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Raider 18 HX
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Raider GE78
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What we think

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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

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Screen Quality

9.4
Raider 18 HX
Raider GE78
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.

Battery

9.0 Hours
Raider 18 HX
Raider GE78
6.0 Hours
The MSI Raider 18 HX has 9 hours of battery life. The MSI Raider GE78 has 6 hours of battery life.

Build Quality

7.4
Raider 18 HX
Raider GE78
8.5
The MSI Raider GE78 has very good build quality, while the MSI Raider 18 HX has good build quality.

Cost

$3,999
Raider 18 HX
Raider GE78
$4,386
Product image
Product image

$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

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General Use

8.8
Raider 18 HX
Raider GE78
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.

Gaming and AI

9.0
Raider 18 HX
Raider GE78
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.

Engineering and Design

9.6
Raider 18 HX
Raider GE78
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.

Content Creation

9.1
Raider 18 HX
Raider GE78
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.

Software Development

8.8
Raider 18 HX
Raider GE78
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.

Portability

Poor
Raider 18 HX
Raider GE78
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

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Spec Comparison

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MSI Raider 18 HXMSI Raider GE78
MSI Raider 18 HXMSI Raider GE78

GENERAL

Price
$3,999
$4,386
Release Date
March 1, 2024May 1, 2023
Overall Dimensions
15.9'' x 12.1'' x 1.26''15'' x 11.7'' x 1.13''
Weight
7.94 lbs6.83 lbs
Width
15.91"14.97"
Depth
12.09"11.73"

INTERNAL

Processor
Intel i9-14900HXIntel i9-13980HX
RAM
32 GB32 GB
DDR Memory Version
55
RAM Slots
42
Storage
1024 GB2048 GB

BATTERY

Battery Life
9 Hours6 Hours
Battery Capacity
99.9 Wh99.9 Wh

SCREEN

Diagonal Size
18"17.3"
Display Technology
Mini LEDIPS
Resolution
3840 x 24002560 x 1600
Refresh Rate
120Hz240Hz
Display Brightness
1000 nits384 nits

RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS

Build Quality Score
7.4/108.5/10
Portability Score
5.1/105.6/10
Gaming Laptop Appearance
YesYes
Premium Business Laptop
NoNo
Fan Noise Score
8/106.5/10

HARDWARE FEATURES

Keyboard Quality Score
7/109.5/10
Speaker Quality Score
8/109.5/10
Webcam
1080p1080p
Fingerprint Reader
NoNo
Backlit Keyboard
YesYes
Number Pad
YesYes

CONNECTIVITY

USB Type-A
32
USB-C ports
23
USB-C Charging
YesYes
Display Outputs
34
Thunderbolt Version
44

Shopping

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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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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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About the laptop team

Joe Golden, Ph.D

CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.

Jason Lew

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.

Chandradeep Chowdhury

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.

Craig Russell

Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.

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