The 2024 MSI Gaming Laptops Lineup: The Complete Guide!

MSI wasn’t always a gaming brand, but gaming is what got it on the map and currently, gaming is what puts it in the minds of the mainstream. Today we’re covering the entire MSI Gaming laptop lineup, to see what’s what with MSI in 2024, as well as how they compare to the rest of the manufacturers. We’ll start with the Titan, a gaming behemoth that can almost certainly replace most gaming desktops out there, go down to the mid-range (aka the Crosshair), as well as get down in the mud with the privates of the MSI army, aka the Swords, Katanas, Cyborg, Alpha, and Bravo laptops.

The last few are MSI’s more affordable devices, which are arguably the most important, so it’s crucial that MSI gets them right. The competition in the space is severe, with laptops like the Lenovo LOQ 15 and the Acer Nitro V 15. For 2024, MSI is leveraging AI as a selling point, labeling the 2024 lineup as the beginning of the AI Era of Computing.

Maximizing the performance of gaming devices is crucial for getting the most bang for your buck, which is why we created our Max Out series of eBook Guides, which show you how you can make your gaming laptop more powerful, leveraging techniques such as undervolting and overclocking, among others.

MSI Titan 18 HX (A14Vx)

The biggest and baddest of all MSI laptops, we’ve got the unrelenting Titan 18 HX. It’s got a new design for 2024, utilizing a Magnesium-Aluminum chassis, a smart choice. Obviously, price doesn’t matter with the Titan, as the price starts at $5000. It will reduce the overall weight of the laptop, as magnesium is super tough so you don’t need much of it for the bodywork. This doesn’t mean that the Titan is very light, but it’s light for the hardware that it brings, weighing 7.9 lbs (3.6 kg). The profile ranges from 0.94″ (24 mm) on the front and 1.25 ” (32.05 mm) at the back.

In terms of performance, you’ve got the best combo possible, a Core i9-14900HX and a 175W RTX 4080, backed up by 192GB of DDR5 RAM and a massive 99Wh battery.

The display options are super crisp too, with a resolution of either QHD+ or 4K UHD+. They are 16:10, with the QHD+ unit using an IPS panel and ticking at 240Hz, while the 4K display has a MiniLED panel which promises higher brightness and contrast. It’s not as quick, though with only a 120Hz refresh rate. The cooling might be the most impressive, with a vapor chamber and legs on the bottom that raise the laptop a bit, for even better airflow.

There’s also a mechanical keyboard, with CherryMX low-profile switches, giving you the same tactile feedback. The touchpad is haptic, so no real clicks. However, the surface can change colors, with full RGB support.

MSI Raider 18 HX (A14Vx)

One step below the Titan sits the Raider series, the second most powerful laptop in MSI’s lineup. This is the MSI Raider 18 HX, powered by Intel 14th Gen HX-series processors and RTX 40-series graphics. On paper, the CPU, GPU, and Display selection are all the same. So where’s the difference between them? Well, first of all, the total power of the laptop has dropped down to 250W, split between the CPU and GPU.

The Tiran has a total power of 270W, so if the GPU stays at the same 175W power limit, this means that the CPU will get overall less power in the Raider than in the Titan. However, the Core i9-14900HX is super powerful that you really might not notice the difference. Sadly, we haven’t been able to review these two laptops, but a comparison would be very interesting, as we’re curious to see how much of a difference 20W can make when it comes to all-out performance.

MSI Raider A18 HX (A7Vx)

In the recent year or two, when most companies create an AMD version of their laptops, they stick an HS-series chip and call it a day. MSI has done the new AMD-based Raider differently, by including the Ryzen 9 7945HX3D. Yes, 3D V-Cache has made its way onto mobile chips, and it is so good that it managed to put the Ryzen 9 in the #3 spot of our Top Laptop CPU Ranking, beating out the Core i9-14900HX and anything else Intel could throw at it. The GPU options are the same, with up to a 175W RTX 4090. Sadly, the MiniLED display isn’t available here, but it should be, as AMD enthusiasts have the right to be blessed by the increased brightness and contrast ratio.

Compared to the Titan, the Raider has a more conventional cooling system with 2 fans, 6 heat pipes, and raised feet, which MSI tastefully called 3D Cooling Stands. They elevate the bottom panel so it’s not sitting flat on the table, providing more airflow to the cooling, which in turn, increases performance.

MSI Raider GE78 HX (14Vx)

If you want a smaller Raider, the GE78 reduces its screen size to 17 inches. Does that mean that it’s more portable? Not at all! It still weighs 6.8 lbs (3.1 kg) and has a thickness ranging from 0.90″ – 1.13″ (22.85-28.75 mm). It’s still a very beefy laptop, with beefy components inside. All the Intel-based Raider laptops bring the Core i9-14900HX into the fold, along with 175W RTX Graphics.

