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Updated June 22, 2024·
The MSI GE66 Raider offers a balance of performance and portability with its powerful i9-12900HK processor and RTX 3080 Ti GPU, making it suitable for demanding tasks like gaming and engineering, while still being relatively compact and having a decent battery life for typical usage. Its 4K IPS display with high color accuracy is excellent for detailed visual work, and it's equipped with a good selection of ports including Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C. On the other hand, the MSI Raider 18 HX is a true powerhouse designed for the most intensive tasks, featuring the latest i9-14900HX processor and RTX 4080 GPU, ensuring top-tier performance for gaming, 3D rendering, and machine learning. The larger 18-inch Mini LED display with touch capability and higher resolution provides an immersive experience with superior brightness and color coverage, ideal for professionals who require precision and space. However, its larger size and weight make it less portable, and it has a shorter battery life, which is something to consider if you need to work on the go. It also comes with Windows 11 Pro for advanced security and management features. In summary, if you prioritize portability and an all-rounder laptop that can handle a variety of tasks well, including gaming and engineering, the MSI GE66 Raider is a strong choice. But if you're looking for the ultimate performance and display quality for intensive tasks and don't mind a bulkier design and shorter battery life, the MSI Raider 18 HX is the way to go. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the MSI GE66 Raider
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Raider 18 HX
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for gaming and AI
- Excellent for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
- Very good speakers
Key differences
Engineering and Design
9.1
9.6
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
9.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The MSI Raider 18 HX is best in class for engineering and design, while the MSI GE66 Raider is excellent.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Content Creation
8.4
9.1
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
The MSI Raider 18 HX is excellent for content creation, while the MSI GE66 Raider is very good.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Screen Quality
8.2
9.4
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
347.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
1000.0 nits
The MSI Raider 18 HX has a better screen than the MSI GE66 Raider for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
6.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The MSI GE66 Raider has 6 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider 18 HX has 9 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Fair
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
18.0in
5.2 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.9in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The MSI GE66 Raider has only fair portability, while the MSI Raider 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5
7.4
The MSI GE66 Raider has very good build quality, while the MSI Raider 18 HX has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$3,199
$3,999
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The MSI GE66 Raider has a price of $3,199 and the MSI Raider 18 HX costs $3,999.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.4
8.8
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
347.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
1000.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
6.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.0/10
The MSI Raider 18 HX and MSI GE66 Raider are both very good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
8.6
9.0
9.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
6.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Raider 18 HX to be excellent for gaming and AI, while the MSI GE66 Raider is very good.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Software Development
8.4
8.8
9.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Raider 18 HX and MSI GE66 Raider are both very good for software development.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
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How the MSI GE66 Raider and the MSI Raider 18 HX compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI GE66 Raider | MSI Raider 18 HX |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$3,199 | $3,999 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2022 | March 1, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.1'' x 10.5'' x 0.92'' | 15.9'' x 12.1'' x 1.26'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.25 lbs | 7.94 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.09" | 15.91" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.51" | 12.09" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-12900HK | Intel i9-14900HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 18" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | Mini LED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2160 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 347 nits | 1000 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 6.9/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.3/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 3 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 4 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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MSI GE66 Raider
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Patrick Schüdzig | June 2022
"The MSI Raider GE66 12UHS notebook passes with flying colors. The GE66 is a high-end notebook with strong performance. The keyboard and trackpad are still very good and score well with precise inputs as well as high build quality. Thanks to a new liquid metal cooling solution, the Intel Core i9 12900HK brings a performance increase of around 50 percent over the predecessor's Intel Core i9 10980HK. The installed graphics card in our device delivers up to 30 percent higher frame rates than the RTX 2070 Super in the MSI GE66 10SFS."
Get a great deal on the MSI GE66 Raider or the MSI Raider 18 HX
About MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
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