

For now, MSI is only referring to its motherboard products, with no mention of whether its other divisions will follow suit. MSI has a comprehensive and expanding product portfolio, including high end monitors and luxurious cooling products among others, all of which come with the same kinds of paper-based extras. Surely it’s only a matter of time before other products in MSI’s range follow suit. Who knows, maybe this move will inspire others in the industry to do the same. 

I certainly won’t miss things like the manual, especially when 90% of it is made up of different languages which means it’s more like a book. These days most DIY builders download updated drivers and software from the web (and if you don’t, you should). The product manual is easily available in different languages online right alongside drivers or software so it’s not like the paper material is suddenly inaccessible.

Usually the only things I would refer to in the manual are things like the front panel pin layout and possibly things like the PCIe lane configuration and M.2 slot arrangement. These are things that are easily viewable online for each specific model.

MSI gesture is a small one in the grand scheme of things. Big industry still has a lot to answer for, but if everyone in the world made more of an effort to recycle, or reduce their environmental impact, the world would be much better for it.