MSI Stealth A18 AI Plus A3XW (2025) 18" specifications and in-depth review

MSI Stealth A18 AI Plus A3XW (2025) 18"

Manufacturer: MSI

The MSI Stealth A18 AI Plus A3XW (2025) is a powerful gaming laptop designed for immersive gaming experiences. Equipped with an 18″ 4K Mini-LED display and 64GB of RAM, it offers high-quality performance for demanding tasks and gaming sessions.

It features a 2TB NVMe SSD for fast storage, alongside a cutting-edge GPU with 24GB of VRAM and 31.8 TFLOPS of floating-point performance. The laptop supports multiple displays and offers advanced connectivity with Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, and Wi-Fi 7. Its robust performance is backed by a 95W CPU TDP and advanced cooling technology.

Pros
  • Supports Intel Resizable BAR, optimizing memory access for improved performance in certain applications.
  • Equipped with integrated graphics, allowing for a basic level of visual output without the need for a dedicated GPU.
  • Features stereoscopic 3D support, providing a more immersive visual experience for compatible content.
  • Supports multi-display technology, enabling multiple monitors to be connected for enhanced productivity or gaming setups.
  • Offers ECC memory support, improving data integrity and reliability for memory-heavy tasks.
Cons
  • Lacks support for Dolby Atmos, which could limit the audio experience for users seeking advanced sound quality.
  • Does not include a MagSafe power adapter, potentially limiting charging convenience for certain users.
  • Lacks a stylus, which may be a drawback for users looking for pen input functionality.
  • Does not feature an optical disc drive, making it unsuitable for users relying on physical media for data transfer or media consumption.
Who is this for?

This product is well-suited for users who require high performance and multitasking capabilities. With a powerful 24 threads CPU and 64GB of RAM, it can easily handle demanding applications such as video editing, rendering, or gaming. Additionally, its support for multi-display technology makes it ideal for users who need extensive screen real estate for professional or creative work. The inclusion of integrated graphics allows for basic visual output without the need for a dedicated GPU, offering flexibility for everyday tasks.

Who is this NOT for?

This product is not ideal for users seeking advanced audio features, as it lacks support for Dolby Atmos, which may limit the immersive sound experience expected by audiophiles or gamers. It also does not come with a MagSafe power adapter, which could be inconvenient for users who prefer magnetic charging. Furthermore, it may not be the best choice for those relying on physical media, as it does not have an optical disc drive for media playback or data transfer.

Design:

Type Gaming
weight 2890 g
Uses a fanless design
Has a backlit keyboard
volume 2190.909 cm³
width 399 mm
height 289 mm
thickness 19 mm
is weather-sealed (splashproof)
has a rugged build

The MSI Stealth A18 AI Plus A3XW (2025) is a gaming laptop with a solid design, weighing 2890 g and featuring a width of 399 mm, a height of 289 mm, and a thickness of 19 mm. It is not fanless, but it includes a backlit keyboard for ease of use in low-light environments. The laptop has a total volume of 2190.909 cm³ and is not weather-sealed or rugged, making it more suited for general use rather than harsh conditions.

Display:

screen size 18"
resolution 3840 x 2160 px
pixel density 244 ppi
Display type Mini-LED
has a touch screen
brightness (typical) 1000 nits
refresh rate 120Hz
has anti-reflection coating
supported displays 4

The MSI Stealth A18 AI Plus A3XW (2025) features an impressive 18″ Mini-LED display with a high resolution of 3840 x 2160 px and a pixel density of 244 ppi. The display offers a typical brightness of 1000 nits and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate for an enhanced viewing experience. While it does not include a touch screen or anti-reflection coating, it supports up to four displays, providing flexibility for multi-monitor setups.

