This laptop is the ultimate insult

Quick Overview

The MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI A2XW laptop offers a strong balance of productivity and gaming performance with its Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU and RTX 5060/5070 GPU, featuring a high-quality 240Hz QHD+ display and robust cooling, all at a competitive price point of around $1,700, despite some minor compromises in speaker quality and per-key RGB lighting.

Key Points: The MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI A2XW laptop integrates an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU and an RTX 5060 or 5070 GPU, targeting both productivity and gaming performance. It boasts a 240Hz refresh rate QHD+ (2560x1600) display, which the reviewer praises as an "outstanding balance between clarity, ease of driving, and cost," capable of over 80 FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 at native resolution with medium settings. Cooling is a major focus, with MSI claiming up to six heat pipes and a robust solution that keeps the system responsive even under load, though the laptop can become "a little bit on the noisier side" in its high power profile. The laptop includes upgradeable DDR5 RAM (32GB standard), a Gen 5 SSD slot, and a modular Intel Wi-Fi 6E module, with a 88.24Wh battery providing "decent battery life" at around 7 hours in testing. Keyboard features include 1.7mm key travel and 24-zone RGB backlighting, with a "stiff deck" and a "reasonable compromise" on the number pad size to maintain user alignment. The laptop supports up to 100W charging via Thunderbolt 4 and includes a 240W charger brick, with a comprehensive IO selection including HDMI 2.1, Gigabit Ethernet, and multiple USB-A ports. Priced around $1,700 at the time of filming, the reviewer considers it a "more bang for the buck product" that avoids major compromises, though speaker performance is noted as "adequate" rather than exceptional.

Context: This video reviews the MSI Crosshair 18 HX AI A2XW, an 18-inch gaming and productivity laptop. The reviewer highlights MSI's use of the 'Crosshair' branding, typically associated with AMD, on an Intel-based laptop as a point of contention. The review focuses on the laptop's performance, cooling, display, keyboard, and overall value proposition for its price point.