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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated June 22, 2024·
For a balance of performance and portability, the MSI Raider GE78 is a strong contender. It offers a high-performance Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU and a fast 240Hz display, making it excellent for gaming and demanding graphics tasks. The 16:10 aspect ratio screen provides more vertical space for productivity. However, its battery life is shorter, and it's less portable due to its size and weight. On the other hand, the MSI Raider 18 HX is a powerhouse designed for the most demanding tasks, including engineering and intensive gaming, with its top-tier Intel i9-14900HX processor and Nvidia RTX 4080 GPU. The larger 18-inch Mini LED display with a higher resolution and touchscreen capability offers superior color accuracy and brightness, ideal for professionals who need a high-quality screen. It's also more future-proof with USB4 and Thunderbolt 3 ports, though it sacrifices some portability due to its larger size and heavier weight. If you prioritize the best performance and screen quality for intensive tasks and gaming, and portability is less of a concern, the MSI Raider 18 HX is the way to go. However, if you want a balance of high performance with slightly better portability and a more reasonable price point, the MSI Raider GE78 would be a more suitable choice. 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 Raider 18 HX
- Best in class for engineering and design
- Excellent for content creation
- Excellent overall display quality
Advantages of the MSI Raider GE78
- Best in class for gaming and AI
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Best in class keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
9.4
8.6
18.0in
SIZE
17.3in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
1000.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
The MSI Raider 18 HX has a better screen than the MSI Raider GE78 for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the MSI Raider GE78 has a better screen for gaming and AI.
PerfectRec’s screen quality scores take into account various important factors that are relevant for different use cases.
Battery
9.0 Hours
6.0 Hours
The MSI Raider 18 HX has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE78 has 6 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.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The MSI Raider GE78 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
$3,999
$4,386
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The MSI Raider 18 HX has a price of $3,999 and the MSI Raider GE78 costs $4,386.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.8
8.7
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
1000.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
384.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
6.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
5.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.5/10
The MSI Raider 18 HX and MSI Raider GE78 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
9.0
9.5
9.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
240Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
Yes
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Raider GE78 to be best in class for gaming and AI, while the MSI Raider 18 HX is excellent.
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
9.6
9.4
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
9.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Raider 18 HX to be best in class for engineering and design, while the MSI Raider GE78 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
9.1
8.8
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI Raider 18 HX to be excellent for content creation, while the MSI Raider GE78 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
8.8
8.5
9.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.9/10
32.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.5/10
The MSI Raider 18 HX and MSI Raider GE78 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.
Portability
Poor
Poor
18.0in
SIZE
17.3in
7.9 lbs
WEIGHT
6.8 lbs
1.2in
THICKNESS
1.1in
The MSI Raider GE78 and MSI Raider 18 HX both have poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
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How the MSI Raider 18 HX and the MSI Raider GE78 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| MSI Raider 18 HX | MSI Raider GE78 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$3,999 | $4,386 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2024 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.9'' x 12.1'' x 1.26'' | 15'' x 11.7'' x 1.13'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 7.94 lbs | 6.83 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.91" | 14.97" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 12.09" | 11.73" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i9-14900HX | Intel i9-13980HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 4 | 2 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 1024 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 9 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 99.9 Wh | 99.9 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 18" | 17.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | Mini LED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 120Hz | 240Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 1000 nits | 384 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.1/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | Yes | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 6.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 4 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | 4 | |
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MSI Raider GE78
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Allen Ngo | March 2023
"Performance-wise, the GE78 offers a significant boost over the GE77 for just slightly higher power consumption. You'll have to get the RTX 4080 or 4090 configurations to see the performance advantages, however, as the RTX 4070 is closer in performance to the older RTX 3080 Ti. In terms of design, some users might prefer the 16:9 minimalistic look of the older GE77 over the 16:10 retro-inspired GE78 and vice versa. We wouldn't call one better than the other in terms of aesthetics, but we'll give the edge to the GE78 for its stronger hinges and larger keys and clickpad."
Get a great deal on the MSI Raider 18 HX or the MSI Raider GE78
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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