MSI showed off the next generation of its premium gaming laptops at CES 2025 in Las Vegas, and there’s a lot to say about it. So far, the company has given us a look at gaming laptops that include newer iterations of the Titan, Raider, Stealth, Vector and other series.
This time around, MSI has introduced AI and non-AI versions of some of these laptops. Additionally, as we already mentioned, the new laptops will feature new components, such as the highly anticipated Nvidia GeForce RTX 50 GPUs, Intel Core Ultra (Arrow Lake HX) processors, AMD Ryzen 9000 series and Ryzen AI 300 series.
Among the newly announced laptops, MSI introduced the Raider 18 HX (A9WJG/A9WIG), which is not an AI variant. The Raider 18 HX is equipped with the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D CPU processor. As for the graphics part, buyers can choose the AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 with 24 GB GDDR7 or the RTX 5080 with 16 GB GDDR7.
On the outside, the Raider A18 features a massive 18-inch UHD+ Mini-LED display with a resolution of 3840 x 2400 pixels, offering a 16:10 aspect ratio. With a refresh rate of 120Hz, users can expect quality graphics and smooth gameplay.
As for connectivity, the laptop offers 2 USB4 ports supporting Thunderbolt 4, 3 USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and an HDMI 2.1 output capable of 8K@60Hz or 4K@120Hz. For internet connectivity, the laptop offers AMD Wi-Fi 7 and 2.5GbE Ethernet, which should provide lag-free gaming.
Here are the full specifications –
| Model | Raider A18 HX A9WJG / A9WIG |
| Operating system | Windows 11 Home ou Windows 11 Pro |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D |
| GPU | Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 (24 Go GDDR7) ou RTX 5080 (16 Go GDDR7) |
| RAM | DDR5, 2 slots, up to 96 GB |
| Storage | 1 x NVMe M.2 SSD (PCIe Gen5 x4), 1 x NVMe M.2 SSD (PCIe Gen4 x4) |
| Screen | Mini-LED, 18 pouces UHD+ (3840 x 2400), 16:10, 120 Hz, VESA DisplayHDR 1000, ~100% DCI-P3 |
| Ports | 2 x USB4 (DisplayPort, USB-PD 3.1, compatible Thunderbolt 4), 3 x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A |
| Connectivity | Gigabit Ethernet (up to 2.5 GbE), AMD Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth v5.4 |
| Monitor outputs | 2 x DisplayPort via USB4, 1 x HDMI 2.1 (8K@60Hz / 4K@120Hz) |
| Keyboard | SteelSeries Gaming Keyboard with Per-Key RGB, Numpad, and Copilot Key |
| Son | Dynaudio sound system with six speakers, Nahimic 3 Audio Enhancer, Hi-Res Audio support |
| Security | Fingerprint reader, IR facial recognition (FIDO2 certified), Kensington security slot |
| Web camera | Full HD (1080p@30fps), IR sensor, privacy cover, 3D Noise Reduction+ |
| Battery | Li-Polymer 4 cells, 99 Wh |
| Food | 400 W |
| Weight | 3.6 kg |
The official announcement does not mention the price of this laptop. However, given that the Raider 18 HX is equipped with the latest hardware components, we expect its price to be high.
