MSI Crosshair 18 HX Lacks Key Feature for Enhanced Appeal

Key Takeaways

1. The MSI Crosshair 18 HX is an affordable 18-inch gaming laptop but makes notable compromises.
2. It is limited to the RTX 5070 graphics card and cannot be upgraded to the more powerful RTX 5070 Ti.
3. The performance gap between the RTX 5070 and RTX 5070 Ti can reach up to 50%, affecting gaming experience.
4. MSI may have omitted the RTX 5070 Ti to differentiate the Crosshair 18 from its premium models.
5. While capable for 1080p and 1440p gaming, the RTX 5070 may struggle with demanding games on high settings.

The MSI Crosshair 18 HX stands out as one of the more budget-friendly 18-inch laptops available today, according to our review of this model. To achieve its lower price point, it makes several compromises, many of which are justifiable, like the unique RGB LEDs or the mini-LED display technology that some gamers might find unnecessary. However, one missing feature is particularly disappointing for even casual gamers.

Graphics Card Limitations

A major downside of the Crosshair 18 HX is that it cannot be upgraded to include the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti or any higher models; it maxes out with the RTX 5070. We’ve previously noted that the RTX 5070 Ti offers a considerable performance improvement over the RTX 5070, largely due to its substantial increase in VRAM. In fact, the performance gap between these two can reach up to 50 percent, as illustrated in our comparison charts below.

Reasons for the Omission

There are a few potential reasons why MSI chose not to include the RTX 5070 Ti option. Being a midrange gaming laptop, MSI probably aims to distinguish the Crosshair 18 from its more premium models like the Raider 18, Stealth 18, or Vector 18. The higher-end alternatives can be equipped with the RTX 5070 Ti, but they come with much steeper starting prices.

Performance Overview

Despite its limitations, the Crosshair 18 HX remains a solid choice for gaming at 1080p or 1440p resolutions. Nevertheless, its RTX 5070 may struggle with more resource-intensive games, such as Black Myth: Wukong, especially when played on high settings.

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