Perhaps unsurprisingly, the combo delivers record-setting performance. The launch of new Nvidia RTX mobile graphics--including the top-tier RTX 5090 with 24GB of VRAM--has the potential for chart-topping performance. Now it's joined by AMD's Ryzen 9 9955HX3D, a 16-core CPU with the company's vaunted 3D V-Cache, an extra stack of L3 cache that can prove useful in games. The MSI Raider A18 HX A9W brings both new chips into one chassis. That's incredible hardware, but the laptop retails for an equally incredible MSRP of 5,099.99. Each is an undisputed heavyweight in its category and should deliver a killer one-two punch of CPU and GPU performance. With that said, however, this MSI Raider A18 HX A9W still must deal with the power and thermal constraints faced by every laptop--and it will be interesting to see the results. The MSI Raider A18 HX A9W delivers additional technical highlights, too, like the PCIe 5.0 solid state drive and the 4K Mini-LED display.

The MSI Raider 18 HX AI isn't a looker, but it packs incredible CPU and GPU performance. The MSI Raider 18 HX AI is the very model of a "desktop replacement" laptop. It's big, it's not much to look at, and it has a mediocre touchpad that implies users are really expected to connect a mouse. That might leave some shoppers asking, "What's the point?" That question is answered once the laptop is tossed into a demanding game or application. It might be thick, but the MSI Raider 18 HX delivers top-tier CPU and GPU performance. It even has gobs of RAM and a PCIe 5.0 solid state drive.

The MSI Raider 18 HX boasts a humongous screen as well as all the ports you could imagine, but the windy roar of the fans combined with the high price tag may deter some folks. Sometimes you just want to game on a truly "all-in-one" powerful laptop. And it doesn't matter how heavy it is, how loud it is, or even how long that laptop's battery lasts. So long as you can throw anything at it and get a beautiful glorious gaming experience, that's all that matters. And for those instances, the MSI Raider 18 HX is here to help you decimate… especially your wallet! The MSI Raider is first and foremost a gaming laptop and that means by standard laptops it has many flaws. Typing on it isn't great, the fans are loud, battery life is short, and it's so heavy that calling it a laptop is almost a joke. But because it's a gaming laptop, a lot of those flaws are "given" and what really matters is what it can do under the heavy load of AAA games and that's where it shines. Let's rip one band-aid off right now.