Performance:

RAM 64GB
RAM speed 5600 MHz
Uses flash storage
internal storage 2048GB
CPU speed 12 x 2 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 5.1GHz
GPU turbo 1515 MHz
memory slots 2
PCI Express (PCIe) version 4
semiconductor size 4 nm
has XeSS (XMX)
Supports 64-bit

The MSI Stealth A18 AI Plus A3XW (2025) delivers high-performance with its 64GB of RAM running at 5600 MHz and a large 2048GB NVMe SSD for fast storage. It is powered by a CPU with 24 threads and a clock speed of 12 x 2 GHz, offering a turbo boost of up to 5.1GHz. The GPU features 24GB of VRAM, a clock speed of 990 MHz, and a GPU turbo speed of 1515 MHz, delivering a total floating-point performance of 31.8 TFLOPS. Additionally, the laptop supports DirectX 12 Ultimate and has PCIe 4.0 for enhanced graphics and data throughput.

Benchmarks:

Geekbench 6 result (multi) 13283
Geekbench 6 result (single) 2593
PassMark result 35142
PassMark result (single) 3872

The MSI Stealth A18 AI Plus A3XW (2025) demonstrates impressive performance in benchmark tests. It achieves a Geekbench 6 multi-core score of 13283 and a single-core score of 2593. The PassMark result of 35142 further underscores its powerful capabilities, with a single-threaded PassMark score of 3872, making it well-suited for demanding tasks and applications.

Connectivity:

USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-C) 0
USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports (USB-A) 2
USB 4 20Gbps ports 0
USB 4 40Gbps ports 2
Thunderbolt 4 ports 2
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 Stealth A18 AI Plus A3XW (2025) offers robust connectivity options, including two Thunderbolt 4 ports and two USB 4 40Gbps ports for high-speed data transfer. It also includes HDMI 2.1 output, supporting one HDMI port, and Wi-Fi 7 support for fast wireless connections. Additionally, it has an external memory slot, Bluetooth 5.4, and supports AirPlay for wireless streaming to compatible devices.

Battery:

battery size 99.9 Wh
Has sleep-and-charge USB ports
Has a MagSafe power adapter

The MSI Stealth A18 AI Plus A3XW (2025) is equipped with a 99.9 Wh battery, offering substantial power for extended usage. It also features sleep-and-charge USB ports, allowing for convenient charging of devices while the laptop is in sleep mode. However, it does not support a MagSafe power adapter.

Features:

release date March 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 Stealth A18 AI Plus A3XW (2025) comes with several useful features, including stereo speakers and a 3.5 mm audio jack for audio connectivity. It supports ray tracing and DLSS for enhanced gaming and visual performance. The laptop also includes a fingerprint scanner and 3D facial recognition for secure access, along with a front camera capable of 1080p video recording at 30 fps.

Miscellaneous:

clock multiplier 20
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, Desktop
Uses big.LITTLE technology
instruction sets MMX, F16C, FMA3, AES, AVX, AVX2, SSE 4.1, SSE 4.2
Has an unlocked multiplier
L3 core 2 MB/core
L3 cache 24 MB
L2 core 1 MB/core
L2 cache 12 MB
GPU execution units 16
GPU name Radeon 890M
Has integrated graphics
memory channels 2
RAM speed (max) 7500 MHz
CPU temperature 100 °C
Has NX bit

This device features a powerful set of specs including a clock multiplier of 20 and support for Intel Resizable BAR. The GPU architecture is based on Blackwell, offering impressive graphical performance. It supports multi-display technology, stereoscopic 3D, and ECC memory. With a maximum memory bandwidth of 811.5 GB/s and GPU execution units totaling 16, this system is optimized for high performance in demanding tasks. Additionally, it comes equipped with integrated graphics and an effective memory speed of 25,400 MHz.

Final Verdict

The product offers strong performance for demanding tasks, with a robust 24-thread CPU, 64GB of RAM, and high-end graphics capabilities. Its support for multi-display setups and efficient memory management makes it well-suited for professionals and power users. However, its lack of advanced audio features and physical media support may be limiting for some users. Overall, this product is a great choice for those needing serious computing power, but less suitable for those seeking comprehensive multimedia or connectivity features.

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