For a balance of performance and portability with a focus on productivity and general use, the MSI Prestige 16 is a strong choice, offering a high-resolution display with a 16:10 aspect ratio that's great for multitasking. It's also more affordable and lighter, making it a better fit for on-the-go professionals. However, if your needs are more demanding, such as intensive gaming, 3D rendering, or machine learning tasks, the MSI Raider 18 HX's superior graphics card and higher refresh rate display will deliver the performance you need, albeit at a higher price point and with reduced battery life and portability. The Raider's Mini LED display with touchscreen capability and higher brightness is also ideal for tasks that benefit from vibrant visuals, but it's less practical for mobile use due to its size and weight. 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 Prestige 16
Good portability
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
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.7/10
9.0/10
3.8/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.7/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The MSI Raider 18 HX is excellent for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 16 is only fair.
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.
Engineering and Design
8.2/10
9.6/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3.8/10
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 Prestige 16 is very good.
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
8.3/10
9.1/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
2560 x 1600
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 Prestige 16 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.
Software Development
8.1/10
8.8/10
9.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.0/10
The MSI Raider 18 HX and MSI Prestige 16 are both very good for software development, though the MSI Raider 18 HX is somewhat better.
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.
Screen Quality
8.3/10
9.4/10
16.0in
SIZE
18.0in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
Mini LED
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
1000.0 nits
The MSI Raider 18 HX has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 16 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
7.5 Hours
9.0 Hours
The MSI Prestige 16 has 7.5 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
Good
Poor
16.0in
SIZE
18.0in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
7.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The MSI Prestige 16 has good portability, while the MSI Raider 18 HX has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,611
$3,999
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The MSI Prestige 16 has a price of $1,611 and the MSI Raider 18 HX costs $3,999.
The MSI Raider 18 HX and MSI Prestige 16 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.
Build Quality
7.4/10
7.4/10
The MSI Prestige 16 and MSI Raider 18 HX both have good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the MSI Prestige 16 and the MSI Raider 18 HX compare to other laptops
"The MSI Prestige 16 Evo: 2023's best value 16” thin & light laptop with i7-13700H. One of the top choices for professionals and students seeking a high-performance, portable computing solution in 2023. While the MSI Prestige 16 Evo A13M may not boast the most striking design compared to some other 16" options, its relatively "safe" styling lends itself well to professional and educational environments. Significantly, it doesn't compromise on essential features like port selection or cooling performance, ensuring seamless connectivity and efficient thermal management. The 16 Evo A13M offers an excellent combination of performance, portability, and functionality, making it a compelling choice for professionals and students alike."
Get a great deal on the MSI Prestige 16 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.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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