How to open MSI Vector 16 HX A13V – disassembly and upgrade options

Ensure the laptop is powered off and placed on a clean, flat surface.
Remove the 13 Phillips-head screws from the bottom of the laptop.
Use a thin plastic tool to pry the sides of the hinge cover, then use a lever tool to pop the front of the cap.
Open the laptop lid to ease the removal of the bottom shield. Carefully lift the left side and slide the panel to the right to avoid the audio jack.

Step 2: Battery Removal

Disconnect the battery by detaching its connector from the motherboard.
Remove the four Phillips-head screws and lift the battery out of the chassis.

More info: The 90Wh battery provides around 7 hours of Web browsing or 6 hours of video playback.

Memory Upgrade

Locate the RAM zone, which is covered by a metal cap glued to the plastic shrouds.
Gently pry off the metal cap, being careful not to damage the thermal pad adhering it to the shrouds.

More info: Officially supports up to 64GB of DDR5-5600MHz RAM but capable of handling up to 192GB due to CPU compatibility.

You can buy DDR5 RAM modules here: Buy from Amazon.com (#CommissionsEarned)

Hint: Don’t forget to check out our Top M.2 SSDs Performance Rankings for insights on the best storage options available.

Storage Upgrade

Identify the two M.2 slots, compatible with Gen 4 and Gen 5 SSDs.
Observe the thermal pads below the preinstalled NVMe drives for better cooling performance.

You can buy Gen 5 M.2 SSD modules here: Buy from Amazon.com (#CommissionsEarned)

Step 3: Cooling System Overview

Inspect the Cooler Boost 5 system, which includes two fans and multiple heat pipes.
Note the extra heat pipes dedicated to the processor and GPU’s VRMs and memory, ensuring efficient heat management.

More info: The advanced cooling design is crucial for maintaining performance under heavy computational loads.

MSI Vector 16 HX (A13Vx / A14Vx) in-depth review

Nowadays, you can find a lot of high-end devices in a 17-inch or 18-inch form factor. On the other hand, if you want a smaller machine with top-end hardware, your choice is fairly limited. Still, with the aid of Vector 16 HX A13V, MSI tries to prove that a 16-incher can perform as well as some of its bigger siblings with larger displays. Specs-wise, the device is a true monster. You get a choice of Intel Raptor Lake HX CPUs with tons of cores and the latest and greatest NVIDIA Ada Lovelace GPUs with the highest possible power limits.Display-wise, there are two IPS variants. The base one is[...]

Read the full review