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I tested the MSI Titan 18 HX — the power is wild, the price is wilder

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I tested the MSI Titan 18 HX — the power is wild, the price is wilder

MSI, we have to speak.

I see lots of people fawning over the MSI Titan 18 HX — significantly the Dragon Version Norse Delusion mannequin I’ve been utilizing as my every day driver over the previous couple of months. And in the early days, I was certainly one of them.

MSI Titan 18 HX: The ups

Earlier than we sit down for an actual chat, let’s undergo the superhuman efficiency occurring underneath the hood, in addition to a few extra parts that make this sound nice (on paper).

Max power

(Picture credit score: Future)

Yep, you’ve acquired an Intel Core Extremely 9 285HX CPU and RTX 5090 GPU packed in right here — mixed with a large quantity of DDR5 RAM and a PCIe Gen 5 SSD underneath the hood.

That’s all honest and good, however because of all the superior thermal administration occurring, you’re getting a whopping 270W being pumped via this technique from that behemoth of a charging convey. And the finish outcome? A degree of gaming efficiency that is positive to make lots of desktop rigs blush!

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Recreation benchmark

MSI Titan 18 HX

Asus ROG Strix Scar 18

Cyberpunk 2077 1080p extremely preset (no DLSS)

70.64 FPS

68.28 FPS

Black Delusion: Wukond (1080p cinematic)

59 FPS

57 FS

Murderer’s Creed Shadows (1080p ver excessive)

54 FPS

44 FPS

However as you already know full properly, we check with all the DLSS 4 trickery turned off. The second you flick the switches on this, you get the body charges balloon with very minimal impression to latency and the constancy of the in-game graphics. Each time I see it, I’m at all times blown away!

Oh, and it doesn’t cease at simply gaming efficiency. Considered one of the huge wins for gaming laptops for me is its capability to be all issues to all individuals — a workhorse by day and excellent for play by night time.

Effectively, while you apply these specs to plenty of power person multitasking and the most superior of prosumer and AI workloads, you see simply how all these excessive efficiency parts come collectively to make this an actual stallion of getting issues carried out.

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Benchmark

MSI Titan 18 HX

Asus ROG Strix Scar 18

Geekbench 6.4 single-core

3046

3117

Geekbench 6.4 multicore

22082

19553

Geekbench AI ONNX GPU Quantized rating

24010

23227

Handbrake (transcoding 4k video to 1080p mm:ss – shorter is higher)

01:55

02:16

Advanced 4K video timelines in DaVinci Resolve simply performed immediately at the push of a play button with none rendering necessities. Photoshop neural renders have been crushed in only a few seconds.

Regardless of how a lot in-game path tracing strain I placed on this, it sailed via with no issues. The followers kick up, although, so be sure you decide up a gaming headset to dam it out.

A mesmerizing show

MSI Titan 18 HX

(Picture credit score: Future)

4K mini-LED. That’s it. That’s the bit.

…OK nice I’ll inform you all about it. This 18-inch show is so OTT that I’m in love.

Utilizing mini-LED tech, it’s tremendous vibrant even in direct daylight, the colours are impressively vivid, and that 120Hz refresh fee is buttery easy at such a crispy, excessive decision.

Whether or not I’m swinging via the vivid concrete jungle of New York in Marvel’s Spider-Man, or feeling the concern of the darkish, gloomy immersion in Silent Hill 2, this is a really mesmerizing display that basically enhances any recreation you throw at it.

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Laptop computer

Show brightness (common in nits)

DCI-P3 colour gamut (%)

MSI Titan 18 HX

729.8

87.2

Asus ROG Strix Scar 18

429.4

80.6

Plus, add in the colour accuracy, and I felt simply as assured throwing my complete artistic workload via right here – understanding that no matter I put my coronary heart and soul into; from RAW photograph edits to 4K colour grading, the on-screen outcomes are right to what you all would see.

And because of that HDR assist, contrast-heavy TV reveals like the depths of Severance actually make that synthetic gentle glow. For any function you throw at it, this display is a beaut.

Considerate design

MSI Titan 18 HX

(Picture credit score: Future)

So earlier than we discuss the precise aesthetics, I do must dish out a medal to the Titan for a few of its well-thought out design concepts for any professional gamer on the market.

Beginning with that thickness and heft (sure, it is actually is 7.94 kilos) — MSI understood the project that this is a desktop alternative and packed it stuffed with what’s wanted for nearly superhuman thermal administration (for a laptop computer).

