TurboVS
MSI Raider 18 HX AI A2XW (2025) 18" specifications and in-depth review

MSI Raider 18 HX AI A2XW (2025) 18"

Manufacturer: MSI

The MSI Raider 18 HX AI A2XW (2025) is a gaming laptop designed for high-performance tasks. It features an 18″ Mini-LED display with a resolution of 3840 x 2400 px, offering a crisp visual experience. The device weighs 3600 g and includes a backlit keyboard for comfortable use in low-light environments.

On the technical side, the laptop is powered by a CPU with up to 24 threads and a turbo boost speed of 5.5GHz. It boasts 64GB of RAM running at 6400 MHz, paired with 4096GB of NVMe flash storage for rapid data access. Additionally, the device supports multiple displays through its GPU and features a range of connectivity options including USB 4, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4.

Pros
  • Supports multi-display technology, allowing for an expanded visual workspace.
  • Equipped with Intel Resizable BAR, enhancing gaming and productivity performance.
  • Has USB Type-C ports, offering versatile and modern connectivity options.
  • Supports ECC memory, improving data integrity and system reliability for critical tasks.
  • Features a fingerprint scanner for secure and convenient user authentication.
Cons
  • Lacks support for Dolby Atmos, which may be a downside for users seeking advanced audio quality.
  • Does not include a MagSafe power adapter, limiting convenience for certain users.
  • Lacks Thunderbolt 4 ports, which could be limiting for users needing ultra-fast data transfer.
Who is this for?

This product is ideal for users who need high-performance computing for demanding tasks such as gaming, content creation, or 3D rendering. The combination of Intel Resizable BAR support and multi-display technology makes it a solid choice for gamers and professionals seeking smoother performance and multitasking capabilities. With ECC memory for data integrity, it is also suitable for critical applications requiring reliability and stability, such as scientific computing or video editing.

Who is this NOT for?
Thunderbolt 4 ports and Dolby Atmos support may make it less suitable for users who require the highest-end connectivity or immersive audio for media consumption.

Design:

Type Gaming
weight 3600 g
Uses a fanless design ✕
Has a backlit keyboard ✓
volume 2976.672 cm³
width 404 mm
height 307 mm
thickness 24 mm
is weather-sealed (splashproof) ✕
has a rugged build ✕

The MSI Raider 18 HX AI A2XW (2025) is a gaming laptop with a weight of 3600 g and dimensions of 404 mm in width, 307 mm in height, and 24 mm in thickness. It features a backlit keyboard for comfortable use in low-light conditions, though it does not have a fanless design. The laptop is not weather-sealed and does not have a rugged build, making it more suitable for typical usage scenarios. Its overall volume is 2976.672 cm³.

Display:

screen size 18"
resolution 3840 x 2400 px
pixel density 251 ppi
Display type Mini-LED
has a touch screen ✕
refresh rate 120Hz
has anti-reflection coating ✕
supported displays 4

The MSI Raider 18 HX AI A2XW (2025) features an 18″ Mini-LED display with a resolution of 3840 x 2400 px, offering a pixel density of 251 ppi for sharp visuals. The display supports a 120Hz refresh rate, making it ideal for smooth gaming and fast-moving content. However, it does not include a touch screen or anti-reflection coating, and it supports up to four connected displays through its GPU.

Performance:

RAM 64GB
RAM speed 6400 MHz
Uses flash storage ✓
internal storage 4096GB
CPU speed 8 x 2.8 & 16 x 2.1 GHz
CPU threads 24 threads
VRAM 24GB
floating-point performance 31.8 TFLOPS
GDDR version GDDR7
texture rate 496.9 GTexels/s
pixel rate 193.9 GPixel/s
Is an NVMe SSD ✓
DirectX version DirectX 12 Ultimate
GPU clock speed 990 MHz
uses multithreading ✓
maximum memory amount 96GB
DDR memory version 5
turbo clock speed 5.5GHz
GPU turbo 1515 MHz
memory slots 2
PCI Express (PCIe) version 4
semiconductor size 4 nm
has XeSS (XMX) ✕
Supports 64-bit ✓

The MSI Raider 18 HX AI A2XW (2025) is equipped with 64GB of RAM running at a speed of 6400 MHz and features 4096GB of NVMe flash storage for fast data access. Its CPU offers a total clock speed of 8 x 2.8 GHz and 16 x 2.1 GHz, with 24 threads and a turbo boost of up to 5.5GHz. The laptop also includes a powerful GPU with 24GB of VRAM, running at a clock speed of 990 MHz and supporting DirectX 12 Ultimate for enhanced graphics performance.

Benchmarks:

PassMark result 62297
PassMark result (single) 4784

The MSI Raider 18 HX AI A2XW (2025) achieves a PassMark result of 62297, indicating strong overall performance. For single-threaded tasks, it scores 4784 in the PassMark benchmark, reflecting its capability in handling demanding applications and workloads efficiently.