Another trend that’s basically become mainstream for all gaming laptops is 16:10 displays. Here we have two options with a 17-inch diagonal and either Full HD+ or Quad HD+ and either 165Hz or 240Hz refresh rate. Personally, the higher resolution you go, the lower the refresh rate should be, as updating all these pixels 240 times a second can be taxing on the GPU. Unless you’re a professional esports player, in which case you’ll probably play on a bigger external monitor, we don’t see a reason for a QHD panel to go above 165Hz.

MSI Raider GE68 HX (14Vx)

With the same formula, but in an even smaller 16-inch chassis, the Raider GE68 might be the most popular Raider laptop out of the whole bunch. It’s still plenty powerful, with the same specifications. It’s not super light, however, it has the dimensions of a smaller 15.6-inch device, as the bezels have been pushed to be as thin as possible.

While the laptop is still not very light at 6.1 lbs (2.75 kg), the smaller size means it can fit in most laptop bags without an issue.

What’s important, is that here we get the MiniLED display that’s lacking on the bigger Raider, which means games and all other content can look even better. Most high-end gaming laptops come with displays that show a wide range of colors, so the Raider GE68 can surely tackle creator work with ease.

MSI Stealth 18 AI Studio A1V

The Stealth laptops were previously gaming devices with decent performance and a more subdued design. This meant next to no RGB. Basically, they were made for the gamers who didn’t want to be identified as gamers. Since the overall design concept of gaming devices moved in that direction, the Stealth series needed a new niche. It turns out that gaming hardware is pretty damn good for content creation, so the Stealth devices became the Stealth Studio. For 2024, the “AI” was added to signify the AI-readiness of the notebook.

The 18-inch model features an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H CPU as well as four GPU options, ranging from an RTX 4060 to an RTX 4090, all with a 140W power limit. You also have the same display selection from the Titan, with an additional panel for the base configuration. For an 18-inch machine, it’s decently portable, weighing 6.2 lbs (2.79 kg) with a profile between 0.78″ – 0.94″ (19.9 – 23.99 mm). The laptop brings a wide port selection, including an SD card reader and plenty of Thunderbolt and regular USB ports, as any self-respecting creator laptop would.

MSI Stealth 16 AI Studio A1V

The same formula, but in a smaller package, the Stealth 16 AI Studio drops the weight to 4.4 lbs (1.99 kg) and the thickness to 0.79″ (19.95 mm). In terms of hardware, you lose some GPU power, with the power limit of the 40-series GPUs dropping to 105W. Once again, the display selection is the same. We think this is the best laptop of the Stealth Studio series, as we’ve seen the higher-powered 140W cards not reach said TGPs, so you might not lose that much performance by selecting the 16-inch version.

At the same time, you’re getting more versatility, with an additional Core Ultra 7 155H CPU option, as well as a much lighter chassis that won’t be a hassle to carry around with you. The massive 99Wh battery also stays here, so with the supposedly less powerful GPUs, the battery life should see improvement when it comes to more intense workloads.

MSI Stealth 14 AI Studio A1V

The smallest of the Stealth Studio series, the 14-inch laptop makes small cutbacks compared to the 16-inch model when it comes to configurations, keeping the displays, and the CPU options. There is less GPU variety, with the RTX 4050, 4060, and 4070 being available, with a slightly lower 90W power limit.

The crazier thing is how portable this device is, considering the hardware that it provides. It weighs only 2.2 lbs (1.00 kg) and has a profile between 0.78″ (19.9 mm) – 0.85″ (21.8 mm). Inside the chassis, there’s a vapor chamber, as well as stereo speakers, with 2 tweeter units on the base and 4 woofer units on the bottom panel. There’s a slight change in the displays. Instead of the 4K panel, there’s a 2.8K 120Hz OLED panel, which brings super deep colors and an infinite contrast ratio.

MSI Vector 17 HX (A13Vx / A14Vx)

Now we’re entering the upper mid-range of MSI’s gaming notebooks. The Vector, previously known as the Leopard, has always been a great laptop. The current 2024 variant offers really powerful components just like the Raider, however, it scales back on the display selection, to bring the price down by a bit. Cooling this beast isn’t a problem, as the Core i9 CPU and 4090 Graphics get the Cooler Boost 5 solution, with 6 heat pipes and 2 fans, which gives you enough copper to keep everything chilly.

This laptop is for more than gaming though, as it can act as a whole studio once you utilize all the available ports, you can plug up to three monitors that are enough to handle all your gaming and productivity needs. The I/O is full, with some highlights including Thunderbolt 4, an HDMI 2.1 FRL for up to 8K@60Hz, and an SD card reader.