MSI Titan 18 HX

(Picture credit score: Future)

Sure, the followers do sound like a jumbo jet when pushing it to the restrict, however it’s the better of the playing cards you’re dealt on this state of affairs! On prime of that, the desktop comfort extends to the port array, as vital sockets like HDMI and Ethernet adorn the again, whereas there’s versatility throughout the different sides (akin to a warmly welcomed full-size SD card slot).

And eventually, so much has been mentioned about giving players the alternative to increase their laptops. Whereas we haven’t gone full-blown modular simply but, the further SSD slots with PCIe Gen 5 assist are important for increasing capability whereas holding the quickens.

Oh, and shoutout to that phenomenal Cherry MX mechanical keyboard up prime. The keys have a pleasant delicate dish to them in your fingers to fall into, whereas the tactile change impression is unmatched in the laptop computer house.

MSI Titan 18 HX: The downs

This is an intervention, MSI. You possibly can tick packing containers, and that’s factor — I don’t need that to be forgotten. However we’re giving shopper recommendation right here, and I’ve acquired to be actual: there are two huge explanation why you shouldn’t purchase this.

And no, neither are the laughable battery life or webcam. Let’s simply agree these don’t matter in a desktop alternative system like this.

The less-thoughtful elements of that design

MSI Titan 18 HX

(Picture credit score: Future)

MSI offers with one hand and takes away with the different. That’s annoying as a result of given the ridiculous value you’re paying right here (extra on that later), There are three key points occurring.

First, that haptic touchpad. Seems nice with the RGB illumination and if my MacBook Professional was something to go by, strong state pads are nice at providing you with that tactility with out that spongey wobble. On the Titan, there’s a pleasant clicky snap, however gestures are hit or miss and click on response is too sluggish.

Second, the audio system. In case you’re going to have the followers kick up a storm, let these social gaming moments drown out the noise with huge quantity from these audio system. Not solely are they sadly fairly tinny, however they’re far too quiet.

MSI Titan 18 HX

(Picture credit score: Future)

And eventually (most subjectively), that dragon paintings on the entrance of mine? Fairly cringe. I received’t maintain this towards the 18 HX in my overview, as you may get the plain one which solves that drawback.

On prime of that, I applaud MSI for attempting to do one thing totally different — the texture of the 3D paintings atop the lid is addictive to run your fingers over.

However I would by no means ever really feel comfy bringing this out with me, as I learnt after being laughed at a good few occasions in my native hometown pub for whipping it out. Perhaps hold the particular editions slightly extra delicate.

You could must remortgage the home for this

MSI Titan 18 HX

(Picture credit score: Future)

Right here I was pondering $4,499 for the Asus ROG Strix Scar 18 was loopy costly. But it surely seems that in relation to 18-inch 5090 laptops, it may very properly be the steal of the yr.

I received’t blather on an excessive amount of on this part, as a result of each time I do I get extra aggravated at that $7,000 price tag. Yep, you learn that proper — the value of the particular version mannequin I have is seven grand.

However how a lot does that price go down if it’s the non-special version? Effectively, retailers, round about $250 will get lower off the price, as we’ve seen the an identical spec with none of the dragon stuff go for $6,750. Regardless of which manner you look, this is an insane price tag that I can’t ignore.

Then after all, we’ve acquired Nvidia speaking about elevating the costs of its GPUs resulting from the financial uncertainty, so they might go even greater!

This is simply an astronomical price to pay, and one which given the combo breaker strengths of DLSS 4 and multi-frame gen can convey to uber easy laptop computer gaming on lower-spec laptops, I wouldn’t advocate anybody pay.

MSI Titan 18 HX: Verdict

MSI Titan 18 HX

(Picture credit score: Future)

The epitome of extra, and the picture you’d discover on the Wikipedia web page for the saying “more cash than sense.” This is a beasty gaming laptop computer with a monstrous price tag that makes it good on paper, however not one thing I’d inform anybody to exit and purchase.

If 5090 is your factor, the Strix Scar 18 is higher worth for cash (almost $2,000 much less) with out compromising anymore than a couple of frames per second. However you could possibly legitimately get away with RTX 5080 and 5070 methods, save your self a ton of cash and nonetheless get shockingly good body charges with all that AI trickery.

Don’t get me flawed. The MSI Titan 18 HX is not precisely taking your cash and setting it on hearth. It is a mightily highly effective system, however positively not the smartest buy — definitely not the finest gaming laptop computer you should buy.

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