Connectivity:

USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-C) 0
USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-A) 3
USB 4 20Gbps ports 0
USB 4 40Gbps ports 2
Thunderbolt 4 ports 0
USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (USB-C) 0
USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports (USB-A) 0
Thunderbolt 3 ports 0
has an HDMI output ✓
Has USB Type-C ✓
supports Wi-Fi ✓
Wi-Fi version Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac), Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
has an external memory slot ✓
Bluetooth version 5.4
RJ45 ports 0
HDMI ports 1
HDMI version HDMI 2.1
DisplayPort outputs 0
USB 2.0 ports 0
has AirPlay ✓
mini DisplayPort outputs 0
has a VGA connector ✕

The MSI Raider 18 HX AI A2XW (2025) offers a range of connectivity options including USB Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and USB 4 ports. It supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 for seamless wireless communication. The laptop also features an HDMI 2.1 port for high-definition video output, along with an external memory slot for additional storage expansion.

Battery:

battery size 99 Wh
Has sleep-and-charge USB ports ✓
Has a MagSafe power adapter ✕

The MSI Raider 18 HX AI A2XW (2025) is equipped with a 99 Wh battery, offering solid power for extended use. It also includes sleep-and-charge USB ports for convenient charging while the laptop is in sleep mode. However, it does not feature a MagSafe power adapter for charging.

Features:

release date January 2025
has stereo speakers ✓
has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack ✓
supports ray tracing ✓
supports DLSS ✓
has Dolby Atmos ✕
Stylus included ✕
Has a fingerprint scanner ✓
number of microphones 1
Uses 3D facial recognition ✓
video recording (main camera) 1080 x 30 fps
has voice commands ✕
has a front camera ✓
Has S/PDIF Out port ✕
has a gyroscope ✕
has GPS ✕
has an accelerometer ✕
has a compass ✕
Has an optical disc drive ✕

The MSI Raider 18 HX AI A2XW (2025) includes a range of features designed for both convenience and performance. It comes with stereo speakers, a 3.5 mm audio jack, and supports advanced gaming technologies such as ray tracing and DLSS. Additionally, it has a fingerprint scanner and uses 3D facial recognition for secure access, while the front camera allows for video recording at 1080p 30fps.

Miscellaneous:

USB 3.0 ports 0
USB ports 5
Thunderbolt ports 2
clock multiplier 28
AMD SAM / Intel Resizable BAR Intel Resizable BAR
GPU architecture Blackwell
has LHR ✕
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 95W
Supports 3D ✓
Supports multi-display technology ✓
OpenCL version 3
OpenGL version 4.6
Supports ECC memory ✓
memory bus width 256-bit
effective memory speed 25400 MHz
maximum memory bandwidth 811.5 GB/s
render output units (ROPs) 128
texture mapping units (TMUs) 328
shading units 10496
Has Double Precision Floating Point (DPFP) ✓
GPU memory speed 2000 MHz
Type Laptop
CPU socket BGA 2114
instruction sets MMX, F16C, FMA3, AES, AVX, AVX2, SSE 4.1, SSE 4.2
L3 cache 36 MB
L2 cache 40 MB
Has an unlocked multiplier ✓
Has NX bit ✓
Turbo Boost version 2
CPU temperature 105 °C
Has integrated graphics ✓
memory channels 2
RAM speed (max) 6400 MHz
Uses big.LITTLE technology ✓

The MSI Raider 18 HX AI A2XW (2025) boasts a variety of high-performance features. It supports Intel Resizable BAR and integrates the Blackwell GPU architecture, offering robust graphical power. With multi-display support, users can enjoy an expansive visual experience. The system also supports ECC memory, ensuring data integrity, and features impressive memory speeds of up to 25,400 MHz, delivering high bandwidth of 811.5 GB/s.

Final Verdict

The product is a high-performance gaming and professional computing device, well-suited for users who demand top-tier processing power, large storage, and advanced features. With Intel Resizable BAR support, multi-display technology, and ECC memory, it excels in tasks like gaming, content creation, and scientific computing. While it offers solid performance, its large form factor and lack of certain high-end features like Dolby Atmos and Thunderbolt 4 ports may limit its appeal for those seeking portability or the ultimate multimedia experience. Overall, it's an excellent choice for power users looking for performance, reliability, and multitasking capabilities.

Popular Comparisons

MSI Raider 18 HX AI A2XW (2025) 18"
MSI Raider 18 HX AI A2XW (2025) 18"
VS
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 16"
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 16"
MSI Raider 18 HX AI A2XW (2025) 18"
MSI Raider 18 HX AI A2XW (2025) 18"
VS
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 16" (RTX 5080 Laptop / 64GB RAM / 1TB)
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 16" (RTX 5080 Laptop / 64GB RAM / 1TB)
MSI Raider 18 HX AI A2XW (2025) 18"
MSI Raider 18 HX AI A2XW (2025) 18"
VS
MSI Stealth A18 AI Plus A3XW (2025) 18"
MSI Stealth A18 AI Plus A3XW (2025) 18"